Brasília - By determination of the Ministry of Communications, whatever digital TV standard Brazil adopts will have to be open and free, accessible to the population that receives analog (conventional) TV signals, and connectable to the Internet, as a way to contribute to the elimination of digital exclusion. One of the chief appeals of digital TV is the high-definition image, or HDTV.

Yesterday (19), the Ministry inaugurated the site of the Brazilian Digital Television System (SBTVD). The SBTVD was created in November, 2003, to stimulate and integrate research to develop a national digital TV technology. The research consortia should submit the Brazilian digital TV reference model in March, 2005, and the system is expected to begin operations in mid-2006.

The selection of the system to be used is only the first step in the process of digitalizing Brazilian television. In practice, implanting the other stages - transmission, production, distribution, and reception -, which will require the participation of broadcasting stations, production companies, and equipment manufacturers, should take from 10 to 15 years. In the meantime, digital and analog transmissions will coexist, as is still the case with analog and digital telephone services.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Maurício Cardoso
Translator: David Silberstein
08/20/2004