Towards a digital era

This columnist has repeatedly called for a rapid transition to digital broadcasting. This seems to be happening at last, with the Government deciding to phase out analogue signals by 2017, though it was not immediately clear whether both radio and television would be included.

This will enable Sri Lanka to keep pace with the rest of the world, as many countries have already changed over to the digital system. The present analogue transmissions would come to an end in 2017 and analogue signals would not be available thereafter.

A committee has been appointed by Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to look into the technical aspects and evaluation of the digitalization project. The committee has already recommended that DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) T2 technology should be adopted for digital transmission in the country. Rupavahini and some other stations are in the process of acquiring DVB equipment.

The converting process would commence next year and would be completed within five years. In line with digital technology, the analogue television sets would have to be replaced with digital television sets by 2017, since only digital signals would be transmitted after 2017. Consumers will also be able to opt for a Set Top Box, which can convert digital signals into analog. These STBs should be sold at affordable prices.

There are several aspects that will have to be considered in the transition to digital. Since digital technology has the capacity to transmit several channels using a single frequency resulting in optimal utilization of the frequency spectrum, a question will arise as to what can be done with the present spectrum that will fall vacant.

Most countries have auctioned off this space to other users of the radio spectrum. A similar process can take place here and the authorities would be able to earn millions of dollars from companies willing to invest in the spectrum.

It should also be made mandatory to import TV sets compliant with the DVB standard. The import of CRT TVs should be phased out soon and only LCD and plasma TVs with built-in HD DVB tuners should be permitted for import. This will mean that by 2017, most homes will be DVB-ready. It is encouraging to note that the Government has drastically slashed import duties and taxes on LCD TVs, which will boost the drive for digitalization. Another advantage of Digital TV is the possibility of having digital surround sound, which is a world away from the present tinny TV sound. The availability of on-screen Electronic Program Guides (EPG), which are already familiar to satellite and cable viewers, is another boon.

And while you are at it, why not go the whole hog and embrace 1080 line High Definition technology? (by comparison, normal TV pictures comprise only 625 lines). Thus we will be able to leapfrog straight to HDTV without worrying about compatibility issues. In any case, all LCD and Plasma TVs are already HD 1080p compatible. Right now in Sri Lanka, the only way to enjoy HDTV is to get a blu-ray player. But that could change if we use this opportunity to leap-frog straight to Hi-Def. Standard definition channels can also continue. The Government can assist Rupavahini and ITN to make the transition to Hi-Def and private channels may also be granted concessions.

The present analog system does not cover the whole island - there are blank spots where local channels are not clear, even with a powerful antenna. Many households have solved this problem, at a significant cost, by opting for satellite TV solely to watch local free-to-air channels. Digitalization should address this issue of coverage as well. The entire population should have access to the digital signal, which is fully compatible with existing antennas. Like in the UK, the DVB system may be given a name such as Freeview to differentiate it from the normal TV system. It is also prudent to convert radio to digital as well, on the DAB or DAB+ systems. Thus the FM/AM spectrum too could be used for another purpose. Digital radio sets are getting cheaper as well. DAB+ offers crystal clear sound (if a higher bit rate is used), less interference and fading and text information on the current program, song title, traffic info etc (a sort of EPG) and auto tuning. Worldwide, there are more than 1,000 stations using DAB or DAB+

The digitalization of television broadcasting is as step in the right direction as Sri Lanka has kept pace with many advances in television technology. Sri Lanka launched a colour television service (on the European PAL 625B standard) even before India did. Sri Lanka was also one of the first countries in the region to introduce NICAM (Near Instantaneous Compounded Audio Multiplexing) stereo digital sound with bilingual capacity and also the A2 German stereo system. Almost all the stations are now fully computerized and digitalized.

The concept of one-man new crews has also become popular with the advent of small, full high-definition broadcast quality camcorders. The stations also use other media to their advantage - SMS, phone-in, the Web are among a few.

What does the change mean for the stations? They anyway do most of their work in the digital domain. High definition cameras and sources are also regularly used. The only investment they will need to make upfront is for digital transmission facilities.

However, the authorities should engage in a dialogue with both public and private TV stations to get their views and ascertain any requirements. Should they need additional equipment, concessions and incentives should be granted for importing them. The transition should ideally be a painless one for all the stations.

The other trends in the global television industry also came to Sri Lanka rapidly. Scrambled cable TV, broadband cable TV, satellite television and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) are all available here. These technologies have made massive inroads in a short period - go to any remote village and you will come across satellite dishes.

Technology alone cannot save television and radio services if the content is not up to standard. There are instances when there's almost nothing worth viewing or listening on our TV and radio channels. Improving the content must also be an integral part of moving to a new transmission platform. The time is ripe for upgrading our television and radio stations technologically and qualitatively.