WDR, the affiliate of German public broadcaster ARD serving federal state North-Rhine Westphalia, and German transmitter network operator Media Broadcast will commence their joint DVB-T2/HEVC trial in North-Rhine Westphalia on August 18, 2015.
WDR will transmit a multiplex on DTT channel 40 offering free-to-air public channels while Media Broadcast will use DTT channel 43 to broadcast a multiplex carrying commercial channels.
Transmissions will take place from the transmitter site Venusberg near Bonn (WDR) and from the Colonius transmitter site in Cologne (Media Broadcast) as a single frequency network with 20kW each.
The trial is set up to test the whole signal chain from the transmitter to the reception device. It will enable manufacturers of broadcast technology and manufacturers and importers of reception devices to develop and test suitable devices.
All standard usage forms will be tested from stationary reception to portable and mobile reception. Hybrid reception devices for DVB-T2 and internet offerings will also be tested. Compatible receivers carry the logo DVB-T2 HD; current DVB-T receivers are not suitable.
Technical trials for the new DVB-T2/HEVC network which will enable HD channels on DTT in Germany for the first time are also carried out in Munich and Berlin. The first regular TV channels in the new standard will be broadcast from June 2016 in large urban areas – in time for the European Football Championship.
