With the transition in Russia from analogue to digital broadcasting, many people are wondering whether they need to purchase a set-top box for digital TV, or whether it is better to connect satellite TV. In this text, readers will learn what digital TV is, the features of satellite broadcasting, and find tips on what is best to connect.
Cable
It is carried out by delivering a high-frequency digital signal through a fiber optic cable laid to the consumer. Digital television transmits video and audio signals from the broadcaster to the television using digital encoding and data compression.
There are two ways to receive a TV signal:
— via a dedicated line from the provider (the wire is pulled from the transfer case on the staircase to the apartment with or without installing a Wi-Fi router);
- via a regular telephone wire. This is an individual connection available to everyone who has a landline phone at home. A double switch is installed on the wire, which includes cords from the telephone and from the ADSL modem or decoder.
Image quality - HD
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Advantages
- does not lose signal quality if transmitted over very long distances;
- the image does not contain glare, “snow” or other image distortion characteristic of the “analogue”;
- has the ability to connect channels in HD quality;
- gives access to hundreds of TV channels, video on demand, interactive applications (games, weather forecast, etc.).
Flaws
- It may be necessary to purchase additional equipment (namely, a special digital set-top box) if the TV is not designed for the DVB-C format. The cost of the set-top box is about 3,000 rubles or $50.
Price
The monthly subscription fee for cable television is usually in the range of 120-200 rubles, a package of services with the Internet is 450-600 rubles per month.
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Criteria for choosing the right broadcast
Some users believe that satellite television broadcasting is better than other television picture transmission formats. But that's not true. It is enough to connect high-quality on-air equipment in the stable coverage area of a terrestrial repeater to receive a high-definition picture.
The broadcast type is selected according to the following criteria:
- subscription fee amount. Currently this only applies to satellite operators. However, as the airwaves develop, paid multiplexes with rating programs will be introduced;
- cost of equipment. Every broadcast format requires costs. Most of all they depend on the brand name of the equipment and the capabilities of the tuner. The prices of tuners of different standards are approximately the same, but a satellite television antenna is more expensive than a decimeter terrestrial digital antenna;
- conditions of admission. For the correct choice of broadcasting type, these are the most important criteria.
If the window of a city apartment looks at a television repeater, then the easiest way is to connect to over-the-air channels. For a small house in the city, which is located inside a high-rise building, it is better to choose satellite broadcasting.
Outside the city limits, for example, in a country house, inexpensive terrestrial television is better suited. But for a cottage or country house in which they constantly live, it is recommended to choose satellite television;
User interests
Not all users sit in front of the TV screen all day; usually, a few rating programs are enough for them. Some people need channels with a specific topic. The possibilities of terrestrial television broadcasting are limited to a constant block of programs, but the satellite format is distinguished by a large number of broadcast channels.
In general, you should always approach the choice of television broadcasting method thoughtfully. In order not to make a mistake with your choice, and therefore not to waste your money, you need to get advice from a company that provides digital television services.
On video: Differences between digital and satellite TV
Satellite
The signal is transmitted from the television station to the satellite, and is received from the satellite by a special antenna, which is usually installed on a balcony, window or roof.
Image quality - High HD quality
Advantages
- the signal can be received in any locality, even in the absence of any other means of communication.
Flaws
- To connect and configure, you need to call specialists;
- the cost of a set of equipment is about 5,000 rubles, plus antenna installation and configuration.
Price
The cost of a subscription fee at basic tariffs is from 1,200 rubles per year.
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Application
The question of choosing one or another TV broadcast depends on the taste preferences of the viewer, financial capabilities, and location. More expensive satellite television at the installation and connection stage will justify itself in the future with the quality, variety of television programs, and services provided. Cable is more budget-friendly at the time of connection, but you have to accept the presence of interference in the cable line and a limited number of channels. If, of course, there is no other type of broadcast available, then the future undoubtedly belongs to STV.
The use of SCTV is justified only in apartment buildings where installation of antennas, access to the roof is difficult, or it is impossible to point the antenna at the satellite due to dense urban areas or the presence of trees with a dense crown in the visibility zone.
Hi-techComment
Interactive or IP television
Interactive television is a modern broadcasting format. Its difference from cable TV is that the signal goes through an Internet connection, and not through a separate cable. No additional equipment is required, except for a set-top box, but you need a modern TV that supports an Internet connection.
Image quality – Various image quality standards apply, from SD to 3D and Ultra HD
Advantages
- the ability to select a TV show and the start time of its playback, record a program, rewind, pause, etc.;
- integration with social networks, as well as other devices connected to the Internet;
- the ability to pay for services with a bank card and other means without leaving the TV;
- access to archives of films and television shows;
- access to the TV program directly from the TV, etc.
Flaws
- You must have an Internet channel with good bandwidth.
Price
The subscription fee starts from 300 rubles per month and often the connection already includes an unlimited Internet package.
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About broadcasting
Terrestrial television broadcasting comes in analogue and digital standards. In 2019, the transition of Russian regions to the free European terrestrial digital standard is completed. For this purpose, repeaters are being built everywhere, which broadcast a package of television channels at a fixed frequency. Such a package, consisting of ten channels, is called a multiplex.
