Noticias
The great switch off in Spain
Torrevieja all poised for Televisión Digital Terrestre – Spain's Freeview
April 3rd, will see the great switch-off in Spain. The move from TV transmissions on Analogue to Digital.
In order to assure that all residents of Torrevieja are able to receive the new system, a new TDT (Televisión Digital Terrestre) Antenna has been erected to broadcast to the city.
TDT better known as Freeview with many benefits available, as in the UK and Ireland, will now be available in Spain, with up to 20 free channels.
Residents of Torrevieja have been able to pick up TDT from transmitters in Murcia and Alicante for a while but the new Torrevieja Transmitter will provide stronger signals, less interference and dropouts. The picture and sound quality will be greatly optimised with a host of new additional channels to follow in 2010/2011.
Torrevieja's Councillor for New Technology, Pedro Valero, reported that the "Torrevieja signal covers the entire municipality and it is installed in the upper area of the city, where the water reservoir is. The investment made by the Generalitat Valenciana has amounted to €80,000."
Those with older televisions need not fear. For less than €40 it is also possible to adapt an old set through a decoder that connects to the same TV.
Almost all of today's new LCD and Plasma television sets already have TDT integrated.
A USB version will enable viewing TDT through the computer.
Residents that already receive TDT will need to realign their antenna to point towards the new Transmitter in order to benefit from the new source or, if living in a community, they should contact their Administrator.
Many expats on the Costa Blanca South have never experienced Spanish TDT, due to the rebroadcast of UK TV Channels and satellite systems.
Torrevieja's new Transmitter might be the turning point for many as the system will offer users new benefits such as a host of free channels to choose from, higher quality picture and sound, the ability to select subtitled programs, an electronic program guide, original version films with or without subtitles and radio channels broadcasting via television.
A number of movie channels, childrens programmes such as The Simpsons, many American TV shows, documentaries, can be enjoyed in English (or Spanish) at the press of a button.
Presently a minimum of 23 channels are available on TDT with the new transmitter expected to add even more, including local content.
Is this the start of the "couch potato generation"? One hopes not.
