TV broadcasting reform in the Moscow region: how to prepare for the transition to digital

About company

PJSC Rostelecom is the largest Internet provider in Russia. It provides many digital services. And its main feature is the most extensive service provision area. You can connect digital television and other services even in the most remote settlements. That is why the company’s services are used by millions of citizens, and the number of its employees exceeds 120 thousand people.

Regarding organizational issues, the General Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors are Mikhail Oseevsky and Sergey Ivanov, respectively. The organization was formed back in 1992. Initially, it was a government organization engaged in the installation and maintenance of landline telephones. However, later the range of services, the number of clients and branches expanded. Thus, today you can connect more than 15 digital services suitable for both individuals and legal entities.

In addition, Rostelecom has its own online store, branded equipment, its own video service and much more. Although many complain about poor quality communications, no one can deny that this is the largest Russian provider.

Digital TV tariffs in Moscow

First of all, let's look at all the tariffs offered by Rostelecom in Moscow in the “Digital TV” category today. All their conditions, prices and channels are offered in the visual table below.

Multiroom function

As you may have noticed, all the described tariff plans provide the “Multiroom” option. It allows you to watch TV under one tariff on 5 devices throughout the house. However, for this you need to purchase the appropriate equipment for each gadget.

Channel categories

All TV channels that can be watched on digital television can be divided into categories. Their list will look like this:

• Information;
• Entertainment;
• Self-development;
• Ether;
• Teleshop;
• 18+;
• Development for children;
• Children's entertainment;
• Music;
• Regional;
• Cinema and TV series;
• Other.

Equipment for signal reception in Moscow and the Moscow region

If your home is located relatively close to a television tower, then a regular antenna will be suitable for receiving a digital DVB-T2 signal. If the signal is poor, you will need an antenna with an amplifier, and if you are far from the repeater, you will have to purchase an outdoor antenna.

When purchasing an antenna, you need to consider: how far it is from the TV tower, what the transmitter power is, building density and landscape, what floor you live on, and where the windows of your apartment face.

There are many antenna models on the market that can receive digital broadcasting; their prices vary quite widely, so when purchasing one you need to focus on the signal level.

Remo BAS-5324-USB

Designed to receive signals within a range of 40 kilometers. Judging by the reviews, if you are in Moscow, then with a radius of 33 kilometers from Ostankino, the image on the TV will be clear and stable. In this case, the signal quality will vary from 80 to 90%. If you are planning to buy such an antenna for an apartment or dacha located in the Moscow region, then it will be more difficult to catch a signal.

We invite you to watch an overview video about the Remo BAS-5324-USB antenna:

Remo BAS-5127 Buran

It is equipped with an active amplifier; accordingly, it will pick up the signal much better than those devices that do not have such an amplifier. It is perfect for use in urban areas; it can work from a regular outlet or via a USB port.

Harper ADVB-2840

It can function not only in the city; such a device can also be purchased for a TV installed in a country house. It is equipped with a smoothly adjustable amplifier that helps ensure a stable signal and good broadcast quality.

If you have no doubt whether a certain antenna will work in your home, then you should contact a specialized store, where sales consultants will be able to answer all your questions and recommend exactly the model that will suit your needs.

How to connect digital TV from Rostelecom

If you are interested in these offers, you can apply for connection online. To do this, you will need a computer or phone with a browser, as well as sequential execution of the following steps:

1. Discover digital television tariffs in Moscow. It is best to go to the direct web address: https://moscow.rt.ru/digitaltv .
2. Select the appropriate offer and click on the “Connect” menu.

3. A separate window will appear where you need to fill in all the fields. Namely, indicate the city (in our case, Moscow) and connection address, your name and contact phone number. Having done this, click on “Submit Application”.

4. A sales manager will call you back within the current or next business day. He will tell you all the details of the connection, and also specify a time convenient for you when a specialist with the equipment can arrive.

Necessary equipment for receiving digital channels

Kit with digital antenna DVB-T2 No. 1

Cost of the kit including installation Standard installation for 1 TV

from 6,500
Equipment:

• Digital antenna for receiving DVB-T/DVB-T2 signal;
• Receiver/receiver for 30 digital channels per TV;
• Wall bracket;
• Coaxial cable (10 m);
• F-type connectors (2 pcs.);
• Standard installation on the wall of a house (height up to 4 m)

Thanks to the launch of digital television of the DVB-T2 standard in Moscow and the Moscow region, it became possible to receive 30 digital channels without a subscription fee. The broadcast is carried out from the Ostankino TV tower and covers the Moscow region. The price includes a receiver that can be connected to absolutely any TV.

