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DVB-T / DTT (in the UK)

See also this site for Ondigital et al.


• Andrew Wiseman's Television Room
  

• Digital Terrestrial Television in the UK by NTL (National Transcommunications Ltd.)
  

• Summary of DTT by dtn in the UK
  

• DigiTAG - Digital Terrestrial Television Action Group

  
  

  10.11

  
  BBC
  News 24 launched
  Okay, here's (hopefully) the last article on BBC News 24. The
  channel went on air yesterday evening with a half-hour preview of the
  channel followed by a news bulletin.
  Of course, it's all "part of a wider strategy, preparing the
  75-year-old corporation for an era of digital television," the
  BBC reported on their news Web site that was launched last Tuesday.
  That's how Auntie Beeb explains the fact that the channel can be
  received only by two million cable subscribers (and for a few hours
  on BBC 1 TV during the night.)
  "BBC News 24 will give licence fee payers a public service
  choice for a multi-channel age," said BBC News chief, Tony Hall.
  The BBC admitted it already operated another 24-hour-news channel,
  known as BBC World. Targeting an international audience, it is
  financed by advertisements. And according to the BBC, that's exactly
  why it cannot be broadcast in Britain. Too bad!
  The BBC news site went on to say that "Experts have compared
  the dash into digital television to a gold rush – for every
  success there are likely to be many failures." It even quoted
  one as saying "The cost of launching a [digital] service is
  inexpensive [...] And for the ones that succeed it circumvents all of
  the losses you've made and earns you a lot of money as a result."
  In theory.
  Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
  
  07.11
  
  
  
  BSkyB pay-per-view on cable
  
  British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc and Cable & Wireless
  Communications (CWC) have reached a pact on providing digital
  pay-per-view television in Britain next year.
  
  Not only digitally, though. CWC will offer BSkyB pay-per-view "on
  analogue and digital platforms" by next spring. That obviously
  means that some digital channels will be converted to analogue and
  offered to cable subscribers.
  Programming will include movies, sport and other events and be
  provided through Sky Box Office. In a statement, the companies said
  they would co-ordinate the timing of the launch and jointly promote
  and market digital services.
  Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
  
  
  
  
  
  BBC
  News 24 launches on Sunday
  The British Broadcasting Corp. is set to launch its own 24-hour
  TV news channel in Britain next Sunday at 1730 GMT.
  Viewers on the Continent won't notice anything, though, and the
  vast majority of the audience in the UK will only be able to see "BBC
  News 24" for about four hours every morning after the sign-off
  of BBC1. Only three million cable subscribers will be able to watch
  the channel all day (and night) long.
  The launch will be most unspectacular: "We're not planning
  any fireworks or any champagne spilling over or anything like that.
  It will be quiet -- you turn on, and it will be there," said BBC
  News 24 spokeswoman Michelle Green.
  However, to compensate for the lack of fireworks and champagne
  spilling, here are some more comments by Ted Turner on BBC News 24.
  The inventor of the world's first 24-hour news channel thinks the BBC
  venture does not directly compete with CNN: "It's more
  competition, but I think the BBC's newscast that's going to be
  launched will be aimed directly at Sky News. And anything that
  reduces the power, particularly in this country, of Rupert Murdoch,
  is good for England."
  Media analysts reportedly said investors had little reason to
  worry that Sky's audience would be falling. So why on Earth did BSkyB
  complain to the UK government about the new channel? Because the BBC
  will offer it to cable operators for free while BSkyB charges them
  for Sky News. However, rumour has it that Sky News, which is
  available in clear PAL via satellite in most parts of Europe,
  attracts more viewers on the Continent than in the UK anyway.
  Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
  
  05.11
  
  UK - BSkyB Selects SGS-Thomson For  Set-Top Box Software 
  
  ST. GENIS, FRANCE, Newsbytes via Individual Inc. : Despite the prospect of 
  US$700 digital satellite TV boxes, users having to re- align their dishes on to 
  a new satellite and overall viewer apathy towards digital TV across most of 
  Europe, BSkyB seems undaunted, and has contracted with SGS-Thomson 
  in France to develop a software development environment, for digital 
  decoder boxes. 
  
  The aim of the contract is for the French company to develop suitable 
  software so that manufacturers can start mass production of what BSkyB 
  has started calling digital set-top boxes (STBs) next spring, ready for the 
  thrice delayed launch of digital satellite TV next fall. 
  
  Despite Newsbytes interpreting the announcement as yet another move 
  in the long-running digital gameplan that BSkyB has been laboring on for 
  almost a year now, BSkyB  remains enthusiastic about the development. 
  
  It claims that SGS-Thomson will develop the complete hardware and 
  software reference platform for its digital STB requirements, which it says 
  aims to significantly reduce the time-to-market for STB manufacturers. 
  
  Plans call for SGS-Thomson to supply chips for all of the major functions 
  of the STB, including the 32-bit microcontroller, the MPEG-2 (Motion Picture 
  Experts Group type 2) decoder, the PAL/NTSC encoder, the link/tuner interface, 
  the front panel microcontroller, and support for NDS conditional access technology. 
  
