Digital television of the year. Six months before the transition to digital TV, a wide explanatory campaign will begin. How to locate a TV tower
After the advent of digital television, many users wanted to switch to its reception. It's not just about frequent discussions and the desire to try something new. The signal quality is an order of magnitude higher, and ease of access increases attractiveness. It is possible to connect digital TV to both outdated CRT models using additional devices and to modern TVs.
Methods for receiving a digital signal
There are several ways to connect a high-quality signal to your TV:
- Cable TV. Reception is carried out via a common cable. The disadvantage is the subscription fee and not universal availability;
- Satellite television. The signal is transmitted via satellites, and received using an individual dish. A subscription fee plus the purchase of special equipment is also required;
- Terrestrial television. The digital TV signal is distributed from terrestrial repeaters and can be received from an indoor or outdoor antenna. This is a completely free method of watching TV shows in a modern format. It has disadvantages: the signal level is often low, the picture quality can be affected by the weather, the location of the tower, etc.
The least expensive method is to receive digital television through an antenna installed and configured by the user.
How digital television works
The transmission of pictures and sound for digital television is accomplished by encoding the video signal and sound over digital channels. Digital coding differs from analogue in its immunity to interference (external obstacles). Blurred, fuzzy picture, stripes are impossible here. The image is either clear or completely absent.
If the reception is uncertain, then perhaps the picture will disintegrate into squares, disappear from time to time and reappear. It depends on how you set up the antenna. Alternatively, you can install a different antenna or raise and deploy the existing one, pointing it at the TV tower.
Required equipment for viewing
- Antenna;
- A separate set-top box with DVB tuner T2, which supports the MPEG 4 standard and can operate in Multiple PLP mode.
You can use a regular analog antenna. If the TV was released relatively recently, then it may have a built-in tuner of the required format (outdated DVB format T is no longer supported). Then you don't need to buy anything else.
To find out whether there is a built-in DVB T2 tuner, you can look at the data in the data sheet. It’s even easier to find a TV model on the Internet and get a comprehensive answer.
Selecting a digital tuner
At first glance, all set-top boxes are the same. The main thing is not to make mistakes in the main technical specifications. But there are other features that affect the further operation of the equipment and the breadth of functions covered:
- The lack of buttons on the external panel of the set-top box will require you to use it only using the remote control, which is not always convenient;
- If the tuner does not have a USB port, this equipment cannot be used as a media player. If available, you can record TV shows and play back photos and videos.
Important! A good choice is a set-top box with a separate power supply. Usually it is built inside. The most common cause of tuner failure is a faulty power supply. If it breaks, you need to repair or replace the entire set-top box, and the remote power supply must be replaced separately without any problems.
Many people hang the TV on the wall, and quite high. Then it is inconvenient to use the usual design of the console. There are equipment modifications - compact set-top boxes that are attached to the back of the TV with tape. The strength of the fastening needs to be considered. Such a receiver is controlled by a remote control through a separate sensor attached to the same tape on the external panel of the TV. Power is supplied via a wire from the TV's USB port.
The set-top box can also be used in conjunction with a computer monitor (if there is an HDMI port). Then you can watch digital television from a regular antenna. If the built-in television tuner fails, it can be easily replaced using the receiver.
What channels are available for viewing?
To watch free digital channels through a regular antenna, the 2017 list contains two multiplexes:
- first RTRS 1 – frequency 546 MHz, channel 30;
- second RTRS 2 – frequency 498 MHz, channel 24.
Technical data is valid for Moscow and the region. They may differ in other regions. A total of twenty television channels and 3 more radio programs are available.
Important! The TV does not receive additional channels. Antenna settings will not affect the number of received channels, but only their quality.
How to locate a TV tower
Users living in the city, in the signal reception area from the TV tower, are not puzzled by such questions. But for residents of remote towns and villages, the information is relevant. What knowledge is needed for best choice And correct settings antennas:
- The exact location of the tower and the distance to it;
- Technical parameters (channels and broadcast frequencies), using which you can catch digital signal in this area. This is necessary so that the user can configure TV channels on the set-top box manually;
- Is the entire list of channels available for reception? There may be one or two packages.
Full information about TV towers is on the official RTRS website. There are maps where you need to search bar enter the name of a specific locality. A map of the given area will immediately open, on which all transmitting television towers are indicated (green - operating, black - under construction). If you click on the cursor hovered over the selected village, information will be available about where and how many kilometers away operating transmitters are installed, channel numbers (TVCs), broadcast frequency, number of packages).
