Changes to TDT - Spanish Digital Television - Changes to TV in Spain

Changes to TDT - Spanish Digital Television - Changes to TV in Spain

TDT - Television Digital Terrestrial - is broadcast through waves, occupying a part of the frequency spectrum. This spectrum is shared by TV, radio, telephone and other communications.

So far TV has been using those between 21 and 69 channels.

However, in 2007 the European Commission agreed to allocate part of the spectrum occupied by television to mobile phones of the latest generation, known as 4G. In accordance with the European Directive, the Spanish Government stated that before January 1, 2015 channels 61 to 69, ie, the last 9 in the band used so far, will become available for the 4G.

This is what is called Digital Dividend.

Astra 2E in Spain - News Update - is Astra 2E finally moving to 28 east...?v

Astra 2E (the second new UK TV satellite) News Update :

14/01/14 : According to various satellite tracking websites tonight, Astra 2E is finally on its way from its test location of 43 east, towards the UK TV location of 28 east.

At the time of writing, it is at 42 east and moving slowly. So it will take several days for it to move into location, and then it is expected a few test frequencies will be fired up, and only then can we start to work out its reception in Spain.

http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/astra_2e_satellite_reception_testing_news_updates.php

Latest News about the 'Big TV Switch Off' in Spain 2013 - Panic or Keep Calm?

Many people living on the Costas in Spain are currently worrying a little about the coming changes satellite TV reception, which may, or may not, affect Freesat TV, UK TV and Sky TV reception in Spain later this year.

This is all down to some of the current UK TV satellites being replaced with new satellites.

The first new satellites, Astra 2F, is already in operation. In some areas of Spain, there have been no changes in reception to channels that are on this new satellite. However, in other areas of Spain, particularly the Costa del Sol, reception of channels on Astra 2F, as been affected, especially the loss of Channel Five when it switched satellites.

The second new satellites, Astra 2F, is schedule for launch on the 20th July 2013, and expected to be in operation sometime in September 2013.

For all the latest news about the new UK TV Astra satellites, and more information about "the big switch off" of UK TV in Spain, please see : http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/astra_satellites_2012_2013_reception_spain.php

IPTV sales talk confusing and scaring worried expats about the future of UK TV in Spain.

IPTV sales talk confusing and scaring worried expats about the future of UK TV in Spain.

Interesting to hear that some companies offering “IPTV” in Spain, as ring people up and saying “You will lose your Satellite TV later this year, but our IPTV system will work fine”

A few points:
a) How do these companies know what the signal will be like in Spain for a satellite that has not yet left the factory, and expected not to be operational until September?
b) How do these companies know if all of Spain will be affected or only some areas be affected – like the fact between Alicante and Valencia we can get the first new satellite nice and easily on a 1m satellite dish...
c) No matter what, you will always be able to receive SOME UK TV channel via satellite, as some of the channels are on a “European beam” which is nice and easy to receive, and some channels are not even on the Astra satellites that are being replaced!
d) They fail to mention what the quality of IPTV / internet TV is like – which is pretty poor when you watch it on your 50” HD TV – especially when compared to the full 1080 HD image which you can get on Freesat HD and Sky HD – which you can get on a 1m satellite dish!
e) And not to forget that some systems offering UK TV over the internet as simply using the free streams from filmon. And some systems even ask you to PAY for these streams even though they get them for free

True, later this year things may change, they may not, they may change for the better, they may change for the worse. 

But until it happens, no-one knows for sure.

So why do these companies insist that they know that all of UK TV in Spain will end later this year, and try to confuse and scare people into thinking they will lose their UK TV channels in Spain come the new satellites, Oh I know – spill the doom and gloom for sales purposes, and to confuse people into buying something when in fact, come September, all UK TV may still be available in Spain.

Spanish Digital TV Changes in 2014

During January 2014 some of the Spanish digital television channels must vacate their current frequencies.

 

From the Costa Blana News - Wednesday, 26 December 2012

Digital TV re-tuning next year MORE than 300,000 communities of residents in the Valencia Region will have to pay in the region of €600 sometime over the next 12 months to have their TV antennas retuned so that they can pick up digital (TDT) transmissions. Two years after the analogue signal was switched off in Spain, the government is forcing property owners to pay to retune because it made a mistake when the TDT signal was first allocated. On January 1, 2014, the current TDT signal will be switched off - one year before the rest of the EU.

The affected frequencies have been sold to provide more frequency capacity for the 4G / LTE mobile broadband technology. It is thought that the "auctioning off" of theswe frequencies will result in an income of about 12,000 million euros (about 1% of GDP).

The frequencies of 790 megahertz (MHz) to 862 MHz are are currently used for the Spanish digital television channels, ranging from 61 to 69. With recent advances in encoding and compression techology of television signals, this will mean that there hsould be no reduction or loss of Spanish Digital Television channels.

This was one of the greatest fears of the change, as it was initially thought that there could have been a 50% reduction in the number of current channels.

Spanish Digital TV Changes in 2014 - how it can impac your viewing

Possible loss of TDT Reception in the summer for the Costas

Reports of heat affecting TDT (Spanish TV)reception.

There have been reports in some Spanish media outlets that the heat during the summer is having an affect on the TDT TV signals across the Costas.

According to reports, emergancy work is being donw on many transmitters, with some more repeaters being installed in some areas affected.

This may mean that some popele may lose some channels.

But as an emergany measure, some channels are being made available on some other frequencies - that are less affected by the heat.

It may be that a rescan on your TDT receiver is required.

It may mean that some community TV systems in Spain will have to be upgraded with new frequency modules to make sure the community TV installations receive these emergancy TDT frequencies.

Possible Loss of Spanish TDT TV signals in Spain

This and further information can be found on our website and Satellite TV forum:

The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

or the forum

The Sat and PC Guy FORUM - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca