The digital television transition, also called the digital switchover or analogue switch-off, is the process in which analog television broadcasting is converted to and replaced by digital television. This primarily involves the conversion of analogue terrestrial television to digital terrestrial. However, it also involves analogue cable conversion to digital cable, as well as analogue to digital satellite.
In many countries, a simulcast service is operated where a broadcast is made available to viewers in both analog and digital at the same time. As digital becomes more popular, it is likely that the existing analogue services will be removed. In some cases this has already happened, where a broadcaster has offered incentives to viewers to encourage them to switch to digital. In other cases government policies have been introduced to encourage or force the switchover process, especially with regard to terrestrial broadcasts. Government intervention usually involves providing some funding for broadcasters and, in some cases monetary relief to viewers, to enable a switchover to happen by a given deadline.
The switchover for individual countries varies; in some countries it is being implemented in stages as in India and the United Kingdom, where each region has a separate date to switch off. In others, the whole country switches on one date, such as the Netherlands, which switched off all analog services on 11 December 2006.
Purpose of the transition [edit]
Almost all analog formats in current use were standardised between the 1940s and 1950s[citation needed] and have had to be adapted to the technological innovations since then. Initially offering only black and white images with monophonic sound, the formats have had to be modified to broadcast in colour and with stereo sound, SAP, captioning, and other information all while being backwards compatible with televisions unable to use the features. Additionally, engineers have had to implement these protocols within the limits of a set bandwidth and the tolerances of an inefficient analogue format.
However during this time, the application and distribution of digital communications evolved. Digital television transmission more efficiently uses the available bandwidth and can easily integrate other digital services. While analog video and audio broadcasts can not efficiently include other digital services, it has the advantage of greater area coverage due that fact that a degraded signal can still be usable to a fringe user while a digital one will just drop-off.
- For the end-user, digital television has potential for resolutions and sound fidelity far higher than that of analogue broadcasts. It is also possible to offer far more channels by way of digital multiplexing, and subchannels, distinct simulcast programming, from the same broadcaster. However most free-to-air broadcasters do not have the finances to operate multiple channels with the same quality of content on all channels, also the more channels provided has the impact of decreasing the bandwidth available to the existing channel(s) meaning overall lower picture quality due to compression artifacts and non-proportional anamorphic widescreen digital scaling.
- For government and industry, digital television reallocates the radio spectrum so that it can be auctioned off. In the subsequent auctions, telecommunications industries can introduce new services and products in mobile telephony, wi-fi internet, and other nationwide telecommunications projects.
- Impact on public-access television, decreased allocations available, expensive digital equipment cost replacement and lower broadcast area coverage due to digital drop-off.
Timeline for the digital switchover [edit]
- 2006: Netherlands
- 2007: Andorra, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland
- 2009: Denmark, Germany, Isle of Man, Norway, United States
- 2010: Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Guernsey, Jersey, Latvia, Luxembourg, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain
- 2011: Austria, Canada, Cyprus, France, Israel, Malta, Monaco, Turkey
- 2012: Czech Republic, Gibraltar, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom
- 2013: Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Kenya, Macedonia, Mauritius, Moldova, Namibia, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, Zimbabwe
- 2014: India
- 2015: Algeria, Brunei, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Libya, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Tunisia, Ukraine, Uruguay, Western Sahara
- 2017: Chile
- 2018: Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia
- 2019: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador
- 2020: Panama, Peru, Singapore, Thailand, Venezuela
- 2024: Cuba
- Unknown: Malaysia, Vietnam
- No intention of switching: North Korea
Other information [edit]
The Geneva 2006 Agreement sets 17 June 2015 as the date after which countries may use those frequencies currently assigned for analogue television transmission for digital services, without being required to protect the analogue services of neighbouring countries against interference. This date is generally viewed as an internationally mandated analogue switch-off date, at least along national borders.[1] The European Commission has recommended that digital switchover should be completed by 1 January 2012 - Commission Recommendation 2009/848/EC, of 28.10.2009.[2]