The active menu includes a function, using which you can find out the coverage areas of individual repeaters.
Now, armed with knowledge, you need to determine whether it is enough to install an indoor antenna or whether you will need an outdoor, more powerful one.
Antenna types
The analog signal is received by the MV antenna. DVB antennas are more compact. There are combined samples capable of receiving both ranges. From such a combined design, you can remove unnecessary elements, and you will get an excellent UHF antenna. For example, if long whiskers (an element for the MV signal) are present, they can be removed.
All antennas are divided into:
- active;
- passive.
Active are those whose devices use amplifiers. The antenna with amplifier must be connected to a power source. If a receiver is used, 5-volt power for the amplifier is supplied through it. This is done in the menu settings. The option is called “Antenna Power”.
An amplifier does not always mean the best reception, in some cases its use can even be harmful:
- In an area near a TV tower, turning on the amplifier may lead to a complete loss of reception due to the signal being too strong;
- The amplifier is the weakest element of the antenna and often fails. Plus a power supply and additional wires, which also require repairs and replacements;
- The intensity of the TV signal itself is provided by the design of the antenna. And the amplifier simultaneously increases the level of noise and interference;
- If you want to connect another TV to a passive antenna, this is easier to do.
Passive designs do not have additional amplification and are usually used in areas with a stable signal.
Antenna selection and installation
An old antenna may be suitable for receiving a digital signal if it consists of short elements or a combination. If you have working, serviceable antennas, all that remains is to find out whether they will effectively catch “digital” in local conditions.
The UHF signal does not have a wide coverage area. Therefore, to distribute it, it is necessary to build a network of transmitters. The quality of the signal is greatly influenced by the surrounding landscape, the presence of high-rise buildings, mountains, forests, and the power of the repeater. Antenna installation must take into account all these factors.
Reliable reception area
The zone of a stable and reliable signal is considered to be an area within a radius of no more than 10 km from the television tower. Here, a simple indoor antenna will do an excellent job of reception. If you have an amplifier, you don't have to use it.
If the signal disappears, the image is torn, then you need to connect the existing amplifier through the set-top box by using the corresponding menu item. Power will be supplied via the antenna cable.
Multi-storey buildings can become a problem due to the reflection of decimeter waves. But this same reflection can be used. Let's say the antenna does not receive reception when it is oriented towards the TV tower. Direct it at nearby tall buildings; reception of the reflected signal may be much more effective.
It is necessary to check the presence of electrical appliances (third-party power supplies, etc.) near the indoor antenna, as well as metal blinds on the windows. They can significantly weaken the signal.
Short circuit
There are times when the set-top box suddenly stops responding to the use of the remote control or buttons, the image and sound disappear, and “Antenna short” is displayed on the screen. The problem does not mean that digital television is not working. There is simply a short circuit in the antenna cable or in the receiving device itself.
Why did the short circuit happen? There may be several reasons:
- The presence of a short circuit in the cable due to careless installation, most likely at the connection points. The antenna plug can only be damaged due to a manufacturing defect;
- The active receiving device is in operation, power is supplied to the amplifier. The amplifier is sensitive to lightning and can be damaged during bad weather;
- The passive antenna is connected, and the amplifier power is turned on in the receiver menu. Passive devices are often short-circuited.
In the latter case, you need to disconnect the receiver from the network, separate the antenna from it, then apply power again, on the connected tuner in the menu settings, set “Antenna power” to the “Off” position.
Important! Finding and eliminating the causes of the short circuit is carried out after separating the set-top box from the power supply.
Area remote from the TV tower
Far distance is considered to be more than 30 kilometers from the repeater. If there is a powerful transmitter and line of sight, we install a small receiving device such as a wave channel or log-periodic. You need to point the antenna at the TV tower. In such conditions, it is even possible to use a room device with an amplifier.
With increasing distance and when a populated area is located in low places, the requirements for the antenna increase. More powerful samples are needed. A good receiving device must include an amplifier, and its boom is long enough. There are examples with several arrows, but they will only be needed under extremely bad conditions.
Many users have the Polish antenna, as in the recent past it was popular due to its affordable cost. Another name for it is lattice. Can this design be adapted for digital television?
It is quite functional, but a number of changes are required. The antenna amplifier does not contribute, but interferes with signal reception. Therefore, he must be taken out of work. Simply unplugging the power supply is often ineffective. It is more reliable to remove the television cable from the amplifier board and connect it there to the two upper bolts: to one - the central core, to the other - the shielding braid. Thus, the amplifier is excluded from the circuit, and the antenna becomes passive.
