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| Asia eyes DVB-T2 trial |
| Posted: April 2011 | ||||||
 KUALA LUMPUR – As the deadline for the ASEAN countries’ collective resolve towards analogue switch-offs (ASOs) draws near, DTV trials continue to be implemented, with the latest in Malaysia and Thailand,
using the second-generation DTV terrestrial standard — DVB-T2, which has so far been adopted by 20 countries around the world.In Kuala Lumpur, a four-day DVB-T2 field trial and workshop took place from March 4-7 this year. A two-day workshop was followed by two days of field-measurement exercise in and around the Malaysian capital. Involved in the trial were the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), the DVB Project, and transmitter provider Rhode & Schwarz. Two days after the trial, Dr Rais Yatim, Malaysia’s Minister of Information, Communication and Culture, lauded the workshop and field trial, and commented at the ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium 2011 that the trial has provided Malaysian broadcasters with additional expertise to make informed decisions on “implementation aspects of advanced technology for DTV”. Dr Rais also said Malaysia has already taken up the digital challenge and made good progress preparing for it. One such initiative is a digital city development programme at Angkasapuri (where RTM and the Ministry of Information are headquartered). The project was recently approved by the Cabinet and is reportedly awaiting discussions with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU). Dr Rais added that the proposed sophisticated information and communications technology (ICT) project would be a key factor in realising Malaysia’s goal of becoming the best digital services provider in the region. At the symposium, Sharad Sadhu, technical director of ABU, told APB that the recent field trial was actually the seventh such “technology demonstration showcase” that the ABU has helped organise for its members. “It is part of ABU’s ongoing effort to keep its members informed and up to date, so that they can go back with sufficient information and make informed decisions on what they have to do,” he explained. Sadhu disclosed that the ABU started the dialogue with the DVB Project about the trial three years ago, to convince the DVB that holding such trials and workshops would be good for ABU members. The ABU suggested Malaysia as the venue for the trial as the country is poised for digital growth and it would give the local broadcasters an opportunity to try out various digital transmission technologies. More than 120 participants from 16 countries joined the field trial. However, Sadhu stressed that the ABU is technology-neutral and the union’s mandate is to provide information to all its members about the available technologies so that ABU members can make informed choices regarding their own broadcast technology plans. The results of the DVB-T2 field trial were also demonstrated at the four-day symposium via various HDTV programmes deployed on four HD channels using the DVB-T2 standard. The broadcast signals were transmitted from the nearby KL Towers. In another DVB-T2 development in Thailand, the Royal Thai Army Radio and Television station (Channel 5) began its own DVB-T2 trial last month. The transmitters being used are the Maxiva UAX air-cooled UHF transmitters. Jishun Mei, sales director, transmission products, Asia Pacific at Harris Broadcast Communications, said that with this new trial in Thailand, Harris has “successfully demonstrated” to Channel 5 the proven technology of its transmitters, which will provide an easy and cost-effective path to digital broadcasting. Pichai Kittinon, senior engineer for the Government Public Relations Department of Thailand, feels that the country would go for DVB-T/T2. He added that other Thai broadcasters would also be conducting DVB-T2 trials soon. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites       
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