More than a quarter of adults have not heard of digital TV which is being launched in less than six months' time and will mean many new channels, according to a survey released yesterday.

Some 28% of the population are ignorant of the development, which has been billed as the most exciting change in television since colour television was introduced 30 years ago. More than 20% believe it will start in 2001 or after, rather than this autumn. Nearly 60% know nothing about set-top boxes - the equipment needed to receive the new channels.

The survey of 1000 adults conducted for Radio Rentals shows a public largely unprepared for the new system, which uses digital rather than the analogue signals currently used, allowing space for many more channels.