Antenna and TV setup
There are several ways to properly configure a digital signal. The choice depends on the reception conditions.
Auto search
This method is the simplest, but it requires a strong, stable signal. The equipment is installed, turned on, in the settings menu you select digital channels, and auto search is activated. TV in automatic mode finds and saves the entire list of channels.
Manual mode
Let's say the TV cannot catch anything in auto search mode. Or channels with interference were found. These images are not digital. Perhaps the TV at the same time went through the entire frequency range and picked up several analog channels.
Now it will be useful to know the numbers of TV channels (TVCs) through which the signal is transmitted for each multiplex. Information about the location of the television broadcaster will also be useful for pointing the antenna in the right direction. If the house is surrounded by other residential buildings, you can navigate by neighboring receiving devices, but not by satellite dishes that “look” at their satellite.
- In the menu you need to enter manual setting, having previously selected DTV (digital television);
- Enter the channel number or its frequency by dialing from the remote control;
- At the bottom of the menu, two indicators will appear showing the intensity of the television signal and its quality. Sometimes there is one indicator;
- If even a slight signal is present, you can begin to rotate and move the antenna to amplify it. You should not expect an instant reaction when changing the position of the receiving device. It will appear in a few seconds. The search must be carried out step by step, with pauses. When the antenna is external, it is difficult to do this alone; it is better to take an assistant;
- Immediately after the appearance of a stable signal with a good level, you can begin searching for channels and saving;
- The channels of the second multiplex are configured in the same way, if its reception is technically possible in the given area.
Important! If the signal disappears, then appears again with the scale filled to 100%, and so on one by one, this means there is no reception.
Complete lack of signal reception
This situation is typical for particularly unfavorable conditions, in low places, closed by mountains, near high-rise buildings, with low-power towers located far away.
Searching for a television signal must be done manually. At the same time, for its initial display on indicators, you need to show patience and endurance, having tried different methods:
- Purchase a powerful active antenna;
- If there are other towers nearby, you can sometimes try manual searching on a TV set to alternative repeaters. Perhaps the signal conditions will be better;
- Raising the antenna to a height using a mast gives a good effect;
- When the TV tower is located close, and the house is located in the center of a densely built-up area with high-rise buildings, you should not rush to buy an expensive, powerful receiving device. It is better to experiment with the reflected signal, alternately pointing the antenna in different directions at neighboring buildings or placing it on the roof.
Setup via receiver
Old TVs, models without built-in tuners with DVB support T2 require configuration through the receiver.
CRT TVs are connected to digital set-top box tulip cables (RCA), LCD models - HDMI cable. In the first case, when setting up, the AV mode is selected, in the second - HDMI. The mode is selected from the television remote control. On remote controls, the mode selection is located under different buttons: INPUT, SOURCE, VIDEO, just a rectangle with an arrow.
Subsequent configuration is performed using auto search or manual using the add-on remote control. The antenna must be connected to the set-top box.
Receiving a digital television signal with a regular antenna is an easy way to ensure yourself viewing a high-quality picture, requiring minimal financial costs and physical effort. With the development of the network of television towers, signal reception conditions will improve.
Video
| This article is proposed for deletion. An explanation of the reasons and the corresponding discussion can be found on the page Wikipedia: To be deleted/August 30, 2016. |
| 2017 in television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| < · · - 2017 - · · > | |||
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| in cinema / in theater / in music / in literature | |||
| Prizes and awards | |||
List "2017 in television" describes events in the world of television expected in
Years in television
An excerpt characterizing 2017 on television
– Is it over?! - said Princess Marya, after his body had been lying motionless and cold in front of them for several minutes. Natasha came up, looked into the dead eyes and hurried to close them. She closed them and did not kiss them, but kissed what was her closest memory of him.“Where did he go? Where is he now?..”
When the dressed, washed body lay in a coffin on the table, everyone came up to him to say goodbye, and everyone cried.
Nikolushka cried from the painful bewilderment that tore his heart. The Countess and Sonya cried out of pity for Natasha and that he was no more. The old count cried that soon, he felt, he would have to take the same terrible step.
Natasha and Princess Marya were also crying now, but they were not crying from their personal grief; they wept from the reverent emotion that gripped their souls before the consciousness of the simple and solemn mystery of death that had taken place before them.