Digital switchover at a glance [edit]
World map of digital television transition progress. Legend:
Transition completed, all analog signals terminated
Transition completed for majority of analog signals; some stations are still being broadcast in analog
Transition in progress, broadcasting both analog and digital signals
Transition not yet started, broadcasting analog signals only
Does not intend to transition, broadcasting analog signals only
No information available
| Country |
First DTT broadcast |
Started switch-over |
Finished switch-over |
Ref |
Andorra |
|
|
02007-09-2525 September 2007 |
|
Australia |
02001-01-011 January 2001 |
02010-06-3030 June 2010 |
02013-12-1010 December 2013 |
[3] |
Belgium |
|
02008-11-033 November 2008 |
02010-03-011 March 2010 |
|
Bulgaria |
02009-01-011 January 2009 |
02013-03-011 March 2013 |
02013-09-011 September 2013 |
|
Canada |
02003-03-011 March 2003 |
02011-08-3131 August 2011 |
|
|
Croatia |
02002-06-1313 June 2002 |
02010-01-2626 January 2010 |
02010-10-055 October 2010 |
[4] |
Czech Republic |
02005-10-01October 2005 |
02007-09-01September 2007 |
02012-02-1212 February 2012 |
[5] |
Denmark |
02003-03-011 March 2003 |
|
02009-11-011 November 2009 |
|
El Salvador |
02009-04-2222 April 2009 |
02018-03-011 March 2018 |
02019-01-011 January 2019 |
|
Estonia |
|
|
02010-07-011 July 2010 |
|
Finland |
02001-08-2121 August 2001 |
|
02007-09-011 September 2007 |
|
France |
02005-03-3131 March 2005 |
02010-02-022 February 2010 |
02011-11-2929 November 2011 |
[6] |
Germany |
|
02002-11-011 November 2002 |
02008-11-2525 November 2008 |
|
Greece |
02006-03-2020 March 2006 |
02009-09-2424 September 2009 |
2013 |
|
Guernsey |
|
|
02010-11-1717 November 2010 |
|
Hungary |
02001-10-01October 2001 |
02013-07-3131 July 2013 |
02013-10-3131 October 2013 |
[7][8] |
India |
02003-01-2626 January 2003 |
02012-10-3131 October 2012 |
02015-03-3131 March 2015 |
[9][10] |
Ireland |
02010-10-2929 October 2010 |
|
02012-10-2424 October 2012 |
[11] |
Isle of Man |
|
|
02009-07-2424 July 2009 |
|
Italy |
2003 |
02008-10-1515 October 2008 |
02012-07-044 July 2012 |
|
Japan |
02003-12-011 December 2003 |
02011-07-2424 July 2011 |
02012-03-3131 March 2012 |
[12] |
Jersey |
|
|
02010-11-1717 November 2010 |
|
Latvia |
|
|
02010-06-011 June 2010 |
|
Lithuania |
02001-03-01March 2001 |
|
02012-10-2929 October 2012 |
|
Mexico |
|
2011 |
2015 |
[13] |
Netherlands |
|
|
02006-12-1111 December 2006 |
|
New Zealand |
02007-05-022 May 2007 |
02012-09-3030 September 2012 |
02013-12-011 December 2013 |
[14] |
Norway |
02007-09-011 September 2007 |
02008-03-011 March 2008 |
02009-12-011 December 2009 |
|
Poland |
02010-09-3030 September 2010 |
02012-11-077 November 2012 |
02013-07-2323 July 2013 |
|
Portugal |
02009-04-2929 April 2009 |
02012-01-1212 January 2012 |
02012-04-2626 April 2012 |
|
Philippines |
October 2008 |
02015-05-3131 May 2015 |
02015-12-3131 December 2015 |
|
Saudi Arabia |
02002-01-011 January 2002 |
|
02012-02-1313 February 2012 |
|
Slovakia |
02009-12-2222 December 2009 |
02010-10-2828 October 2010 |
02012-12-3131 December 2012 |
[15][16][17] |
Slovenia |
|
|
02011-06-3030 June 2011 |
|
South Africa |
02008-11-011 November 2008 |
|
02013-12-011 December 2013 |
[18] |
South Korea |
02001-10-2626 October 2001 |
02010-09-011 September 2010 |
02012-12-3131 December 2012 |
|
Spain |
01999-11-1515 November 1999 |
02008-04-055 April 2008 |
02010-04-033 April 2010 |
[19][20] |
Sweden |
1999 |
02005-09-1919 September 2005 |
02007-10-2929 October 2007 |
|
Switzerland |
|
02006-06-011 June 2006 |
02008-01-011 January 2008 |
|
Taiwan |
02004-01-011 January 2004 |
02012-05-077 May 2012 |
02012-06-3030 June 2012 |
|
Tunisia |
2012 |
6 March 2015 |
3 April 2015 |
[21] |
United Kingdom |
01998-10-011 October 1998 |
02007-10-1717 October 2007 |
02012-10-2424 October 2012 |
[22] |
United States |
01998-10-2929 October 1998 |
02009-06-1212 June 2009 |
02015-09-011 September 2015 |
[23] |
Transitions around the world [edit]
Transitions completed [edit]
Netherlands moved to digital-only broadcasting on Monday, 11 December 2006. The switch-off was helped greatly by the fact that about 80% of Dutch households subscribe to cable systems, which continued to use analog distribution, and thus their old tuners continued to be useful. Like Germany, Sweden and Japan, the Netherlands still has a high number of analogue cable viewers and therefore a switchover to Digital broadcasting is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Analogue closedown warning broadcast in Finland.
Finland ceased analog terrestrial transmissions nationwide at 04:00, Saturday, 1 September 2007[24] (the switch-off was previously planned for midnight on September 1 but a few extra hours were added for technical reasons). This was controversial, as the cost of a digital TV set in Finland at the time was heavily criticised and saw a substantial decrease in how much the television license cost. Cable TV viewers continued to receive analogue broadcasts until the end of February 2008.
