Digital Television

There is a "State Programme for the Implementation of Digital Television and Radio Broadcasting in the Republic of Belarus until 2015". Anatoly Kuprevich, Director of Lepel RUES, provided details on the upcoming changes.
All developed countries have switched to a new television broadcasting format – digital. The moment for a global TV reform has arrived for Belarusians as well. Incidentally, many have long been familiar with and have come to appreciate the modern signal transmission quality. For example, users of "ZALA" interactive television, cable, and satellite TV have already recognised the benefits. Those residents of Lepel who are accustomed to simply plugging their existing "box" into the socket and watching the few channels broadcast via analogue television should already be thinking about the future. The social package in "digital" will include eight free channels; however, to receive them, one needs a modern television with a special built-in set-top box or to purchase one separately, along with a UHF antenna. The total cost of these devices is approximately six hundred thousand roubles. A convenient alternative is "Zala" IP television from RUE "Beltelecom". To connect it, a landline telephone must be available in the home, and a fibre-optic cable must be laid nearby. The future subscriber only needs to sign a service agreement at the RUES office. If the client resides in a rural area, they can request the ready-made forms for completion at the post office, thus avoiding the need to travel to Lepel.
Currently, "Zala" is available in almost all major settlements. This means that connection is also possible in villages within a three-kilometre radius. Work is actively underway in the direction of Volosovichsky village council. Soon, residents of the villages of Chercy and Grigorovichi will join the list of subscribers – applications are already being collected there. Gorki is in the immediate plans.
A social survey on feasibility is being conducted in Susha and Zaborye, due to their remoteness. If a landline telephone is not available, it can be easily installed. The procedure will cost 60 thousand roubles. What is the reason for the popularity of interactive television? It has numerous advantages. Firstly, it offers over fifty channels for every taste and interest. Secondly, excellent sound and picture quality. Thirdly, what seemed like science fiction just four years ago, the ability to watch programmes previously broadcast (rewind up to 48 hours back), record future programmes, and much more.
The majority of residents are keeping pace with the advancements of progress, however, there will inevitably be those who...who will not understand the necessity of transitioning from traditional analog television broadcasting to modern digital. And there will be explanations for this too. For example, some will say that they are satisfied with everything as it is, others that they generally dislike all sorts of innovations and find it difficult to get used to them, although modernization in broadcasting is not only about improving quality but also about significant electricity savings by the state. For instance, an analog transmitter will consume five times more electricity to transmit one program than a digital one for eight. In Lepel, a new project has recently started to lay fiber-optic cable to each apartment in a multi-story building under construction on Chuykova Street. This will speed up the process of connecting interactive TV and also provide high data transfer speeds – 10, 20, 30 Mbps. In the Vitebsk region, such projects are currently only being implemented in large cities, and our district has decided not to lag behind. Further information on the transition to digital broadcasting can be obtained by calling 172.
  
Evgenia LYAKH.