France has decided to turn off its HD signal starting in 2029, but first, it will host the Summer Olympics and broadcast in UHD on terrestrial TV.
France has already killed their SD signal on their terrestrial network (DTT), while the majority of countries have not, said Thierry Fautier, the prior president of the Ultra HD Forum industry organisation.
Countries that do switch off their HD TV signal, will have more available broadcasting capacity for broadcasting in superior 4K Ultra HD (UHD) picture quality.
Approximately 76% or 20 million French households are predicted to have a 4K TV, but experts are unsure of that ratio and if those TV models have the correct specifications, such as HEVC decoding.
Following the Olympics, the France 2 and France 3 channels will still broadcast large sports events and concerts in UHD.
When France turns off the HD signal, France predicts that 95% of all homes will own a 4K TV.
With a ‘simulcast descriptor’ in the TV signal, France seeks to ensure an automatic switch from the HD to the UHD channel of France 2 if the TV supports UHD.
France is moving into unchartered territory in terms of its switch from HD to UHD on the terrestrial network.
Its neighbouring countries are sure to watch the change closely, which should help European nations plan out their own transition and innovative solutions.
In addition to its UHD and HD plans, France intends to trial Dolby AC-4 audio and transmit in HDR10.
