Consumers warned that TV’s are not Digital Ready

The recent trials of DTT services in Ireland are thought to be confusing buyers into purchasing equipment unsuitable to receive official DTT services. The current trials are taking place using the MPEG-2 digital compression standard used in the United Kingdom and not the newer MPEG-4, H.264 standard that is to be used in Ireland. Consumers that have already purchased “Digital Ready” equipments to view the trial services will have a shock on the 31st July when their pictures go blank as the trial also switches to MPEG-4.
Broadcast enthusiast Brian Greene made the situation clear when he said that “it’s important that organisations ranging from the Department of Communication, Energy and natural Resources to BCI, RTE and various consumer bodies should be warning customers not to buy products in the mistaken belief they are optimised for DTT just because they say “Digital Ready””.
”The state should warn retailers not to sell pig in a poke TV sets. If the set is not going to be Digital Ready (MPEG-4) then stickers should be removed and shoppers should be warned that UK digital sets will not work here,” Greene warned.
Source: SiliconRepublic
Item added: 15th July 2008