  Carlo Bozotti, corporate vice president for Europe with SGS-Thomson, said 
  that the ramp up of Digital STB manufacturing in the UK next spring to support 
  the launch of BSkyB's digital services "will accelerate the development of the 
  digital TV industry to the benefit of consumers all over the world." 
  
  As reported in May of this year by Newsbytes, BSkyB has teamed with British 
  Telecom, Midland Bank, and Matsushita in a UKP265 (US$430) million digital 
  broadcasting venture called British Interactive Broadcasting (BIB). 
  
  The original plan was to launch a digital BSkyB service this fall. That broad 
  launch date slid back to the summer next year in May of this year, a date that 
  has now further slid to the fall of next year, Newsbytes notes. 
  
  Newsbytes reported in May that, "slicing through the rhetoric reveals that 
  the plans for BIB are still at a very early stage, with the firmware for the 
  decoders still at the prototyping stage with Matsushita of Japan." 
  
  (19971105/Press Contact: BSkyB Press Office +44-171-782-3000; Simon Loe, 
  SGS Thomson +33-4-5040-2558/Reported By Newsbytes News Network:
  http://www.newsbytes.com) 
  
   Newsbytes -- 11-05-97
  
   [Copyright 1997, NewsBytes] 
  
  
  
  04.11
  DIGITAL
  
  Britain's digital terrestrial TV (DTT) broadcasters, including pay-TV BDB, agreed on 
  an industry-wide decoder technology that will be built into DTT set-top boxes.
  
  BDB, British Digital Broadcasting, is a venture between Carlton and Granada that 
  plans to offer up to 15 terrestrially delivered digital pay-TV channels. (No BSkyB 
  involved anymore – they had to leave because of their digital satellite TV plans.)
  
  John Egan, co-chairman of the Digital Multiplex Group (DMUX), was quoted as 
  saying "This announcement puts us on track to bring multi-channel television to 
  people's homes through existing aerials and televisions." DMUX comprises BDB, 
  the British Broadcasting Corp., Channel Four and Channel Five.
  
  Digital protagonists expect nearly one million terrestrial versions of the set-top 
  boxes to be available by the time of DTT's launch, slated for the second half 
  of 1998. BDB has meanwhile invited companies to put in their bids to make 
  the first batches of set-top boxes. Just like those boxes needed to digital satellite 
  pay-TV, they will be heavily subsidised.
  
  On the satellite side, BSkyB and chipmaker SGS-Thomson Microelectronics NV said 
  they would collaborate to help manufacturers start mass production of set-top boxes 
  in the spring of 1998. Although decoders for terrestrial and satellite digital TV will 
  probably use the same standards, satellite subscribers will reportedly need to buy 
  a new dish to receive British Sky Broadcasting Plc's planned 200-channel digital 
  satellite TV service.
  
  08.10
  
  
  DIGITAG/ Prospects improving for a universal digital broadcasting receiver 
  
  M2 PRESSWIRE via Individual Inc. : The DigiTAG(1) Steering Board, today,
  warmly
   welcomed the news that a common solution, for elements of the design of
  set-top boxes
   and integrated digital television sets which solved the problems of
  proprietary
   gateways, is on track. 
  
   The proposal to support a solution based on international standards was
  first adopted
   by DigiTAG in July 1997 (see attachment), and proposed to the DVB
  Project's(2) group
   developing the commercial requirements for the future Multimedia Home
  Platform 
  
   Momentum is now clearly building up around this concept and important
  organisations,
   some of whom have pioneered early services in the new digital media using
  proprietary
   solutions to permit them to come early to market, have come out firmly in
  favour of open
   standards for the future. They, like DigiTAG, see convergence towards open
  standards
   as the only way to avoid confusion and fragmentation of the market, which
  would be
   significantly reduced in size as a consequence. 
  
   Evidence is also building that integrated digital television receivers are
  likely to be the
   truly mass-market consumer products for all broadcasting delivery. It is TV
  sets that are
   purchased in quantity to replace failed or outdated ones, whereas set-top
  boxes, aimed
   at a particular medium of delivery, and containing proprietary elements,
  are constrained
   to remain in a market niche many times smaller than that for replacement
  TVs. 
  
   There are already good indications that integrated digital TV sets will be
  in the
   consumer market from several manufacturers at the time of the launch of the
  first digital
   terrestrial broadcasting services in 1998 in the United Kingdom. 
  
   The DigiTAG Steering Board recognises that it will be imperative that such
  integrated
   TV sets, representing a significant investment for the general public, must
  have an
   expected lifetime of many years. It therefore stresses that these first
  'multimedia home
   platforms', should be as 'open' as possible, and be capable of being easily
  adapted for
   future digital broadcasting applications. 
  
   Notes for Editors: 
  
   (1) DigiTAG, the Digital Terrestrial Television 
  
   Action Group, was first launched in Amsterdam in September 1996 at the time
  of the
   International Broadcasting Convention by the three founding associations;
  the Digital
   Television Group* from the United Kingdom, the 8k-Interest Group** from
  mainland
   Europe, and the European Broadcasting Union***. It has now completed a
  successful
   first year dealing with the topics of Services, Equipment, Regulatory
  matters and
   Promotion and Marketing. The DigiTAG membership has been steadily rising
  and at this
   time stands at around 60 organisations. These organisations give an
  excellent spread of
   coverage, both geographically, and over the four main sectors of the
  broadcasting
   business. 
  
