UK Broadcasters join forces in DTT HD trial

Satdude

UK Broadcasters join forces in DTT HD trial

BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five have joined forces to launch the UK's first high definition DTT trial broadcasts. A specially selected 450-strong audience sample are now collecting their trial HD set top boxes for the closed technical digital terrestrial television (DTT) technical trial which is due to last six months.

The trial will offer participating broadcasters and their technical partners valuable lessons about delivering HD broadcasts on a digital terrestrial network and also research how the audience enjoys this new format.

The trial is being conducted under an Ofcom licence which strictly limits the number of receivers and forbids reception of the trial stream by general members of the public. Humax and ADB (Advanced Digital Broadcast) have supplied the HD set top boxes for the trial. The DTT HD trial consists of low power transmissions from Crystal Palace in London on frequencies that are not suitable for high power broadcasting. National Grid Wireless is transmitting the BBC's HD stream, which went on air last month, and Red Bee Media provides play-out services.
Arqiva is transmitting the multiplex shared by ITV, Channel 4 and Five. with Grass Valley providing broadcast playout and video encoding equipment.

Siemens Business Services is providing technical support for the BBC's HD trial. The test broadcasts will use MPEG4 video coding, 8K carriers and 64QAM modulation at launch - different parameters may be tested during the trial period.

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