For the SDRAM technology, see VC-RAM. For the computer networking term, see virtual circuit.
In most telecommunications organizations, a virtual channel is a method of remapping the program number as used in H.222 Program Association Tables and Program Mapping Tables to a channel number that can be entered as digits on a receiver's remote control.
Often, virtual channels are implemented in digital television to help users select channels easily and in general to ease the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. Assigning virtual channels is most common where TV stations were colloquially named after the RF channel they were transmitting on ("Channel 6 Springfield"), as was common in North America during the analogue TV era. In other parts of the world, such as Europe, virtual channels are rarely used or needed, because TV stations there identify themselves by name, not by RF channel or callsign.
A "virtual channel" was first used for DigiCipher 2 in North America. It was later called a logical channel number (LCN) and used for private European Digital Video Broadcasting extensions widely used by the NDS Group and by NorDig in other markets.
Pay television operators were the first to use these systems for channel reassignment and rearrangement to allow them to group channels by content or origin and, to a lesser extent, to localize advertising.
Free-to-air DVB network operators, such as DTV Services Ltd. (d.b.a. Freeview) and Freeview New Zealand Ltd., use the NorDig method and follow the same practice as pay-TV operators. The exception is Freeview Australia Ltd., which also use the NorDig method and partly follow the ATSC practice of using the same VHF radio-frequency channel allocation that the PAL channel is simulcasting on from the metropolitan station's main transmission point (ie. 2, 7, 9, and 10) with the major and minor format emulated by multiplying by ten.
Implementation
The DigiCipher 2 method uses a privately defined virtual channel table (VCT) to set the channel's major and minor numbers that appear separated by a decimal point or dash on-screen. The major number for ATSC represents the original analog or non-simulcast channel frequency, while the minor is a sequentially assigned number for the selected channel with zero reserved for the analog channel. The channel may be hidden from the viewer.
DVB extensions use privately defined descriptors within the Bouquet Association Table for DVB-S or the Network Information Table for DVB-T. The NorDig version allows for marking a channel as hidden,[1] while the NDS Group version simply omits the channel entry.
The DVB system neither promotes nor mentions either system due to the fact that the already-defined H.222 Program number and Transport Stream ID can achieve the same purpose and also hide a channel by simply omitting it from the Program Association table.
All these methods share the principle of not allowing any viewer reordering as could be achieved under analog and generic digital systems. This locked-down ordering is one of the main criticisms of these methods.
Digital television multiple channels
Because DTV can carry any number of streams (referred to as multiplexing), program numbers can be used to group them into more than one channel which can then be reassigned by virtual or logical channel numbers.
An example of the ATSC major and minor numbers would be to have main programming airing on say channel 8 (the "major channel") with analog on 8.0 and digital on 8.1 (the first two "minor channels") with other entertainment channels below 8.99 on channels 8.2, 8.3, and up and informational data channels ranging from 8.100 to 8.999. The channels can be displayed using a hyphen (such as 8-1) or a space; however, on a common seven-segment display, a decimal point would save one segment. The decimal point is more familiar to FM radio listeners who tune by frequency rather than channel, and avoids confusion with ranges of values (for example, 2-4 may be misinterpreted as the range 2 to 4 instead of the fourth sub-channel of channel 2).
Most US stations follow ATSC numbering guidelines; however, low-power stations such as New York City's WNYZ-LD are exceptions. It was temporarily broadcasting on VHF channel 6 in digital, but used the virtual channel 1.1, instead of 6. This persisted for approximately one year, after which WNYZ-LD reverted to low-power analog.
The assignment of virtual channels in the US is defined within the stream via terrestrial or cable versions of a "Virtual Channel Table" as outlined by ATSC document "A/65", Annex B.[2][3] Rules for assignment of major channel numbers are:
Existing analog stations were assigned a major channel number matching their analog number.
New digital stations assigned to a channel whose matching major channel number is not active use that number.
New digital stations assigned to a channel whose matching major channel number is in use (by a former analog station) must reciprocate, using the major channel number that matches the actual channel of the station in question.
These rules generally prevent overlapping, although in the case of stations where large numbers of stations in adjacent markets are in close proximity, it is possible that overlaps can happen (see, for example, the cases of WJLP and WDPN-TV). Additionally, stations may broadcast some of their subchannels under major channel(s) in the 70–99 range, so long as multiple stations do not attempt to use the same major channel(s). These numbers are certain to be unused, as 69 was the highest assigned channel prior to digital broadcasting. The document does not address the use of certain other major channel numbers:
Numbers below 70 that were never used in NTSC (0, 1 and 37)
The real numbers of stations that are using virtual channels from 38 to 69 (these stations are not covered by the reciprocity rule, as real station numbers are not assigned above 36.)
