GBC Soon to go Digital

By Helena Selby

The Director of Technical Programmes (DTP) of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Mr. Oscar Nchor, has noted that the migration of the analogue transmission to the digital transmission was a good decision, as it was a stepping stone to national television development

He noted that the shortcomings of the analogue, as susceptibility to noise, interference and reflections, inefficient use of radio spectrum, and unreliable performance in mobile reception conditions.

However the benefits of moving from the use of analogue are that it was resistant to noise and interference, uses compression techniques to allow more information to be transmitted, was more flexible, more efficient bandwidth utilisation, more channels, more programming, improved quality of service, clearer pictures, better quality sound, new media services, electronic programme guide, interactive services, high definition television (HDTV), has mobile reception, while individuals will not go through the stress of using too much electrical power, and moreover it bridges the digital divide

Explaining the difference between digital and analogue, he indicated that the digital sound and pictures are transmitted as bit stream, and reconverted by appropriate receivers, or set-top boxes, into sound or TV programs

Analogue broadcasting sound and pictures are transmitted as continuously varying electric signals, which after transmission, are reconverted to sound and pictures by television receivers.

Comparing the performances of the analogue and the digital, he noted that the analogue has inefficient use of radio spectrum, unreliable mobile reception, susceptibility to noise and interference, inefficient for editing, quality ranges from good, fair and bad.

However, digital has efficient spectrum, good mobile reception, resistant to noise and interference, efficient for editing and quality is between very good or no signal

Mr. Nchor mentioned that there was every reason for the country to go to digital, as the world was going digital. Moreover, by 2015, analogue terrestrial television would be completely replaced by digital globally.