Kit with digital antenna DVB-T2 No. 2

Cost of the kit including installation Standard installation for 1 TV

from 11,500
Equipment:

• Medium power digital antenna DVB-T2;
• HF amplifier Alcad AI-200;
• Telescopic mast (4 m);
• Wall bracket (2 pcs.);
• Coaxial cable (10 m);
• Professional antenna installation.

The equipment is designed to connect several TVs at a distance of more than 30 km from Ostankino, a standard option for a summer house or country house.

Kit with digital antenna DVB-T2 No. 3

Cost of the kit including installation Standard installation for 1 TV

from 16,500
Equipment:

• Medium power digital antenna DVB-T2;
• Planar mast amplifier, power injector;
• Telescopic mast (6 m);
• Wall bracket (2 pcs.);
• Coaxial cable (10 m);
• Professional antenna installation.

The most powerful antenna is designed for reception at a great distance from the transmitter; a powered amplifier allows you to use the full potential of digital broadcasting.

Necessary equipment

To use digital television, it is necessary to equip the TV with special equipment that can receive the corresponding signals and display the image on the TV screen. Currently the following devices are suitable:

• A small OnLime TeleCARD that fits into the Cl or Cl+ slot of your TV. No additional wires required;
• HD receiver that can be used as a multimedia player. There are 2 options: with and without internal storage.

You can purchase these devices either in person at the nearest sales office or in the Rostelecom online store. The latter is located at the following address: https://shop.rt.ru/catalog/tv/ . Also, when connecting, you can ask the operator to have the technician come with the necessary equipment. You can pay it on the spot and receive a special agreement.

Will the TV show and can it be tuned in from 2019?

If you are in close proximity to the repeater, then it will be enough for you to have a regular indoor antenna. In this case, its power does not matter much; even the simplest model will do, and you will not have any questions about how to catch the signal. If the signal in your home is not strong enough, then you need to purchase a more powerful antenna. This can be an antenna with an amplifier or an external one, which will need to be directed towards the TV broadcaster.

Differences between interactive and digital TV

Now we propose to analyze the main differences between interactive and digital television. To do this, let's create a visual table with categories.

Contacts

If you have any questions or problems, it is recommended to contact the company’s operators. Today, there are several methods for these purposes, each of which is suitable in certain situations. The list of options is as follows:

• Email for direct contacts to Rostelecom in Russia - [email protected] ;
• Unified support service of Rostelecom - 8 (800) 1000 800;
• Feedback form on the official Website at the link: https://moscow.rt.ru/ ;
• The provider's official pages on social networks, where you can write a personal message: Vkontakte - https://vk.com/rostelecom ;
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Rostelecom.Official ;
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rostelecom.official/?hl=ru ;
• Odnoklassniki - https://ok.ru/rostelecom.official .

Reviews

Let's look at a few reviews from users who actively use one of the digital TV tariffs from Rostelecom in Moscow and decided to share their impressions with interested people on the Internet.

For two years I used television services from Online in Moscow. Not long ago, operators asked to leave a review, so I decided to write. In general, as soon as the telecard appeared in stores, I immediately bought it. For two years everything was fine, the picture quality was perfect. But one day I decided to disable digital TV on the card, so that later I could reactivate it. It turned out that the operation was irreversible. Now it's just a meaningless card. I advise you to buy a receiver, it will be more profitable. The service itself works perfectly and without problems.

I bought two TV cards to install on two TVs at home. Works great. All channels are received with a good signal. But I noticed some kind of conflict with the LG TV. If problems never arise on Samsung, then on LG the system freezes completely from time to time. I have to reboot it. One guy wrote that disconnecting the service is irreversible. In part, yes, but you can still do this if you go to the office and personally write an application for reactivation.

An excellent service for old TVs where there is no option to connect interactive television. I have just such a case. I installed a receiver for myself and a TV card for my parents. For just 100 rubles I connected multiroom, now we use it with two families. Despite the fact that we are not even in the same house. Many thanks to Rostelecom for this opportunity!

