Technology Neutral Transmission Standard Of Digital Terrestrial

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

and residents be benefited from the digital switchover

Basics of digital TV:

Digital TV generally refers to broadcasting TV services in digital format. Rather than being broadcast as continuous analogue signals, the signals are sent as discrete bits of information. By using digital technology, digital TV improves picture quality and eliminates reception problems such as ghosting or snowing. Digital TV may be transmitted via radio-communications (i.e., terrestrial), satellite, cable or broadband network.

Digital TV is a far more efficient and flexible transmission system than the current analogue system. It allows broadcasters to offer viewers a range of new and different services. The possible benefits include:

"ghost free" reception

widescreen pictures

standard definition TV (SDTV) and high definition TV (HDTV) programmes

high-quality audio and surround sound

multi-channel programming

closed captioning of programmes for the hearing impaired

electronic programme guide (EPG) with "now & next" programme information for some channels

on-screen programme guide channel with today's programme information

multi-angle views and enhancements during selected programmes

interactive TV services such as home shopping, computer games, etc.

datacasting services such as financial data, weather updates and traffic news, etc.

Residents benefit:

Multichannel boardcasting:

Digital TV allows more TV programme channels to be carried than analogue broadcasting using the same amount of frequency capacity. Under the current analogue technology, a frequency channel of 8MHz is needed for carrying one TV programme service channel. By using MPEG-2 compression technology, the same bandwidth for transmitting one analogue programme channel can accommodate at least four digital standard definition TV (SDTV) programme channels or one high definition TV (HDTV) programme channel at a time. The exact number of TV programme channels that can be carried depends on picture quality and compression technology.

DTV Pciture

ATV and TVB started to simulcast their original four programme channels (i.e., ATV Home, ATV World, TVB Jade and TVB Pearl) in both digital and analogue format in December 2007. They also launched new TV programme services on the DTT platform to provide a greater variety of TV programmes to the viewing public. The new TV programmes include both standard definition TV (SDTV) and high definition TV (HDTV) channels, round-the-clock news reporting channel, and a wide variety of entertainment channels originated from Hong Kong, the Mainland and Taiwan.

HDTV:

HDTV is a new digital TV system which displays high quality pictures with up to five times the resolution of the conventional TV broadcasts or DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) videos. It is becoming popular worldwide as broadcasters commence their HDTV programme services and large screen TV sets are widely available in the market at affordable prices.

A picture on the TV screen is formed by a large number of small dots called pixels. The higher the number of pixels, the better the picture quality will be. The pictures of conventional analogue TV broadcasting provide a maximum of 720 (horizontal) x 576 (vertical) pixels. Typically the pictures of HDTV broadcasting provide a resolution of at least 1024 horizontal pixels and 720 vertical pixels and hence they have a better picture quality than those of analogue TV broadcasting. HDTV pictures are usually displayed on a wide screen (aspect ratio 16:9, i.e., the ratio of picture width to height) format, instead of the usual square screen (aspect ratio 4:3) format of conventional analogue TV pictures. Together with the ability to support multi-channel sound system, HDTV broadcasting enables viewers at home to have the same experience as watching a movie in a cinema.

DTV Picture

Standard definition TV (SDTV) broadcasting can be considered as the digitized version of the conventional analogue TV broadcasting, both of which have the same screen format and picture resolution. However, SDTV pictures are free from "ghosting" and "snowing", which are commonly found in analogue TV pictures.

SDTV and HDTV are two of the main features supported by digital TV. And residents can receive these 2 digital TV systems after digital switchover.

Interactivity and Data-casting services:

Apart from TV programme services, DTT also supports interactive and data-casting services that may or may not be related to the TV programme service being aired. Such services are either one-way or two-way.

Enhanced (one-way) Services:

One-way services provide additional information or viewing options offered by the broadcaster without actual communication with the broadcaster via a "return path". With just a press of button, additional information already embedded in the programme being transmitted will pop up on the screen, such as subtitling for a programme, recipe or ingredients of cuisine in a cooking programme, information about leading characters in a drama, multi-angle presentation of a football match, multi-ending options for a drama series, etc. Information unrelated to TV programmes may also be transmitted, such as financial data, weather updates and traffic news, etc.