Andorra completed its switch-off on Tuesday 25 September 2007.[25]
Sweden: The switch-off of the analogue terrestrial network progressed region–by–region. It started on the island of Gotland on Monday, 19 September 2005, and was completed on Monday, 29 October 2007, when the last analogue SVT1 transmitters in Blekinge and western Scania were shut down.[26] Like the Netherlands, Germany and Japan, cable distributors continued broadcasting analogue television. Cable broadcasters continue to broadcast in analogue (like the Netherlands and Germany), so therefore a cable switchover is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Switzerland began with the switch-off on Monday 24 July 2006 in Ticino and continued with Engadin on Monday 13 November 2006. The switch-off was completed on Monday 26 November 2007. A very high percentage of Swiss viewers receive their signals via cable distributors. By 2012 40% of cable viewers have switched to digital. The government plans to shut off analogue cable by 2014.[27]
Germany started the switch-off in the Berlin area, beginning on Friday, 1 November 2002 and completing on Monday 4 August 2003. "Simulcast" digital transmissions started in other parts of the country in an effort to prepare for a full switchover. The switch-off of terrestrial analogue transmitters was completed on Tuesday 25 November 2008, except one main transmitter in Bad Mergentheim, which was shut down in June 2009. Analogue satellite receivers were still used by 6% of households in 2010 - the highest in Europe. The analogue satellite transmissions were switched off on Monday 30 April 2012, being the last in Europe. However, analogue cable is still used by about 30% of the population and 55% of all cable broadcasts, so therefore a cable switchover is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Isle of Man switched off all analogue services on Thursday 16 July 2009.[28]
Denmark switched off all analog services at midnight on Sunday 1 November 2009.[29]
Norway: The switch-off of the analogue transmissions started in March 2008 and was completed on Tuesday 1 December 2009. Norway started its DTT service on the Saturday 1 September 2007.[30]
Belgium: Media regulations are under regional legislation. Flanders switched off analogue television on Monday 3 November 2008, while in Wallonia, all analogue services were switched off on Monday, 1 March 2010, making Belgium a country completely serviced by a digital signal. However, analogue cable is still used by many cable subscribers, so therefore a cable switchover is unlikely to happen in the near future.
Analogue closedown warning broadcast in Spain.
Spain: The switch-off of the analogue terrestrial transmissions was completed on Saturday 3 April 2010. The switch-off was successful, as about 70% of Spanish television transmissions are terrestrial, so it was easy for people to just switch to the digital signal. Spain started its DTT service on Wednesday 30 November 2005.[31]
Latvia's analogue television completely converted to digital broadcasting on Tuesday 1 June 2010.
Estonia's analogue television was switched off completely on Thursday, 1 July 2010.
Jersey and
Guernsey switched off their analogue signals on Wednesday 17 November 2010.
Croatia: Analogue television broadcasts were switched off for all national TV channels on Tuesday 5 October 2010 at 12:35 and for local TV channels on Saturday 20 November 2010.[32]
Slovenia: the switch-off on main transmitters was completed on Wednesday 1 December 2010. The last local analogue transmitters were switched off on Thursday 30 June 2011.
San Marino completed its switch-off on Thursday 2 December 2010.
Luxembourg shut down their last analog transmitter on UHF Channel 21 on Friday 31 December 2010.
Israel started digital transmissions in MPEG-4 on Sunday 2 August 2009 and analogue transmissions ended on Thursday 31 March 2011. Israel was the first nation in the Middle East and the first Non-European nation to shut down their analogue signals.
Monaco switched off their analog TV broadcasts on Tuesday 24 May 2011.
Austria: Began analogue switch-off on Monday, 5 March 2007, progressing from the west to the east.[33] The analog broadcast was shut down nationwide at the end of 2010 regarding the main transmitters.[34] The last analog translators were switched off on 7 June 2011.
Cyprus terminated all analog transmissions on Thursday 30 June 2011 and moved to digital-only transmissions in MPEG-4 on Friday 1 July 2011.
Malta terminated all analogue services on Monday, 31 October 2011. The switch-off was originally planned for Wednesday 1 June 2011 but was delayed for unknown reasons.[35]
France switched off all analogue services (terrestrial, satellite and cable) on Tuesday, 29 November 2011. This included overseas departments and territories such as Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and Wallis and Futuna.
Qatar started digital transmissions in DVB-T MPEG-2 on Tuesday 1 January 2002. Analogue satellite transmissions were switched off on Thursday 2 July 2009 and analogue terrestrial transmissions were switched off on Monday 13 February 2012. The government plans to shut off analogue cable by 31 March 2014. Qatar is currently transitioning from using MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 for its terrestrial broadcasts, a process which began on Sunday 26 August 2012. Qatar adopted DVB-T2 on 4 January 2013.
Saudi Arabia started digital transmissions in DVB-T MPEG-2 on 1 January 2003. Analogue satellite transmissions were switched off on Thursday 2 July 2009, while analogue terrestrial transmissions were switched off on Monday 13 February 2012. The government plans to shut off analogue cable by 31 March 2014. Saudi Arabia is currently transitioning from using MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 for its terrestrial broadcasts, a process which began on Sunday 26 August 2012. Saudi Arabia adopted DVB-T2 on 4 January 2013.
