The Entertainment Blog

If you’re a South African with access to any form of news media you probably already know that the SABC (South African Broadcast Corporation) plans to go digital.

Since the start of SA television in 1976, the public broadcaster has been using the analogue terrestrial system. Terrestrial TV broadcast is the transmission of signals using certain frequencies of electromagnetic waves (as opposed to using satellites or cables). The signals are then received by antennas, which feed them into your television.

The SABC plans to implement a DTT (digital terrestrial television) network. Many countries have already switched to the DTT system. This would allow the SABC to broadcast up to 7 times (one source said 6, another said as many channels. Multiple channels would be a welcome change to the existing 3 SABC channels, though whether or not there will be enough quality content is debatable. The DTT system will also allow for the creation of regional channels. In order to use the DTT system the consumer would have to buy a new TV with built-in receivers, or digital set-top decoder box to attach to the existing TV, if they want to keep it.

The operating cost of DTT will be considerably lower than that of the analogue system and it will require less electricity, however to set-up the new system will cost millions. It will take an estimated 3 years to upgrade the country to the new system.

Duel illumination (simultaneous broadcast of analogue and digital transmission) will be used at first to give everyone a chance to upgrade. However, dual illumination is extremely expensive, so it is not sure how long this period will last.

Down the line DTT will allow for terrestrial HDTV (high definition television), which is already being used in the USA and Japan. HDTV has an aspect (screen) ratio of 16:9 (wide screen) whereas standard TV has an aspect ratio of 4:3.

So if you’re thinking of buying a TV, make sure it is ready for DTT and HDTV. If you’re on a budget, you might be able find a second-hand TV for sale.

In some of my next post I’ll be looking at some HDTVs and digital ready TVs.

Sources:
Wikipedia
My broadband
IT Online
Financial Mail