HDB households to get digital TV starter kits

In a move to shift from analog to digital TV, the IMDA is planning to carry out an initiative wherein they would be offering starter kits to all of the HDB households. This would be mostly for those who do not have any Pay-TV subscription with StarHub or Singtel. This initiative by the IMDA will be benefitting around 40,000 households. There are more than a quarter of the Singapore households who are still watching analogue TV and there is a plan to cease this analogue TV broadcast by 31^st December, 2018. From the start of the new year 2019, the free over-the-air broadcast would be in the digital format. Hence there is a need for all the analogue viewers to shift to digital TV broadcast. The ones who still have analogue broadcasting would be viewing the channel logo of Analogue just below the top right hand corner of their screens. This means that the viewer would need to shift to the digital TV soon before the last date.

The viewers who are eligible would also be receiving a notice letter wherein it would explain how the new DTV starter kit can be best used. These notice letters would be mostly sent in batches between the month of April 2018 to June 2018. Most of the households would be able to redeem the free set-top box as well as the antenna package. They also have the choice to go in for the free delivery and installation of the same. As an alternative, the households also have the choice to redeem $100 for each of the digital TV equipment that has been selected which would be including, set-top box, antenna or the integrated digital TV from few of the retailers.

Note that the best part of the digital TV starter kit is the digital antenna since it would be receiving the digital transmission signal. Ensure to place it in the upright position either high on the wall or the window. This way, it would be able to pick up best reception signals. There are more than three quarters of the households in Singapore who are already viewing digital TV either through a Pay-TV subscription or through the free over-the-air channel. This DTV Assistance Scheme that has been a launched by IMDA is mostly for the low-income households so that they can easily switch from analogue format to digital format. This DTV starter kit which would be provided by the IMDA is just an expansion of the DTV Assistance Scheme so that it can help more and more households to switch over to the digital TV format.

Once the user starts making use of DTV, then they would be able to enjoy a better and clear free over-the-air channel viewing. DTV provides crystal clear and high definition format pictures as well as sound. It also has interactive features wherein they provide an electronic programming guide and the multi-language sub-titles. With the Singapore initiative to switch from analogue to digital, it would free up the scarce radio frequency spectrum that would be provide a higher range of broadband speed and also better quality. All in all, it would improve the end-user experience.