Electronic programme guide (EPG) is another example of one-way service. It is an information service which can include visual images relating to the promotion, listing or selection of TV programmes or services. It allows a broadcaster to provide information about its programmes or additional services and to market and package them in a manner which is convenient and attractive to viewers.

There are a number of levels an EPG service may take, ranging from a simple TV listing guide to a sophisticated electronic magazine allowing programme previews and featuring linkages with conditional access and subscriber management systems.

Interactive (two-way) Services

Unlike the one-way services, two-way services enable viewers to send their response back to the broadcaster via various means, such as telephone lines or mobile networks. With such capabilities, viewers can participate in electronic games, home shopping, home banking, TV competitions, commercial transactions, etc.

Example:

1. Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) has announces the launch of interactive TV service on 8 August 2008, in time for audience to catch up with the latest news on the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The Hong Kong Interactive TV Platform is made possible through the concerted effort of Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI), Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) and TVB. Viewers can now obtain timely and important information at the touch of a button without disrupting the pleasure of viewing.

TVB will roll out the interactive TV services in various phases. The "TVBar" has already been on trial since 28 July 2008 on HD Jade and J2. At the touch of a button, the TVBar will list out information on Weather, Hang Seng Index, News Headlines and Olympic Medal List. Other services including enhanced information to support relevant TV programmes such as food and travel programmes, programme synopsis/ EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), and shopping information will follow soon.

2. Now TV has announces that special features will give you more enjoyable TV viewing experience and enable you to access a range of interactive services simply using the remote control. Now Select – this video-on-demand service enables viewers to choose from our sports, movies and other infotainment programming whenever they like.

Now Record – customers may set recording instructions via Internet or the now TV platform. The recorded programs will be saved onto our online server and can be replayed anytime within a week.

Now SPORTS Mosaic View & Interactivity – watch up to four sports programs at the same time on the same TV without wasting time zapping through the channels.

Now Game – a diverse range of the hottest, action-packed games available on a 24x7 basis.

Now shop (channel 501) – offers the latest Japanese fashions, best sports books, lifestyle products and other services including movie ticketing, gourmet meal delivery, travel package and securities trading and analytics. The Stock Market Express, a paid-for service, provides real-time stock quotes, FX spot rates and gold prices.

YP 502 channel – search through Yellow Pages on the now TV platform for a variety of local products and services such as property, dining, pets, home services and other useful hotlines.

3. A list of channel provided by bbTV is provided as below:

Funspot, channel 307 – it contains a wide selection of popular mini games to test your brain skills with unlimited games available at anytime while scores will be recorded on Funspot chart. The channel will be updated from time to time, with new games added to the service regularly in order to provide the user with continuous excitement.

Account management channel, channel 900 – it provide a complete range of customer support services including password change, parental lock, remote control manual and FAQs.

"Animax Gokujou Taiketsu", channel 902 – It is the first anime genre interactive quiz TV channel in Asia, offering multiple-choice questions from 20 top-rated Animax anime titles where subscribers can compete with others for top prizes. The questions are updated weekly with an Animax-sponsored price to be won by the top scorer each month, prizes inclue Sony's most sought-after gadgets.

Movie guide channel, channel 904 – it provide showcase local and Hollywood movie previews, bringing you a series of movie making shots from time to time. Each movie will feature its synopsis, full cast and cinemas to be shown for each movie. A complete movie listing of all HK cinemas with addresses and hotline.

Weather report channel, channel 905 – it provide real-time weather, 7-day forecast, district temperature and world weather provided and updated by HK Observatory. Latest lottery result of Mark 6 is also available.

QPI Stock quote channel, channel 907 – It provide instant access to key market indicators, real-time stock quotes and tips from experts.

Conclusion of Data-casting services:

Digitisation offers a new frontier for the broadcasters and viewers in terms of both programming quality and quantity. The launch of new interactive services, alongside with the free-to-air high-definition and multi-channel television broadcasting services already commenced since last December, will no doubt bring about a brand new audio-visual experience to our viewing public in Hong Kong. After the successful launch of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in Hong Kong at the end of 2007, the next important step is to deploy interactive TV services to boost the DTT penetration.

