German public broadcaster ARD will participate in the first stage of the deployment of DVB-T2 with its main channel Das Erste HD in Full HD mode (1080p50).
After fellow public broadcaster ZDF and Germany’s two largest commercial TV groups Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and ProSiebenSat.1, ARD is the fourth major broadcaster to have selected the highest possible picture quality for terrestrial HD transmissions.
With the choice of Full HD, DVB-T2 viewers will be able to receive the channels in better picture quality than via cable or satellite.
Whether Das Erste HD will be offered in Full HD at the regular DVB-T2 launch and whether the other ARD channels on board the DVB-T2 platform will use this resolution, is not clear yet. The information regarding the selection of Full HD just refers to the first stage, an ARD Digital spokesman told Broadband TV News.
Das Erste HD along with ZDF HD, RTL HD, Sat.1 HD, ProSieben HD and VOX HD will be part of the first level of the DVB-T2 introduction commencing on May 31, 2016 in urban areas. For reception, viewers need a TV set or set-top-box suitable for DVB-T2 and compression standard HEVC.
In spring 2017, DVB-T2 will commence regular operations in urban areas with a large number of ARD channels. The nationwide transition from predecessor DVB-T to DVB-T2 will be completed by mid-2019.