Deutsche TV-Plattform

WG Terrestrial
The Working Group “Terrestrial” of the German TV-Platform was set up at the end of April 2008. This group is chaired by Dr. Helmut Stein (ISDM). The Working Group DVB-T (2001 - 2009) and the Working Group M3 / Multimedia Mobil (2004 - 2009) completed their work successfully on the 28th of April 2009 . The results of the former Working Groups will contribute to the work of the new Working Group. The WG Terrestrial has three main fields of interests. The aims are to increase the efficiency of digital terrestrial broadcasting, to observe the mobile use of media and to advocate the compatibility of mobile telecommunication technologies and broadcasting in terrestrial networks.

Activities for increasing the efficiency of digital terrestrial transmission focus on alternative video and audio coding methods for DVB-T and the new standard DVB-T2. The working group develops migration scenarios for the German market as well as modulation processes for broadcasting and mobile telecommunication. So far, DMB and DVB-H have failed in Germany. This is why the activities in the field of mobile use of braodcasting concentrate on a possible re-launch of DVB-H, the use of mobile radio communication systems such as 3G and LTE for the transmission of broadcasting content, and satellite based mobile systems such as DVB-SH. Regarding compatibility aspects, the working group addresses problems of interference potential that arise in the use of mobile telecommunication technologies in current broadcasting frequency ranges (UHF-band) for terrestrial and broadband cable (“Digital Dividend”) transmission of broadcast. The Working Group will accompany the current process in which broadcasting frequencies are beeing assigned to other technologies through technical expertise and advice.

The new working group can benefit from the success of the former DVB-T WG, in particular in the field of terrestrial broadcasting. Ever since 2001, the previous group had actively supported the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial television transmission. Digitalisation was completed all over Germany at the end of 2008. The terrestrial antenna is the first of the three classical ways of television reception in which digitisation has been completed. Germany has become a pioneer in Europe in this field. Minimum requirements for DVB-T receivers and antennas, which were developed by the working group from 2004 and 2007, are of great importance to consumers, retailers and the entire industry.

The DVB-T certificates of quality for devices and antennas are issued by the German TV-Platform based on specific requirements. “Terrestrial transmission has enormous dynamic in broadcasting. But switching form analogue to digital was only the first phase that was successfully completed. The turbulent development of mobile telecommunication which is an other terrestrial transmission network, and the possibility of direct reception via satellites will bring new questions concerning convergence. Convergence may offer real value added for consumers in the form of hybrid networks and services”, optimistically said Helmut Stein, chair of the Working Group Terrestrial and member of the Board of Directors. „In the present situation, the new working group of the German TV-Platform is predestined for taking a harmonising and supporting role at an early stage.”