Numbers in the range of 38–69 that are not used by a former analog station
Broadcasters that own more than one station with overlaps in coverage area may have all of their channels use the major channel of one of the stations, so long as minor channel numbers do not overlap.
When the US began buying licenses in a broadcast spectrum auction in 2017, it allowed companies that had a duopoly in a market to sell one license, but continue to use the virtual channel of the sold channel on a subchannel of the other. For example, Sunbeam Television sold WLVI in the auction, but was allowed to use its virtual channel 56 on WHDH, which uses virtual channel 7 for its main channel; thus, the WHDH license uses both virtual channels, 7 and 56, on the same license.
The range for pay TV free-to-air local stations is from 2 to 29. All other channels are based on the service provider's preference.
Usage examples
Order for Charter Spectrum (subscriber on-demand services)
Basic subscriber channels are from 30 to 120
Extra subscriber channels are from 121 to 199
Informational subscriber channels are from 200 to 244
Sporting subscriber channels are from 245 to 279
Movie subscriber channels are from 280 to 299
Latin American targeted subscriber channels from 300 to 399 and 800 to 899
Extra HD subscriber channels are from 400 to 499
Extra movie subscriber channels are from 500 to 599
Extra foreign subscriber channels are from 600 to 699
Extra season pass NBA/NHL/MLB subscriber channels from 700 to 769
Premium adult subscriber channels from 770 to 799
Extra audio only music subscriber channels from 900 to 999
Order for DirecTV: (subscriber information and 201)
Local free-to-air stations are from 2 to 69
Shopping subscriber channels are from 70 to 99
Extra movie subscriber channels are from 100 to 200
Basic (and extra HD) subscriber channels are from 202 to 389
NY east and CA west coast FTA network subscriber channels from 390 to 400
Latin American targeted subscriber channels from 401 to 499
Premium subscriber channels from 500 to 573
Premium adult subscriber channels from 575 to 599
Extra regional sporting subscriber channels from 600 to 699
Extra season pass NFL/NBA/NHL subscriber channels from 700 to 799
Extra audio only music subscriber channels from 800 to 999
Extra non-North/Latin American subscriber channels from 2000 to 2199
DirecTV system/hidden interactive channels from 9000 to 9539 and 9950
DirecTV system/hidden HD channels from 9540 to 9559
DirecTV system/hidden instrumental channels from 9560 to 9599
Mexico
When digital television arrived, most stations used virtual channels that matched their analog channels. A few branded their physical channel (such as XHMNU-TDT in Monterrey, which took virtual channel 35. Television there is more centralized than in other ATSC countries—three of the four national commercial networks brand their Mexico City channel numbers. New entrants such as Grupo Imagen were almost universally on UHF, and would be disadvantaged by higher virtual channels than stations that began on VHF.
On October 27, 2016, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) led a coordinated switch of all virtual channels.[4] The plan eliminated much of the local variance for national and regional networks. E.g., Canal 5, a national network, used 25 different virtual channel numbers before the plan standardized it as channel 5 nationwide.
The IFT accredited awarded nine national television networks national rights to a virtual channel. The IFT also awarded common numbers to 14 regional networks (primarily operated by state governments) and virtual channels to nearly 100 local stations.[5] Local stations were mostly assigned to channels 4, 8, 9, 10, and 12. Some retained existing channel numbers, particularly if they broadcast on UHF in analog.
The largest exception to standardization is on the US-Mexico border, where due to the presence of US stations on desired virtual channels and objections from the US Federal Communications Commission.
Australia
Allocation of logical channel numbers is governed by guidelines set by the commercial broadcasters' association, Free TV Australia.[6][7]
These are defined within the terrestrial broadcast stream using the NorDig descriptor format within the DVB Network Information Table.
LCNs in Australia may have one, two or three digits. Each network is allocated LCNs with a prefix - for instance, all metropolitan Nine Network services use LCNs beginning with the digit '9'. Generally, but not always, the single-digit LCN is allocated to the primary SD service (Network 10's high definition-channel 10 HD is the main exception). LCNs need not be contiguous, and a channel may be identified by more than one LCN. For instance, ABC Television's primary ABC TV service is allocated LCNs 2 and 21; the latter allows it to be easily accessed amongst other ABC services which lie in the 21–24 range.
