German public broadcaster ARD will commence SD switch-off on Astra (19.2° East).
On November 15, 2022, ARTE, Phoenix, tagesschau24 and One will end their SD distribution on transponder 51 (10.744 GHz H, SR 22.000, FEC 5/6). The channels can then only be received in HD via Astra.
Around 90% of TV households in Germany have already upgraded to HD reception. In order to make the distribution of the channels as economical and efficient as possible, the broadcasters have decided to end SD transmission. Viewers will be informed about details of the SD switch-off and the HD transition in the coming weeks and months.
The broadcasters assume that cable operators will also end SD distribution of ARTE, Phoenix, tagesschau24 and One as a result of the satellite switch-off. Vodafone Deutschland has already dropped ARTE SD on its cable network on March 23, 2022.
It was originally planned that ARTE, Phoenix, tagesschau24 and One would end their SD distribution on Astra in January 2021. However, the Corona pandemic thwarted the broadcasters’ plans.
