Viewers will have to retune their television on November 5 to continue receiving all Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) channels, which will premiere broadcasts in ultra high definition (UHD), will reorganize several channels to accommodate them and will incorporate a new free-to-air network, La Séptima.
What does all this mean for viewers? Will we have to buy a new television? Will some channels be stopped? And what will happen if it is not retuned? These are some of the questions that arise given the changes planned for that day and that can be clarified from the information provided by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service.
There will not be a television blackout, but there will be changes that will require a new search to recover certain channels and access new broadcasts, although the usual programming will continue to be available in HD high definition.
When should you retune the television?
Starting at eight in the morning on Thursday, November 5. There is no need to get ahead of ourselves, because until then the reorganization of frequencies will not be completed, as pointed out by the BOE on July 31, which published the dates and conditions for this technological evolution. Those who do not do so will still be able to watch much of their regular programming, but some channels may disappear from their list until they perform a new search.
To do this, just take the remote control, enter the TV's settings menu and select automatic channel search. The process takes a few minutes and may require reordering, although some devices update automatically.
What channels can be seen?
Clan (RTVE), DKISS (RadioBlanca), Atreseries (Atresmedia), BeMad and Boing (Mediaset) are the five channels that the Ministry identifies among those affected by the changes. This does not mean that they will disappear from DTT, but rather that they will change location and will have to be retuned to recover them.
As explained by sources from the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC), DKISS will move to another frequency and will take advantage of broadcast parameters already used by Mediaset, while the new channel La Séptima will reuse those of Atresmedia. Competition recommends, therefore, retuning the television and remembers that the channels must inform of these changes in the previous days.
Will we have to change the television or antenna?
Households that have televisions not compatible with the new technology will be able to continue watching regular programming in HD, so they will not need to buy a new one. However, to access UHD broadcasts, with sharper images and greater detail, you will need a television compatible with the DVB-T2 system, a technology that many recent models incorporate.
In principle, according to sources from the National Federation of Telecommunications Installers and Integrators, the reorganization should not require changing the antenna either, although it will be necessary to check that the installation receives the channels correctly after retuning. If channels are still missing in a neighborhood community after performing the automatic search, it is advisable to consult with the property manager or an authorized installer.
What channels do the changes affect?
In addition to the 4K broadcasts of RTVE, Atresmedia and Mediaset, TDT will incorporate La Séptima, a new private state channel that will have the capacity to broadcast in high definition. The network could begin its broadcasts from mid-morning, according to channel sources.
For their part, those who receive the channels through services such as Movistar Plus+, Orange TV or Vodafone TV will not have to retune DTT to continue watching the offer distributed by these platforms, since the operators themselves manage the signals. Of course, if you also use the conventional antenna to watch free-to-air channels, you should check your tuning.
