Trends in Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Countermeasures for analog channel adjustments that will be necessary to accommodate the upcoming launch of digital terrestrial television broadcasting began in the three largest metropolitan areas on February 9 of this year. The basic policy of the National Promotion Committee for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting was determined in July for the other areas of the country, where work will advance on establishing a nationwide system. This article provides an overview of the schedule for analog channel adjustment countermeasures, broadcasts in Tokyo/Nagoya/Osaka, digital broadcasting standardization, and work being conducted by related organizations toward digitalization of terrestrial broadcasts. It also explains broadcast-wave relay technology, which will play an important role in the future nationwide service. 1. Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting been covered in the initial plan, such as subscribers who Analog channel adjustment countermeasures receive broadcasts from transmitters other than the nearest The Joint Committee Concerning Digital Terrestrial ones (Table 1). Broadcasting, established in September 1999 by the The document detailing amendments to the basic plan Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and for promoting broadcasting and the frequency use plan Telecommunications (MPHPT), prepared the initial plan was released on September 27, 2002. It describes how the regarding the number of broadcasting stations and digitalization of terrestrial services would advance in households to be affected by the analog adjustment phases: first, the Tokyo / Osaka / Nagoya areas would be countermeasures and an estimate of the cost for the digitalized; then, other regions would be digitalized. It took changeover. Its report was released in April 2000. The into account that the survey had required a substantial ministry dissolved the Joint Committee, recently, and time and revealed a need to change the original plan. founded the National Promotion Committee for Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting. The MPHPT is charged with Analog Channel Adjustment Countermeasures revising the Radio Law, the basic plan for promoting Schedule broadcasting in Japan, and the frequency use plan for The amended plan's schedule states that digital broadcasting. The new committee spent about a year broadcasting should start in the three major metropolitan conducting a nationwide survey on all aspects affecting the areas by the end of 2003 and in other areas by the end of planned countermeasures, including ones that haven't 2006 and that analog broadcasting service should be terminated in 2011. The Table 1: Cost of analog channel adjustment countermeasures countermeasures for the analog August 1, 2002 April 26, 2000 channel adjustment are to be (National Committee (initial estimate) Meeting) implemented as follows: Number of stations being affected 418 801 - Digitalization of the three major by analog channel adjustment metropolitan areas: to start in 2002, countermeasures) and be completed by 2006. Number of households requiring 2.46 million Approx. 4.26 million - Other areas: digitalization by region countermeasures to start no later than 2005. (of which households require cable (7000) (Approx. 0.13 million) TV countermeasures) - The entire cost will be covered by the Countermeasures cost Approx. 72.7 Approx. 180 government (financed by radio usage billion yen billion yen fees). - The details of the plan, such as 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2010 2015 specific countermeasures to be Three major metroplitan areas 2011: analog broadcast termination (based on a related announcement, "Basic Plan for implemented, have not been Analog channel adjustment Broadcasting Promotion") determined. Digital broadcasting in three major metropolitan areas In conjunction with the analog Preparation channel countermeasures, digital Analog channel adjustment terrestrial broadcasting will gradually countermeasures are to have been be started in areas outside the three Other areas completed within 5 years after a Analog channel adjustment new channel has been announced. major metropolitan areas (Figure 1). Digital broadcasting in other areas Preparation Figure 1: Analog channel adjustment countermeasures implementation schedule Broadcast Technology no.16, Autumn 2003 C NHK STRL 7 Digital Terrestrial Television Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Licensing Policy Broadcasting Licensing Form of Broadcasting Segments:12 1 X o'clock Figure 2 shows a general description HDTV/SDTV+supplemental broadcasts broadcast Supplemental of the MPHPT's licensing policy and an (data broadcasting) HDTV(*) Supplemental broadcast HDTV programming ratio (Movie) broadcast Supplemental example of the broadcasting