Whether DVB-T can replace cable TV?

[M.J.Sadiq]

Recently I came to know (recent for me) about the DVB-T transmission for transmitting the channels in digital mode. I tried to collect the information whether this can replace cable TV link (Subscriber --> LCO --> MSO).

If that is the case, the MSO can provide DVB-T transmission and offer a DVB-T Set top box receiver and antenna. I am also not sure whether we can get encrypted signals over DVB-T transmission to let the subscribers to select their packages as we are doing now with DTH and cable TV.

Experts comments please...

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

RE: DVB-T can replace cable TV?

Some of the old news on this...

Posted on dreamdth earlier here: DVB - Digital Video Broadcasting - India

and also here: http://www.dvb.org/about_dvb/dvb_worldwide/india


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[M.J.Sadiq]

RE: DVB-T can replace cable TV?

Official details from prasarbharati website.



Terrestrial transmission

Digital Television is the way of future, providing interference free reception and remarkable picture & sound quality. Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) offers numerous advantageous over its analog counterpart viz. multi-channel operation; vastly superior and uniform reception quality; reception possible in moving vehicles; less power requirement. In addition, DTT is highly spectrum efficient.

DTT has been launched in certain countries viz. USA; UK & certain other European countries; Australia; Japan; China. Various countries have set cut off dates for complete switchover to DTT and switching off analog transmission.

India had selected DVB-T system for introduction of DTT in the country. To gain experience in DTT technology, Doordarshan had commissioned four digital transmitters one each at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata & Chennai in January, 2003, for an experimental service. Mobile TV service (DVB-H transmission) was started by Doordarshan in Delhi in May, 07. Digital transmitter set up at Delhi earlier in 2003 for experimental service was converted for carrying DVB-H signals.

It is a certainty that analog transmission will come to an end. Even though parallel technologies such as D-Cable, DTH, IPTV and Multimedia broadcasting would be prevailing, terrestrial transmission will have to continue on account of various reasons. Doordarshan, being the public service broadcaster will have to migrate to DTT in the years to come. Doordarshan plans to start digitalization of terrestrial network in 11th Plan and complete it by end of 12th Plan i.e. by 2017. In the scheme of digitalization of terrestrial network, cluster of certain LPTs are envisaged to be replaced by HPTs & also certain HPTs at new locations are planned to be set up.

Analog transmission will have to continue alongwith digital transmission for quite sometime. Cut off date for switching off analog transmission will have to be decided taking into account the percentage of population switching over to digital mode of reception. The policy of switchover to DTT would also affect citizens all over the country as it will require additional investment on part of TV homes for acquiring set top boxes in the initial years and subsequently in form of somewhat higher cost of TV sets.

SimplePage

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[M.J.Sadiq]

Experts, please go through this and share your comments...

 

[mmadhankumar]

Bro DVB-T and cable TV are two different technologies.... don't get confused with both...

The T in dvb-t stands for "Terrestrial" which means you will receive the OTA signals using a antenna.... No need of any mso here.... mso cannot provide the dvb t signals...

It has to be provided by the broadcasters end similar to DD....

DD is already working on DTT broadcast throughout India..... They are testing it in select cities now....

 

[HOUSE-MD]

Bro DVB-T and cable TV are two different technologies.... don't get confused with both...

The T in dvb-t stands for "Terrestrial" which means you will receive the OTA signals using a antenna.... No need of any mso here.... mso cannot provide the dvb t signals...

It has to be provided by the broadcasters end similar to DD....

DD is already working on DTT broadcast throughout India..... They are testing it in select cities now....

Hope this happens soon and people are free from these monopoly clutches. :k :clap

When entire nation is going digital we in Chennai have no clue when it will reach here and will chennai be really digitalised. Hope thigs changes soon.

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

@madhan bro..

Thanks for the details.. I actually don't know the in-depth technical details of DVB-T transmission. But I used to get signals from Analog Terrestrial transmission. As you said, it is completely different from cable TV since cable TV involves satellite whereas for terrestrial transmission satellite is not required. (This may also my wrong understanding. If so, please let me know )

But, in my native place (Karaikal), there is one terrestrial relay station for Doordharsan. They used to get the signal from DD National and DD Pothigai and will transmit through their terrestrial transmitter. They will change the terrestrial feed from National service to Pothigai and vice-versa. Whenever the regional service is being available via Pothigai, they will transmit the feed of Pothigai. For the rest of the times they will change the feed to National service. In the mean time, they will take time to switch the feed. We used to watch the Podhigai (satellite feed) for 5 to 10 mins, which should not be there via terrestrial transmission.

What I thought was, if the DD relay station can get channel feed from satellite and transmit via terrestrial transmission, why can't the cable operators do the same. Now DD is also going to start Digital Terrestrial transmission. That is why I thought of the same method from a cable operator to transmit the other TV signals too.

Since it is terrestrial it will be limited to a certain distance (as in the case of currently available DD's terrestrial service and FM stations). Whether the cost of implementing this technology is tooooo high for an MSO to provide the channels in DVB-T.

I may be wrong in the basic itself. But these are all just MY OWN thoughts..

 

[mmadhankumar]

bro DD or Prasar Bharti holds close to 1500 transmitters on Insat satellites (Mainly IN4A) for terrestrial broadcast... MSOs cant afford this....

Also the delay in switching of feed from national to podhigai is due to the switching of transmission from HPT (DD National) to a LPT (Podhigai)

And DD has setup ground towers for transmitting the terrestrial signals all over india... we cant expect a MSO to spend crores of Rupees to hire transmitters in satellites or setup numerous towers for terrestrial broadcast.

Terrestrial broadcast is limited to a defined distance... you need to setup a chain of towers to retransmit the signals... No MSO will be interested to do this....

Although the running and maintenance cost of DTT is very low, the intial cost for the setup is very high and also a very tedious process

 

[M.J.Sadiq]

Thanks madhan bro for the details.. From your post, I came to know that satellite is required even for terrestrial transmission...

 

[Satvijay]

bro DD or Prasar Bharti holds close to 1500 transmitters on Insat satellites (Mainly IN4A) for terrestrial broadcast... MSOs cant afford this....

Also the delay in switching of feed from national to podhigai is due to the switching of transmission from HPT (DD National) to a LPT (Podhigai)

And DD has setup ground towers for transmitting the terrestrial signals all over india... we cant expect a MSO to spend crores of Rupees to hire transmitters in satellites or setup numerous towers for terrestrial broadcast.

Terrestrial broadcast is limited to a defined distance... you need to setup a chain of towers to retransmit the signals... No MSO will be interested to do this....

Although the running and maintenance cost of DTT is very low, the intial cost for the setup is very high and also a very tedious process

Good update, any idea why is terrestrial broadcasting restricted to govt and not to private players? In srilanka i have seen few tamil channels aired in UHF band by private players but not in india, is it somthing govt policy in india is like that or soemthing else? one more question.. i have seen HD transmissions in USA through terrestrial mode, any idea how that works?? i was there for a short duration was not able to explore more on that setup.may be you can throw some light