Due to lack of funding, analogue TV broadcasts will soon be discontinued. The question of when analog television will be turned off in Russia, and how it will turn out, worries many citizens. We will try to answer it in this article.
What is analogue television and how is it different from digital?
Analog is a system that uses an analog signal to transmit sound and picture. It can be transmitted by radio waves or by cable. Technically, this is a whole set of signals: about the brightness, color of the image and sound. The output is exactly what we see on our screens.
Digital television uses digital standards to transmit sound and images. Today, most of the leading domestic TV channels are already working on them, while duplicating broadcasting on an analog signal. Many countries that have already created a full-fledged digital communication system have completely stopped using analog standards. In the nearestIn the future, the transition to digital is also expected in Russia.
Minister's Statement
Recently, the Minister for Communications and Mass Media Nikolai Nikiforov gave an idea about the timing of this transition. According to him, analog television in Russia will be completely turned off in 2018, since it is at this time that it is planned to terminate its financial support. However, Nikiforov himself does not exclude the possibility that in some regions of the country independent financing is possible, which means that some old television channels will remain.
When exactly will analog broadcasting be turned off in Russia? According to the draft of the relevant government decree, this will happen by July 1 next year. Anyone can get acquainted with this project on the single portal of the Ministry of Communications.
Of course, television will not be completely turned off, but only its format will change - from analog to digital. And there are good reasons for this.
Why go digital?
The prerequisites for such a decision in technical terms have been formed for a long time. Over the past few years, TV receivers of almost all operators have been produced with digital signal support.
Besides, the viewers themselves understand the validity of such a choice. Satellite and cable TV provides a higher quality broadcast, a wider selection of channels. And the possibilities of smart TV are very wide. See for yourself: more than 10 million people have already connected Tricolor satellite, and 20 million viewers have chosen cable TV.
Supporting analog television in such conditions becomes simply economically unprofitable for the TV channels themselves. Therefore, they are also striving to change the broadcast format with all their might.
Change of formats in Russia and abroad
In the last decade, many European countries have begun to change the format of broadcasting of the main television channels. Starting in 2006, the inhabitants of the Netherlands switched to digital standards, a year later the Swedes and Finns joined them.
Since 2009, TV channels in Germany, Denmark and Norway have been operating in digital format. Great Britain and Poland followed them. When analog television is turned off in Russia, our country will join this list. It is expected that the border regions will be the first to get rid of the outdated broadcasting system - there are 26 in total.
When and how should the transition happen?
According to current regulations, in order to fully switch to digital television, the population must be provided with this type of signal by at least 95%.
Earlier, Dmitry Medvedev, back when he was President of the country, said that by 2015 there will be a complete transition to digital television. He stressed that this will be a key factor on the way to technological modernization. In addition, the shutdown of analog television was supposed to free up the frequencies that a new package of channels, the multiplex, would occupy. HoweverIt was not possible to complete the transition process by 2015, and the question of when analog television will be turned off in Russia remained unresolved.
In many ways also because some citizens simply could not afford to buy set-top boxes for digital television. However, the regional authorities have taken it upon themselves to solve the problem and are ready to assist in subsidizing.
Even after analogue TV broadcasting is turned off in Russia, citizens will have free access to the main digital TV channels. Among them are NTV, Culture, Russia-1 and 2, Bibigon and the popularly beloved Channel One.
What does the average user need to know?
Many are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to receive a new TV signal on old TVs. Indeed, outdated equipment only works with analog standards. To switch to digital broadcasting, you will have to buy a set-top box with a special decryption module. However, if you have a new model TV that was purchased after 2008, it is likely to already support digital standards and no additional equipment is needed.
Analogue television differs from digital television in the way the signal is distributed. If earlier it was transmitted to a conventional antenna, then modern standards provide for signal transmission via cable or satellite connection. That is, analog television in Russia will soon be completely turned off, and you will either need to lay a cable directly into the apartment, or install a satellite dish. Lastoption will be the only way out for giving or if you live in a small village.
And yet, when will analog TV be turned off in Russia?
Today, 2018 is called the final date for the transition to digital. Previously, it was already planned to start this process in 2015 and complete it by 2016. But the situation was complicated by economic shocks in the country, which delayed the construction of the necessary infrastructure.
However, it is difficult to name a specific date, since it is likely to be different in each region. The criterion, again, is the number of people who can receive only an analog signal. When they remain less than 5% of the total, this will be a clear sign that the region is ready for the transition to digital standards. Nikolai Nikiforov stressed that 2018 is the final figure, and after that, analog broadcasting will be completely turned off.