   (2) DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) Project began in 1993 to draft
  technical
   specifications for all applications of digital television carried on
  whatever distribution
   medium, and now has over 200 member or anisations. In early 1996 they
  completed the
   terrestrial transmission specification (DVB-T) which has completed formal
   standardisation with ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)
  as ETS
   300 744. 
  
   * DTG (Digital Television Group' was originated by 8 DVB member companies
  in 1995 to
   streamline the introduction of digital terrestrial television in the UK.
  The group currently
   has around 60 member organisations. 
  
   ** 8k-Interest Group (8k-IG) was launched in 1996 to promote the
  introduction of digital
   terrestrial services in Europe with a target 'window of opportunity' in
  1998. In a number
   of countries on mainland Europe, frequency planning, requires the use of
  the '8k' option
   of the DVB Specification to permit wide-area national or regional services
  where only a
   few clear transmission channels are available. More than thirty
  organisations, from many
   countries, participated in the group, whose activities were subsequently
  absorbed into
   DigiTAG. 
  
   *** EBU (European Broadcasting Union) is a professional association of
  national
   broadcasters based in Geneva, Switzerland. It has 65 members in 49
  countries (East- and
   West-Europe, North-Africa and the Middle- East), and 50 associate members
  in 29 other
   countries of the world. It began in 1950, initially to solve technical and
  legal problems,
   and later developed news and programme exchanges. Today, the EBU assists
  its
   members in all areas of broadcasting, it briefs them on developments in the
  audiovisual
   sector, provides advice, and defends their interests vis-a-vis
  international bodies. 
  
   * DigiTAG Statement on Applications Programming 
  
   Interface 
  
   DigiTAG in its initial statements pointed out the importance of an 'open'
  common
   standard for API, able to support from the beginning of digital terrestrial
  broadcasting
   all foreseen services, and providing flexibility to accommodate yet
  unthought of
   services and service elements. DigiTAG was also very conscious of the
  importance of
   interactivity for the future success of digital terrestrial broadcasting
  and the likelyhood
   of development of Internet- like services, if not ultimately full Internet
  access from TV
   sets. 
  
   DigiTAG also considered it essential to make use of the DVB Common
  Interface in
   integrated digital TV sets. In making its considerations it was
  particularly important to
   look at the available options for the Application Programming Interface,
  and take into
   account the time frame over which digital services will be introduced, and
  the increase in
   penetration and features with time. 
  
   The discussions centred around the following issues: 
  
   -- Timescale for introduction of services and features, 
  
   -- State of readiness of specification/standards, 
  
   -- Availability of development and authoring tools, 
  
   -- 'Openness'/licensing costs, 
  
   -- Robustness, 
  
   -- Convergence with other applications, 
  
   -- Role and relative importance of set-top boxes versus integrated TV sets. 
  
   The result of the deliberations has been consensus in favour of the ISO/IEC
  MHEG-5
   standard for the API. This appears to encompass all the present
  requirements for an API
   and does not have any missing features for the start-up phase and medium
  term (3-5
   years). DigiTAG is studying extending the platform to provide compatibility
  with
   Internet, should this be considered commercially essential. In a second
  stage, when the
   concepts of the Virtual Machine are developed into a fully proven robust
   ('consumer-equipment - friendly') state, this could be added to the MHEG-5
  API to offer
   further capability. 
  
   The selection of MHEG-5 as the API, to be used as the basis for
  non-proprietary
   consumer products, may have consequences for the support of other APIs and
  other
   proprietary functions, such as conditional access (note that some CA
  systems may
   require to be associated with a specific API to operate). 
  
   In these circumstances, DigiTAG considers that the whole of the proprietary
   functionality, such as CA, EPG (as distinct from ESGs) and any associated
  API should
   be provided in a DVB Common Interface plug-in module, obtaining its input
  signals,
   controlling and using the display resources of the digital terrestrial
  receiver via the
   Common Interface. 
  
   This approach will enable and encourage the fast penetration of digital
  terrestrial TV
   sets, and permit the subsequent upgrading when necessary with further
  functionality.
   DigiTAG is studying whether the add-on functionality could be enhanced by a
  Virtual
   Machine on such a module, and whether the current specification of the DVB
  Common
   Interface requires extension to support such further upgrading. 
  
   M2 PRESSWIRE -- 10/07/97
  
  
   CONTACT: Mr Edgar J Wilson, DigiTAG Secretariat 
   Tel: +41 22 717 2733 
   Fax: +41 22 717 2462 
  
   [Copyright 1997, M2 Communications] 
  
  
  
  30.09
  
  
  Broad agreement in sight for Digital-TV cable platform
  
  
  
  September 30, 1997 -- Deutsche Telekom as the operator of a neutral cable platform, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (television broadcaster) and the private programme providers DF1 and Premiere and their shareholders CLT/UFA and KirchGruppe achieved broad agreement on Friday on the technical approach for the imminent launch of digital television in Germany. Representatives of the ARD television broadcaster also took part in the meeting, however on Monday the ARD producers were not able to approve the agreement negotiated by their representatives.
  
