How to check if the TV is DVB-T2? Starting from the beginning of 2021 there will be the transaction towards the new digital terrestrial transmission standard, precisely called DVB-T2.
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It is therefore important to understand if the televisions you have at home are suitable for receiving the new signal and, if not, to gear up to find the best solution for you.
Let’s assume that if you still have a CRT TV, it will certainly not be compatible with DVB-T2, as it was not with the first version of this broadcast standard.
So, to adapt in the past, you bought a digital terrestrial, which you will have to do again if you do not want to replace the TV.
What is the DVB-T2 standard?
Before explaining how to find out if the TV is DVB-T2, let’s see how this new standard works and why it was decided to move on to its adoption.
DVB-T2 is the evolution of the DVB-T standard, a television transmission mode that allows you to view digital terrestrial channels through a common antenna.
With this extension, you have better signal reception and an increase in sound and visual quality, as you can also view Ultra HD 4K and 8K content.
Why is switching to the DVB-T2 standard?
The choice to change the standard is due to the need to free up the 700 MHz transmission to sell it to telephone operators for 5G, the new mobile network technology that will replace the current 4G / 4G LTE, increasing the connection speed.
Furthermore, DVB-T2 will be mandatory to continue watching TV, when the famous “ switch off ” is performed, that is, the turning off of all previous frequencies.
In the meantime, however, many broadcasts begin to use the HEVC / H.265 codec for video compression chosen for the new DVB-T2 standard, so they are not visible on devices that do not support it.
The next step will be the total transition to the new standard which will take place gradually over 2021 and 2022 according to four different macro-areas and at different times.
- Area 2 and Area 3: Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, the province of Trento, the province of Bolzano, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Emilia Romagna – between 1 September 2021 and 31 September 2021.
- Area1– Liguria, Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Campania and Sardinia – Between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2022.
- Area 4: Sicily, Calabria, Puglia, Basilicata, Abruzzo and Marche – Between 1 April 2022 and 20 June 2022.
How to tell if the TV is DVB-T2
Not sure if one or more TVs in your possession are compatible with the DVB-T2 standard? There are some checks that you can do right away to understand if the TV is compatible with the reception of DVB-T2 channels, positioning yourself on channel 100 for RAI and 200 for Mediaset.
If Test HEVC Main10 appears on the screen, it means that your TV is compatible with the standard and you will not have to replace it or buy a decoder. If the black screen is shown instead, the TV is not compatible.
It may happen that looking for these two channels, you cannot find them in the list, in this case, try to tune the TV channel list with automatic numbering, they should appear, if not, you will have to do other checks.
Recognize a DVB-T2 TV
If for some reason, even after updating the channel list, the two aforementioned channels do not appear, you can do some different checks to find out if your TV is compatible.
If you bought the TV after January 1, 2017, you can rest assured, since the sale of DVB-T2 TVs is mandatory from that date, so when you switch off you won’t have to do anything.
To facilitate the recognition of compatible TVs, you can also find a logo that clearly shows the characteristics required for DVB-T2.
DVB-T2 digital terrestrial tuner and HEVC codec Main 10 profile
If your TV is older than 2017, you will need to retrieve the information or manual to check if there are: DVB-T2 digital terrestrial tuner and Main10 profile HEVC codec.
Only with the presence of these two elements, your TV will work and you will be able to see the channels in DVB-T2; the fact that it can be Smart TV or that HbbTV is present has no impact.
If your TV does not have these two items, there are two scenarios:
- The first is the one in which you hear only the audio and not the video, in this case, there is no support for the HEVC codec and therefore the transmitted images cannot be shown.
- In the second case, neither audio nor video are present, it means that the TV is completely incompatible with the DVB-T2 standard and the HEVC codec.
What to do in case the TV is not DVB-T2
If after the various checks on your TV model, you find that you will not be able to use it when there is the switch off, you have two solutions.
You can change your TV and buy one of the latest generations, or equip yourself with a compatible decoder to connect to the TV to continue using it as usual.
Buying the new TV is the most demanding choice, you can still try to look for the best 2021 TVs on the market, while, if you want to save money or have a low budget, a DVB-T2 decoder is the most suitable solution for you.
Best 2 digital terrestrial decoders (DVB T2)
Below you will find the best decoders compatible with the new digital terrestrial standard.
DVB-T2 compatible TVs
If instead of waiting for the obligation of the new digital terrestrial you prefer to immediately buy a new TV compatible with DVB-T2, here is a valid selection for the best DVB-T2 compatible TVs.
