Ready the technical requirements for DTV reception in Colombia

The National Television Commission of Colombia (CNTV) presented a framework of reference on the mandatory and optional requirements that must be met by manufacturers of televisions and set top boxes to guarantee the reception of DTV images under the DVB-T standard.

According to Juan Andrã©s Carreã±o, president of the CNTV, with these requirements the industry should begin to produce the necessary equipment to guarantee the reception of digital ±ales. This equipment will bear a seal of approval from the Commission by which the consumer can confirm whether or not he is eligible to receive DTV.

Among the features to be highlighted is the obligation, for televisions and set top boxes, to have an MPEG-4 digital video system (part 10) / H.264; as well as subtitling functions (ETSI EN 300 743); the ability to make software updates via air (OAD) DVB-SSU (ETSI TS 102 006); and electronic programming guides (EPG) support (ESI TR 101 211 and EN 300 468).

On the subject of coverage, Carreã±o stated that private television channels are committed to guaranteeing coverage of 25% of the national territory with DTV ±, before the end of 2010; while, for its part, RTVC must provide coverage of 42% for the same period.

The Commissioner also©indicated that in the area of cooperation, Colombia has already received formal proposals from the governments of Spain and France and, as it is a government-to±-government negotiation, the Ministry of Communications of Colombia will study the proposals and communicate soon which of the two was accepted.

These are the requirements established by the CNTV:

TELEVISIONS

MANDATORY:

• Digital terrestrial television tuner is DVB-T.
• Channeling in 6 MHz.
• MPEG-4 digital video system (part 10) / H.264.
• NTSC-M standard television tuner.
• Operating bands (for analytic and digital systems).

VHF: Â Â 54 - 72 MHz.
76 - 88 MHz.
74 - 216 MHz.

UHF: Â Â 470 - 806 MHz.

Video: The equipment must have the ability to receive the ±ales with the different resolutions issued by the television operators (including the resolution 1080¡30fps 60Hz) and display them with the resolution of the screen.
• Adjustable to the TV screen the aspect ratios 4:3 and 16:9.
• Audio:

Ability to decode MPEG-1 and/or MPEG-2 Backward Compatible layer I and II in the following modes:

ISO/IEC 11172-3[9] single channel.
ISO/IEC 11172-3[9] joint stereo.
ISO/IEC 11172-3[9] stereo.

Ability to perform Downmix a par estéreo audio in AC-3 format (ETSI TS 102 366).

• Support Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) (ETSI TR 101 211 and EN 300 468).
• RF input: 75Q type F connector.
• Subtitling Function (ETSI EN 300 743).
• Ability to update OAD (On Air Download) system software: DVB-SSU (ETSI)
TS 102-006).
• Power supply 120V - 60Hz.

OPTIONAL:

1. Common Interface(Conditional Access).
2. Audio decoding: Enhanced AC-3, MPEG-4 AAC, MPEG-4 HE-AAC.
3. Pass-Through for AC-3 audio format.
4. Interactivity: MHP.

SET TOP BOXES - STB

MANDATORY:

1. DvB-T standard digital terrestrial television tuner.
2. Channel in 6 MHz.
3. MPEG-4 (part 10) / H.264 digital video system.
4. Operating bands (for analytic and digital systems).
5. Â VHF: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 54 - 72 MHz.
6. 76 - 88 MHz.
7. 174 - 216 MHz.
8.  UHF:        470 - 806 MHz.
9. Video output: The equipment must have the ability to receive the seã±ales with the different video resolutions issued by the television operators (including the resolution 1080¡30fps 60Hz) and deliver in its outputs as a minimum one seã±al of resolution video 480¡30fps 60Hz.
10. Ability to handle broadcast ± with 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
11. Audio:

Ability to decode MPEG-1 and/or MPEG-2 Backward Compatible layer I and II in the following modes:

1. ISO/IEC 11172-3[9] single channel.
2. ISO/IEC 11172-3[9] joint stereo.
3. ISO/IEC 11172-3[9] stereo.

Ability to perform Downmix a par estéreo audio in AC-3 format (ETSI TS 102 366).

1. Support Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) (ETSI TR 101 211 and EN 300 468).
2. Display or the OSD (On Screen Display) function to indicate the selected channel.
3. Automatic channel search.
4. RF input: 75Q type F connector.
5. Outputs:

75Q connector F transmodulated NTSC-M in CH 3 or 4.
RF Loop-Through.
Composite video (CVBS).

1. Subtitling function (ETSI EN 300 743). ^
2. Ability to update OAD (On Air Download) system software: DVB-SSU (ETSI TS 102 006).

• Power supply 120V - 60Hz.

OPTIONAL:

• Outputs: component video (YPbPr), HDMI, S-Video.
• Common Interface (Conditional Access).
• Audio decoding: Enhanced AC-3, MPEG-4 AAC, MPEG-4 HE-AAC.
• Pass-Through for AC-3 audio format.
• Video outputs in resolution: 720p60fps 60Hz, 1080i30fps 60Hz.
• Interactivity: MHP.