  The agreement negotiated in Munich creates the clarity needed for media politics to approve the imminent launch of digital television for both private and public programme providers without discrimination and on a common technical cable platform.
  
  The agreement covers the following details:
  
  Deutsche Telekom will set up a programme provider-independent cable platform in the broadband distribution networks, using the d-Box-cryptbase technology developed by the company BetaResearch.
  One of the major elements of the cable platform is an Application Programming Interface (API) with an open standard which allows every programme provider to develop his own programme guide for the viewers. This programme guide, specific to each programme provider, can be accessed by the viewer via a guide page structured by the cable operator on which the programme providers are listed.
  The open API is furthermore a condition for the creating of an open decoder market (set-top boxes) with various manufacturers, which is necessary so that the price drop required for a mass market can be initiated early.
  The open API, which will take a great deal of work to develop, will be completed as soon as possible - by the end of 1998 at the latest.
  Until the API comes into operation, all the services of the programme providers can be accessed directly and without discrimination via a neutral Deutsche Telekom guide page.
  To guarantee that the set-top boxes, which are soon to be delivered, will be future-proof, the storage capacity of the boxes is being expanded immediately by a considerable margin so that the Telekom guide page function, the specific programme guides from the providers and future features can be included in the set-top boxes step-by-step by downloading the software once it has been installed in the system, without the customers being at a disadvantage.
  A board of technical experts under Telekom's direction will ensure that the technology is transparent for all programme providers and that they all have the same opportunities and agreed deadlines are kept.
   This board of experts will monitor the non-discrimination and equality of opportunity in the long term for the further development of the system.
  
  
  This agreement lays the essential foundations for the rapid launch and the use of digital television, which is important for the economy as a whole.
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  19.09
  British government fosters digital Murdoch TV
  
  The British government is examining ways of encouraging viewers to move rapidly to 
  multi-channel digital TV, Culture Secretary Chris Smith said. The government was keen 
  to encourage Britons to adopt the new technology.
  
  But why, just to make Rupert Murdoch even richer? No, the government wants to sell 
  the spectrum currently used for analogue TV for commercial use by, for instance, 
  telecommunications companies – it could be worth billions of pounds.
  
  This will partly be financed by TV viewers who will have to shell out at least 200 pounds 
  (US$320) to get hold of a digital decoder to receive digital services – irrespective of 
  whether they are delivered by cable, satellite or aerial. Digital services will also be 
  financed by companies such as British Interactive Broadcasting (BIB,) the terrestrial 
  digital offspring of BSkyB, British Telecommunications Plc, Midland Bank and
  Matsushita of Japan.
  
  BIB plans a 600 million pound (US$960 million) investment to promote and subsidise 
  the set-top boxes required to receive the new services.
  BIB has been created to develop interactive services to offer alongside BSkyB's new 
  200-channel digital satellite TV service which is scheduled
  for launch in spring 1998.
  
  "Put simply, I want digital television to succeed, on all delivery platforms," 
  Culture Secretary Smith said. [Note the difference! I personally would
  like to see that digital bullshit going down the drain as soon as possible.]
  
  
  Sat-ND, 19.9.1997 
  
  This service is provided free of charge for personal use. It may be used and redistributed for non-commercial purposes only, provided the following notice is included:
  © Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND
  
  DIGITAL
  
  
  Digital terrestrial TV in Australia
  
  
  Digital terrestrial television broadcasting (DTTB) should be introduced into Australia as soon as possible, according to the
  Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA.) 
  ABA chairman Peter Webb said in a statement that "The present analogue system will not meet the expectations and needs of viewers in the next century
  while cable and satellite television systems that use digital transmission are restricted by the lack of digital receivers in the home." 
  [That seems to imply
  that decoders for digital terrestrial TV can be bought on every street corner in Australia.]
   
  However, "DTTB will provide the foundations for television of the 21st century," knows Webb. And even though high-definition television (HDTV) is
  as dead as ad doornail in most parts of the world, he went on to explain that DTTB could deliver the (HDTV) pictures which were needed for those
  trendy monster-screen home theatre-style receivers. 
  [Well, just go ahead and buy one if your living room is still to spacious and you have too much money
  anyway.]
   "HDTV makes an enormous difference to the viewing experience for both film and live productions such as telecasts of major sporting events,"
  Webb said.
   [Oh yeah... imagine all those digital artefacts in high resolution!]
   
  "Receiver manufacturers and broadcasters need clear direction on the need for HDTV capabilities to be provided in receivers," Mr Webb said. "This
  direction has been set in the USA and I am pleased to see recent initiatives in Europe to incorporate HDTV capabilities into the systems being developed
  there."
   
  [Recent? Geez! HDTV has been subsidised by the European Union for centuries. Lots of production companies and broadcasters cashed in the money, but
  to my knowledge there is not a single real HDTV channel available in Europe.] 
  
  Sat-ND, 22.07.97 -- Do you feel real? 
    
