Post by Wes on Dec 1, 2005 15:38:45 GMT 8
Singapore to start trial service of HDTV by mid 2006
Singapore will begin a trial service to test high definition TV services or HDTV by the middle of next year.
The Media Development Authority will work with MediaCorp and industry players to start the test trials.
But Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang gives the assurance there's no need for consumers to immediately change their TV sets.
Television viewers always want wider choices and better quality and one of the technologies affecting broadcasting companies is high definition TV, said Dr Lee.
Several countries have already launched HDTV and China has committed to HDTV telecasts of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Singapore too wants to bring a whole new level of experience for the viewing public's entertainment and enjoyment.
And Dr Lee believes there's tremendous scope for the country to join the international move into HDTV development and deployment.
The HDTV trials are expected to cost $20m to $30m.
Chang Long Jong, MediaCorp's Deputy Group CEO, said: "To MediaCorp, it will mean quite a lot of upgrading and it means some infrastructure investment, facilities investment, resources. It will also mean our partnership with people who are important for us to ensure that HD services are possible and this will be the industry players, the manufacturers and so on."
He added: "There are three key areas which we have to look at. One is on the content side, we have to determine the good content on HD that is available both from the acquisition and our own produced programmes. The other area is the transmission, the equipment and facilities we need to acquire in order to transmit the HD services. The other equally important area is the home receivers. There is quite a lot of education needed now to let the consumers understand exactly what is HD, the screens, the boxes required."
While the trials are scheduled to begin by the middle of next year,
Dr Lee has assured consumers that they are not being compelled to replace their television sets immediately.
Dr Lee said: "Sometime in the future, your TV set is going to fail and you will have to replace it. As and when you do, you should be able to find an affordable HD compatible screen you can purchase. The TV broadcasts will continue as before, everyone will continue to enjoy the same TV broadcasts but for those who want to quickly embrace high definition TV, you may have to upgrade your TV ahead of schedule".
Singapore's move into high definition TV was announced at the launch of the Asia Media Festival, which will see some 4500 foreign delegates and 200 international sellers taking part.
Several deals are expected to be inked over the next few days, among them plans by Singapore media companies to go regional in co-productions with leading Indonesian partners. - CNA/ir
Singapore will begin a trial service to test high definition TV services or HDTV by the middle of next year.
The Media Development Authority will work with MediaCorp and industry players to start the test trials.
But Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang gives the assurance there's no need for consumers to immediately change their TV sets.
Television viewers always want wider choices and better quality and one of the technologies affecting broadcasting companies is high definition TV, said Dr Lee.
Several countries have already launched HDTV and China has committed to HDTV telecasts of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Singapore too wants to bring a whole new level of experience for the viewing public's entertainment and enjoyment.
And Dr Lee believes there's tremendous scope for the country to join the international move into HDTV development and deployment.
The HDTV trials are expected to cost $20m to $30m.
Chang Long Jong, MediaCorp's Deputy Group CEO, said: "To MediaCorp, it will mean quite a lot of upgrading and it means some infrastructure investment, facilities investment, resources. It will also mean our partnership with people who are important for us to ensure that HD services are possible and this will be the industry players, the manufacturers and so on."
He added: "There are three key areas which we have to look at. One is on the content side, we have to determine the good content on HD that is available both from the acquisition and our own produced programmes. The other area is the transmission, the equipment and facilities we need to acquire in order to transmit the HD services. The other equally important area is the home receivers. There is quite a lot of education needed now to let the consumers understand exactly what is HD, the screens, the boxes required."
While the trials are scheduled to begin by the middle of next year,
Dr Lee has assured consumers that they are not being compelled to replace their television sets immediately.
Dr Lee said: "Sometime in the future, your TV set is going to fail and you will have to replace it. As and when you do, you should be able to find an affordable HD compatible screen you can purchase. The TV broadcasts will continue as before, everyone will continue to enjoy the same TV broadcasts but for those who want to quickly embrace high definition TV, you may have to upgrade your TV ahead of schedule".
Singapore's move into high definition TV was announced at the launch of the Asia Media Festival, which will see some 4500 foreign delegates and 200 international sellers taking part.
Several deals are expected to be inked over the next few days, among them plans by Singapore media companies to go regional in co-productions with leading Indonesian partners. - CNA/ir