HDTV In Costa Rica In
Five Years, Experts Say
April 7, 2009 is the
date set for the end of
all full power analog
(NTSC) TV transmissions
in the U.S., the same
occurring in Europe in
2009. However, it won't
be for another five
years before digital
television transmission
will replace analog in
Costa Rica, according to
the experts.
In Costa Rica digital
television is still in
its infancy, but moving
ahead. Both Repretel and
Teletica began two years
ago training their staff
and testing on its
digital channels.
The first national
television programs to
go digital are the En
Vivo and 7 Estrellas and
according to Teletica
all its programs
produced in Costa Rica
are in HD format.
Repretel televises HD
programs from the US,
but does not produce any
of its own programs in
HD.
Although the US and
Europe have announced
dates for the beginning
of HD transmissions, the
Oficina de Control de
Radio y Televisión in
Costa Rica has yet to
officially set a date
and the standard that it
will use from the 18
choices it has.
Notwithstanding, both
Repretel and Teletica
chose the ATSC format,
the format that is being
used in the US and
Mexico, the main source
of programming offering
on national channels.
High-definition
television (HDTV) is a
digital television
broadcasting system with
higher resolution than
traditional television
systems (SDTV) . HDTV is
digitally broadcast
because digital
television (DTV)
requires less bandwidth
if sufficient video
compression is used.
The term high definition
used to describe a
series of television
systems from the 1930s
and 1940s, starting with
the British 405-line
black-and-white system
introduced in 1936, and
including the American
525-line NTSC system
established in 1941.
However, these systems
were only "high
definition" when
compared to earlier
systems.
All used interlacing and
a 4:3 aspect ratio.
In 1969, the Japanese
state broadcaster NHK
first developed consumer
high-definition
television with a 5:3
aspect ratio, a slightly
wider screen format than
the usual 4:3 standard.
However, the system was
not launched publicly
until late in the 1990s.
While there are many
technical, political,
and economic reasons for
and implications for the
change to HDTV, the
end-result will be an
improvement in picture
and sound quality.
From a consumer
standpoint, every
conventional TV with an
antenna will become
obsolete, unless
connected to a digital
tuner. After the switch
to digital transmission,
TVs will be unable to
receive terrestrial
analog RF TV broadcasts
unless connected to a
set-top box or other
device that contains a
digital tuner.
In Costa Rica digital
televisions have been
available for some time.
Practically all flat
screen televisions are
digital and can be used
with the new digital
television
transmissions.
For the time being,
until Costa Rica
switches to digital
transmission, the HD
television sets do not
offer the better quality
picture and sound
because the programs
being transmitted are
the same. However, the
HD television sets can
be a great experience
when it comes to games
and playing HD movies
and photos downloaded
off the internet. |
