The digital television transition also called the digital switchover (DSO), is the process in which analog television broadcasting is converted to and replaced by digital television. This primarily involves the conversion of analogue terrestrial television to digital terrestrial. However, it also involves analogue cable conversion to digital cable, as well as analogue to the digital satellite.
In many countries, a simulcast service is operated where a broadcast is made available to viewers in both analog and digital at the same time. As digital becomes more popular, it is likely that the existing analogue services will be removed bit by bit. While in some cases government policies have been introduced to encourage to switchover process, especially with regard to terrestrial broadcasts.
Recently, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) led by Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah stormed Kano state to launch the DSO, while assuring Nigerians over the timely completion of DSO project nationwide, It also to empower the people and create millions of jobs along the value chain.
“NBC is keying into the agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to democratize information in digital broadcasting, empower the people and create millions of jobs along the value chain.”Three days ago, 100 artisans from the 44 Local councils were trained on FreeTV dealership, installation and activation,” Ilelah said
A digital switchover is the migration of television broadcast technology from analogue to digital systems. Kano is the second state in phase two of the DSO rollout after Lagos in April this year. With Plateau state pioneering the DSO in Nigeria, other states that followed the phase one rollout plan were Kaduna, Enugu, Kwara, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Ilelah noted.
Findings revealed that the DSO can benefit millions of Nigerians aside from providing better picture and sound quality, the switchover to digital broadcasting offers clear advantages for both consumers and operators. These advantages stem from the fact that it is possible to process and compress digital data in a more efficient manner than analogue signals. This also includes innovation and human capacity training.
Also speaking at the Kano DSO launch Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: “the key benefits of digital television broadcasting are- wider choice in TV and radio channels, improved picture quality, for example, High Definition (HD) and Ultra High Definition (UHD), high-fidelity sound, greater flexibility with the potential for portable and mobile reception, enhanced information services including the electronic programming guide or enhanced ‘Teletext services, the potential for interactivity and increased market competition,” Alhaji Mohammed , said.
Therefore, I assume that in this part of the world, not so many people know about the benefits of Digital Switchover but this report will briefly describe and list some benefits everyone needs to know about DSO.
DSO refers to the broadcasting of terrestrial television in digital format that brings you a richer experience where you have greater choice and control over your TV viewing. It also gives you access to more advanced services like voting, email and web access. Though it requires additional hardware called a set-top box, and this is a device that enables your TV to become a user interface to the Internet and also enables it to receive and decode Digital broadcasts.
The benefits consumers derive from DSO are widely recognized when compared to analogue broadcasting, DSO delivers a variety of benefits including:
Wider choice of programming and services (including additional channels, HD offerings, radio, data services, pay programmes and some free to air stations), Better quality – less likely to experience signal interference and picture quality issues
Interactivity which offers a range of interactive applications (games, enhanced Teletext), more user-friendly interfaces and better personalization (e.g. multi-screen capability, multi-lingual subtitling and audio-description) and with convenience video-on-demand/catch-up services allow viewers to watch programmes at a time of their choice.
