HDTV kicks off at Croker

16-07-2007

by Emmet Ryan

While hardly an epic encounter on the field, Sunday's Leinster Football final proved to be a historic occasion for High-Definition TV.

The game at Croke Park, which saw Dublin defeat Laois and claim its third provincial crown in succession, was the subject of the first terrestrial broadcast in Ireland in HDTV. The broadcast was launched by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan.

HDTV is currently available to a limited degree on satellite, but Sunday marked the first time a broadcast of HDTV was transmitted from a digital terrestrial network in Ireland. From Monday, a selection of High-Definition content from RTE, TV3 and TG4 will be available on the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) trial. The DTT trial is being used to prepare for the changeover from analogue to digital television.

"This is a very exciting time for broadcasting in Ireland. We have to adapt and take part in the global broadcasting revolution which is coming with new digital transmission services," said Ryan. "A Digital Terrestrial Television service is capable of providing much greater quality, service and additional channels for Irish viewers in the long term. I would also encourage RTE, the BCI (Broadcasting Commission of Ireland) and ComReg to work together to roll out digital terrestrial services over the next 12 months so that the citizens of Ireland can start to benefit from the digital age."

The European Commission aims to have removed analogue television from use in Europe by 2012. Ryan said Ireland needs to have its digital platform fully up and running in the near future. "The reality is that Ireland will need a digital transmission system well in advance of this deadline. We want consumers to have a real choice in how they access Irish programmes and we want a new digital platform which can provide new channels and broadcasting services to every home in the country."