Example of analog broadcast termination notice screen in Japan.
Japan shut down all analog satellite and the analog terrestrial television in 44 prefectures at noon on Sunday 24 July 2011, while three remaining prefectures that were destroyed or heavily damaged in the 11 March 2011 9.0 magnitude Tohoku earthquake and its related nuclear accidents stopped analog broadcasting at noon on Saturday 31 March 2012.[36] Analog high-definition television broadcasting ended on Sunday, 30 September 2007.[37] Like Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, analog cable continues to broadcast with a high demand too (25% of all viewings, which is known as Dejiana), but the service is scheduled to be terminated on 31 March 2015. Many television stations across the country have already begun broadcasting simultaneously in digital, beginning on Monday 1 December 2003 in the Kanto region and spreading to the other six regions by the end of analog high-definition television broadcasting.
Portugal: Digital broadcasts started on Wednesday 29 April 2009. Portugal's government hoped to cover 80% of the territory with DTV by the end of 2009, and simulcasts remained until Thursday 26 April 2012, when the analogue broadcasting ended. The switchover began on Thursday 12 January 2012.
Czech Republic: The last analogue retransmitters in the south-east Moravia and the northern Moravia - Silesia were switched off on Saturday, 30 June 2012.
Taiwan: Digital television launched terrestrially throughout Taiwan on Friday, 2 July 2004. Analogue television ended transmission on Saturday 30 June 2012.
Italy: The switch-off of the analogue terrestrial network progressed region–by–region. It started in Sardinia on Wednesday 15 October 2008, and was completed on Wednesday 4 July 2012, when the last analogue transmitters in the Province of Palermo were shut down.
United Kingdom: Digital terrestrial broadcasting began in the UK on Sunday 15 November 1998 with the launch of the ONdigital, later renamed ITV Digital and now Freeview. The transition from analogue and digital to digital-only terrestrial signals started on Wednesday 17 October 2007 with the Whitehaven transmitter in Cumbria,[38] and followed a transmitter switchover timetable, implemented by region. The first constituent country to switch off all its analogue signals was Wales on Wednesday 31 March 2010[22] and the last region to switch off its analogue signals was Northern Ireland on Wednesday 24 October 2012.[39] Analogue cable broadcasts ended in January 2012, with Milton Keynes still relying on analogue cable, which the town will not get an analogue switch-off. Analogue satellite was discontinued on Thursday 27 September 2001, making the UK and Ireland the first countries in Europe with digital-only satellite.
Ireland: Digital television was launched in Ireland as Saorview on Friday 29 October 2010.[11] At launch it had 5 standard-definition channels and 1 high-definition channel. The analogue service was terminated on Wednesday 24 October 2012 [40] and will be replaced by a second multiplex for Saorview. A small number of low power independent analogue re-broadcast systems (often termed 'deflectors') on UHF are still on air in parts of Ireland and six remain licensed until the Monday 31 December 2012.[41] There has been no date released for the shutdown of analogue cable, and many major cable companies (e.g. UPC Ireland) are still actively offering analogue. Analogue satellite was discontinued on Thursday 27 September 2001, making the UK and Ireland the first countries in Europe with digital-only satellite.
Lithuania: The switch-off of the analogue terrestrial transmissions was completed on Monday, 29 October 2012.
Slovakia: The switch-off of the analogue terrestrial transmissions was completed on Monday, 31 December 2012.
Gibraltar Analogue transmissions ceased in December 2012.
South Korea's terrestrial analogue transmissions terminated at 04:00 on Monday, 31 December 2012. Although that the South Korean government still maintains a few of border analouge transmitters, which targets North Korea.[42]
Transitions in progress [edit]
Algeria: Digital broadcasting started in 2009, with analog signals planned to be switched off in 2014.[43]
Argentina: Digital television broadcasts started on Tuesday, 9 September 2008 in Buenos Aires. The analogue network will be terminated on Sunday 1 September 2019.
Australia: Digital television commenced in Australia's five most populous cities on Monday 1 January 2001. The Mildura region was the first to terminate its analogue network, on Wednesday 30 June 2010. Digital switchover was originally expected to be complete by Tuesday 31 December 2013, however the last regions to switch over (Melbourne and Remote Eastern/Central Australia) are now expected to do so slightly earlier, on Tuesday 10 December 2013.[3] Until the switch-off in the respective areas, free-to-air stations will be simulcast, along with digital-only channels like ABC2. Cable television networks began simulcasting in 2004 and analogue cable services were switched off in April 2007. The switchover is being co-ordinated by the Digital Switchover Taskforce operating under the federal Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Azerbaijan: Began analogue switch-off on Sunday, 17 October 2010, is expected to complete by 2015.[44][45]
Belarus: Will shut down analogue signals in 2015. Shutdown of analog broadcasting will begin in 2013.
Bolivia: Started on Tuesday, 20 July 2010, it is expected to take a decade to be completed.