The Government has not imposed any requirements on such enhanced services because we believe that the commercial broadcasters should be given the flexibility of devising their business models on the digital platform.

Boardcasters benefit:

More DTV Platforms means larger coverage:

Digital TV can be transmitted through different means, including terrestrial radio-communications, satellite, cable and broadband network. The platforms being used to broadcast digital TV services in Hong Kong are described below.

Terrestrial Radio-communications:

This is the conventional platform of transmitting TV programme services. Similar to current analogue TV programme service, digital TV signals are broadcast to the public through Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio spectrum from transmission stations located in different places in Hong Kong. ATV and TVB are providing digital TV on this platform.

Cable:

Digital TV signals can be transmitted to households via hybrid fibre coaxial cable (HFC) network. At present, Hong Kong Cable TV Limited (HKCTV) provides digital TV to its customers through an HFC network. HKCTV also transmits its digital TV service through microwave multipoint distribution system and satellite to those areas beyond the reach of its HFC network.

Broadband Network:

Broadband network is another means for delivering digital TV services. At present, PCCW Media Limited transmits its digital TV service over the asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) broadband network operated by PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited. TVB Pay Vision Limited (formerly Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited) also carries its pay TV service on the broadband network of Hutchison Global Communications Limited.

Satellite:

Broadcasters uplink their TV signals to satellites, which in turn transmits them to target areas for reception. Satellite TV signals are picked up by satellite dish and then sent to viewers' households directly or through Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV) system. Satellite is one of the platforms TVB Pay Vision Limited (formerly Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited) uses to transmit its pay TV services.

Technology neutral transmission standard of digital terrestrial TV:

Hong Kong adopts a market-led approach to the selection of transmission standard of digital terrestrial TV. The two terrestrial TV broadcasters ATV and TVB submitted proposals to the Government at end December 2006. They propose to adopt the National Standard for DTT transmission. In 2007, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) (now Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA)) completed the evaluation of the proposals and the Telecommunications Authority (TA) (now Communications Authority (CA)) decided to adopt the National Standard as the transmission standard for DTT in Hong Kong.

Government benefit:

More DTV Operators can join the game means more investor:

The objective of launching the DTT broadcasting was to enhance Hong Kong's broadcasting infrastructure to make Hong Kong a leading digital city, improve spectrum efficiency, and enhance the quality of broadcasting and communications services for the community

Government priority is to ensure a smooth analogue-to-digital migration of existing terrestrial television services. This entails investment by the two incumbents in building and testing the digital broadcasting network, and launching new television or multimedia services to drive consumer take-up of DTT. The framework provides a blueprint for the industry to roll out the digital transmission network and to introduce new television and multimedia services.

The Government has set up two working groups with the existing two terrestrial TV broadcasters, Asia Television Limited (ATV) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), to ensure timely and smooth launching of digital TV in Hong Kong by 2007.

The working groups, led by the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA), will work with ATV and TVB to solve the technical issues related to the transmission and reception of digital terrestrial television (DTT) and facilitate inter-departmental coordination to ensure successful migration from analogue to digital TV at different stages.

When most TV households have switched over to DTT services, the government may then consider switching off analogue broadcasting to release the spectrum for other communications services.

The Government has announced that the working target for switching off analogue television services (analogue switch-off or ASO) would be deferred from end 2012 to end 2015. This is a prudent and practicable step taken with regard to the actual implementation and market situation of digital terrestrial television (DTT) development in Hong Kong.

The revised ASO target is much more realistic and meaningful. It will give more time for the two licensees, namely, Asia Television Limited (ATV) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), to extend and optimise their DTT network with a view to achieving 'universal coverage', i.e. a coverage at least on par with that of analogue TV at about 98 per cent of the population, and for the viewers to switch to DTT.

ATV and TVB launched their respective DTT services at end 2007. After the completion of 20 DTT transmitting stations, ATV and TVB have been carrying out building-by-building coverage validation work since earlier this year. As of mid-May 2011, the verified DTT coverage is over 95 per cent of the population. The coverage will be further extended with the launch of nine more fill-in stations by the end of this year.

