Advanced Television

DTT/DSO

Mexico will subsidise DTT

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Commission has decided to modify its Digital TV broadcasting transition policy first established in 2004, and is now backing a gradual analogue blackout programme, which is expected to be completed in 2016. The Commission estimates that about US$1.3 billion should be assigned to subsidise the transition to digital broadcasting. According to its […]

September 19, 2011By Chris Forrester

CSA recommends DVB-T2

CSA, the French TV and radio regulator, has proposed the immediate adoption of the DVB-T2 broadcasting standard and MPEG-4 compression standard for all new DTT channels. If adopted by the government, the recommendation would require most consumers to change their STBs and TV sets for equipment that is not expected to be available to the […]

September 13, 2011

TV worldwide defies recession

IDATE’s 21st edition of its biannual “World TV Markets” says the worldwide market represents €301 billion in 2010, a progression of 7.8 per cent compared to 2009. “Despite advertising spending’s sensitivity to economic activity, the effects of the 2008-2009 financial and economic crisis had less of an effect on the TV market than it did […]

September 13, 2011

Discovery enters Spain’s FTA DTT market

Discovery Networks has entered into an alliance with Spanish DTT channel Veo Television, owned by Unidad Editorial, to launch a FTA DTT channel in January 2012. The new channel will broadcast documentaries and non-fiction series from the Discovery’s library along with current affairs programmes and talk shows made by Unidad Editorial, among them a political […]

September 13, 2011From David Del Valle in Madrid

Class TV MSNBC relaunches

Italian news and information channel Class TV MSNBC is relaunching with a new schedule based on hit movies and TV series from the USA, together with a selection of locally produced series. Thanks to an agreement with NBC Universal, ClassTV MSNBC will offer an attractive prime time line-up, including movies from major American directors. The […]

September 13, 2011From Branislav Pekic in Rome

Ten in running for Italian DTT

A total of ten companies have submitted applications to Italy’s Communications Authority (AgCom) to take part in the procedure for the award of the rights to 6 digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplexes. Five of the frequencies are for DVB-T, while one is for DVB-H. The companies are: Canale Italia, Telecom Italia Media Broadcasting,   Elettronica Industriale […]

September 8, 2011From Branislav Pekic in Rome

High five from Rohde & Schwartz transmitter

Test and measurement, broadcasting, radio-monitoring and radio-location specialist Rohde & Schwarz is claiming a new era of efficiency in broadcasting with the launch of its R&S THU9 transmitter generation at IBC in Amsterdam. Noting that in order to achieve higher levels of economy, broadcast network operators must reduce the energy consumption and infrastructure costs of […]

September 8, 2011Colin Mann @ IBC

Arion select RedKey 2 MHEG solution for South Africa DTT markets

Strategy & Technology (S&T), the leading specialists in interactive TV playout systems and MHEG-5 middleware, is announcing that it has licensed its RedKey˙2 MHEG solution to Arion for products destined for the South African DTT market where MHEG will be used for the delivery of interactive information services and the Electronic Programme Guide. “S&T has […]

September 7, 2011

Mexico licenses 146 DTT channels

Mexico’s Federal Telecommunications Commission (FTC) has licensed a record 146 new digital terrestrial channels in the 10 months to June. The new services bring the total authorised DTT channels to 224. Mexico is scheduled to switch off its analogue transmissions in 2015, although this decision – decreed by the FTC – is under examination by […]

September 6, 2011By Chris Forrester

China boosts satellite services

China is planning to serve some 200 million rural families with satellite signals, and switch off its analogue terrestrial signals by 2015. A pilot project tested the concept in the north and northwest of China in the Ningxia, Hebei and Inner Mongolia regions has paved the way for expansion to other rural areas, said Zhang […]

September 6, 2011By Chris Forrester