Brazil: Began free-to-air HD digital transmissions, after a period of test broadcasts, on Sunday, 2 December 2007 in São Paulo, expanding in January 2008 to Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and Belo Horizonte.[46] Digital broadcasts will be phased into the other 23 state capitals by the end of 2009, and to the remaining cities by Tuesday 31 December 2013.[47] Analogue and digital simulcasts will continue until Wednesday, 29 June 2016, when, to coincide with the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, analogue will be discontinued. The main broadcasters (Globo, Record, Band, SBT and RedeTV!) are simulcasting in analogue and digital, in standard definition and 1080i high definition. In 2013, the end date of the analogue broadcasts was changed to 2018.[48]
Bulgaria will complete its analog switch-off on Sunday 1 September 2013.
Cambodia launched DVB-T2 on Tuesday, 9 November 2010, transition will start in 2012 and finish on Thursday, 9 April 2015 [49]
Canada: Canada's DTV transition was completed in 28 mandatory markets on Wednesday, 31 August 2011. Some CBC analog transmitters in mandatory markets were permitted to operate for another year, and transmitters outside mandatory markets were given the option of converting to digital, or remaining in analog. The CBC decided to shut down all (more than 600) of its remaining analog transmitters on Tuesday 31 July 2012, without replacing them.[50] Also on 31 August 2011, all full power TV transmitters had to vacate channels 52 to 69. There do however remain a very small number of community based transmitters; see Digital television in Canada
Chile: The transition to digital started in 2012, and the switch-off is scheduled for 2017.
Greece plans to switch off analogue broadcasting in 2013.[51]
Hong Kong's analogue broadcasting was planned to be switched off by 2012.[52] However, it has been postponed until the end of 2015.[53]
Hungary's telecommunications authority NMHH launched the residential phase of the digital switchover during which analogue television reception with indoor antenna will be replaced by digital terrestrial broadcasting. Around 0.5 million households will switch to digital TV during two phases that will close on 31 July and 31 October in 2013.[54][55]
Iceland will cease all analog broadcasting in 2013.[56]
India: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting set Tuesday 31 March 2015 as the deadline for digital switchover. Digitization, on cable and terrestrial, will have four phases, in a 3-year transition starting from Wednesday 31 October 2012, and finishing on Tuesday 31 March 2015. The four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai have to shift to digital addressability by Wednesday 31 October 2012.[10] The second phase will include 35 cities with a population of more than one million, such as Patna, Chandigarh, Pune and Bangalore by Sunday 31 March 2013. All urban areas are expected to digitize by Sunday 30 November 2014 and the remaining areas by Tuesday 31 March 2015.[57]
Indonesia's analogue television is currently being phased out in a process that began in 2012 with the Java and Riau Islands. It will take six years before it's switched off nationwide, which is scheduled for early 2018.[58] As far as March 2013, the DVB-T2 broadcast still in the trial stage. The government, along with television broadcaster and electronic manufacturer (especially who produce television set and Set-Top-Box) is waiting for Digital Television Kick-Off, which scheduled in mid-2013. [59] [60][61]
Iran commenced broadcasting digital TV in 2009, using the DVB-T MPEG-4 standard, with 40% of population having access to digital TV by mid 2011. The switch over to digital TV will be completed by 2015, when all analogue signals will be terminated.[62][63][64]
Kenya started digital broadcasting on Wednesday, 9 December 2009. The analog network was to be switched off in June 2012.[65] A court case has been filed challenging the timelines and this has put on hold the migration.[66]
Republic of Macedonia: The switch-off will be completed on Monday 1 July 2013.[67]
Mauritius Digital satellite broadcasting was first introduced by private television companies. In 2005, the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) was the first public television Broadcaster in Africa to launched the Digital Terrestrial Television channels. In 2007, the MBC also extent its digitalized service to the islands of Rodrigues and Agaléga.[68] In 2012, the MBC provided 16 television channels and 6 radios channels on the digital platform.[69] Although the whole territory of Mauritius is covered with the digitalized service, the analogue service has not been terminated and three of the main TV channels provided by the MBC are still provided on analogue platform. The digital switchover has not been completed as some Mauritians did not buy the DTV receiver which is needed for the digital transmission as they are also subscribed to other television companies.
Mexico: Analogue shutdown was originally scheduled to occur in 2021, but on Thursday 2 September 2010, Mexican president Felipe Calderón, in its Fourth Report of the Government, advanced the analog shutdown from 2021 to 2015, with the transition beginning in 2011.[70] Some digital signals are already on-air, the first being Tijuana's XETV – an English-language affiliate of The CW serving primarily San Diego, California. Groups of cities which are required to simulcast digitally are added in descending order of size, with full coverage of the smallest centers required by 2015.
Moldova: Will shut down analogue signals in 2015. At the moment, digital broadcasting operates in Chisinau. In 2013, the digital transmitters will be launched in other cities.
