The first digital television broadcasts in Finland were launched on 27 August, 2001. At the same time ­ for the first time in the world ­ the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) based on the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard was introduced. This provides viewers with better picture and sound quality and also various additional interactive services. The new technology is being tested in Finland because a small country is an excellent test laboratory for the early stages of digital television. Digital television's interactivity will also open new opportunities for e-commerce.

In 1996 the Finnish government decided on the digitalisation of Yleisradio, the state-owned broadcasting company. Digi-TV test runs were started in 1997 and a test network was completed in 2000 ­ just before the Sydney Olympics, which offered a perfect opportunity to test this new technology.

The tests proved that digital information transfer is effective and will also provide savings in finite radio spectrals. Digital technology is therefore also a means of saving frequencies.

Progressive technology

This year Finland saw the introduction of the uniform and open DVB-MHP programming interface. The joint Nordic body, NorDig, decided that all Nordic players would undertake to use this standard. The chaos of different storage, distribution and additional services formats in old television will thus disappear with the transfer to digi-time. By the end of 2001, the digi-TV option will cover 70 per cent of Finnish households. This has not required the construction of new infrastructure, only the installation of new digital transmitters beside the analogue transmitters of existing radio and TV stations. The receipt of digital transmissions requires a regular antenna and a digital receiver. The latter can be a digital TV or a digital accessory device affixed to a traditional TV.

Not more TV, but better TV

Digi-TV is more about content than technology, however. It offers viewers a manageable way to increase programme availability and it enables various additional programme services. Digi-TV will introduce eight new TV channels to Finland and four digital radio services.

Digi-TV is also a connection to the computer and mobile world ­ i.e. the Internet. It is argued that digi-TV's interactive capability will revolutionise consumer and viewer e-commerce. A TV is a simpler piece of equipment than a computer and also makes it easier to connect to the Internet. It could be said that digi-TV is a cross between an Internet terminal and super text television ­ it enables real-time dialogue between the viewer and the TV.

In Finland, Digita Oy will take care of programme broadcasts. Content will be provided by eight new TV channels.

>> www.yle.fi
>> www.digitv.fi
>> www.digita.fi

Source: Photo Archives, Finnish Broadcasting Company / Seppo Sarkkinen