TV broadcasting reform in the Moscow region: how to prepare for the transition to digital

The Moscow region is switching to digital television from April 15. When connecting new equipment, the user receives a package of TV channels in excellent quality, if his house has an old analogue TV. Those who use cable television will not be affected by the changes. Read about how to take care of the readiness of your home TV for upcoming changes in advance, and what “digital” will change, in the material of the mosreg.ru portal.

Why is “digital” needed?

Source: Photobank of the Moscow region, Konstantin Kiryukhin

From April 15, the analog signal will be turned off in the Moscow region. Digital television is of higher quality than analogue - there is no interference, the image is clear and bright. In addition, with analogue television broadcasting, one channel occupies one frequency, and with digital broadcasting, an entire package of channels can be transmitted simultaneously over one frequency.

The transition to digital terrestrial television will allow you to watch 20 television channels of the first and second multiplexes for free. Multiplex is 10 digital terrestrial channels that are broadcast through one transmitter and occupy one frequency.

As a rule, people rarely watch more than five channels at any time, no matter how many are initially connected. And those 20 free channels that are proposed as part of the television broadcasting reform are the most popular among television viewers.

What channels will be connected for free?

Sports bar in cafes and baths

Source: Ministry of Consumer Market and Services of the Moscow Region

Channels of the first and second multiplex will be available for digital viewing:

“Channel One”, “Russia 1”, “Match TV”, NTV, “Petersburg-5 channel” “Russia K”, “Russia 24”, “Carousel”, “Public Television of Russia”, “TV Center” and three radio channels : “Vesti FM”, “Mayak” and “Radio Russia”;

STS, TNT, RenTV, “Friday”, “Spas”, “Domashny”, “Zvezda”, TV3, “Mir”, “MuzTV”.

What signal is the TV receiving now?

Source: Photobank of the Moscow region, Mikhail Vlasov

To understand which television is broadcast - analog or digital, you need to turn on one of the central channels, for example, “Channel One” - if the letter “A” appears on the screen, then analog television is working and a transition to digital broadcasting is necessary.

The main digital television format in the country is the DVB-T2 standard. If the TV was purchased after 2012, then it supports the DVB-T2 standard. To understand whether it is possible to switch your existing TV to digital, you need to open the instructions and see if the technical specifications indicate the presence of a built-in tuner for receiving a DVB-T2 digital signal.

Digital signal receiving equipment

The equipment you need to receive a digital signal depends on the technical parameters of the TV. Owners of an old, analog TV model need to buy a set-top box with an antenna or a new TV. It is recommended to take care of installing an antenna or satellite dish in advance.

You can buy a digital set-top box in any supermarket in the technology department or in a specialized store. Its price is approximately 700-1350 rubles.

You will also need a DMB antenna. If a collective antenna is not installed on the house, then you will need to purchase an individual one - outdoor or indoor. When purchasing, you need to take into account the distance of the property from the city TV tower:

— if the tower is only a few kilometers away, an indoor antenna will do;

- if the TV tower is located far away, then you need an outdoor antenna, equipped with an amplifier and installed as high as possible.

Collective antennas are installed on the roofs of apartment buildings, and building management companies are responsible for this. To install systems for collective reception of television programs (CPTS), you need to send an application to the house management company, which will select an organization to install or repair CPTS in the house.

How to set up digital television yourself

Source: Lukhovitsk news agency, Fara Tilyavova

In order to set up digital TV broadcasting yourself, you first need to turn off the power to the TV. Then connect the UHF antenna to the input of a TV that “understands” the DVB-T2 standard or to a set-top box.

After connecting the antenna, you can begin setting up the “digits”.

Having gone into the TV settings, you need to turn on the digital terrestrial television (tuner) mode. And then enable automatic search for TV programs using the operating instructions for the TV. Channels will be automatically tuned and available for viewing.

If you are connected to a community antenna in the house, then your TV itself will pick up the digital signal. Just start auto-searching for channels when digital TV reaches your city.

Who can help set the number?

Hotline

Source: Photobank of the Moscow region, Alexander Kozhokhin

The MRC branch of RTRS is responsible for the construction and operation of a digital terrestrial television network in the Moscow region. Branch operators will help you choose equipment and tell you how to connect the set-top box.

All questions regarding connection can be asked to RTRS consulting support specialists by calling +7 (495) 926-61-61.

Consultants' work schedule: Monday-Thursday from 09:00 to 18:00, Friday from 09:00 to 17:00.

You can also ask questions about connecting to digital broadcasting using the toll-free federal hotline number: 8-800-220-20-02.

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