New Zealand officially began broadcasting digital terrestrial television using DVB-T MPEG-4 under the name Freeview in April 2008. Analogue PAL-B/G switch-off began with the Hawke's Bay and the West Coast on September 30th, 2012, with the South Island following on April 28th, 2013 (although Blenheim and parts of Marlborough can still receive analogue broadcasts from Wellington in the North Island). The remainder of the Lower North Island, including East Cape, will follow on Sunday September 29th, 2013; and finally the Upper North Island on Sunday December 1st, 2013.[71]
Nigeria: Digital television broadcasts started via satellite set-top box receivers and some terrestrial stations, but a timetable for nationwide transition is still in the process of being created. [72] Twenty million set-top boxes are due to be distributed nationwide by the end of 2015,[73] and four of the six largest metro areas in the country have already gone digital.[74]
Peru: Digital television broadcasts started in Lima on March 2010, and analogue broadcasts are scheduled to be terminated on Tuesday, 28 July 2020.
Philippines: The Philippine Government will terminate all analogue transmissions by Thursday, 31 December 2015. Although, according to the National Telecommunications Commission of the Philippines, they will introduce first DTV to the country's main cities Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. Some transmissions are currently in test broadcast, just like in the government-owned station National Broadcasting Network which is transmitting signal coming from its analog broadcast. The first fully operational DTV Station in the country is the Christian Era Broadcasting Service or GEM TV.
Poland: Analogue broadcasts will stop on Wednesday, 31 July 2013.
Romania plans to switch off analogue broadcasting by Thursday, 1 January 2015.[75]
Russia has announced that the switch-off is to be completed in 2015.[76]
Serbia launched its first DTT transmissions in 2005. The first DTT-only channel was made available in 2008. Analog transmissions should have been terminated April 4, 2012, but it did not. The deadline for the transition to digital June 17, 2015. Uncertainty of the status of Kosovo brings the transition to digital broadcasting into question.[77]
Turkey launched trial digital transmissions in 2006 and originally planned to gradually handle the switchover, with a scheduled completion date of 2015.[78][79]
Ukraine's analogue transmissions will be terminated on Thursday, 17 June 2015. Launch of a full-fledged digital TV network capable to replace the existing analog transmissions will occur in 2011 or 2012. The DVB-T2 standard will be used for both SD and HD. Graceful shutdown of analog broadcasting will begin in 2013.
United States: On Monday, 8 September 2008, Wilmington, North Carolina became the first city in the United States to fully switch over from analogue to digital broadcasts. All analogue signals were terminated at noon. This switchover was a test by FCC to make further improvements to the transition process before the whole nation was switched over to digital.[80] Having moved the deadline from Tuesday, February 17, 2009 (some stations still chose to shutdown on that date), all VHF transmissions (Stations 2-13) and most full-power UHF analog transmitters were shut down on or by Friday, 12 June 2009, with the exception of "nightlight" analog stations (which broadcasted a video on how to set up a digital TV or purchase a DTV Set-Top Box) and LPTV Transmissions. "Nightlight" broadcasts were shut down on Friday, 26 June 2009. Television transmission on channels 52 to 69 was required to cease by 31 December 2011, to allow FCC to commence with the first phase of VHF/UHF TV Spectrum allotment for other services. LPTV transmitters (Primarily local-only Television Stations, as well as TV Station Translator/Repeaters in rural communities) will be forced to convert to digital or shut down by Tuesday, 1 September 2015.[23]
Transitions not yet started [edit]
Albania: The Albanian Parliament passed legislation to switch off analogue broadcasting by end of 2012. According to KKRT, such a commitment is unattainable, and thus Albania is seeking to postpone the transition to 2015.
Republic of Kosovo (partially recognized state): Will shut down analogue signals in 2015.
Tunisia: The analogue TV nationwide will be terminated on Friday, 3 April 2015[21]
Armenia: Will shut down analogue signals in 2015.
Colombia: The government has plans to close down analogue on Sunday, 1 January 2017.[citation needed]
China: Will shut down analogue signals between 2015 and 2018.
Costa Rica: Will shut down analogue signals permanently in December 2018.
Cuba began to propose DVB-T in May 2009, and the analogue switchoff will take place approximately 15 years later, most likely in 2024.[81]
Dominican Republic: Will shut down analogue signals in September 2015.
El Salvador: The target date is Tuesday, 1 January 2019.[82]
Georgia: Will shut down analogue signals in Thursday, 17 June 2015.
Lesotho: Will shut down analogue signals in 2015.
Malaysia: May not shut down analog signals. DVB-T launched in 2009.
Montenegro: Will shut down analogue signals in 2015.
Namibia: Will shut down analogue signals in 2013.
Rwanda: Will shut down analogue signals in 2015.
Singapore plans to complete the switchover to digital broadcasting in line with ASEAN's commitment to the digital switchover, which, similarly to Thailand, will take effect between 2015 and 2020. Once analogue switchoff is completed, all of MediaCorp's free-to-air TV channels will be broadcast fully in digital.[83]
South Africa started simultaneous digital and analogue broadcasting in November 2008 in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The switch-off was originally scheduled to be completed by Tuesday, 1 November 2011, but for unknown reasons it has now been pushed back to an expected completion date of Sunday, 1 December 2013. However, while transmitters can choose to switch off analogue before this date, no analogue transmitters have yet been switched off.[84]
Thailand Information Ministry was planning to shut down the country's analogue television system in phases beginning from 2012 and finishing with the country exclusively broadcasting in DVB-T2 in 2015. However, it was shelved after Abhisit Vejjajiva became Prime Minister in 2008 following the deposition of Somchai Wongsawat.[85] It was soon revealed that ASEAN's commitment to the digital switchover will take effect between 2015 and 2020.
