the dawn of Digital television

The Government through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) has commenced digital television test transmission at the Zambia National Broadcasting Services (ZNBC). The test transmission basically symbolises the transition to digital terrestrial television (DTT) by the public broadcaster. The full launch will be done by May 2015 when the transmitters under phase one will have been installed. There are a number of things that we need to know during this transition period, including a lot of new terminologies and acronyms such as DTT, STB and EPG. We have packaged all you need to know about going digital, so brace yourself.

What is Digital Migration? Digital migration refers to the switch from an analogue broadcasting system to a digital broadcasting system. This has been a world-wide move for some time now and has been driven by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). All countries are required to switch from an analogue to a digital television broadcasting signal by 17th June 2015. Digital migration has given birth to what we are calling Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT).

What is DTT? DTT refers to television broadcasting system using digital technology entirely over earth bound circuits. DTTV is transmitted on radio frequencies through terrestrial space in the same way as standard analogue television, with the primary difference being the use of multiplex transmitters to allow reception of multiple channels on a single frequency range.

Why Digital Migration?
In 2006, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) held a Regional Radio Communication Conference (RRC-06), where it was resolved that all countries of Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Islamic Republic of Iran should migrate from analogue to digital broadcasting services by 2015. The ITU demarcated regions as shown on the map.



The main reason for the migration is to release valuable spectrum which can be used for other services. Spectrum is scarce, and it is therefore necessary to make efficient use of the spectrum available for more telecommunications and broadcasting services. This is directly transmissible into both short term and long term economic benefits nation - wide.

Benefits of Digital Migration Digital TV will enhance viewer experience through better picture quality. It will offer sharper, brighter picture, and reduced interference. Viewers will also enjoy improved sound quality.

It also offers more choice and more access. Digital signals take up much less bandwidth and therefore more channels can be broadcast. The Set Top Box (STB) will be used to receive the digital signal. It also has the capability to interface with devices such as a cell phone, memory card or internet modem. This will provide viewers with access to many more services and information.

With analogue you are only able to have standard definition television. With Digital Broadcasting, High Definition Television is possible, therefore better viewing pleasure. High Definition Television (HDTV) is the premium version of digital television, offering picture and sound quality which is much better than today's analogue television. The reason is that it offers up to twice the vertical and horizontal resolution of a traditional analogue (PAL) signal. The higher resolution picture is particularly suited to large screen television displays.

This means that the benefits of HDTV are particularly noticeable on larger screen sets and when using projection equipment. HDTV will be in widescreen format and provide cinema-quality viewing with Dolby surround sound.

It also comes with Electronic Program Guides (EPGs) which are a feature of digital television broadcasting that come fitted in the Set Top Box. An EPG can be used by viewers to navigate between channels, identify the currently screening program and the next program ('now and next') on each channel. More sophisticated EPGs can be used to set reminders for program viewing, provide a short synopsis of the content of programs, identify programming in advance for several days, search for programs by genre, and provide access to some enhancements among others.

Zambia adheres to COMESA digital migration standards. Signal distribution carriers will be optic-fibre cable (ZAMTEL, ZESCO and Liquid Telecom), microwave link, satellite and WiMax (If you don't know what WiMax is, it is similar to Wi-Fi, but it can enable usage at much greater distances.Just think of it as 'WiFi but on steroids'.

Addressing Consumer Concerns
Will I have to pay a subscription fee for DTT? The good news is, you don't have to pay any ngwee. The purchase of a DTT set top box is a once-off cost. There will be no subscription fee to receive the free-to-air services including ZNBC TV, TV2 and radio services. However, viewers will still have to continue paying their TV licenses.

How will viewers/listeners receive DTT broadcasts? Viewers will have to purchase a DTT set top box in order to receive and decode the signals for display on the TV set. Some viewers may require new TV aerials or adjust their existing aerials for reception.

Do I need a special TV set to work with the DTT set top box? No, there is no need to purchase a new TV set, as the STB will decode the digital signal, and convert it to a signal that is compatible with your existing TV set. However, it is important to note that digital or smart TVs that are digitalready do not need STB to access DDT signal. They only need a good aerial.

If I have three TV sets in my house, will I need three set top boxes? Yes, if you want each TV set to individually view different channels then each set would need its own STB. Should you want to watch different programmes on multiple TVs in your house, each individual TV will have to be connected to its own set top box.

How is the DTT set top box installed? The STB is a plugand- play device which is relatively easy to connect using the supplied manual. Assistance from professional installers may be sought if needed. The basic connections of Aerial to Set-Top Box to TV are as illustrated.