What is digital television?
HDTV (Digital television)
In addition to the ‘normal’ digital image, we can now also receive High Definition digital television. This form of digital television has an even sharper image and offers more interactive possibilities. More information: High Definition
To enjoy HDTV you have to take out a separate subscription with your cable company, which sometimes involves additional costs.
Types of digital TV
There are several ways to receive digital TV in the living room;
- Via cable (DVB-C): This is the most commonly used form. Digital signals come into the house via cable and are converted by a decoder (set-top box) into images on your TV. (eg Ziggo & UPC)
- Via the ether (DVB-T): Digital signals are taken out of the air by an antenna and converted by a decoder to image on your TV (KPN Digitenne)
- Via satellite (DVB-S): Digital signals are received by a satellite dish and converted by a decoder to image on your TV (Canal Digital)
- Via the internet (IP-TV): If you have a fast internet connection, you can also receive TV channels digitally via the internet and then forward them to your TV. (Tele2, KPN)
What can you do with digital TV?
With digital television you can receive the same channels as with the analog variant that we have known for years. The big advantage is that digital television has better picture and sound quality. These advantages are especially visible when you have an LCD (LED) or plasma TV. In combination with a home cinema system you can then receive the best possible TV quality.
In addition to better picture and sound quality, digital television offers other advantages; This way you can receive many more channels than in the standard analogue package, such as music, travel, eroticism, etc. Simply put, there is simply more space on the digital highway to place channels, so this is fully utilized. For some extra channels you have to pay extra money. When you bring digital television into your home, you also have an EPG (Electronic Programming Guide), an electronic TV guide. With your remote control you can select a special menu on which you see a guide of all available channels. So you no longer need a paper guide for this! In addition to the EPG, digital television offers you the option to pause the programs you are watching at any time and continue watching them later. As a final advantage, some cable companies also use VOD (Video on Demand). Via this function on your decoder / set-top-box you can watch paid or free programs and films at any time.
What do you need for digital television?
There are a number of important things you need for digital TV;
- A TV; of course.
- A decoder, also known as a set-top box; This converts the digital signal into an image that appears on your TV.
- A subscription; You take out a subscription with your cable company for a specific channel package.
- A smart card; You will receive this ticket from your cable company after taking out a subscription. After receiving the card, you have to put it in the decoder so that you can watch your chosen channel package.
- A satellite dish / antenna / internet connection; For the other forms (other than via cable) of digital television.
What is digital television? Extra information
- You can connect a decoder to only one TV. If you also want digital television in your bedroom, you will have to request an extra decoder.
- The most recent decoders have a built-in hard disk. With this you can record an x number of hours of programs and watch them later.
- There are already TVs on the market with a built-in decoder / set-top box. When the cable company ‘certifies’ these TVs, you no longer need a decoder when you buy such a TV. You can then insert the smart card into the TV by means of a CI + module.
