June 30, 2004
The switch to digital television, the next revolution for the television industry, will formally commence in Taiwan on June 1 as the country's five wireless, free-to-air channels, Taiwan Television Enterprise Ltd (TTV), China Television Co (CTC), Chinese Television System (CTS), Public Television Service (PTS) and Formosa Television (FTV), begin broadcasting digital television programs.
Due to the compression capabilities of digital television, which is broadcast on UHF rather that the VHF used for analog television, each digital television frequency channel is expected to support programs from three to five digital television channels. This means viewers in Taiwan could be enjoying fifteen or more digital channels in the coming future. This expanded number of wireless, free-to-air channels combined with digital television's stable signal and high picture quality is sure to present a threat to cable television operators.
Formosa Television (FTV) launched its new digital traffic channel on May 24. This channel, aiming to tap the emerging in-car digital television market, presents real-time traffic condition videos from the National Freeway Bureau, weather updates four time every hour and other traffic news.
However, with millions of analog television sets still in use around the island, Taiwan's five wireless, free-to-air channels intend to continue providing analog television broadcasts at least until January 2006. (Agencies, China Times)
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