České Radiokomunikace to run 12-month DVB-T2 broadcasting trial

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
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České Radiokomunikace (CRa) has obtained frequency allocation for experimental DVB-T2 broadcasting for 12 months

PRAGUE — České Radiokomunikace, a leading TV and radio broadcasting operator, and telecom and ICT service provider, has been granted frequency allocation for experimental DVB-T2 broadcasting. The Czech Telecommunication Office decided on 10 July, 2012 to allocate the frequencies for experimental broadcasting for 12 months. The experimental broadcasting will be carried out from the Žižkov transmitter in Prague for one year, and also from the Krkavec transmitter in Pilsen till 31 December, 2012. Viewers will be able to receive experimental broadcasting in HD quality as of 17 July, 2012, 12:00 a.m.

The experimental broadcasting will be carried out from the Praha-Město transmitter with vertical polarisation and power output of 20kW; and from the Plzeň Krkavec (in Pilsen) transmitter with horizontal polarisation. The output of the Pilsen transmitter will vary during the experiment, with a minimum output of 10kW. TV programmes will be broadcast from both transmitters on channel 50.

“We have negotiated inclusion into an experimental DVB-T2 multiplex with Česká televize (Czech TV), Prima and Barrandov TV stations for HD broadcasting, and with Óčko TV station in the standard quality. We will also broadcast the Olympic games on ČT2 a ČT4 in the HD format – not only in the DVB-T2 standard but also within the third multiplex of Czech Digital Group for which we provide the technology,” says Kamil Levinský, CEO, České Radiokomunikace. “Since quite a large number of Czech households has a widescreen TV set equipped with Full HD or at least HD Ready, migration to higher standard TV broadcasting is a logical and natural step. We are committed to showing the viewers that terrestrial broadcasting can provide them for free with the same high quality content as via cable TV or satellite,” he adds.

High Definition allows for digital transmission of clear and faultless images to large screens in the 16:9 format. Colours are more realistic with more detailed images. Regular broadcasting in the DVB-T2 standard takes place already in the UK, Finland, Italy and Sweden; pilot broadcasting has been carried out in many other countries, among others in neighbouring Austria, Germany and Slovakia.

Full migration from the existing DVB-T standard to DVB-T2 will be gradual for viewers. Simultaneous broadcasting in both standards will be assured till most of the viewers have purchased a DVB-T2 TV set within the natural cycle of TV upgrade. According to the latest research, the cycle takes from five to seven years in developed countries.

As for broadcasting technology, no material changes will be necessary, only improvement of existing equipment. No radical changeover will have to take place as was the case during the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting when the whole antenna and broadcasting technology had to be replaced. The same is true for the reception technology. The system needs to be simply supplemented by a set-top-box, or when buying a new TV set, one has to require a TV with a DVB-T2 tuner.