UPGRADE OF DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS IN FLATS
Digital TV is the cause and solution to the problem. Since 1998 digital broadcasting has brought a huge choice of channels to the UK, in excess of the conventional ‘analogue’ channel selection of BBC1. BBC2, ITV, Ch4 and Five. Today, UK viewers can enjoy about 30 channels of ‘digital terrestrial TV’ (via an aerial) from Freeview and over 300 channels of ‘digital satellite TV’ (via a dish) from Sky including 30+ DAB digital terrestrial radio stations and 150+ digital satellite radio stations. Digital TV provides additional services such as interactive TV; shopping, background information, choice of camera angles for sporting events, etc –plus the plan for central and local government to deliver information to citizens via interactive TV. In addition, digital TV is the only means to participate in future enhancements such as high-definition TV. UK viewers have taken to digital broadcasting in a big way. The cost of the domestic reception equipment (‘the set-top box’) is low and over 15 million homes in the UK now watch digital TV.
Residents of flatted properties are excluded from the digital revolution. In many high-rise and even medium-rise multiple dwelling properties owned by local authorities, housing associations or privately, the communal aerial systems cannot adequately distribute digital TV and radio. The antennas used are unsuitable for digital reception; the distribution system is not compatible and the installed cables cannot carry the full range of signals. At the very least, these outdated systems need updating to provide digital TV for residents and in many cases whole replacement is required. Although digital TV is currently running alongside the old analogue system, in a few short years it will take over altogether, the traditional TV channels will cease to broadcast and if flatted properties have not been upgraded residents will receive no TV at all. Although digital TV is now available by choice, in a few years it will be the only option. The Government has committed to ‘switching off’ the traditional analogue broadcasts to free up valuable frequency space for more digital TV and other services. The regulatory body OFCOM has proposed a schedule that is likely to be adopted by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport by the end of the year. This recommends a phased switchover to digital, with different TV regions switching off analogue broadcasts at different times, starting in 2008 and completing the process in 2012. So, for some flatted properties there is little more than two years to provide digital reception for the residents – and only seven years for all communal systems across the country to convert. It’s essential that landlords begin the process of conversion immediately. The minimum digital communal system provides only digital terrestrial TV (DTT) from Freeview. DTT uses similar signals to conventional analogue TV, picked up with an aerial and distributed from the block’s headend to individual flats in a similar way. Conversion of an existing system for DTT alone may require as little as the replacement of the master aerial and headend equipment, maintaining the existing cabling infrastructure, although in older systems complete replacement may still be necessary.
To meet demands in full and provide for future developments an integrated reception system (IRS) should be installed. This receives and distributes to each flat digital terrestrial TV, digital satellite TV and terrestrial/satellite digital radio. It can be used in communal systems of a few homes up to hundreds. Residents use the same low price set-top boxes and other reception equipment used in individual houses. Since an IRS will additionally provide the analogue TV and FM radio channels (until they cease broadcasting) each resident can upgrade their own household to digital whenever they choose, deciding to take, say, just DTT or just satellite TV, or both, and selecting the free services (such as Freeview and Freesat channels) or any of the subscription packages available. An IRS may distribute additional services local to the property such as information channels, in-house radio, or security camera views.
Where an ethnic group forms a large proportion of residents, the block’s IRS may be extended with an additional antenna, electronics and cabling to provide TV or radio services from others countries and in foreign languages too. An ‘always on’ broadband internet and e-mail service can also be added to provide internet access for residents and a communications path from the estate management. Even a conversion to the ‘basic’ IRS is an expensive business, because the entire communal aerial system must be replaced, with new antennas, headend electronics and cabling to every flat. It is sensible to plan-in additional cabling to flats – both to cope with future developments and with residents demand for Sky+ and High Definition systems which provide tape-less recording of digital TV and radio but require two separate ‘feeds’ from the dish antenna .
The complexity of an IRS and the individuality of each installation mean that it is crucial the system is correctly specified and installed for trouble-free reception of all the intended services now and in the future. The exact system specification will depend on the property and the requirements of the management and residents, these issues should be negotiated between the system supplier and the landlord/management.
It is recommended that an appointed contractor should be a member of The Confederation of Aerial Industries, registered and approved by Sky Homes and certificated to BS EN ISO 9001:2000 International Quality Standard. Cranleigh are all of these, as well as having a track record of more than three years of successful installations of integrated reception systems for large public and private sector organisations.
The overall cost of replacing out-dated communal TV systems means there is a temptation to defer the expenditure or simply to ignore the problem. This should be resisted. The extended facilities of digital TV and radio, the exclusive sports and entertainment content of digital services and the considerable advertising and marketing campaigns from Sky, Freeview and the equipment manufacturers, all contribute to flatted property residents’ demand for digital TV now – they want to join the digital revolution already enjoyed by over half of the population.
Digital services will have to be provided by the time the analogue signals are switched off and as the deadline approaches demand for the limited number of specialist contractors which can plan and install a complex IRS system will rise. A delay will increase the ultimate cost of the upgrade.
The analogue broadcasts will be switched off and it’s unlikely that the digital switch-over timetable will be extended. The Government expects to receive huge sums for alternative commercial use of the analogue TV frequencies and will not want to postpone this.
Without communal digital reception, residents will install their own individual dishes and aerials to obtain the digital services. A proliferation of antennas on a block is at best a considerable eyesore, but also flouts planning regulations, may damage the building and even runs the risk of third party injury from poorly fitted antennas.
This can be avoided and the demands of residents satisfied sooner by starting the upgrade process right now. Planning, financing and implementing an up-to-date communal TV system that will serve a property through the digital switchover and into the future is a lengthy process and should not be postponed.
Residents of flatted properties need the same options as individual householders to benefit from the same opportunities as the rest of the community. Existing communal TV systems must be updated. Now is the time to do it and Cranleigh is the company to do it with.
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