  This service is provided free of charge for personal use. It may be used and redistributed for non-commercial purposes only, provided the following notice is included: 
  © Copyright 1997 by Sat-ND 
  http://www.lynet.de/~pck/
  http://www.sat-net.com/pck/ 
  
  
  
  OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS (OFTEL)
  46/97                                              17 July 1997
  OFTEL AND DTI CONSULTS ON CONDITIONAL ACCESS PROPOSALS
   
  Proposals for extending  the regulatory regime covering the operation
  of conditional access services in the digital domain were published 
  jointly today by OFTEL and the Department of Trade and Industry.
   
  The new rules will apply to conditional access services in respect of
  non-broadcast services and digital non-television broadcasts. They 
  extend the scope of the regulatory regime (introduced earlier this 
  year) which applies to control of access to digital television 
  broadcasts.  No change is proposed to the rules governing conditional
  access for analogue broadcasts.
   
  Don Cruickshank, Director General of Telecommunications, said:
   
  "Conditional access services can form an important bottleneck to 
  competition in supply of all kinds of entertainment, information and 
  interactive services (such as home shopping and banking).  The 
  present rules apply only to conditional access services for digital 
  television broadcasts.  Television programmes and new types of 
  service will be delivered over the same infrastructure to the 
  consumer and the same conditional access system could be used to 
  control access to both.  It makes sense to extend the existing rules 
  in order to promote fair and effective competition and enhance 
  consumer choice across the full range of retail services delivered by
  digital communications networks. We signalled last year that we would
  be doing this , and we are now seeking comments by 14 August on how 
  we propose to achieve it."
   
  Copies of the consultation paper are available to the media.
   
  Notes for editors
   
  1.  "Conditional access" means the systems by which access of 
  consumers to services delivered over communications networks is 
  controlled so that only those authorised to receive or interact with 
  a particular service can do so.
   
  2.  The present regulatory regime applies to control of access to 
  digital television broadcasts.  It is set out in the Advanced 
  Television Services Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996 No.), the Advanced 
  Television Services (Amendment) Regulations 1996 (S.I. 1996 No. ) and
  the Telecommunications Act Class Licence for conditional access 
  services granted by the Secretary of State on 7 January 1997.
   
  3. OFTEL published guidelines on how it would set about its statutory
  responsibilities in relation to enforcement of the regulations and 
  class licence on 26 March 1997 (The Regulation of Conditional Access 
  for Digital Television Services   OFTEL Guidelines).
   
  4.  Copies of today's consultative document are available from Bill 
  Pittman at OFTEL.
  
  
  
  Teracom and Nokia Bring Digital-TV Down to Earth
  
  Digital TV programs have so far been transmitted only via satellites. However, as from March 1998, the public will be able to receive digital development an interactive home-terminal for that purpose. Nokia will manufacture the terminal at its Motala plant while Teracom will start regular, digital TV broadcasts in Sweden via its terrestrial network during spring of 1998.
  The deal consists of two parts:
  
  1. 
  Joint development of the communication part in the home terminals based on COFDM (Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) the technology which is specially adapted to terrestrial transmissions. The more advanced 8k-technology will be used since it provides a more robust transmission than the 2k-technology.
  2. 
  Joint definition of new services: basic services for picture and sound as well as multimedia-services, such as home-shopping, data transmission and Internet access, etc.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © Nokia 1995, 1996, 1997. 
  Please ensure that you read our legal notice 
  before accessing any of our pages. FAQ, comments and feedback
   on www.nokia.com
  
  
  This page was last modified: Friday, 09-May-97 10:30:40
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  CeBIT - Nokia Teams With Siemens On TV Chip Technology 
  
  Source: Newsbytes 
  
  HANNOVER, GERMANY, 1997 MAR 18 (NB) via Individual Inc. -- By Steve Gold.
  Nokia has signed a letter of intent with Siemens of Germany to develop a new
  generation of chip technology for digital video broadcasting applications.
  
  According to Nokia, the linkup will allow the company to develop digital
  video broadcasting (DVB) decoder technology for use by consumers on
  terrestrial television. Newsbytes notes that Nokia already supplies d-boxes
  (digital boxes) for use on the French and German digital satellite services.
  
  The trouble with these systems is that they sell for around the $700 mark, a
  figure which is reduced by a UKP 100 or so when a contract subsidy is
  applied. Critics of DVB have said that $350 is the maximum price point that
  the technology can sustain and remain a mass market medium. Clearly, in its
  R&D deal with Siemens, Nokia is looking to reduce its d-box production
  costs.
  
  In a press statement made at the CeBIT Computer Faire in Germany this week,
  Nokia said that its Multimedia Network Terminals division had signed a
  letter of intent with Siemens Semiconductors to develop a new integrated
  receiver chipset for use with terrestrial DVB.
  
  The aim of the project, according to Ari Nieminen, Nokia's assistant vice
  president, is to develop a common European standard for terrestrial DVB.
  "Our combined resources can guarantee the timely delivery of the coming
  generation of digital terrestrial receiver technology," he explained.
  
  According to Nokia, the chipset should be at the sampling stage by Q3 of
  this year, in time for the launch of terrestrial DVB in Sweden the following
  quarter, and the launch of similar services in the UK in the summer of next
  year.
  
  Nokia's Web site is at http://www.nokia.com .
  
  (19970318/Reported By Newsbytes News Network: http://www.newsbytes.com)
  [03-18-97 at 15:00 EST, Copyright 1997, Newsbytes News Network.] 
  