Regional affiliates of the three metropolitan networks are provided with their own LCN prefix. For instance, channels owned by affiliates of the Nine Network (in this case NBN Television) are prefixed with the digit 8 rather than 9. This allows areas that are part of both a metropolitan market and a regional market, such as the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Central Coast, to receive all local commercial services. The ABC and SBS use the same prefix in all areas.
Prefixes for remote-area services are intended to overlay this model. Services licensed for the Remote Central and Eastern Australia licence area (Imparja and Southern Cross Central) received metropolitan prefixes corresponding to their affiliation; those in Remote Western Australia (GWN and WIN WA) received "regional" prefixes.
Some LCNs are reserved:
LCN 4 was originally intended for a free-to-air video program guide. Instead, the LCN 4 prefix has been largely unused, except in Sydney (where it was used by the Digital Forty Four trial datacasting service from 2004 to 2010). Since 2010, capital city community television stations (or "Channel 31" stations, after their typical analogue channel position) use LCN 44.
LCN range 350-399 is intended to be allocated by receivers to channels which either duplicate a stronger signal's LCN, or are transmitted without an LCN. For instance, if two broadcasts of LCN 2 were found, one signal (generally the stronger) will be allocated to LCN 2, and the weaker should be allocated to, say, LCN 350.
The LCN range 450-499 is intended for use by trial services by non-broadcasters.
Ten Network metropolitan HD channel is on channel 1
ABC primary SD channel is on channel 2
SBS primary SD channel is on channel 3
VAST regional news guide or in Darwin, First Nations TV is on channel 4.
Ten Network regional primary SD channel is on channel 5
7 Regional primary SD channel is on channel 6
7 Network metropolitan primary SD channel is on channel 7
9 Regional and 9 Network Northern NSW primary SD channel is on channel 8
9 Network metropolitan primary SD channel is on channel 9
Ten Network metropolitan primary SD channel is on channel 10. Ten Network metropolitan other TV channels are from 11 to 19.
ABC HD channel is on channel 20. ABC other TV channels are from 21 to 29
SBS HD channel is on channel 30. SBS other TV channels are from 31 to 39. The local public service is on channel 44. Miscellaneous/Government-owned channels are from 40 to 43 and 45 to 49.
Ten Network Regional HD channel is on channel 50. Ten Network regional other TV channels are from 51 to 59.
7 Network regional HD channel is on channel 60. 7 regional other TV channels are from 61 to 69
7 Network metropolitan HD channel is on channel 70. 7 Network metropolitan other TV channels are from 71 to 79
9 regional and 9 Network Northern NSW HD channel is on channel 80. 9 Regional and 9 Network Northern NSW other TV channels are from 81 to 89
9 Network metropolitan HD channel is on channel 90. 9 Network metropolitan other TV channels are from 91 to 99
Ten Network extended other TV channels are from 100 to 199
ABC Audio Only channels are from 200 to 219
ABC out of region/extended channels are from 220 to 299
SBS out of region/extended channels are from 300 to 349
Any out of region channels are from 350 to 399
Regional VAST news channels are from 400 to 499
VAST community channels are from 600 to 699
7 Network extended other TV channels are from 700 to 799
VAST informational channels are from 800 to 899
9 Network extended other TV channels are from 900 to 999
The order for Foxtel (who wholesale to Austar and Optus) is largely based on the channel's content:
System Services from 1 to 99 and above 989
General Entertainment from 100 to 149
Time-shifted from 150 to 169
Specialist from 170 to 179
Community from 180 to 199
High Definition from 200 to 299
Interactive/Miscellaneous from 300 to 399
Movies from 400 to 499
Sport from 500 to 599
News/Informational from 600 to 699
Young Children from 700 to 799
Music from 800 to 829
Music Audio Only from 830 to 849
Free to Air Audio Only from 850 to 899
Pay Per View from 900 to 939
European from 940 to 959
Adult Pay Per View from 960 to 989
Help on 999
Europe, Africa and the Middle East
Europe, Africa and the Middle East do not use a special numbering system for subchannels; two related "channels" (that is, programme streams) may have unrelated numbers (for example, in the United Kingdom, ITV is channel 3 and its digital sister channel ITV2 is channel 6 on Freeview).
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Freeview channel numbers are defined within the terrestrial broadcast stream using the NorDig descriptor format within the DVB "Network Information Table".