forms. broadcast Supplemental broadcast Supplemental 50% or higher (in one week) Applications for licenses were Simulcast ratio SDTV(*) SDTV SDTV (News) (Music) (Baseball submitted by NHK and 16 commercial Over 2/3 of programming is shared with relay) broadcasters, and preliminary radio analog broadcasting. broadcast Supplemental licenses with a December 1 start date HDTV(*) An example of a broadcast form is shown (Drama) for the Kanto, Chukyo, and Kinki on right. broadcast Supplemental regions were granted on April 18. HDTV(*) (Information-related programs) Broadcasting in the Three Major * Simulcast of analog service Metropolitan Areas Figure 2: Digital terrestrial television broadcasting licensing policy Table 2 lists the transmitting powers Table 2: Transmitting power for December-launch stations of each broadcasting station, whose Begin in End of End of Wide area Broadcasters signals will be progressively intensified 2003 2004 2005 until they are at full strength 300W 410W 10kW NHK General TV sometime between the end of 2004 15.5W 700W 10kW NHK Educational TV and Extended Kanto area extended area commercial and the end of 2005. The figures are Tokyo broadcasters based on the MPHPT press release 29W 700W 3kW Metropolitan "Report on Preliminary Radio Licenses 30W 3kW NHK GTV/ETV and extended Extended Chukyo area for Digital Terrestrial Television area commercial broadcasters Aichi pref. 30W 1kW TV Aichi Broadcasters," dated April 16, 2002. 10W 100W 3kW NHK GTV/ETV and extended The transmitters of the Kanto and Extended Kinki area area commercial broadcasters Osaka Kinki regions are to reach their 10W 100W 1kW TV Osaka maximum output in three phases, and the Chukyo area m steel tower and a broadcasting station will be opened in transmitters are to reach it in two phases. Hatanaka, Seto city and will broadcast the signals of NHK and other broadcasters. In the Osaka area, NHK has Tokyo/Nagoya/Osaka Digital Broadcast Transmitting installed an antenna for its exclusive use at the top of an Facilities Overview existing backup steel tower on Mt. Ikoma, which is In the Tokyo area, eight broadcasters have placed new approximately 690 m above sea level. Other broadcasters antennas at a height of 250 m on Tokyo Tower. A installed antennas on their own towers. An overview of transmitter room was built under the tower's large these facilities is shown in Figure 3. observatory. In the Nagoya area, a new facility with a 246- Tokyo Tower (Shiba) Osaka (Ikoma-yama) Nagoya (Hatanaka, Seto-city) 333.0m 68.5m Antenna for 246.3m digital signals (NHK) Antenna for digital signals (joint project) Antenna for digital signals 252.65m Backup (joint project) antenna MX-TV (existing) Backup steel-tower Steel-tower (existing) (joint project) 3kW 10kW Digital Digital transmitter transmitter room room 3kW Analog 2F Digital Analog Station with transmitter broadcasting broadcasting transmitter room (5F) system system (joint project) 1F Power Fan system, system etc. Ikoma-yama GL=621.8m Figure 3: Tokyo/Nagoya/Osaka digital transmitting facility overview 8 Broadcast Technology no.16, Autumn 2003 C NHK STRL Feature Analog Channel Adjustment Countermeasures in Other October 2003. Table 3 gives an overview of the Areas preliminary licenses issued in September 2001. The The National Promotion Committee for Digital frequency bandwidth to be used for broadcasting is 4 MHz, Terrestrial Broadcasting announced its basic policy in July which is common to Kanto and Kansai and corresponds to 2003. The policy calls for implementation of analog part of VHF Channel 7. Eight densely packed segments channel adjustment countermeasures throughout the will be transmitted in the 4-MHz bandwidth by connecting country in fiscal 2004, with broadcasting to have begun by together the segments that have the same structure as ones the end of 2006 (Figure 4). Areas needing more involved used for digital terrestrial television broadcasting. countermeasures will follow an accelerated schedule. The The plan is to divide broadcasters into groups that will release of master station frequencies for each region is develop their own multimedia services for these segments. scheduled for September, except in areas that require There will be five one-segment groups and one three- further studies on interference, for which the release date is segment group in Tokyo, and eight one-segment groups in December. These exceptional areas are the Ariake region Osaka. of Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and Kumamoto, and the San- in region of Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi. As in 3. Standardization Trends in Digital Terrestrial Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya, the transmitting power of the Broadcasting and Other Services master stations in each region will gradually increase as Operational Guidelines for Digital Terrestrial