Digital television in the Netherlands
The
Terrestrial
After tests held in 2002, digital terrestrial television in the Netherlands was launched on April 23, 2003 by Digitenne, the main Dutch digital television platform owned by KPN. The Netherlands was the second European country to complete the move to digital terrestrial broadcasting on December 11, 2006. The switch-off was helped greatly by the fact that about 90% of the households have cable that continues to use analog distribution. Due to the very extensive penetration of cable systems, usage of terrestrial television in the Netherlands is largely confined to remote rural areas and for portable televisions in caravans, etc.
Since then all terrestrial television broadcast in the Netherlands are digital. The national public television channels NPO 1, NPO 2, NPO 3 and the regional public television channels are free-to-air.
DVB-T2 transmissions in the Netherlands are provided commercially by KPN daughter company Digitenne. They offer 25 TV channels and 16 radio channels, including the free-to-air channels. The Digitenne service uses Conax encryption.
Handheld
Cable
Over 90% of the households in the Netherlands receive their television signal by
All the major cable companies in the Netherlands offer a digital television service. They all use the
The three largest cable companies in the Netherlands are:
Satellite
Digital satellite television in the Netherlands is available via
It is only possible to register as a customer of CanalDigitaal using a Dutch postal address, due to
In 2017 a second provider of digital satellite television began its services named Joyne,[3] using the Eutelsat's Eurobird satellites at 9° east. Joyne uses the Conax encryption.
IPTV
Since May 1, 2006
High definition
In the Netherlands customers can receive high-definition television channels by cable or satellite and DVB-T2.
History
The first trials with high-definition television in the Netherlands began in the summer of 2006 with the broadcast of the
Since the 2006 trials none of the main Dutch networks made the move to HD until the summer of 2008 when from June 1 until August 24, 2008 the
On July 4, 2009 the NPO started their permanent HD service when all three channels, NPO 1, NPO 2, and NPO 3, began simulcasting in 1080i high-definition.[4] Most programming in the early stages is upscaled as in time more programs will become available in native HD.
On October 15, 2009 RTL Nederland started simulcasting their RTL 7 and RTL 8 channels in 1080i high-definition. RTL Nederland then also announced plans for HD versions of their two other channels, RTL 4 and RTL 5, for 2010. Also these are available in HD since then.
Current
The Netherlands has ten main television channels, three public and seven commercial. All main television channels are simulcasted in high-definition. Furthermore other general interest high-definition channels are available with Dutch audio or subtitles.
Main Dutch channels that broadcast in HD:
- NPO 1 (started 4 July 2009)
- NPO 2 (started 4 July 2009)
- NPO 3 (started 4 July 2009)
- RTL 4 (started 2010)
- RTL 5 (started 2010)
- RTL 7 (started 15 October 2009)
- RTL 8 (started 15 October 2009)
- RTL Z (started 7 September 2015)
- SBS 6(started 2010)
- Veronica(started 2010)
- NET 5(started 2010)
- SBS 9(started 2014)
- Fox(started 2013)
Other HD channels available in the Nederlands:
- 24Kitchen HD
- Al Jazeera English HD
- Animal Planet HD
- BBC First HD
- BBC World News HD
- Boomerang HD
- Cartoon Network HD
- CNN HD
- Comedy Central HD
- DanceTelevision HD
- Discovery HD
- Discovery Science HD
- Disney Channel HD
- Disney Junior HD
- Disney XD HD
- E! Entertainment HD
- Euronews HD
- Eurosport 1 HD
- Eurosport 2 HD
- Family 7 HD
- Fashion TV HD
- Film1 Premiere HD
- Film1 Action HD
- Film1 Comedy & KidsFamily HD
- Film1 Drama HD
- Fox Sports 1/2/3 HD
- Fox Sports 4/5/6 HD
- History HD
- Horse & Country TV HD
- Investigation Discovery HD
- Love Nature HD
- MTV HD
- MTV Live HD
- myZen.tv HD
- National Geographic HD
- National Geographic Wild HD
- Nickelodeon HD
- OutTV HD
- RTL Crime HD
- RTL Lounge HD
- RTL Telekids HD
- ShortsTV HD
- Spike HD
- Stingray Classica HD
- Stingray Djazz HD
- Stingray iConcerts HD
- TLC HD
- TV 538 HD
- Viceland HD
- Xite HD
- Ziggo Sport HD
- Ziggo Sport Select HD
- Ziggo Sport Voetbal HD
- Ziggo Sport Racing HD
- Ziggo Sport Golf HD
- Ziggo Sport Docu HD
- Ziggo Sport Extra HD
Also available on most platforms:
- BBC One HD
- BBC Two HD
- VRT één HD
- VRT Canvas HD
- Ketnet HD
- Das Erste HD
- ZDF HD
- Arte HD
- TV5 Monde HD
Satellite viewers can receive a number of additional HD channels from the surrounding countries when broadcasting free-to-air. But most of these channels are not part of HD services offered in the Netherlands nor broadcast programming aimed at the Dutch market.
See also
- Digital television transition
- Television in the Netherlands
- List of cable companies in the Netherlands
- SES satellite operator
- Astrasatellite family
- Digital television
- High-definition television
References
- ^ "Dutch digital TV reaches 84%". 4 June 2013.
- ^ Robert Briel (2008-05-29). "Ten channels for Dutch mobile TV service". Broadband TV News. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
- ^ Jarco Kriek (9 December 2011). "Canal Digitaal en Joyne strijden om abonnee in krimpende satellietmarkt" (in Dutch). TotaalTV.
- SBS Broadcasting. Retrieved 2009-06-03.