  
  
  
  THE BBC’S DIGITAL SERVICE PROPOSITION
  
  
  
  
      
  
          
  Digital
  
          distribution
  
          system 
          
  Likely date available 
          
  UK homes covered by system
          
          
  Equipment required 
  Short to
          mid-term   –   Mid to
          long-term
          
      
      
  
          
  Satellite 
          
  Late 1997
          
  90%+
          
  
              
  Existing analogue TV 
              
  Satellite dish 
              
  Digital satellite set-top box 
          
          
          
  
              
  Digital TV 
              
  Satellite dish 
              
  Possibly digital satellite set-top box 
          
          
      
      
  
          
  Cable 
          
  Late 1997 - but will
          take several years to reach all cable homes
          
  70%+
          
  
              
  Existing analogue TV 
              
  Digital cable set-top box 
          
          
          
  
              
  Digital TV 
              
  Possibly digital cable set-top box 
          
          
      
      
  
          
  Terrestrial 
          
  Mid 1998 - but will
          take two years to complete transmitter network
          
  60-70%
          
  
              
  Existing analogue TV 
              
  Existing aerial* 
              
  Digital terrestrial set-top box 
          
          
          
  
              
  Digital TV 
              
  Existing aerial* 
          
          
      
  
  
  
  DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL HERITAGE
  DNH 031/97 Issued on 31 January 1997
  BRITAIN LEADS THE WORLD IN DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION
   
  Virginia Bottomley welcomes licence bids
   
     National Heritage Secretary Virginia Bottomley warmly welcomed the
  bids for the digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex licences 
  announced by the Independent Television Commision today.  She said:
   
     "I am delighted with the response from our major broadcasters. 
  This is a vote of confidence in DTT. It keeps Britain on track as the
  world leader in DTT.
   
     "These bids offer viewers the prospect of enhanced quality and a 
  range of new programmes to complement the free-to-air programming 
  already announced by the BBC.
   
     "The Government took the position during the passage of the 
  Broadcasting Act that it was providing a framework to allow DTT to be
  delivered by the market. Today's news shows that the industry has 
  embraced the Government's vision."
  
  
  DTI Press Release P/97/102                        31 January 1997
   
  IAN TAYLOR WELCOMES ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE TO DIGITAL TELEVISION 
  OPPORTUNITY
   
  Ian Taylor, Minister for Science & Technology today welcomed the 
  substantial interest shown in digital terrestrial television.  
  Commenting on the announcement made by the Independent Television 
  Commission, about the bids they had received for multiplex licences, 
  Mr Taylor said:
   
  "The receipt of bids for the digital terrestrial multiplexes marks a 
  major step in our development of a new digital environment for the 
  UK. The real commercial interest now evident in digital terrestrial 
  gives the lie to all the jeremiahs and the prophets of doom who said 
  that DTT would be of no commercial interest and that digital would be
  monopolised by one company and one platform. The major players are 
  now at the table, the commitments they are offering promise to make a
  reality of the Goverment's vision for the new digital age.
   
  "This has come about through a sensitive and pro-active approach 
  towards regulation by Government that has been very well attuned to 
  both industry and consumer needs. We have worked long and hard to get
  the balance of interests right, first in the framework for DTT, and 
  subsequently in the crucial area of regulating conditional access to 
  the set top box. Our regulations came into force on 7 January this 
  year, after extensive consultation. We believe we got the balance 
  right, and the level of participation shown in the bids confirms it. 
   
  "It is now up to the ITC to select the winning bids and for the 
  competition authorities to consider any issues arising out of those 
  bids. Whatever the outcome, the future for Digital in the UK is one 
  we can look forward to with confidence.
   
  "All three delivery mechanisms are now well on the way towards 
  providing digital services in the near future, with considerable 
  scope for interoperability between platforms. This is a major 
  opportunity for UK manufacturers, with at least a billion pounds in 
  orders imminent for consumer, transmission and studio equipment. The 
  UK will be amongst the first in Europe to develop a comprehensive 
  digital market across all delivery mechanisms, and with many of the 
  technical standards already established at European level this 
  presents an enormous export opportunity for our manufacturers. Even 
  in the US it is now recognised that UK developments in technology, 
  standards and services are now at the leading edge.
   
  "The UK is also very strong on content creation, production and post-
  production. This is a strength on which these sectors can now 
  capitalise. There will be an increasingly strong demand for new 
  content as digital services are rolled out. The extra capacity on 
  both cable and satellite in particular will be a strong driver for 
  new content for the domestic market which will also have a strong 
  export potential as the development of digital in other countries 
  accelerates to follow the UK.
   
  "Most importantly of all, the consumer will benefit through the 
  competitive delivery of a vastly expanded range of new services.  
  While choice and quality will increase in more traditional services 
  for passive viewing this will pave the way for the development of the
  market in a whole new vista of interactive and on-demand services, 
  enhancing the quality of everyday life in the UK. There will be new 
  opportunities for information services, linked to work, leisure and 
  eduction.  New features in entertainment services will allow people 
  to interact and socialise through the digital medium and to programme
  their own entertainment to suit their preferences.  It will become 
  possible to dig deeper into aspects of programme offerings, be it to 
  follow particular players in a football match by selecting camera 
  angles, or to find out more about what is being shown.  A range of 
  home-shopping, banking and other, more specialised commercial 
  services allowing people greater flexibility in organising their own 
  lives will open up awareness of new choices and give individuals 
  greater control.
   