Venezuela plans to close down analogue on Wednesday, 1 January 2020.[citation needed]
Vietnam launched DVB-T unofficially in 2003, no plans on analog switch-off.
Zimbabwe will terminate analogue on Sunday, 1 December 2013.
Countries broadcasting analog signals only [edit]
Digital-to-analog converters [edit]
After the switch from analog to digital broadcasts is complete, analog TVs will be incapable of receiving over-the-air broadcasts without the addition of a set-top converter box. Consequently, a digital converter box – an electronic device that connects to an analog television – must be used in order to allow the television to receive digital broadcasts.[86] In the United States, the government subsidized the purchase of such boxes for consumers via their coupon-eligible converter box program in 2009, funded by a small part of the billions of dollars brought in by a spectrum auction. The program was managed by the Department of Commerce through its National Telecommunications and Information Administration.[87]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ "DigiTAG Analogue Switch Off Handbook". 2008.
- ^ http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:308:0024:0026:EN:PDF
- ^ a b "Digital TV Switchover Australia: Digital TV timetable by region". Australian Government Digital Switchover Taskforce. 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2012-11-29.
- ^ "Dobrodošli u digitalno doba! / Vijesti / Digitalna televizija / Aktualne teme / Aktualne teme i projekti / Vlada Republike Hrvatske - službeni web portal" (in (Croatian)). Vlada.hr. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "Analogové vysílání televize skončí v Česku 12. 2. 2012. Konečně vypíná i Nova" (in (Czech)). mediar.cz. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
- ^ "Page introuvable / Accueil" (in (French)). CSA.fr. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ (Hungarian)"A new era in the Hungarian television - Start of the residential phase of digital switchover". 2013-03-11.
- ^ "Hungary set for digital switchover". Retrieved 2013-03-20.
- ^ http://prasarbharati.gov.in/Technology/TV/Digitalization.htm
- ^ a b "Questions raised over I&B ministry's digitisation numbers". Business Standard. October 29, 2012.
- ^ a b "Home - Going Digital". Digitaltelevision.ie. 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "[Dpa] 社団法人 デジタル放送推進協会". Dpa.or.jp. 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "México avanza hacia el ''Apagón analógico'". Generaccion.com. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "When is my area". Going Digital. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "DVB-T je realitou už aj na Slovensku". Retrieved 2012-12-28.
- ^ "Vypínanie vybraných analógových vysielačov". Retrieved 2012-12-28.
- ^ "Éra analógového vysielania sa definitívne končí". Retrieved 2012-12-28.
- ^ Webfactory www.webfactory.ie. "Digital Video Broadcasting - South Africa". DVB. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ Onda Digital inicia sus emisiones en pruebas El Mundo, 16 November 1999
- ^ El "apagón analógico", dividido en cuatro fases, culminará finalmente el 3 de abril de 2010 Mundoplus, 7 September 2007
- ^ a b Webfactory www.webfactory.ie. "Digital Video Broadcasting - Tunisia". DVB. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ a b "digitaluk.co.uk". digitaluk.co.uk. 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ a b P.R. China (2011-07-19). "FCC Sets Deadlines for LPTV, TV Translator and Class A Stations To Convert to Digital - And Gives Hints When Television Spectrum May Be Reclaimed for Broadband". Broadcast Law Blog. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "Digi-tv esillä ympäri maata". Finnish Ministry of Communications. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
- ^ "Andorra fa el salt a la TDT" (in Catalan). Vilaweb.
- ^ "Historisk övergång till digital-tv" (Press release). Teracom. 2007-10-15.
- ^ "Kabel-TV in Zukunft nur noch digital". www.sf.tv.
- ^ "Douglas transmitter group (Border region) – Arqiva confirms completion of Digital Switch Over" (Press release). arqiva.
- ^ "Nyt TV-signal fejres med lysshow". TVTid på TV2. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
- ^ "Norway completes ASO". www.broadbandtvnews.com.
