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africanews.com
Sunday, 2 May 2010, 4:32 GMT
Ghana has followed a long tradition of analogue broadcasting that started in 1935 with a BBC relay station established in Accra by the colonial rulers. The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) launched its Black & White Television Service on 31st July 1965 and upgraded to colour TV in 1985. Since the introduction of colour television, the most innovative and profound technological advancement in broadcasting is digitization.
Simply defined, digitization of broadcasting is the application of digital techniques to encode audio and video signals and to transmit digital data rather than analogue waveforms on networks to end users / consumers. This results in clearer pictures, better sound, enhanced interactivity and higher spectrum efficiency.
The analogue system of broadcasting utilizes one whole frequency channel of 7MHz or 8MHz to transmit programmes of one station. However, on a digital broadcasting platform, about 4 to 16 TV programmes (representing 4 to 16 TV stations) can be transmitted over one frequency channel of 7 or 8 MHz as shown in Figure 1 below. It also provides additional capacity for the transmission of audio broadcasting and other data communication services to the public.
Simply defined, digitization of broadcasting is the application of digital techniques to encode audio and video signals and to transmit digital data rather than analogue waveforms on networks to end users / consumers. This results in clearer pictures, better sound, enhanced interactivity and higher spectrum efficiency.
The analogue system of broadcasting utilizes one whole frequency channel of 7MHz or 8MHz to transmit programmes of one station. However, on a digital broadcasting platform, about 4 to 16 TV programmes (representing 4 to 16 TV stations) can be transmitted over one frequency channel of 7 or 8 MHz as shown in Figure 1 below. It also provides additional capacity for the transmission of audio broadcasting and other data communication services to the public.
It's Digitime
Quite clearly the salient features and benefits of Digital TV to the consumer are:
i) Better Picture quality as shown in Figure 2 above (no ghosting, blurred images, etc)
ii) Clearer Sound (CD quality audio)
iii) More Stations and therefore more choice
iv) More Interactivity (including electronic programming guides (EPG), games, etc)
Digital TV can be offered on various platforms including satellite, cable, terrestrial and handhelds (or mobile TV). Currently, satellite, cable and mobile TV broadcasting in Ghana are already digitized. The terrestrial platform is the only platform that is yet to be fully digitized, even though the digitization process has already started. Ironically, terrestrial TV happens to be the most dominant TV reception platform in Ghana because of its cost-effectiveness and the robustness of the signal in bad weather conditions. Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is therefore expected to be the most dominant digital TV platform.
Unlike the colour television revolution of the 80's, in which the new colour standard was compatible with all the existing black and white receivers, digital TV is not compatible with analogue TV sets. This is because most of the existing TV receivers do not have built-in digital tuners. Therefore, the viewing public will be required to acquire integrated digital TV sets or alternatively digital TV convertors, called Set-Top-Boxes (STB's).
Digital satellite and cable TV also require digital convertors/decoders and in the case of the former, a parabolic antenna (satellite dish) which has to be professionally installed. On the contrary, DTT set-top-boxes can easily be set-up by the consumer in most cases. It's virtually plug and view. This means that the existing analogue television sets do not have to be discarded.
Alternatively, consumers can purchase integrated Digital Television (iDTV) sets to receive the digital signals without having to obtain an STB. iDTV sets are capable of receiving both analogue and digital signals. The consumer must take note that not all High Definition Television (HDTV) sets are digital compliant unless it is specifically stated that it is Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T) compliant. DVB-T is the terrestrial digital broadcasting standard adopted by Ghana.
Digital TV can be either free-to-view or pay-to-view depending on the provider's business model. In the case of pay-to-view, a consumer will require a conditional access (CA) module supplied by the service provider.
The importance of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting culminated in an international conference to plan TV frequencies for DTT broadcasting in Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East. The outcome of the conference organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) was the Geneva 2006 (GE06) Agreement, to which Ghana is a signatory. This Agreement has set June 17, 2015 as the deadline for the cessation of international protection for analogue broadcasting. Ghana has set her own national deadline of December 2012 to allow room to manoeuvre in relation to the international timeline. This will also ensure that the country does not become a dumping ground for obsolete analogue transmission equipment.
The Government of Ghana recognises the importance of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting and has therefore established the National Digital Broadcasting Migration Technical Committee (NDBMTC) to ensure among others, a coordinated and cost-effective migration.