The totality of causes of phenomena is inaccessible to the human mind. But the need to find reasons is embedded in the human soul. And the human mind, without delving into the innumerability and complexity of the conditions of phenomena, each of which separately can be represented as a cause, grabs the first, most understandable convergence and says: this is the cause. In historical events (where the object of observation is the actions of people), the most primitive convergence seems to be the will of the gods, then the will of those people who stand in the most prominent historical place - historical heroes. But one has only to delve into the essence of each historical event, that is, into the activities of the entire mass of people who participated in the event, to be convinced that the will of the historical hero not only does not guide the actions of the masses, but is itself constantly guided. It would seem that it is all the same to understand the significance of the historical event one way or another. But between the man who says that the peoples of the West went to the East because Napoleon wanted it, and the man who says that it happened because it had to happen, there is the same difference that existed between the people who argued that the earth stands firmly and the planets move around it, and those who said that they do not know what the earth rests on, but they know that there are laws governing the movement of it and other planets. There are no and cannot be reasons for a historical event, except for the only cause of all reasons. But there are laws that govern events, partly unknown, partly groped by us. The discovery of these laws is possible only when we completely renounce the search for causes in the will of one person, just as the discovery of the laws of planetary motion became possible only when people renounced the idea of \u200b\u200bthe affirmation of the earth.
The table shows the channels that can be received from the Ostankino TV tower in Moscow and the Moscow region. The list is divided into two groups - digital DVB-T2 and terrestrial analogue. Operating frequencies, numbers, characteristics are indicated. All federal channels are broadcast free of charge. Coded or paid services not yet provided. Packet distribution digital programs goes to multiplexes, each with 10 channels, 20 are already running normally and the third multiplex is being tested. First and Russia 1 go as high resolution HD. Breaks in broadcasting are regulated by the prevention schedule. Search and configuration are possible in automatic or manual mode. Most apartment buildings have cable television, and in the general list you will only find the list provided by the operator. In this case, for reception, you will need an external or internal independent antenna.
| The first digital terrestrial TV multiplex | ||||||
| Channel logo | Name | Number | Frequency | Genre | Video format | Audio format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 546 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 30 | 546 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 30 | 546 MHz | Sport | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 30 | 546 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| St. Petersburg - Channel 5 | 30 | 546 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | |
| 30 | 546 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 30 | 546 MHz | News | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
 | 30 | 546 MHz | Children's | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | |
| 30 | 546 MHz | Public television of Russia | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 30 | 546 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 30 | 546 MHz | Radio | - | MPEG2 | ||
 | 30 | 546 MHz | Radio | - | MPEG2 | |
 | 30 | 546 MHz | Radio | - | MPEG2 | |
| Second digital terrestrial TV multiplex | ||||||
| 24 | 498 MHz | Federal | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 24 | 498 MHz | Religion | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 24 | 498 MHz | Entertaining | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 24 | 498 MHz | Entertaining | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| TV3 | 24 | 498 MHz | Entertaining | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | |
| 24 | 498 MHz | Entertaining | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 24 | 498 MHz | Military Patriotic Channel | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
| 24 | 498 MHz | CIS channel | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | ||
 | 24 | 498 MHz | Movies | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | |
| Muz TV | 24 | 498 MHz | Music | MPEG4 | MPEG2 | |
| The third multiplex of digital terrestrial TV It has not yet been officially launched, so the list of channels is displayed on a separate page with a broadcast schedule |
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In the analog range, the number of conventional channels is less and it is planned to turn them off in accordance with official program government on the development of digital television.
The information was obtained from open sources and is current as of the beginning of 2020. As the grid changes, the data will be updated.
Article 37. Erotic publications
×Law of the Russian Federation dated December 27, 1991 N 2124-1 (as amended on July 13, 2015)
"About the media"
Distribution of specialized radio and television programs of an erotic nature without signal coding is permitted only from 23:00 to 4:00 local time, unless otherwise established by the local administration.
For the purposes of this Law, a mass media specializing in messages and materials of an erotic nature means a periodical publication or program that generally and systematically exploits interest in sex.
Retail sales of media products specializing in messages and materials of an erotic nature are permitted only in sealed transparent packaging and in specially designated premises, the location of which is determined by the local administration.
Minister of Communications Nikolai Nikiforov announced that in 2018 Russia will be able to abandon analogue television broadcasting. It is assumed that by this time the entire country will be ready to switch to digital television, but not everyone shares the optimism of officials. Lenta.ru found out why, after switching to digital, many Russians may lose access to television and how to avoid this.