To receive digital reception consistently in the coverage area, you need a decimeter antenna and a DVB-T2 tuner.
You can make an antenna yourself, or buy an inexpensive model in a store for 500 rubles. If you want to know all the nuances of choosing an antenna for digital television, use this article.
The retail network offers more than 300 types of DVB-T2 set-top boxes. A budget tuner model can be purchased for 1.0 thousand rubles.
Users highlight the following advantages of broadcast digital.
- High definition television picture. This is especially noticeable on modern TV models.
- Resistance to various interferences, with the exception of “freezes” (disintegration of the picture into cubes).
- No subscription fee.
- Inexpensive and accessible receiving equipment.
- Release of TVs with internal DVB-T2 device.
- Easy setup and operation. There is no need to constantly contact telemasters.
The broadcast digital format is just beginning to be introduced, so there are disadvantages.
- The signal level depends on the coverage area. At a great distance from the repeater, the signal level is weakened, so an expensive receiving antenna with an amplifier is required.
- If the signal is weak or there is atmospheric interference, the picture crumbles into cubes or stops.
- The number of channels is limited by the multiplex package.
- Owners of older TV models need additional equipment.
What is better to connect?
The connection option depends largely on the location of the facility and the presence of mobile operators in the area, as well as the availability of equipment to strengthen the signal. Making any connection where there are no obstacles is not a difficult task. But somewhere in the outback, connecting via a fiber optic cable or the Internet is unlikely to be possible.
In places where all connectivity options are available, everything has changed with the advent of interactive television. By turning on the TV, you can watch movies and videos on YouTube online, download any applications and games from Google Play, visit Internet sites, and listen to music. The choice of television channels is huge, and you do not need to connect to cable television.
“The trend now is that everyone is switching to IP telephony and Internet television. In most cases, when connecting and installing, they abandon the antenna because there are few channels and the quality is not the same. Television manufacturers are now moving towards HD picture quality and 5K resolution displays. Accordingly, to watch full HD, a regular antenna with a regular signal is no longer suitable. Everything is going towards Internet technologies. There are special set-top boxes that transmit everything via the Internet,” says expert in the field of telecommunications technologies Evgeniy Abramov .
Possibilities of modern TV
Modern TVs support Internet access. For digital cable television reception, fiber optic or coaxial cables are used.
Today TV can be divided into several types according to different criteria. According to the broadcast form it is:
- Ground. A popular form of transition from analog. Over-the-air broadcasting is received via a television antenna. This ensures fewer glitches and lower viewing costs.
- Satellite. A widely used option with no geographic restrictions. Reception is via satellites. This usually requires a paid subscription, but there are also free services.
Digital TV is divided into three types of video clarity:
- Standard (SDTV). This is the basic level of display and resolution. The transmission can be in traditional (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) format.
- Enhanced (EDTV). Available in 16:9 or 4:3 formats, it provides a better picture by replacing interlaced scanning with progressive scanning.
- High (HDTV). Broadcast only in widescreen format (16:9) and progressive scan, which provides the highest video clarity and resolution.
Equipment: purchase, configuration and connection
Equipment for digital TV is practically no different from satellite TV. The differences lie in the functioning and complexity of the technical design. The standard kit includes an antenna, a receiver, a coaxial cable, and a connection between the set-top box and the TV. Connection is carried out in the following sequence:
- Gadgets are purchased in accordance with the chosen focus in Tricolor TV salons;
- The location for installing the antenna is selected, the latter must correspond to the direction of the best signal;
- The set-top box is installed, the cable from the receiver is connected to it;
- The equipment is connected to the TV, settings are carried out in accordance with the instructions;
- The television is set, all that remains is to enjoy your favorite programs.
Equipment for satellite TV or digital is available in our stores at :
- Domodedovo, st. Kirova, 7, building 1;
- Vidnoye, Leninsky Komsomol Avenue, 9, building 3, room 302.
All that remains is to give preference to one or another option based on price and the result obtained.
Summary
The main difference between digital TV and cable TV is that the former can use two types of signals. The second type has many varieties and uses a variety of transmission media, and also provides higher quality compared to cable.
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DVB-C
This standard was originally created for transmission via cable (C - Cable) - a medium much more stable than air, therefore it allows the use of a higher degree of modulation than DVB-T, and therefore transmits a larger amount of information without using complex coding.
Here we see the constellation 256QAM. There are more squares, their size has become smaller. The probability of error has increased, which means that a more reliable medium (or more complex coding, as in DVB-T2) is needed to transmit such a signal. Such a signal can “scatter” where analog and DVB-T/T2 work, but it also has a margin of noise immunity and error correction algorithms.
Due to the higher probability of error, the MER parameter for 256-QAM is normalized to 32 dB.
The counter of erroneous bits has risen another order of magnitude and now calculates one erroneous bit per billion, but even if there are hundreds of millions of them (PRE-BER ~E-07-8), the Reed-Solomon decoder used in this standard will eliminate all errors.
