We knew it, 2024 was supposed to be the year in which many things would change, and it is already happening. The change, which began as early as October 2021, is concluding during this year, gradually and above all at a national level: digital terrestrial in Italy is going through a period of transition towards a new technological standard, called DVB-T2.
What is DVB-T2?
DVB-T2, acronym for Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial, is the new technological standard for the transmission of the digital terrestrial television signal. This is the heir to DVB-T, the standard used since the transition from analogue to digital in Italy around 2010.
The advantages compared to its predecessor are notable: first of all there is greater efficiency, because it allows the transmission of a greater number of television channels and multimedia services using the same frequency band, and freeing up radio frequencies also means using other services, such as 5G mobile telephony. Furthermore, the quality is high definition (HD), with a lower bitrate than DVB-T, improving the overall audio and video quality.
What changes?
The digital terrestrial signal will be transmitted using the DVB-T2 standard, which offers greater efficiency and capacity than the previous DVB-T. This means that it will be possible to broadcast more television channels and multimedia services, with better audio and video quality. Television channels will be broadcast using HEVC/H.265 video coding, which is more efficient than the currently used MPEG-4 coding. This means it will be possible to broadcast high-quality images at a lower bitrate, freeing up space to broadcast more channels or additional services.
What to do to be ready
You must immediately check with a manual whether the TV is compatible with DVB-T2 and with HEVC/H.265 encoding. If this is not the case, you will have to resort to purchasing an external decoder, available at electronics stores and online. Another solution is to buy a latest model TV; those on the market today are all with the updated system.
It is essential to stay informed, following the official information on the website of the Ministry of Economic Development (https://nuovatvdigitale.mise.gov.it/) and from the communication channels of the television broadcasters to stay updated on the latest news and precise dates of the
Advantages of DVB-T2
More channels and services, therefore greater capacity to broadcast more television channels, multimedia services and interactive content.
Better audio and video quality, therefore sharper images, more vibrant colors and more immersive audio thanks to HEVC/H.265 encoding.
Greater spectral efficiency, therefore less consumption of radio frequencies, allowing space to be freed up for other services such as 5G mobile telephony.
The transition to DVB-T2 is an important innovation that will bring benefits to all digital terrestrial users. Make sure you’re ready for the transition by checking your TV and, if necessary, purchasing a compatible set-top box.
