FCC authorises DVB-T2 trial

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just approved a 6-month trial of Europe’s OFDM-based DVB-T2 standard. The trial will take place on a Baltimore station between the hours of 1am-5am. USA currently broadcasts its terrestrial signals under the ATSC format.

Advanced Television reports that the rationale behind the trial is to use it as a test-bed for ‘next generation’ TV transmissions, which might even lead to nation-wide adoption leading to Ultra-HDTV.

The 6 month trial licence was granted on February 15 to WNUV-TV in Baltimore, owned by Cunningham Broadcasting which is affiliated to the CW network. Cunningham say that other broadcasters, suppliers and industry trade associations will take part in the tests.

Former FCC commissioner Richard Wiley, who supervised the adoption of ATSC, speaking at an event last Friday, said he thought a new transmission standard accommodating ultra-HDTV and multiplatform delivery was in broadcasting’s future, but says it might take up to a decade because it is not backward compatible-it will require new TV sets.