  "In all these aspects the UK is on the threshold of world leadership 
  in the applications of digital technology across a diversity of 
  platforms."
   
  Notes to Editors
   
  1. The Independent Television Commission (ITC) is charged will 
  holding a competition for licences for digital terrestrial 
  multiplexes. A multiplex represents a frequency band onto which 
  digital technology can interleave several programme channels. Each 
  multiplex can support upwards of 4 channels, depending on the type of
  programming and the compression technology used.
   
  2. There are six multiplexes in total. One has already been reserved 
  for BBC public service channels, another for ITV and Channel 4. Half 
  of the third multiplex is also allocated for other existing public 
  service broadcasters: S4C and Channel 5. The remaining 3.5 
  multiplexes are available for commercial services and will be 
  allocated through the award of licences by the ITC following 
  competition. The deadline for receipt of bids was noon today.
   
  3. BSkyB has indicated that it intends to launch a digital satellite 
  service in late 1997; and the leading players in the cable industry 
  have also indicated that they intend to launch a digital service at 
  about the same time. The licensing process for digital terrestrial 
  will conclude towards the middle of 1997, and it is expected that DTT
  services will be available from about the middle of 1998. So it is 
  expected that substantive digital services will be available on all 
  three delivery platforms - terrestrial, cable and satellite - by the 
  Summer of 1998. This is significantly in advance of anywhere else in 
  the world.
   
  4. The Government set out the regulatory framework to allow digital 
  terrestrial services to be offered in the Broadcasting Act 1996.  
  Regulations governing the supply of conditional access services to 
  digital television, and access by broadcasters to viewers through the
  set top box, were the subject of consultations by the DTI throughout 
  1996. Final regulations (SI 3151 & 3197) were placed before 
  Parliament in December 1996 and came into force on 7 January this 
  year. Copies of the Act and the Regulations are available from HMSO. 
  Copies of the associated class licence governing the supply of 
  conditional access services are available from OFTEL.
   
   
  ENDS
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  Broadcasters set to deploy U.S. digital TV 
  
  
  Source: Electronic Engineering Times -- 02-03-97
  
  Electronic Engineering Times via Individual Inc. : Washington - The rollout
  of a U.S. digital TV infrastructure is picking up steam as broadcasters on
  both coasts announced deployment plans.
  
  WCBS in New York announced last week it will purchase a digital TV
  transmitter and broadband antenna from Harris Corp.'s Broadcast Division
  (Quincy, Ill.) for its experimental high-definition TV station. The
  experimental station, WCBS-HD will begin transmitting digital TV signals
  this spring. "We need to see how digital television transmissions are
  effected by the buildings in a canyon city," said Robert Ross, CBS vice
  president for engineering and operations.
  
  Another experimental high-definition TV station in Seattle began
  transmitting signals on Jan. 20. ABC affiliate KOMO-TV became the first West
  Coast station to broadcast signals under an experimental license.
  Experimental stations in Washington and Raleigh, N.C., are already on the
  air.
  
  KOMO is using a digital TV transmitter supplied Larcan Inc. and an antenna
  made by Dielectric Communications. Digital modulation, demodulation and
  decoding equipment was supplied by Zenith Electronics Corp. (Glenview, Ill.)
  
  Copyright 1997 CMP Media Inc.
  
  
  
  
  Monday February  3 10:01 AM EST
  
  Britain Gears Up For Digital Television Revolution
  
  
  	    LONDON - Britain's leading broadcasters are forging ahead with
  
  plans to beam a television revolution into the nation's living rooms.
  
  
  	    A new digital era in which viewers can access hundreds of
  
  channels and interactive services such as home banking and shopping
  
  has this week come much closer to reality.
  
  
  	    Pay television operator British Sky Broadcasting is reported to
  
  be proceeding with plans to launch a 200-channel digital satellite
  
  service into Britain in late 1997.
  
  
  	    BSkyB announced it is joining forces with leading commercial
  
  television (ITV) companies Carlton and Granada to apply for licenses
  
  to supply up to 15 channels for digital terrestrial television (DTT).
  
  
  	    Their venture would also carry BBC subscription channels, as well
  
  as top sports action and Hollywood movies.
  
  
  	    DTT, using land-based transmitters, is set for start-up in mid
  
  1998. It will make some 30 channels -- including the free-to-air
  
  quartet of BBC1, BBC2, ITV and Channel 4 -- available in the new,
  
  high quality format.
  
  
  	    The cable companies are also planning to switch to digital in an
  
  attempt to compete with BSkyB's satellite services.
  
  
  	    Digital viewers will need to invest in a set-top box to receive
  
  and unscramble signals, help them chart their way through the sea of
  
  channels and pay for programs or services.
  
  
  	    Broadcasters are seeking potential partners to subsidize the
  
  boxes, aiming to bring the cost to the customer down to around 200
  
  pounds ($325). Television sets with built-in decoders are expected to
  
  reach the market within a couple of years.
  
