1. Michael O’Shea Panasonic
Digital Television & HDTV TIF Cable & Broadcasting Group 26th April 2007
Michael O’Shea
Panasonic

2. DVB - EU Policy & Timeline
2012
Time
2. Switchover
Switchover completed
1. Turn-on
100%
Penetration
Analogue broadcasting
Digital reception
3. Final ATO
Analogue reception
Source : BIPE

3. Digital quality of picture and sound 88% Quality of programmes 87%
Consumers: Multichannel access & Picture/Sound quality are the main drivers for DTV
Movie channels %
Digital quality of picture and sound 88%
Quality of programmes 87%
Documentary channels 87%
Variety of programmes/channels 86%
Information channels 61%
Sports channels ` 60%
Kids channels %
Access to pay-per-view 39%
Source : Baromètre Cabsat Ipsos/Stratégie

4. Most UK homes already multi-channel
75% of homes are multi-channel (73.3% digital)
Three-quarters of current conversion via DTT:
8.6 m homes have satellite TV
7.8 m homes have Freeview
3.3m homes have cable
Analogue switchoff 2012
Market share of UK multichannel TV homes, Q3 2006
Source: Ofcom Q3 Digital TV Progress Report

5. Switchover is a global phenomenon
Netherlands – completed analogue switch-off on 11th Dec 2006
Sweden - 50% of the Swedish population have now switched over
Finland - remain on track for switch-off by 31 August 2007
Germany - remain on-track to achieve a 2008 switch-off
Italy - switchover slated for completion by 31 December 2008
Norway - will switch-off analogue terrestrial between end of 2008 and late 2009 / early 2010
USA - have set a switchover date of 17 February 2009
Australia – have set a target switchover timeframe of
Ireland – target 2012, or before?
Year Starting:
Switchover completed
Switchover in progress
Switchover plan set
Tentative switchover dates
TODAY
UK Start
UK Finish

6. Digital TV Reception Signal received by Decoded by Displayed on screen
Standard aerial (roof-top or set-top) - DTT
Satellite dish
Cable
(DSL; DVB-H)
Decoded by
Set top box
Integrated decoder in TV (IDTV)
Displayed on screen

7. Irish DTT Pilot – Mar 2007–Aug 2008
Four Multiplexes (MUXs)
Up to 1,000 homes Dublin/Louth
MPEG2 & MPEG4 transmissions
Focus on MPEG4 (HDTV)
HD Trial starts July 2007
Transmitters on Three Rock & Clermont Carn (Dundalk)

8. DTT Pilot – Coverage (Fixed Aerial)

9. DTT Pilot – Coverage (Set-Top Aerial)

10. Ireland – Planned DTT Pilot Content
Multiplex 1
RTÉ 1
RTÉ 2
TV3
TG4
Radio 1 FM
Radio 2 FM
Lyric FM
RNaG FM
Today FM
Radio 1 AM
Multiplex 2
Channel 6
CBeebies*
BBC 4*
Sky News
Extreme Sport
Radio Channels
Multiplex 3
CBBC*
BBC 3*
BBC News 24
Sky Sports 1
UKTV History
Radio Channels
Multiplex 4 – HD Trial

11. HD Televisions EICTA Specification for “HD Ready” TV
Minimum native resolution of the display 720lines in wide aspect ratio
accepts HD input via DVI or HDMI & supports content protection (HDCP)
Most LCD & Plasma TVs are now 1024 x 768 or greater
“Full HD” – 1920 x 1080p
BUT – these sets will only display a HD picture when connected to a HD receiver (eg Sky HD set-top box)
No HDTVs yet available in UK or Ireland– no FTA digital terrestrial HD services

12. HD STBs SKY HD Box BBC HD Trial 2006 Irish DTT Pilot 2007-08
Humax HDCI-2000T
Irish DTT Pilot

13. HD TVs & STB’s - Australia
TVs with integrated DTT HD receiver
LG, NEC, Philips, Samsung, Schaub, Sharp
Retail from A$2,200 (€1,350)
DTT HD STB
LG, NEC, Philips, Samsung, + 10 others
Retail A$500 (€300)

14. Future TV Development – Irl/UK
HDTV with integrated MPEG2 and MPEG4 DTT receiver
Available 2009, possibly 2008
The key specification for TVs for Ireland from 2008 on
Future-proof UK consumers for migration to MPEG4 post-2012

15. More Information www.hdready.org.uk www.dba.org.au