Usage examples
The order for Freeview is largely based on the channel's content:
General Entertainment from 1 to 99
High Definition from 100 to 119
Young Children from 201 to 219
News/Public Service from 230 to 239
MHEG-5 non-broadcast Internet streaming are from 260 to 299
State owned RTÉ Audio Only channels from 200 to 209
In continental and eastern Europe, virtual channels are not used, since television sets and receivers there allow users to freely assign arbitrary numbers or letters to channels.
Stations still market themselves as "first", "second", or "third" channel (and so on), or "channel A", "channel B" or "channel C", etc., but this reflects historic or colloquial usage, or is done for marketing purposes. For example, in Germany the term "third programme" refers to the local public station, which was usually the third TV station to go on air in most areas[9][circular reference][10][circular reference]. These terms are unrelated to the transmitting RF channel. Referencing the above example, the third programmes in Germany never transmitted on an RF channel below 21.
Digital terrestrial TV broadcasters in each region are allocated a "remote control key ID" (or, "remocon key ID"), numbered from 1 to 12.[11] Remote control ID allocations for broadcasters outside the Kanto region generally follow their Tokyo-based network flagships; however, some stations in some prefectures deviate from this. This system is limited to 16 broadcasters per region.
Each underlying channel is then assigned a three-digit number, which is based on their assigned remote control ID, followed by the sub-channel number. For example, NHK Educational TV is assigned remote control ID 2 (nationwide). Their primary channel is therefore assigned virtual channel 021. If the broadcaster multichannels (of which the ISDB-T standard allows up to three standard-definition streams), the additional streams would be assigned virtual channels 022 and 023, respectively. Standards allow for a maximum of eight virtual channels per broadcaster (in this example 021-028).
Additional datacasting services use virtual channels in the 200–799 range – in this example, the network could use the 22x, 42x and 62x ranges.
New Zealand
The allocation of logical channel numbers is governed by Freeview and inserted into the transport stream by mostly Kordia maintained equipment with the encoding done by TVNZ who also do the encoding for all other non critical DVB metadata such as the EPG and channel naming.
SKY Network Television define their own channel numbering which uses a similar NDS encoded format. They wholesale their channels to the only other local pay TV operator Vodafone and to the short lived TelecomFirst Media.
Freeview LCNs are encoded within a terrestrial broadcast stream using the NorDig descriptor format within the DVB Network Information Table. And within the two satellite broadcast streams also using the NorDig descriptor format, but is instead within the DVB Bouquet Association Table (BAT). The BAT is used on satellite, so channel region-ization can be done on certified receivers (i.e., channel order locked receivers).
Usage examples
The order for Freeview is based on how a channel pays for broadcast services:[12]
nationwide high viewership TV channels are below 20
nationwide lower viewership TV channels are from 20 to 29
locally inserted TV channels are from 30 to 40
local non-Kordia operators are from 41 to 49
nationwide high priority audio only channels are from 50 to 69
nationwide low priority audio only channels are from 70 to 79
TVNZ Provided MHEG-5 Interactive (currently unused) are from 80 to 99
Broadcast Test channels (no longer used) are from 100 to 199
TVNZ Provided MHEG-5 non-broadcast Internet streaming are from 200 to 299
TVNZ Provided System Services (currently unused) from 300 to 399
TVNZ Provided MHEG-5 Interactive informational channels are from 500 to 599
TVNZ Provided MHEG-5 Interactive test channels are from 600 to 699
TVNZ Provided Receiver Downloads are from 700 to 799
The order for Sky is largely based on the channel's content:[13]
General Entertainment below thirty (before April 2013 was below twenty)
Movies from 30 to 39 (before April 2013 was 20 to 29)
Sport from 50 to 69 and 333 (before April 2013 was 30 to 39 and 333)
Pre-Teenage from 100 to 109 (before April 2013 was 40 to 49)
Informational from 70 to 79
Public Service from 80 to 84 (before April 2013 was from 85 to 89)
News from 85 to 99 (before April 2013 was from 90 to 99)
Music from 110 to 119 (before April 2013 was 60 to 69)
Movie Pay Per View from 120 to 139 (before April 2013 was 200 to 219)
Adult Pay Per View from 140 to 139 (before April 2013 was 200 to 219)
Religious/State Funded from 200 to 299 (before April 2013 was 110 to 119)
Asian Language from 300 to 309
Asian Audio Only from 311 to 314
Non-Asian Eastern Language from 315 to 319
Music Audio Only from 400 to 419
Free to Air Audio Only from 420 to 429 (before April 2013 was 500 to 599)
Timeshift from 500 to 599 (before April 2013 was 80 to 84)
System Services from 800 to 999
Interactive/Miscellaneous (before April 2013 was 50 to 59)
European (before April 2013 was 100 to 109)
The order for Sky/TVNZ/Kordia Freeview hybrid bundling called Igloo is as follows:
Primary Freeview national channels from 1 to 5
Sky Pay TV channels from 6 to 19
Secondary Freeview national channels from 30 to 39
Sports related Freeview channels from 40 to 44
Infomercial Freeview channels from 45 to 49
News related Freeview channels from 50 to 54
Religious Freeview channels from 55 to 59
Secondary language Freeview channels from 60 to 64
non-English Freeview channels from 65 to 69
locally inserted English Freeview channels from 80 to 89
Local non-Freeview channels from 100 to 109
Freeview audio only channels from 110 to 119
Philippines
Virtual channels were initially assigned to TV networks who were then in operation. In 2010, the National Telecommunications Commission adopted ISDB-T.
