We hear more and more often about a new digital terrestrial coming soon that will force us, in most cases, to equip our LCD televisions with an additional decoder to be able to continue watching classic TV channels. Unfortunately, the information provided is not always very clear and leaves doubt about the compatibility of our TV. In this guide we will show you how to understand if the TV is DVB-T2, also showing you all the useful information on this technology, so as to be ready when the transition will take place and to understand if our TV in the living room or kitchen is already ready to receive the new signal or we will have to have a decoder soon. In the event that our television is incompatible, just visit the chapter dedicated to decoders to remedy immediately.
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What is DVB-T2
DVB-T2 is the new digital terrestrial transmission standard born as an evolution of the previous DVB-T protocol (introduced in 2010), capable of bringing (on paper) greater quality and an increasing number of TV channels.
With it we should witness the widespread diffusion of high definition (the most famous channels at 1080i, while the smaller broadcasters at 720i) and the growth of broadcasts in 4K UHD, the latter accessible so far only via satellite (Sky or tivùsat). Together with the new protocol, a new codec will be used to compress the audio / video signal, that is HEVC (also known on PC as H.265 ). The combination of the two elements will bring over-the-air television into the new millennium, with quality content, an increasingly frequent interaction with Internet content (thanks to HbbTV, i.e. the new generation interactive TV) and an ever-increasing offer of channels, for being able to compete with online streaming sites (which have become the easiest and fastest way to watch movies and TV series in recent years).
Although there is still a long time to adjust, it must be counted that from July 2022 TV channels will only support the new DVB-T2 standard.
How to recognize if a TV is DVB-T2
If we purchased a TV after January 1, 2017, we don't even have to doubt it: the sale of DVB-T2 TV is mandatory from that date, so the newer TVs are ready for the change of transmission (we won't have to do practically anything if not a tuning on the day of the signal switch). To facilitate the choice, it is also possible to find a logo on the new televisions on sale, which can clearly show the characteristics required for the DVB-T2.
If, on the other hand, the TV is older or we are afraid of purchasing some "warehouse waste" in 2017, we must retrieve the information sheet or the TV manual and check whether, in the technical information, the following elements are present:
- DVB-T2 digital terrestrial tuner
- HEVC codec (H.265)
Without compatibility with the two elements listed above, we risk finding ourselves in one of the two scenarios described below:
- I hear the audio but I don't see the video : our TV is compatible with DVB-T2, but it does not have support for the HEVC codec, resulting in fact incompatible with the transmitted images.
- I don't hear audio or video, I don't see any channel : the worst case scenario, where our TV is completely incompatible with DVB-T2 and HEVC.
NOTE: You can immediately check if your TV is compatible with the reception of DVB-T2 channels by tuning the TV to channel 200 (of Mediaset) or channel 100 (of RAI). In both channels, if the text HEVC Main10 appears, then the TV is compatible with the new standard and it will not be necessary to change it or buy other decoders, if instead the screen remains black, then the TV is old.
If these channels are not selectable or not available, try retuning the TV channel list by leaving the automatic numbering and try again.
How to integrate DVB-T2 on all televisions
In case of total or partial incompatibility, we will therefore have to have a decoder; this scenario immediately brings to mind the great nightmare passed by many Italians in 2010, with two separate remote controls to manage the TV and the decoder (with great confusion and frustration). Fortunately, the technology has gone on and now, thanks to HDMI-CEC (an integrated feature on devices with HDMI port), we can only use the remote control of the decoder to do everything : raise / lower the volume, change channels and turn on / off the decoder and TV together.
All we have to do is connect the new decoder via HDMI to our TV and try to use only the remote control of the new device: we should be able to manage our TV without having to use two remote controls.
The best digital terrestrial decoders that we can buy are listed below:
- Digital Terrestrial Decoder, DVB-T2 Leelbox K2 (25 €)
- Digiquest DGQ700 HD T2 HEVC - Digital Terrestrial Decoder (27 €)
- Tempo 4000 DVB T2 digital terrestrial decoder (29 €)
- Echosat 2910 S DVB-T / T2 Digital Receiver (30 €)
- STRONG SRT 8211 digital terrestrial HD DVBT2 decoder (33 €)
If instead we wanted to immediately bypass the problem, we remind you that the tivùsat satellite platform is free and already has support for all modern standards, we will only have to have a parabola and a specific decoder for the satellite signal, as seen in our guide on How to use 4K on Smart TV .
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Conclusions
Compared to the previous switch that took place in 2010 (with numerous CRT televisions to be updated), this time the transition will be less painful, in particular if we have focused on a high-end TV in this decade or if we have decided to buy a new TV from the 2017 onwards. In all other cases we can postpone the big expense for the new TV by purchasing a small low cost decoder (just € 25), so that we can continue to use our old LCD or plasma TV without any problem.If we need to buy a new TV, we recommend you read our guide on How to choose and buy the best Smart TV .
If instead we wanted an alternative to the decoder, we can try to view digital terrestrial channels directly from the Internet, using streaming streams as described in our guide How to see TV channels on Chromecast (without antenna) .
