The day finally arrived. From today, February 14, we can no longer see the SD DTT channels in Spain. If our television does not have a tuner compatible with HD channels, we will have woken up with an unpleasant surprise, since We will not be able to see any digital terrestrial television channel. Although calling it a surprise is a bit daring, because both the online media and the television channels themselves have been warning for weeks. Luckily, changing your television to a more modern one is not the only solution. There are some slightly more affordable solutions.
But let's go in parts. At AVPasión we have been warning for several weeks about the so-called DTT SD blackout. But for the most clueless we make a summary. Starting today, February 14, 2024, The channels that broadcast in SD have disappeared from DTT to make way for their HD versions (or to disappear, that depends on the operator responsible for each channel). This, which in principle is good news since all channels will be obliged to broadcast with better quality, can become a headache for some users.
We must take into account that This measure has come into force following Royal Decree 16/2023 of the BOE, it is not a whim of the communication groups. The objective is to be able to enjoy a clearer and sharper image and, at the same time, leave free the 2.6 GHz band necessary for the full deployment of 5G in European territory. And of course, as we mentioned, leave space for the broadcast of 4K channels such as La1 UHD.
How can I know if my television is compatible with HD DTT?
First of all, we must know if our television is compatible with HD DTT. The easiest way to know is check if we are currently watching the HD channels that are broadcast. A few days ago we would have to look for the logo or name of the channel and see if it said HD next to it. But today it will no longer be necessary, since If you watch the DTT channels, they are surely in HD..
According to the official website of the corresponding Ministry, more than 98% of current devices are compatible with HD broadcasts. However, if you have a very old TV, you have turned it on and you don't see any DTT, then We are sorry to tell you but you have been caught by the DTT SD blackout. Let's see how to solve it.
What do I need to continue watching DTT from today?
As we have already mentioned in several articles, if your current television is not compatible with HD DTT, you have several options to solve it. The first and most logical is buy a new television. The second, more economical, is purchase a DTT receiver compatible with HD channels. These devices connect to the antenna cable and the television and allow you to receive the DTT signal in high definition format.
The third, although more complex, is to choose use a IPTV list in one of the applications that allow you to do so. We can do this in the television's own applications such as Kodi (although if you have a television that is not compatible with DTT HD channels it is very likely that it does not have applications), use an external device such as Fire TV or Google Chromecast or watch directly the channels with a mobile application, such as TDTChannels or Tivify. If you want more details, here we tell you how to watch DTT HD without a compatible tuner.
Finally, comment that if you have a modern television that is compatible with HD DTT, perhaps what you want to do now that the SD channels have been eliminated will be retune the television to leave all the channels well organized. Doing so is very easy and at AVPasión we have told you how to retune an LG television with webOS, a television with Android TV and a Samsung television with Tizen OS.
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