LCN used in ISDB-T was pre-assigned to the currently operating networks in digital TV. Small-player GEM HD on DZCE-TV was the first network to adopt ISDB-T. It was assigned to LCN 2.11 which used analog channel 49. Government-owned People's Television Network or PTV was assigned to 1.1, using its analog channel 48 because of its status as government-owned. High definition channels were assigned the decimal "11", while a multiple-SD channel used decimal with "1, 2, 3... and so on" as its subchannel.
Indonesia
LCN is given by the Directorate General of Post and Telecommunications (Dirjen Postel) Kemenkominfo RI to television stations that are tenants of multiplexing channels. The LCN can be revoked if the television station broadcasting license is revoked or if there is an arrangement for LCN numbering by the government. Television stations can apply for changes to their LCN numbers, but must meet the requirements of the Director General of Post and Telecommunication.[14]
The following are the virtual channel numbers (generally the same in various regions despite different frequencies, sometimes each regional or transmission station has a different numbering configuration from the main network):
In terrestrial digital television reception, because the reception position is close to other areas, sometimes two or more channels host the same TV station. Virtual channel numbering assigns the corresponding virtual channel number to TV stations whose signal is stronger, and weaker ones to be placed on channel entries of 800's and above. Likewise for TV stations that do not have virtual channels or whose virtual channels have not been configured.
Grouping of virtual channel numbers in terrestrial TV
TVRI and private TV MUX tenants
National TV Channel
Special genre TV channels
Excess TV channels or no LCN
0-19
20-99
100-799
800 until so on (tentative by digital channels)
Digital radio
Digital radio also uses channels and subchannels in the DAB format. iBiquity's HD Radio uses HD1, HD2, ..., HD7 channels. HD1-3 are available in FM hybrid mode, while all seven HD channels are available in the pure digital mode.
IBOC system (Digital Radio Mondiale) stations do not currently use any virtual channels because of the limited bandwidth available in analog sidebands.
Related Research Articles
A television channel, or TV channel, is a terrestrial frequency or virtual number over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, channel 2 refers to the terrestrial or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video (VSB) and 59.75 MHz for analog audio (FM), or 55.31 MHz for digital ATSC (8VSB). Channels may be shared by many different television stations or cable-distributed channels depending on the location and service provider
Freeview is the United Kingdom's sole digital terrestrial television platform. It is operated by Everyone TV and DTV Services Ltd, a joint venture between the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. It was launched on 30 October 2002, taking over the licence from ITV Digital which collapsed that year. The service provides consumer access via an aerial to the seven DTT multiplexes covering the United Kingdom. As of July 2020, it has 85 TV channels, 26 digital radio channels, 10 HD channels, six text services, 11 streamed channels, and one interactive channel.
Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) is a set of international open standards for digital television. DVB standards are maintained by the DVB Project, an international industry consortium, and are published by a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Terrestrial television or over-the-air television (OTA) is a type of television broadcasting in which the content is transmitted via radio waves from the terrestrial (Earth-based) transmitter of a TV station to a TV receiver having an antenna. The term terrestrial is more common in Europe and Latin America, while in Canada and the United States it is called over-the-air or simply broadcast. This type of TV broadcast is distinguished from newer technologies, such as satellite television, in which the signal is transmitted to the receiver from an overhead satellite; cable television, in which the signal is carried to the receiver through a cable; and Internet Protocol television, in which the signal is received over an Internet stream or on a network utilizing the Internet Protocol. Terrestrial television stations broadcast on television channels with frequencies between about 52 and 600 MHz in the VHF and UHF bands. Since radio waves in these bands travel by line of sight, reception is generally limited by the visual horizon to distances of 64–97 kilometres (40–60 mi), although under better conditions and with tropospheric ducting, signals can sometimes be received hundreds of kilometers distant.
Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standards are an international set of standards for broadcast and digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable and satellite networks. It is largely a replacement for the analog NTSC standard and, like that standard, is used mostly in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South Korea and Trinidad & Tobago. Several former NTSC users, such as Japan, have not used ATSC during their digital television transition, because they adopted other systems such as ISDB developed by Japan, and DVB developed in Europe, for example.
Digital cable is the distribution of cable television using digital data and video compression. The technology was first developed by General Instrument. By 2000, most cable companies offered digital features, eventually replacing their previous analog-based cable by the mid 2010s. During the late 2000s, broadcast television converted to the digital HDTV standard, which was incompatible with existing analog cable systems.
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to as TVNZ, is a television network that is broadcast throughout New Zealand and parts of the Pacific region. All of its currently-operating channels are free-to-air and commercially funded.
Digital terrestrial television is a technology for terrestrial television, in which television stations broadcast television content in a digital format. Digital terrestrial television is a major technological advancement over analog television, and has largely replaced analog television broadcasting, which was previously in common use since the middle of the 20th century.
Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen to the content without requiring a subscription, other ongoing cost, or one-off fee. In the traditional sense, this is carried on terrestrial radio signals and received with an antenna.
The following tables show the frequencies assigned to analog broadcast television channels in various regions of the world, along with the ITU letter designator for the system used. The frequencies shown are for the analog video and audio carriers. The channel itself occupies several megahertz of bandwidth. For example, North American channel 1 occupies the spectrum from 44 to 50 MHz. See Broadcast television systems for a table of signal characteristics, including bandwidth, by ITU letter designator. Analog television broadcasts have been phased out in most regions, having been replaced by digital television broadcasts.
Datacasting is the transmission of data over a wide area using radio waves. It typically refers to supplemental information sent by television stations alongside digital terrestrial television (DTT) signals. However, datacasting can also be applied to digital data signals carried on analog TV or radio broadcasts.
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a method of transmitting more than one independent program stream simultaneously from the same digital radio or television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual program stream, and multiplexing to combine them into a single signal. The practice is sometimes called "multicasting".
Freeview is New Zealand's free-to-air television platform. It is operated by a joint venture between the country's major free-to-air broadcasters – government-owned Television New Zealand and Radio New Zealand, government-subsidised Whakaata Māori, and the American-owned Warner Bros. Discovery.
Television frequency allocation has evolved since the start of television in Australia in 1956, and later in New Zealand in 1960. There was no coordination between the national spectrum management authorities in either country to establish the frequency allocations. The management of the spectrum in both countries is largely the product of their economical and political situation. New Zealand didn't start to develop television service until 1965 due to World War 2 and its economic harm in the country's economy.
DVB-T2 is an abbreviation for "Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial"; it is the extension of the television standard DVB-T, issued by the consortium DVB, devised for the broadcast transmission of digital terrestrial television. DVB has been standardized by ETSI.
Television in France was introduced in 1931, when the first experimental broadcasts began. Colour television was introduced in October 1967 on La Deuxième Chaîne.
Interactive television standards are standards for television broadcasting that are designed to add modes of interaction and feedback mechanisms, thereby extending the traditional television experience.
Freeview is the brand name of the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia intended to bring all of free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters onto a consistent marketing platform, to compete against subscription television, in particular Foxtel. The strategy coincided with the expansion to 3 digital channels for each FTA network and the phasing out of analogue television in Australia. Important services from Freeview include its free-to-air channels with an enhanced EPG across all channels. Freeview also certifies televisions, set-top boxes and personal video recorders (PVR) which meet its standards.
The Viewer Access Satellite Television service, or VAST, is a satellite television platform in Australia, providing digital television and radio services to remote and rural areas, as well as viewers in terrestrial black spots. The service uses the Optus C1 and Optus D3 satellites. It is partly funded by the Australian Government and managed through a joint-venture between Southern Cross Media and Imparja Television. It is an even more restricted free-to-view replacement for Optus Aurora providing channels which have been absent on the remote service until now. The platform uses only H.264 video encoding and 8PSK, which allows for more lower bit rate channels on the limited transponder space that's available. The EPG uses an MHEG-5 guide instead of the usual more compatible DVB EIT.
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