01. 09. 2014

NOT ENOUGH DEVICES FOR DIGITAL TV

Analogue and digital TV signal will be simultaneously broadcast by February 2015 in the zones of transmitters Avala, Čot, Subotica, Sombor, Kikinda, Vršac, Rudnik and Crni Vrh Jagodina. In these zones analogue signal will be switched off on March 1, 2015, and in other zones by May 1, 2015.

Digital signal currently covers more than 90% of Serbian population. Citizens receiving signal via a roof or a room antenna should start switching to digital reception, the Ministry stated.

According to the Ministry, in the above stated period, all those receiving signal via a roof or a room antenna should switch to receiving digital signal.

In order to receive digital TV signal, citizens need to acquire an appropriate STB (Set top box) device which is attached to the TV set or they need to have a newer model of the TV set which supports DVB-T2 and MPEG-4 standards.

However, the offer of digital receivers in Serbian stores is weak for now. About 1 million households, which is more than 40% of Serbian households, continue to receive TV signal via a terrestrial antenna. An STB costs from 30 up to 100 EUR. Also, the number of TV set models with DVB-T2 receiver is small and they are mainly expensive.

While almost all European countries have been using the basic standard DVB-T since the start of digital broadcasting, Serbia opted for the second generation of receivers - DVB-T2. Although DVB-T2 has excellent technical features, it is scarce in the market. On the other hand, almost all new TV set models that can be bought in Serbia have DVB-T receivers.

The responsible Ministry will provide free STB devices to the financially weakest population categories.

Serbia took upon itself the international obligation to complete digital switchover by June 17, 2015 at the latest.

Along with providing better quality of TV signal, digitalization will free frequencies that will then be used for better mobile signal coverage and faster mobile Internet.