Why does analog die?
According to Nikiforov, in 2018 the state will stop subsidizing analogue television. This doesn't mean it will be turned off. The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications explained to Lenta.ru that TV channels, in addition to the digital format, who want to broadcast in analogue, will have this opportunity: to do this, they just need to agree with the signal distributor - the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRS). For example, regional channels will be able to continue broadcasting analogue.
The transition to digital by 2018 is not new in itself. In 2009, when the excitement around the launch of digital TV in Russia was just gaining momentum, officials made rosy plans for a complete transition to a new broadcast format by 2015; later the plans were adjusted and a new milestone was named - 2018. It was assumed that by that time more than half of Russians would have acquired television receivers capable of reading a digital signal.
Why is digital better than analog?
Digital TV is different best quality, allows you to fit more channels in one frequency range, it is more resistant to interference. Often, dense urban areas contribute to the creation of ripples or stripes on television screens. The digital type of transmission allows the signal to bypass these obstacles and produce a smooth picture at the output.
How do you “smoke” an analogue?
The transition to digital television is a worldwide trend. In the West, this process began ten years earlier than in Russia. Abroad, digital broadcasting began in the 1990s, while in Russia they began testing “digital” in 2000 (in the Nizhny Novgorod region). To date, almost all of Western Europe, Scandinavian countries, the USA, some CIS countries and Latin America have abandoned the analogue format. In 2017, Ukraine plans to completely abandon analogue broadcasting in favor of digital.
At the time when Luxembourg and the Netherlands switched completely to digital for the first time (in 2006), Russia had just created a government commission that began working on the concept of introducing new TV standards. It was headed by Dmitry Medvedev. Having become president in 2008, he became closely involved in television issues (at the same time an attempt was made to create public television, which resulted in the opening of the OTR channel with - approx. "Tapes.ru"). In 2009, the Federal Target Program was approved, according to which investments in digital television broadcasting amounted to almost 165 billion rubles.
It was decided that the new format would come to viewers’ homes in multiplexes - packages that are transmitted on the same frequency. The first multiplex included ten federal TV channels - Channel One, Russia 1, Russia 2 (later its frequencies were transferred to Match TV), NTV, Channel Five, Russia K, Russia 24, Karusel, freshly baked OTR and TV Center.
Seats in the second multiplex were put up for competition. Dozens of channels fought for the right to be publicly accessible throughout Russia. As a result, REN TV, STS, Spas, Domashny, TV-3, Friday, Zvezda, Mir, TNT and Muz-TV (now - "YU"). Among the channels that applied, but did not enter the multiplex, were Russia Today, Dozhd, Peretz, NTV Plus, Komsomolskaya Pravda.
Channels have to pay a lot for the opportunity to be in a multiplex. Initially, it was planned that TV companies would pay almost a billion rubles annually to RTRS to build the necessary infrastructure and maintain the signal. Subsequently, annual payments were reduced to 150 million, but from 2019, after the full deployment of the second multiplex, the cost of broadcasting there may again rise to a billion rubles.
For some channels this amount turned out to be unaffordable. Thus, the Orthodox “Spas”, which, as its general director states, exists solely on donations from viewers, still cannot pay off RTRS, and, as in July, does not have an agreement with the signal distributor at all.
Before the crisis, the authorities planned to launch a third multiplex, which would have included regional channels, but the idea failed - the idea was recognized as economically unprofitable. As a result, the third multiplex was launched only in Crimea due to the digital infrastructure that the peninsula inherited from Ukraine.
Who can be left without television?
The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications explained to Lenta.ru that by 2018, digital broadcasting will cover 98.1 percent of the Russian population (ten free channels of the first multiplex will be available to 98.3 percent of the country’s residents by the end of 2016). The remaining 1.9 percent are small populated or uninhabited localities, as well as polar explorer settlements. However, wide coverage does not mean that the new television will come to every home, says a top manager of a television company whose channel is included in one of the multiplexes, who wished to remain anonymous.
To connect to digital TV and watch 20 public TV channels for free, the subscriber's TV must be able to receive a DVB-T2 signal (the European standard for digital terrestrial television of the second generation - approx. "Tapes.ru"). However, not all TVs, even modern models, are equipped with such a receiver. If the device does not support DVB-T2, the viewer will have to purchase a special set-top box with a receiver, which costs at least a thousand rubles.
