One, phoenix, tagesschau24 and arte have long been available to viewers in high-resolution HD picture quality via satellite reception. In addition to the transmission in HD, these TV programs have so far also been transmitted in parallel in SD quality via satellite transponder 51. With the closure in mid-November 2022, the simulcast operation and thus the SD distribution of the four programs was completed . The respective cable network operator is responsible for retransmission with cable reception. SD distribution of One, phoenix, tagesschau24 and arte is also expected to be disrupted in cable networks following the satellite shutdown. This is now the case with Vodafone.
With Joyn’s streaming service, HD versions of stations are available for free in the live stream. (Announcement)
The ARD justifies the switch-off with the greater use of HD by viewers. About 90 percent of households now receive their TV shows in HD, which is why “only a relatively small percentage of TV households will be affected by the SD shutdown,” ARD pointed out in a statement. One wants to make the distribution of the ARD program as cheap and efficient as possible.
