Retune, upgrade or lose TV

Starting on February 14, Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) will suffer the blackout of SD channels (standard definition) after the obligation to broadcast in HD.

In just a few weeks’ time, high resolution reaches all those channels that until now did not broadcast in HD, according to Royal Decree 16/2023 of the BOE, allowing us to enjoy a clearer and sharper image (due to the increase in pixels displayed) and, in turn, leaving free the 2.6 GHz band necessary for the full deployment of 5G in the European territory.

In order to enjoy the channels in high definition, it will be necessary for your TV to be compatible with the DVB-T2 standard, the second generation of the DVB-T system used for the broadcast of DTT that allows the transmission of high-definition television (HDTV).

Do not panic! The vast majority of televisions in our homes are HD compatible. But the easiest way to clear up doubts is to retune your TV and check if it finds channels in HD, because several channels have been broadcasting in this quality for a few years now.

Now, those homes in which there are still especially old televisions (mainly before 2008, the date in which HD televisions are beginning to gain more strength), intended for bedrooms or kitchens, second homes…, may be affected. But don’t worry, if you want there is a solution to continue using them.

In principle, if you have already verified that your TV can broadcast in high definition, you will not have to do anything other than potentially retune it, if you do not want to miss any of your favourite channels. The change from SD to HD is being made progressively from now until February 14, when the standard resolution will disappear.

If your TV is very old and is not capable of broadcasting in HD, you can solve it in two ways:

If you don’t have Internet. You will need an external decoder or tuner that converts the DVB-T2 compatible signal. This connects to the television through an HDMI connector (or a SCART if it is a model that does not have HDMI), as you can see in the image. Price: from 20 euro.

If you have Internet. You can choose between using a set-top box or a streaming device. This last device, being capable of transmitting audio and video over the Internet, will give you access to many more channels and platforms (such as Netflix, Amazon Prime…). This way you will get more out of your TV, since you will turn it into a true Smart TV. Price: from 30 euro.

Perhaps with the change in DTT the time has come to change that old television that has been with you for many years. Some retailers offer increased discounts to trade in your old devices, so check with the suppliers as you shop around.

Finally, this change only affects Spanish terrestrial TV. If you receive channels in another way, then you are not affected, although some of the services offering international channels do not have broadcast rights and they may also lose connection, for which for those service providers who do not have broadcast rights, there may be no alternative legal solution.

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