As for DTT penetration, the percentage of households which had procured the necessary receivers to watch DTT services stood at about 63 per cent, according to a regular public survey conducted in March 2011. Though the three-year penetration in Hong Kong since DTT rollout is quite satisfactory in comparison with overseas experience (for example it took Japan five years and Australia seven to reach a take-up rate of some 60 per cent), the increase of DTT take-up rate has gradually slowed down. It is unlikely that it could reach a sufficiently high percentage to warrant consideration of ASO by end 2012.

As for DTT penetration, the percentage of households which had procured the necessary receivers to watch DTT services stood at about 63 per cent, according to a regular public survey conducted in March 2011. Though the three-year penetration in Hong Kong since DTT rollout is quite satisfactory in comparison with overseas experience (for example it took Japan five years and Australia seven to reach a take-up rate of some 60 per cent), the increase of DTT take-up rate has gradually slowed down. It is unlikely that it could reach a sufficiently high percentage to warrant consideration of ASO by end 2012.

If a mandatory ASO were to be imposed by end 2012, a significant percentage of households in Hong Kong - those that have not switched to DTT services - would be deprived of their existing free TV services through the analogue format. The disruption to the viewing public would be serious. By pushing back the ASO target for three years, the Government and the licensees would have more time to prepare the market for an eventual ASO.

Subject to successful frequency co-ordination with the Mainland, ASO may release valuable radio spectrum (commonly referred as the "digital dividend") for broadcasting and telecommunications services which are of significant economic value to Hong Kong.

List of DTV Operators:

Terrestrial Radio-communications (DTT was launched in December 2007)

Asia Television Limited (free TV)

Television Broadcasts Limited (free TV)

Cable:

Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (pay TV)

Broadband Network:

PCCW Media Limited (pay TV)

TVB Pay Vision Limited (formerly Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited) (pay TV)

Satellite:

Starvision Hong Kong Limited (free/pay TV)

TVB Pay Vision Limited (formerly Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited) (pay TV)

Starbucks (HK) Limited (free TV)

China Entertainment Television Broadcast Limited (free TV)

Turner International Asia Pacific Limited (pay TV)

I-Cable Satellite Television Limited (free TV)

Pacific Century Matrix (HK) Limited (free TV)

Skywave TV Company Limited (pay TV)

Hong Kong Cable Television Limited (pay TV)

Auspicious Colour Limited (free TV)

Conclusion:

Digital TV improves reception, offers better picture and sound quality, yields higher spectrum efficiency, and enables new applications such as high-definition TV (HDTV), interactive TV and data-casting services.

Digital TV is being offered by all pay TV operators in Hong Kong via cable, satellite and broadband network. As for terrestrial TV, the Government announced in July 2004 the implementation framework for digital terrestrial TV (DTT). The existing two terrestrial TV broadcasters, Asia Television Limited (ATV) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) launched DTT on 31 December 2007. The current coverage reaches 96% of the population across the 18 districts. Subject to further market and technical studies, the Government aims to switch off analogue broadcasting in 2015.

Digital switchover is the process where the terrestrial TV broadcasters launch DTT services and viewers equip themselves at their own costs with the necessary devices (e.g., set-top boxes or integrated TV sets) to receive DTT. Ultimately, DTT will replace analogue TV broadcasting. The community as a whole is set to derive enormous benefits from digital switchover:

It will solve reception problems (e.g., snowing or ghosting);

It will enhance programming choice and improve audio-visual quality for viewers;

Broadcasters will be able to explore more business opportunities and test out new services on the digital platform (e.g., interactive television services);

The consumer electronics industry will benefit from consumer demand for digital products; and

Analogue switch-off will free up spectrum for more TV and other communications services, commonly referred to as "digital dividend".

The success of digital switchover hinges on the cooperation of all stakeholders, including consumers, broadcasters, consumer electronics industry, and the Government, etc. After the successful launch of DTT in 2007, the Government is collaborating with the relevant industries to ensure a seamless switchover process in subsequent years.