The days of blurry crime scenes and daily news images as well as pixelated football matches during the European Championship will soon be a thing of the past. For more than a decade, European homes were able to receive ARD in SD and HD. But starting next year, ARD will stop using the outdated SD transmission for cost reasons. In the worst case, some households will have to buy a new receiver; The current price is 30 euros.
Around 17 million people in Germany watch satellite TV. Homeowners in particular rely on this technology because they do not need an additional cable connection. Homeowners' associations and property management companies also use it. The satellite dish is located on the roof; in apartment buildings, transmission takes place via a central distributor.
An estimated one million people watch ARD via the old SD version. It is mainly older people who watch the programmes on tube televisions and old satellite receivers. You have to switch to the new technology.
In the best case, it is enough to buy a new receiver. Must be HD compatible. When purchasing, consumers should ensure that the receiver is marked with DVB-T2 HD. Important to know: All ARD programs are unencrypted in HD quality and can be received freely. No additional subscription required.
How can I check if I am affected?
Households should always check whether the receiver or receiving device is HD compatible. There are three ways to test this:
- What's on the receiver? Does it say HD or DVB-T2HD?
- Search the channel list. Is there already a channel that you receive in HD? You can recognize the channel by the abbreviation HD in the logo or by the channel name in the channel list.
- Manually search for ARD HD channel: Go to ARD SD channel. Open the settings and search for “manual channel search” in “Satellite Settings”. Now enter the following frequency under ASTRA 19.2 degrees: Transponder 19, 11.494 Megahertz, horizontal Alignment, symbol rate: 22,000 and FEC 23. Normally you should now have a full signal. Start the search. “Das Erste HD” should now appear in the list. If this is not the case, you probably need a new receiver.
How do I know if I am receiving TV in HD or SD?
ARD will gradually activate a treadmill on its SD channel. From January 2025, a channel scan must be initiated in order to continue viewing the channel.
HD channels have a clear TV signal. You can also see an HD on the logo (usually at the top right). In Germany, most TV channels are currently offered in SD and HD. Pay attention to the station logos. In addition to the logo, ARD displays the abbreviation “HD” in the corners.
The exceptions are
- Hessischer Rundfunk (time)
- Central German Broadcasting (MDR)
- North German Broadcasting Corporation (NDR)
- Phoenix
- Radio Bremen
For these channels, the HD supplement does not appear on the screen. Instead, it is displayed in the channel list. If the HD supplement is missing from the channel list, you will only see the programme in standard quality.
Do I need a new TV?
No.
If you receive television programmes via a satellite dish on the roof and have an old tube television, you do not need to buy a new one immediately.
The main problem between new and old technology is the connection. Newer satellite receivers only have a so-called HDMI connection. However, older TVs rely on a Scart connection. “So households have to buy a converter. It costs about 20 euros,” says Lukas Neumann, a television technician in the Aalen area. “But we often have clients who have distorted images.”
Why is ARD changing?
Already in 2016, the Commission to determine the financial needs of broadcasting organizations (KEF) had asked ARD to stop broadcasting SD. Since 2019, SD costs are no longer included in KEF's financial planning.