Advanced Television

25% of French TVs affected by MPEG-4 switch

February 12, 2015

From Pascale Paoli-Lebailly in Paris

The switch of broadcast DTT standard definition MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 Full-HD could affect a quarter of the older TV sets across France next year.

According to GfK, 25 per cent of the current 40 million TV sets sold before 2008 will have to be changed before the switch in order to keep receiving a TV signal.

The problem concerns the 45 per cent of homes that only receive free DTT channels, and which own small secondary TV sets. IPTV, cable or dish TV homes will not be affected. Alternative solutions, like using a DTT external adaptor, are also possibilities.

The French government is currently studying how it can financially aid the most vulnerable households receive the new standard.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTT/DSO, Equipment, Research