Set-top boxes cannot be called expensive, “but judging by the fact that 30 percent of citizens cannot exchange an old TV for a new one, they probably do not have extra money to buy additional devices,” the channel manager suggested.
By the way, in 2012, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications proposed that regions provide several million low-income citizens with such devices. Whether the authorities plan to help beneficiaries with this is still unknown.
Lenta.ru’s interlocutor claims that not a single TV channel yet has an understanding of how the final transition from “analog” to “digital” will take place (as well as no idea of the real losses they may incur). A sharp, overnight transition will not happen, he believes: there is a high risk that part of the population will be left without publicly accessible channels, which could lead to public indignation.
The transition to digital broadcasting of all-Russian mandatory public channels should occur in October 2018. It will be preceded by a broad information campaign next spring, said Deputy Minister of Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation Alexey Volin at a meeting on May 16 in the Federation Council.
The transition to digital television is taking place within the framework of the “Development of Television and Radio Broadcasting in Russia in 2009-2015” program. Upon completion, 98 percent of Russians should have access to 20 TV channels included in two multiplexes.
“Ten years ago, the number of public channels depended on where a particular TV viewer lived. I represent the Republic of Tyva and I can say that until now in its remote parts only the First Channel is received, and the quality of the picture leaves much to be desired,” said Lyudmila Narusova, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Construction.
The parliamentarian recalled that the date of transition to digital broadcasting had been postponed several times.
In addition, senators are worried about whether there will be “blank spots” in Russia - territories where analogue broadcasting has left, but digital broadcasting has not yet appeared.
In each subject of the Federation, digital terrestrial television stations will have to be reconstructed or built from scratch.
“We are talking about the world’s largest program for transferring to digital television,” stated Alexey Volin. According to the official, out of 5,017 transmission stations, 690 remain to be built in 12 regions. The first multiplex of 10 federal television channels is already available to 95 percent of the population, and the second, “commercial” multiplex can be watched by 64.8 percent.
The first multiplex includes 10 federal TV channels.
1. Channel One
2. Russia 1
3. Match TV
4. NTV
5. Channel 5
6. Russia-Culture
7. Russia 24
8. Carousel
9. OTR
10. TV Center
Televisions that support the required reception standard have been produced in Russia since 2012. Then the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications held a meeting with manufacturers, at which they informed them of the technical requirements for receiving a digital television signal.
More than half of the residents of small settlements have the necessary equipment to receive a digital television signal, said First Deputy General Director of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network Viktor Pinchuk.
“If we take medium and small settlements, then 62 percent of the population are already ready to abandon the “analogue”,” he noted.
“From April-May 2018 we will deploy broad campaign to inform viewers about the transition to digital,” said the Deputy Minister of Communications and Mass Communications. - It is very important to inform the population that the “X-hour” will come when it is advisable to buy either a set-top box or a new TV. The ministry has already created headquarters for the transition to digital; their work will be intensified at the beginning of 2018.”
According to Alexey Volin, separate work remains to be done with television companies in the regions, which are now network partners of federal ones.
The “divorce” must take place without damage to regional companies,” the official believes.
For this purpose, at the beginning of the year, an expert council on regional television and radio broadcasting was created under the relevant ministry. Also, the transition to digital should not lead to the taking away of frequencies from TV channels, since it is necessary to have a reserve for the further development of television broadcasting, for example in the High Definition format.
The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications has decided to allow analogue TV channels to continue operating even after the transition to digital broadcasting, but the state will no longer have an obligation to subsidize the distribution of the analogue signal of mandatory all-Russian public channels in cities with a population of less than 100 thousand people.
“Our principled position is that the state will not forcibly turn off analogue broadcasting,” Volin added. All those TV channels that want to continue analogue broadcasting will be able to do so at their own expense.
Speaking about the “white spots” mentioned by Lyudmila Narusova, Volin cited the Arkhangelsk region as an example. The 75 operating TV stations in this region cover 95 percent of subscribers. In order to provide the remaining five, it is necessary to build 100 more. The deputy minister sees a solution in connecting to direct satellite broadcasting.
Let us recall that back in 2006, Russia signed an international agreement on the transition to digital television by 2015. Our country has also pledged to turn off analogue broadcasting where it interferes with digital broadcasting in neighboring countries. The transition period ended on June 17, 2015. It was supposed to turn off analogue TV in Russia in June last year, but then this date was postponed first to July 1, 2018, and then to October 2018.
