DVB-T2 adoption in New Zealand

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knoydart

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#116690 7-May-2013 09:34

There has been a topic in recent days over DVB-T2 and backwards compatibility to DVB-T and it has got me thinking that Freeview really need to start getting DVB-T2 compliant receivers into the New Zealand eco system.

With the demand for spectrum from cellular operators growing, along with more content (it seems but the loss of TVNZ 7 and the like could be taken a different way but that is a different topic) in the broadcasting world, T2 is the next step on the technological road map.

So the question is, when will Freeview start with T2? Because we are already getting a current round of tv replacement for DSO and to me it seems like we have missed an opportunity for getting a decent chunk of the devices in the market ready for the next step.

** this is my opinion and does not represent my employers view in any way shape or form **

turb

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#812588 7-May-2013 10:22

What does T2 have in the way of extra features?

There don't seem to be many receivers around....

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knoydart

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#812594 7-May-2013 10:27

Igloo is already using DVB-T2 technology. It offers a more robust transmission path along with increased capacity - Igloo is pushing 11 SD channels in its multiplex but not seen a box in the wild myself so can't comment on the quality vs bit rate of each program

turb

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#812618 7-May-2013 10:45

That sounds like Sky - quantity over quality!

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garvani

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#812621 7-May-2013 10:46

It would be nice if they got DVB-T to the rest of the country before they start worrying about DVB-T2..

knoydart

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#812642 7-May-2013 11:04

garvani: It would be nice if they got DVB-T to the rest of the country before they start worrying about DVB-T2..

That is not going to happen, Freeview satellite is there to pick up the 13% of non DTT coverage

Edit: poor spelling

mm1352000

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#812778 7-May-2013 13:19

turb: That sounds like Sky - quantity over quality!

At least they're using h.264 for Igloo... and you might be surprised actually.

Let's do the maths...
Last I checked in on bitrates was about a year ago:
-->link<--
I'm assuming Igloo have spread out the 11.6 Mbps worth of NULL packets over their channels by now. Somebody jump in and correct me if I'm wrong - currently have no way to check.

The comparison of total bandwidth for each frequency is quite favourable for DVB-T2 - ~40 Mbps for DVB-T2 compared with ~25 Mbps for DVB-T - in the same 8 MHz channel/slot.

Sky's bitrates = 40 Mbps / 11 channels = 3.63 Mbps per channel

The channel list on the Kordia mux is up to 9 now I think, not even including radio channels:

Maori
Choice
Parliament
Prime
Trackside
Firstlight
Chinese TV 8
Channel 9
<regional channel here>

Freeview bitrates = 25 Mbps / 9 channels = 2.78 Mbps per channel

So actually Igloo's 11 channels are possibly better quality SD than the 9 or so carried on the Freeview Kordia mux.

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wklie

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#812794 7-May-2013 13:33

knoydart: So the question is, when will Freeview start with T2? Because we are already getting a current round of tv replacement for DSO and to me it seems like we have missed an opportunity for getting a decent chunk of the devices in the market ready for the next step.

And make all those current Freeview certified devices partially obsolete? I imagine there'll be many, many more angry users than we already have with the issues of the different Freeview receivers.

knoydart

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#812813 7-May-2013 13:44

Its more like get ready for it. The broadcasters do not have to launch a T2 service (and I suspect it will be a while) but having devices that are ready for it seem like a wasted opportunity. Pace who produce the Igloo box are churning out T2 boxes so it seems like a no brainer to me.

hdinsider

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#813978 8-May-2013 20:51

The dtt system is up and running. All the 500,000 boxes/tvs our there are not compliant with DVB-T2. The DVB-T system has been running here since 2008. It's not likely for DVB-T2 to be used here for freeview with the legacy boxes out there. It would create a riot!

don't mess with me.... i'm the hd insider....

hdinsider

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#813979 8-May-2013 20:52

The dtt system is up and running. All the 500,000 boxes/tvs out there are not compliant with DVB-T2. The DVB-T system has been running here since 2008. It's not likely for DVB-T2 to be used here for freeview with the legacy boxes out there. It would create a riot!

don't mess with me.... i'm the hd insider....

DjShadow

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#814019 8-May-2013 21:34

From the last Freeview Q&A

Q. Is there any plans down the track to upgrade Freeview UHF/HD to DVB-T2?

Freeview – Not in the near future but it is on the roadmap. What is more likely to happen be that, as we did with mpeg 4 v mpeg 2, we will actually skip T2 and move to the next standard. So the answer to your question is that it is some years away before we commit to any plans to change the Freeview NZ specification.