- ^ (Spanish) Disposición adicional primera del Real Decreto 944/2005, de 29 de julio, published in BOE del 30 de julio
- ^ http://www.mportal.com.hr/Default.aspx?ref=news&cat=44&id=4563
- ^ "DVB-T: Zeitplan". Digitales Fernsehen Förder GmbH. June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
- ^ "Analogue terrestrial TV switch-off in the EU - briefing — EUbusiness.com - EU Business News". Eubusiness.com. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ Webfactory www.webfactory.ie. "Digital Video Broadcasting - Malta". DVB. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "岩手、宮城、福島の3県のアナログ放送は平成24年3月31日に終了しました" [Analog broadcast ended in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima on 31 March 2012 (year Heisei 24)] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
- ^ "Broadcasting Digitization Schedule". DPA: The Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
- ^ "First digital TV switch date set". BBC News. 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ^ "digitaluk.co.uk". digitaluk.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "Digital switchover takes place". The Irish Times. 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
- ^ http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056796686
- ^ http://www.northkoreatech.org/2012/12/27/south-korea-to-continue-analog-tv-near-border/
- ^ http://www.dvb.org/about_dvb/dvb_worldwide/Screen_Digest_10_08_dvb.pdf
- ^ "Azerbaijan to switch over to digital TV 'very soon'". News.Az. 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "In 2013, Azerbaijan will fully switch to digital TV - Minister". News.Az. 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
- ^ Cassia, Fernando (2007-12-02). "Brazil starts HDTV transmissions". The Enquirer. p. 1. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
- ^ "Conheça os planos das emissoras para a TV digital" (in Portuguese). G1. 2007-11-13. p. 1. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
- ^ "TV analógica sobreviverá até 2018 no Brasil" [Analogue TV will survive in Brazil until 2018]. Olhar Digital (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
- ^ http://www.dvb.org/about_dvb/dvb_worldwide/cambodia/
- ^ "2015 Same Strategy, Different Path". Cbc.radio-canada.ca. 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "Το 2013 η ψηφιακή | ειδησεις , media | Ημερησία". Imerisia.gr. 2010-10-28. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "Digital TV". Government of Hong Kong. Retrieved 2007-06-04.
- ^ "Analogue television switch-off working target deferred to end 2015". Government of Hong Kong. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
- ^ "Hungary starts residential phase of digital switchover". Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ "Hungary set for digital switchover". Retrieved 2013-03-20.
- ^ "Hætta hliðrænum útsendingum. Stafrænt sjónvarp nauðsyn 2013" [Ending analog broadcasting. Digital television necessary in 2013] (in is). Eyjan Media ehf. 16 June 2011.
- ^ "TV signals to go digital by 2015". The Times Of India. February 4, 2011.
- ^ Metro TV, Suara Anda: Menuju Era TV Digital, 21 February 2012 (see video number 3)
- ^ [1]
- ^ http://www.tvdigital.kominfo.go.id/frequently-asked-questions.html
- ^ http://www.kpi.go.id/index.php/lihat-terkini/38-dalam-negeri/31315-siaran-multipeksing-tv-digital-siap-pertengahan-2013
- ^ "تلویزیون دیجیتال - 40 درصد از جمعيت كشور تحت پوشش سامانه تلويزيون ديجيتال قرار دارند - صفحه اصلی". Portal.irib.ir. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "تلویزیون دیجیتال - مشروح مصاحبه دکتر علیعسکری، معاون توسعه و فناوری رسانه، در برنامه پارک ملت (پنجشنبه 13 مرداد 1390) - صفحه اصلی". Portal.irib.ir. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "تلویزیون دیجیتال - تهیه طرح جامع گذار از آنالوگ به دیجیتال در رسانه ملی - صفحه اصلی". Portal.irib.ir. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ Daily Nation, 9 December 2009: Digital TV a reality in Kenya
- ^ http://allafrica.com/stories/201212220156.html
- ^ "Digitalization of all Macedonian televisions by 2013". Ministry of Information Society and Administration. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
- ^ "Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Mauritius - History". Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ "BROADCASTING SERVICES IN MAURITIUS". Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
- ^ [2](Spanish)
- ^ "When is my area going digital? - Going Digital". New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "Digital migration: Hurdles Nigeria must cross in 30 months". The Vanguard (Lagos, Nigeria). Retrieved 04 January 2013.
- ^ "Digital TV migration: Nigeria To Manufacture 20m Set Top Boxes". Leadership. Retrieved 04 January 2013.
- ^ "Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB): Nigeria". The Digital Video Broadcasting Project. Retrieved 04 January 2013.
- ^ "Romania to complete digital TV switchover by 2015, and had to launch full version of eRomania in April 2011 | ACTMedia". Actmedia.eu. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ Federal Program "Developing in Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Russian Federation in 2008–2015"[dead link] (Russian), Ministry for Informatics and Communications.
- ^ Webfactory www.webfactory.ie. "Digital Video Broadcasting - Serbia". DVB. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "Türkiye'de DVB-T". Republic of Turkey Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications.
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4][dead link]
- ^ Webfactory www.webfactory.ie (2009-11-23). "Digital Video Broadcasting - Cuba". DVB. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ El Diario de Hoy, El Salvador prepara el salto a la TV Digital, 11 July 2010
- ^ "Media Development Authority Introduction to Digital TV". Mda.gov.sg. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ DVB Project (2011). DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting - South Africa. Accessed on 21 October 2011.
- ^ Webfactory www.webfactory.ie. "Digital Video Broadcasting - Thailand". DVB. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ^ "What is a set-top converter box?". Digital TV Facts. 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
- ^ "Digital TV subsidy program running out of money". Assoiciated Press. 2008-01-03.
Further reading [edit]
External links [edit]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Digital television transition
|
|