Digital terrestrial, the switch off is coming and citizens who have not run for cover will no longer be able to see television. We assess the situation.
The switch off is winding down, the digital terrestrial revolution is about to end and old televisions will become obsolete and useless.
A succession of changes and re-tuning since last October 20; month after month the Italian regions have asked citizens to adapt to the changes envisaged for the transition to the new MPEG 4 standard which provides for an improvement in the vision of TV channels and the change of frequencies to free those dedicated to the 5 G of telephone companies. Various steps have followed one after the other but, now, the hourglass is about to end the countdown and all citizens who do not adapt in time will lose the right to view their favorite channels. To date, the switch off has been partially accomplished as it is still possible to see the Rai and Mediaset channels in the old standard Mpeg 2 by typing the numbers 500 and above on the remote control. The final shutdown will take place, however, on January 1, 2023. A few more months, therefore, and the DVB-T2 standard will be the only accepted transmission mode.
Digital terrestrial, what will happen from 1 January 2023
In six months the switch off will be official and complete and those who do not have the right means to support the new DVB-T2 standard will not be able to see the Rai, Mediaset and smaller broadcasters channels. The only way to keep up with the times is to have a compatible decoder – using the TV Bonus which guarantees a 30 euro discount on the purchase – or a latest generation TVa smart TV that will give you a qualitatively better viewing experience, taking advantage of the Scrapping Bonus.
Before proceeding with the new purchase, it is advisable to check if your old device is able or not to support the new transmission mode. The test can simply be carried out by switching on the TV and typing 100 or 200 on the remote control. If the wording appears “Test HEVC Main 10” then you can breathe a sigh of relief because the switch off will not create any problems. If not, you have six months to buy a decoder or a new television.
How much will the expense be?
Savings are guaranteed by taking advantage of the two bonuses mentioned above. Choosing the “decoder” option will spend about 20 euro without Bonus TV – that we remember has some conditions to respect – while a smart TV will have a more expensive cost that can be amortized with the Scrapping Bonus that guarantees one 20% discount with a maximum limit of 100 euros on condition that an old appliance is scrapped.
The resources made available by the state are being used up. Consequently, it is advisable to send the application for access to the bonuses immediately so as not to miss an important saving opportunity. Finally, we conclude by recalling that many citizens are receiving the decoder at home for free, satisfying specific requirements.
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