All ready for the second big one switch off of digital terrestrial, scheduled for Wednesday 20 October 2021. A gradual transition, which can be said to be complete in 2023, involving a transfer of the digital television standard DVB-T to DVD-T2. Many questions from users, who wonder what they should do and if suddenly they will no longer be able to see their TV as before. Here is a helpful guide.
Which channels change
The transition, for now, is not total but concerns only some channels. Rai and Mediaset have decided to start broadcasting some of their thematic channels in Mpeg-4. A total of 15 channels, here's what:
- Rai 4
- Rai 5
- Rai movie
- Rai Yo-Yo
- Rai Sport + HD
- Rai History
- Rai gulp
- Premium Rai
- Rai School
- TgCom 24
- Mediaset Italy 2
- Boeing Plus
- radio 105
- R101 TV
- Virgin Radio TV
Therefore, there is no obstacle to the vision of the generalist channels, namely:
- Rai 1
- Rai 2
- Rai 3
- 4 network
- Channel 5
- Italia 1
- La7
- Tv8
Should I change the TV?
What TVs Can Support Mpeg-4 Format? An easy way to understand if your TV needs to be changed or not is the following. Just check if the HD channels are visible or not. This means that all devices purchased from January 1, 2017 will still be usable. An important date, since from that point on, retailers have been forced to sell only devices capable of supporting the DVB-T2 standard.
Nothing to do for televisions prior to 2010. The situation is different for the models purchased between 2010 and 2017. In this case, in fact, it is necessary to check the manual and verify the reception capacity. In any case, the test to do is this: tune in to channel 100, 200 or 505, which refer to HD versions of Rai and Mediaset. Should the writing appear "HEVC Main10 Test", there will be nothing to worry about, indeed. It will mean that the TV is compatible with the new standard and will also be compatible in 2023, at the time of the complete transition.
The advantages of the exchange
Many are experiencing this forced change as a meaningless obligation and only useful to encourage users to spend money. However, the reality is different. Technology is advancing and networks need to be enabled to deliver higher quality products. The DVB-T2 digital terrestrial standard will make it possible to access on-demand content, ensuring better video quality and, depending on the TV models, achieve 4K and 8K standards.
How to receive the TV Bonus
Aid from the government is foreseen. A TV bonus worth 30 euros for the purchase of a decoder or a television. It should in fact be emphasized that it is not crucial to replace your TV, if it is not among those able to keep up with the new technology. Adding a decoder will allow viewing of on-demand content and HD channels.
The aid is directed to families with ISEE below 20 thousand euros. Different speech for the Bonus Scrap, which can be requested by anyone. This provides a 20% discount on the cost of the new TV, up to a maximum of 100 euros. This aid is available until the end of 2022 or when resources are exhausted (100 million euros allocated by the government).