The NDBMTC, which is a twenty-four member team made up of experts from various institutions and groups across the country and chaired by the National Communications Authority (NCA) is the only National Body mandated to map out strategies and plans with recommendations to facilitate Ghana's migration from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting. The committee is already at work and shall regularly inform the public on issues regarding standards, type of equipment, distribution networks, policies, guidelines and broadcast systems required for the general public to become digital ready.
There would, nonetheless, be technical, financial, educational and other unpredictable challenges to surmount to ensure that Ghana's transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is seamless, timely and all inclusive.
Despite all the perceived and anticipated challenges Ghana will migrate to digital and WE WILL.
Surely, this is a DIGITAL GHANA AGENDA and our television will never be the same.
IT IS DIGI-TIME in Ghana!
Source: National Digital Broadcasting Migration Technical Committee
Quite clearly the salient features and benefits of Digital TV to the consumer are:
i) Better Picture quality as shown in Figure 2 above (no ghosting, blurred images, etc)
ii) Clearer Sound (CD quality audio)
iii) More Stations and therefore more choice
iv) More Interactivity (including electronic programming guides (EPG), games, etc)
Digital TV can be offered on various platforms including satellite, cable, terrestrial and handhelds (or mobile TV). Currently, satellite, cable and mobile TV broadcasting in Ghana are already digitized. The terrestrial platform is the only platform that is yet to be fully digitized, even though the digitization process has already started. Ironically, terrestrial TV happens to be the most dominant TV reception platform in Ghana because of its cost-effectiveness and the robustness of the signal in bad weather conditions. Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is therefore expected to be the most dominant digital TV platform.
Unlike the colour television revolution of the 80's, in which the new colour standard was compatible with all the existing black and white receivers, digital TV is not compatible with analogue TV sets. This is because most of the existing TV receivers do not have built-in digital tuners. Therefore, the viewing public will be required to acquire integrated digital TV sets or alternatively digital TV convertors, called Set-Top-Boxes (STB's).
Digital satellite and cable TV also require digital convertors/decoders and in the case of the former, a parabolic antenna (satellite dish) which has to be professionally installed. On the contrary, DTT set-top-boxes can easily be set-up by the consumer in most cases. It's virtually plug and view. This means that the existing analogue television sets do not have to be discarded.
Alternatively, consumers can purchase integrated Digital Television (iDTV) sets to receive the digital signals without having to obtain an STB. iDTV sets are capable of receiving both analogue and digital signals. The consumer must take note that not all High Definition Television (HDTV) sets are digital compliant unless it is specifically stated that it is Terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB-T) compliant. DVB-T is the terrestrial digital broadcasting standard adopted by Ghana.
Digital TV can be either free-to-view or pay-to-view depending on the provider's business model. In the case of pay-to-view, a consumer will require a conditional access (CA) module supplied by the service provider.
The importance of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting culminated in an international conference to plan TV frequencies for DTT broadcasting in Europe, Africa and parts of the Middle East. The outcome of the conference organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) was the Geneva 2006 (GE06) Agreement, to which Ghana is a signatory. This Agreement has set June 17, 2015 as the deadline for the cessation of international protection for analogue broadcasting. Ghana has set her own national deadline of December 2012 to allow room to manoeuvre in relation to the international timeline. This will also ensure that the country does not become a dumping ground for obsolete analogue transmission equipment.
The Government of Ghana recognises the importance of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting and has therefore established the National Digital Broadcasting Migration Technical Committee (NDBMTC) to ensure among others, a coordinated and cost-effective migration.
The NDBMTC, which is a twenty-four member team made up of experts from various institutions and groups across the country and chaired by the National Communications Authority (NCA) is the only National Body mandated to map out strategies and plans with recommendations to facilitate Ghana's migration from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting. The committee is already at work and shall regularly inform the public on issues regarding standards, type of equipment, distribution networks, policies, guidelines and broadcast systems required for the general public to become digital ready.
There would, nonetheless, be technical, financial, educational and other unpredictable challenges to surmount to ensure that Ghana's transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is seamless, timely and all inclusive.
Despite all the perceived and anticipated challenges Ghana will migrate to digital and WE WILL.
Surely, this is a DIGITAL GHANA AGENDA and our television will never be the same.
IT IS DIGI-TIME in Ghana!
Source: National Digital Broadcasting Migration Technical Committee
via Ghana News :: Migration from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting in Ghana
(Yimber Gaviria, Colombia)
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