SPECIAL REPORT

Digital broadcast to have far-reaching effects

Watchiranont Thongtep

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The new era of broadcasting is beginning with the transformation from analog to digital terrestrial television service in the Kingdom.

Not only will 22 million households be able to watch better-|quality TV programmes on more channels, but businesses ranging from upstream to downstream can benefit from this coming development.

The Royal Army's TV5 last week launched a trial of digital broadcasting. TV5 spent about Bt60 million for new transmitters and related transmission costs. This investment includes 1,000 digital-compatible set-top boxes and antennas for a sample audience in Greater Bangkok.

Once digital broadcasting is officially launched later in the year, the transition is expected to boost the economy by more than Bt40 billion, according to the estimation of the Thai Electrical, Electronics and Telecommunication Industries Association.

Prapat Rathlertkarn, TETA deputy secretary-general, said this boost would come from new business in the broadcasting industry itself and related enterprises in the supply chain.

Under its master plan for the transition to digital TV and radio, |the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) says 80 per cent of households in major cities should be able to access such services within five years.

During this transformation, an infrastructure provider needs to invest at least Bt10 billion on broadcasting towers and facilities, replacing existing analog equipment, Prapat said.

Meanwhile producers will also focus on creating more quality TV programmes to fill the new digital channels.

Of the 48 digital TV channels, the NBTC has reserved 12 for public TV and 12 for community-based service. These channels will be aired in standard definition (SD).

The remaining 24 channels will be for commercial purposes, comprising five SD channels for children/family programmes, five SD channels for news/information programmes, 10 SD channels for variety programmes, and four high-definition channels for variety programmes.

Prapat projected that this process would create jobs in the industry and generate new businesses such as production houses and network and facility providers, worth about Bt10 billion.

Manufacturers of digital TV |sets, set-top boxes and indoor/|outdoor antennas would also benefit. TETA projects that this manufacturing sector will be boosted by more than Bt20 billion in investments.

For example, leading television-set makers say they are ready for the changeover to digital terrestrial television.

In a previous interview, Ratchata Suttapattanon, senior manager for audio-visual (AV) business at Thai Samsung Electronics, said the transition would benefit both consumers and manufacturers.

Samsung has experienced such changes in countries including Australia and Singapore, he said, adding that production at his company's Sri Racha plant could begin quickly to meet local demand.

Hideki Kondo, manager for AV-product marketing at Sony Thai, said its Bravia television sets supported the first version of the DVB-T digital broadcasting system in the Pacific region.

He added that though his company had no plan to sell set-top boxes individually, it was trying its best to develop a TV set with a build-in digital antenna in time for the commencement of digital broadcasting in Thailand.

Apart from manufacturers of TV sets and signal converters, Kittsanan Ngamphatipong, chief executive officer at Cable Thai Holdings, said his company also planned to import hybrid digital set-top boxes, which are able to work with terrestrial and cable TV signals, from China this year.

Samart Engineering, a local distributor of DVB-T2 set-top boxes, has reserved a million sets (antenna plus set-top box) and has been waiting for the NBTC's green light to allow it to sell such products, which are expected to retail for less than Bt1,000 per set.

Another factor expected to boost sales in this business sector is a subsidy scheme.

Last month, the NBTC agreed to offer discount coupons for 22 million households in to encourage them to buy either new TV sets or set-top boxes to enable them to view |programmes on the new digital channels.

-- The Nation 2013-01-28

A summary of the plan: lots more garbage, but with better definition.

all good for the urban dweller. At our property in Oz (50k from a major regioanl centre) I had to install a satellite dish and reciever to pick up the digital channels....30,000 baht. the analogue signals were swicthed off.

48 digital channels, and only 4 are planned in HD...and those for "variety" programming???

Really? This is the future of digital broadcast television in Thailand???

Does anyone know if they have decided on a standard for digital TV in Thailand if so what is it ?

"watch better-|quality TV programmes on more channels"

They're planning on making better TV programmes? I thought they were just switching to digital broadcast, so that you'll simply be able to get a better picture (no ghosting etc. on terrestrial antennas), but that the programmes would be the same...

Anyway - isn't the whole planet supposed to have gone digital by then? You'll have a hard time getting an analogue broadcast anywhere on the planet in 5 years time...

Bigger question - given the move to digital broadcasting in most countries was to free up spectrum for 4G, does this mean Thailand's getting 4G "soon"...?

Edited January 28, 201313 yr by bkk_mike

"watch better-|quality TV programmes on more channels"

They're planning on making better TV programmes? I thought they were just switching to digital broadcast, so that you'll simply be able to get a better picture (no ghosting etc. on terrestrial antennas), but that the programmes would be the same...

Anyway - isn't the whole planet supposed to have gone digital by then? You'll have a hard time getting an analogue broadcast anywhere on the planet in 5 years time...

(Sorry - some countries in the unreformed communist world will still have analogue signals apparently... - Laos is apparently saying 2042 ?? (not sure how they're getting out from the Asean 2020 deadline), and Cuba will apparently not switch until 2024.)

There's one country in Africa (Tanzania) that's already turned off their analogue signals, and several others already simulcasting analogue and digital. Does Thailand not realise that it's coming to this rather late? Admittedly, since it mentions DVB-T2, they've skipped over Mpeg 2 (DVB-T) and are going straight to Mpeg 4.

Bigger question - given the move to digital broadcasting in most countries was to free up spectrum for 4G, does this mean Thailand's getting 4G "soon"...?

Sorry - must have pressed Quote rather than Edit when changing it...

Edited January 28, 201313 yr by bkk_mike

I was shocked to see antenna's here in Thailand. I have not seen them in the US for twenty years. It is too bad that those that can not afford the upgrade here for a set top box will lose their free analog service.

Does anyone know if they have decided on a standard for digital TV in Thailand if so what is it ?

just put a tuner that can "understand" the digital signal and sends it in you tv as analog or A/V

I was shocked to see antenna's here in Thailand. I have not seen them in the US for twenty years. It is too bad that those that can not afford the upgrade here for a set top box will lose their free analog service.

Plenty of antennas here in the US. However, we have much smaller antennas now-a-days.

The bigger antennas are out in the rural areas. City dwellers are able to get by with rabbit ears usually.

Ok I missed the bit about DVB-T2...so in theory I could bring a set top box from the uk and use it in Thailand ??

With the digital signals, there is no grey area of signal, either you receive it and get a picture or you get nothing, so fringe signals are not gonna cut it.

The Royal Army's TV5 last week launched a trial of digital broadcasting. TV5 spent about Bt60 million for new transmitters and related transmission costs. This investment includes 1,000 digital-compatible set-top boxes and antennas for a sample audience in Greater Bangkok.

Phew, finally! Always thought those slides they show during a coup d'état could use some digital enhancement.