Everything you need to know about the new ultra high definition

BarcelonaDTT (digital terrestrial television) is reinventing itself. The Spanish government has approved a new National Technical Plan that seeks to shake up free-to-air television, with two important innovations: a new free-to-air television channel will be created, and the definitive step toward ultra-high definition (UHD) broadcasts will be taken.

What is the new National Technical Plan for DTT?

The plan approved by the central government aims to widely broadcast UHD/4K quality through the implementation of a new transmission technology called DVB-T2. The different television channels occupy a specific bandwidth, and this new technology allows for better compression of these bandwidths, freeing up some airtime and allowing for the installation of an additional channel.

When will the new channel arrive?

The executive wants to award the new television license before the summer, so that the 2025-2026 academic year can begin with the television channel already reorganized. Initially, it was assumed that this new bid would be awarded to the Prisa Group, but the media conglomerate has backed down and left the vacancy open, following an internal struggle within the group that ended with the ousting of the television channel's promoters, considered closer to the Moncloa government. Thus, Prisa's former content director, José Miguel Contreras, is working to promote the channel without Prisa's protection, but is competing with other interested parties, starting with the two main television players in Spain, Atresmedia and Mediaset, which together control 55% of the audience and 82% of the advertising. Telefónica is also emerging as a potential contender.

Will we be left without any channel?

No, the Ministry for Digital Transformation has confirmed that the current DTT channels maintain the same digital terrestrial television networks, and therefore none of them will disappear.

What is the difference between an HD and a UHD channel?

The main difference between HD (current) and UHD quality is image resolution. HD has a resolution of 720 pixels high (equivalent to the old lines) by 1,280 pixels wide, a quality already considered high definition and sufficient for small or medium-sized televisions. UHD, on the other hand, has a resolution of 2,160 by 3,840, four times more pixels than Full HD, and a much higher quality that is much better suited to larger televisions. They offer much sharper images, especially when content requires more detailed resolution. It also provides more vivid colors, and moving images—for example, in sports—are viewed without a blurring effect.

Is UHD and 4K the same?

Although purists would remember that there are some technical nuances that differentiate them (UHD is a television format, while 4K is primarily used in cinema and is more horizontal, with 4,096 pixels wide), in practice they are used almost interchangeably, due to the level of quality and density.

Which channels will be available in UHD?

In Catalonia, TV3 will broadcast in UHD and is studying options to see if it's possible for the remaining offerings (SX3/33, Esport 3, 324) to join the ultra-high definition (UHD), although this is difficult to achieve given the available airtime. Regarding national television channels, it is known that La 1HD, Teledeporte, and La 2, owned by RTVE, Antena 3 by Atresmedia, and Telecinco by Mediaset will join the first phase of UHD. It will be a gradual change, but it is expected that UHD television will be available between 2025 and 2026.

Can anything already be watched in UHD?

RTVE's La 1 is the first channel that, for some time now, has been available in UHD. The first regional television channel with 4K DTT was TVG in Galicia.

Will it be necessary to retune the television?

Yes, the channels will need to be retuned, and although there's no exact date yet, it's expected to be by the end of 2025.

Will it be necessary to re-antenize?

No, you won't need to call a technician to reorient your DTT antennas, as they already capture the appropriate frequencies.

Do all televisions allow viewing in high definition?

No. In fact, the shift to the new technology faces a significant challenge: many older TVs are not compatible with this technology. By the end of 2023, only 31% of TVs in Spain were ready to receive 4K broadcasts. Generally, newer TVs manufactured since 2018 can receive UHD. The screens need to have DVB-T2 technology or an adapter compatible with this format, although the broadcast can then be viewed, but only in HD. TVs with UHD/4K support can also broadcast it.

If my TV isn't UHD, will I stop seeing channels?

Not in the immediate or near future. Since free-to-air television is considered a universal service of general interest, HD broadcasts will continue as long as a significant portion of unadapted devices remain. This forces channels to broadcast their offerings on two different frequencies: one in high and the other in ultra-high, in what is called simulcastThe advantage of this system is that no one is left behind, but it has the disadvantage of taking up a lot of airtime, so smaller channels will take longer to be seen in UHD. HD will have to be shut down when the vast majority of televisions are already UHD, to free up airtime and add new ultra-high definition channels. However, this is a very long-term scenario, and it's not even clear whether DTT will survive that many years.

When will TV3 be available in UHD?

It depends on several technical considerations, but work is underway to ensure it is ready in this first phase. With the closure of 8TV, the private multiplex—that is, a portion of the airwaves—it used became available. The Government's expressed desire is for part of this multiplex to be dedicated to TV3's ultra-high definition. But to achieve this, the Catalan Audiovisual Council must complete the administrative process to allow it. The Minister for the Presidency, Antoni Dalmau, has stated that this reorganization should be completed before the summer.