Digital
switchover is the term used to describe the process of transforming
all analogue based broadcasting services (where data is represented
as a series of electric signals) into digital services. Analogue
transmissions are prone to channel interference and spectrum space
is running out, limiting the amount of channels available. Digital
switchover will eliminate these problems.
Currently all televisions in the UK include an analogue decoder.
Some televisions include a digital decoder, but unless changes
are made it will be impossible to show or receive television programmes
when analogue terrestrial transmissions stop.
After the ITV Digital collapse in March 2002, the ITC
awarded multiplex service licences to the BBC and Crown Castle.
In October 2002, the new digital terrestrial television (DTT)
service was launched as Freeview, offering 30 free to air digital
channels. There has been negative press about digital television
take up in the UK media, due partly to the failure of ITV digital
and financial pressures in the cable sectors, but with an increasing
range of affordable DTT receivers, digital television consumption
is rising.
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Do you think people
envisaged interactive digital television services 10 years
ago? |
2.06
Roger Laughton |
Digital switchover and its effect on consumers and producers
The main effect of digital switchover for consumers and producers
will be to make us change the way we think about our viewing.
Digital technology means that digital data can be replicated
almost perfectly, therefore sound and picture quality is superior
and there is no interference. Less bandwidth is needed for transmissions
resulting in more channels and more information can be stored
on a smaller drive. Less signal space is used because data goes
through a process of digital compression and this allows transmission
within a smaller bandwidth. It is also possible to divide a digital
station's signal into multiple parts and separate it, enabling
the broadcast of multiple channels at any one time. This is known
as multicasting.
Multicasting allows broadcasters to provide very targeted or
niched services, depending on the needs of particular local communities.
Multicasting also permits time shifting of some programming by
repeating it or showing it on a station's other multicast channel
during a different part of the day and this will have an effect
on prime time viewing.
When digital switchover takes place there will still be free
to air channels as well as subscription channels, and combined
with the phone line, digital television can offer new opportunities
in entertainment, information access, education, games and shopping.
For the producer, new avenues of revenue are developing and competition
and demand will greatly increase. There will be a need to devise
fresh, innovative ideas and quality material to match digital
capabilities.
In the Digital TV 2002 Survey conducted by MORI
for the Department
of Culture, Media and Sport, it was shown that the best known
advantage of digital television would be breadth of choice offered
and improved sound and picture quality.
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