Here is something to consider while at the NAB and thinking of what is always described at that annual event as “convergence.” The step from DVB-T to DVB-T2 requires new receivers. To make the leap from analog to DVB-T2 might be very sensible. A new receiver for a transition from DVB-T to DVB-T2 might not be worth the expense. Germany’s RTL has already announced their plans as reported in Broadcast Engineering magazine.

A decision not to make the transition doesn’t mean that a broadcaster will continue with DVB-T. It means that it will shift from terrestrial over-the-air delivery to the internet. The BE article points to the uncertainty of maintaining present spectrum allocations for terrestrial broadcasting as another consideration for broadcasters in Germany.

The original Broadcast Engineering article 15 March 2013

Brad Dick’s comments on the RTL announcement

Brad Dick’s blog comments assess another factor; the percentage of viewers making use of the OTA signal. It may simply be too expensive for broadcasters to use terrestrial transmissions to reach a diminishing audience.

Perhaps not convergence but divergence.