  
  	    The technology is of course not unique to Britain and digital
  
  television is already up and running in the United States, South
  
  Africa, and a number of European nations.
  
  
  	    However, Britain is alone in pioneering DTT.
  
  
  	    Applicants for the DTT licenses see it as a way to bring pay
  
  television to households who don't want satellite dishes or their
  
  front gardens dug up by cable companies.
  
  
  	    BSkyB, Britain's leading pay television company, has more than
  
  five million subscribers but over 75 percent of British households
  
  have neither cable nor satellite.
  
  
  	    Television experts believe that many of them will be prepared to
  
  pay for the right mix of sports and movies.
  
  
  	    "Going digital is the most important development for British
  
  television since the introduction of color," said Michael Green,
  
  chairman of British Digital Broadcasting, the new
  
  Carlton/BSkyB/Granada combination.
  
  
  	    "Within a few years, the public will be able to buy new digital
  
  television sets capable of receiving all digital services and one
  
  day, all television signals will be received in this way," he added.
  
  
  	    The brave new world is made possible by the quantum leap to
  
  digital from the analog technology which has been used since the
  
  birth of broadcasting in the 1920s.
  
  
  	    In digital broadcasting, sound and pictures are converted into
  
  binary digits -- a series of zeroes and ones -- rather than
  
  transmitted by radio waves as under the analog method.
  
  
  	    Digital signals are more robust and so quality is greatly
  
  enhanced while a process of compression means that the number of
  
  services that can be carried is increased many times over.
  
  
  	    "Within 10 years, over half of all households may be receiving
  
  multi-channel, digital television," the BBC said in a document
  
  published last year.
  
  
  	    BBC director-general John Birt saw a future in which viewers
  
  could order their own diet of programs on a hybrid machine, a cross
  
  between a television and personal computer, with a large, flat,
  
  wall-mounted screen showing high quality images.
  
  
  
  	    Copyright, Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved
  
  
  TV broadcasters link up in bid for digital service  
  
  
  A powerful consortium has been formed by UK broadcasters in 
  order to bid for the right to launch digital terrestrial 
  television in Britain. The group, to be known as British Digital 
  Broadcasting, comprises satellite broadcaster BSkyB and 
  terrestrial groups Carlton Communications and Granada Group. In 
  what could be one of the biggest shake-ups in British 
  broadcasting, the groups is also thought to have secured 
  agreement with the BBC to broadcast up to eight subscription 
  channels.  
  
  
  Financial Times, UK. 31/01/97 
  
  
   
  Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting
   
  An explanatory guide to the provisions introduced by the Broadcasting Act 1996 * http://www.heritage.gov.uk/DTB1.HTM
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  Japanese team rolls digital-TV field trial * http://www.digitaltheater.com/news/jan68.html
  
  
   
  Press release no. 05/97, 23.01.97
  
  
  
  Deutsche Telekom and RTL Television are launching an initial field test for
  Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T)
  DVB-T is opening new prospects in terrestrial television broadcasting
  At present, Deutsche Telekom AG and RTL Television are conducting a joint
  field test with digital terrestrial television in Cologne. This is the first
  field test to be conducted in Germany that is based on the final European DVB
  standard. With terrestrial digital video broadcasting (DVB-T), digital systems
  are creating additional transmission capacity in the classical field of
  television as well as enhanced forms of offers and applications and are
  providing better reception, even for portable use.
  Broadcasting is effected on Channel 40 using a transmitting antenna from the
  "Colonius" telecommunications tower in Cologne. Television programs
  broadcast digitally by RTL can be received with a high standard of quality and
  without any interference using a traditional UHV indoor antenna. The terrestrial
  broadcasting trial for digital TV will be expanded in the course of the year to
  include several types of receivers so that more information can be obtained
  about mobile and portable reception.
  For several years now, Deutsche Telekom, as one the largest operators of
  terrestrial broadcasting networks in Europe, and RTL, the market leader in
  Germany, have been seriously involved in the development and testing of DVB-T.
  The system facilitates much smaller radiated power (compared to analog
  broadcasting systems with the same degree of coverage) as well as common wave
  networks, i.e. where it is possible to broadcast the same program on the same
  frequency even with transmitters which are located near each other. Furthermore,
  it is also possible to use neighboring and taboo channels. This leads to a much
  more economical utilization of frequencies than if analog channels are used.
  Depending on what quality is required, digitization and data compression
  pursuant to the international MPEG2 standard make it possible to broadcast up to
  6 TV programs on one 8 MHz TV channel offering quality that is comparable to
  today´s quality standards. As such, the decision as to what quality (and
  therefore at what data rate) the program is to be broadcast is at the sole
  discretion of the program provider, who even has the flexibility to determine
  when the data stream is to be transmitted.
  Special significance is attributed to DVB-T for regional and local coverage.
  Multiple utilization of frequencies makes it possible to reduce the costs for
  broadcasting the TV signals, which gives above all local and regional program
  providers and the providers of special slot programs a new competitive edge.
  Deutsche Telekom plans to conduct field tests in the federal states of
  Berlin and Saxony.
  
  last updated: 28.01.1997
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  

dvb-t.html - © 1997-00 Wolfgang Hahn - last updated: 27.10.00