Ofcom's HDTV plans hit stumbling block over manufacturer doubts on timetable

摘要

Ofcom's plan to offer high-definition television on existing Freeview capacity has suffered a setback after equipment manufacturers warned that the technology required would not be commercially available until 2011. The communications regulators argument for launching HDTV on existing digital-terrestrial capacity rather than on spectrum released at switchover in 2012 is that it would enable services to launch by the end of 2009. But some manufacturers argue that DVB-T2, the transmission technology that underpins Ofcom's plan, would not be available in this timeframe. Sony, one of the biggest manufacturers of television sets, is the leading sceptic. "DVB-T2 might be suitable for post-switchover in 2011 or 2012 but it's certainly not suitable for bringing to market in 2009," said Mark Londero, general manager of technical planning for Sony TV Operations Europe.