End of an era 時代的終結

A friend of mine told me last night that she would get a new TV for Digital TV Broadcast service. This reminded me the old Analog TV Broadcast service will come to an end effectively on 1 of December.

朋友昨晚談到要買電視接上數碼電視網絡，令我不其然想起舊式模擬電視廣播會在十二月一日正式停播。

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The development of the Hong Kong Digital TV Broadcast service started in end 1998. With several years of planning and preparation, the pilot test was first launched on 31 December 2007 to selected districts in Hong Kong, simultaneously with the analog TV broadcast service.

At that time, I just got a new “HD Ready” LCD TV. Don’t get me wrong, “HD Ready” only and not “Full HD” that we have today as the basic standard setup. In order to enjoy the Digital TV broadcast, I also bought a Digital TV Settop Box. Have it delivered the Digital TV signal right from the wall-mounted public antenna.

香港數碼電視廣播始於1998尾，經歷數載的研究籌備，第一階段試播於2007年12月31日在香港部分地區推出，與傳統模擬電視作同步廣播。

還記得當年剛巧換了一部”HD Ready”的LCD電視，留意是”HD Ready“，而非今天基本配置的”Full HD (全高清)“。為了欣賞數碼廣播，還特別購置了一個數碼電視機頂盒，把數碼電視訊號經大厦的公共天線接上LCD電視。

Probably a lot of Hong Kong people are familiar with this Digital TV Settop box, and “Eight (8)” used to be an extremely famous product brand. However, with the ongoing development of Smart TV, Digital TV reception has formed part of the basic features and those Settop boxes are gradually withdrawn from market.

相信很多香港人不會對這個高清數碼電視機頂盒感到陌生，而 “EIGHT (8)“亦曾是香港一個著名品牌。隨著智能電視的發展，數碼電視接收已內置為電視的基本功能，高清數碼電視機頂盒亦逐漸在市場上消失。

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As stated by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau:

It is a worldwide trend to implement full digital TV broadcast. Not only does digital TV outperform analogue TV in terms of audio and picture quality, it also allows valuable spectrum resources to be utilised more effectively. Spectrum vacated can be used for various purposes, including high value-added mobile telecommunications services, such as 5G, and to enhance network capacity and relieve congested data traffic at indoor mobile hotspots, such as MTR stations. The switch to full digital broadcast helps support Hong Kong’s overall telecommunications services and smart city development

Regarding those benefits, I believe there should be no objection.

It took about 22 years to rollout Digital TV Broadcast in Hong Kong and one of the prime objectives is to provide quality audio/video broadcast service to the general public. However, how many of you are still watching TV programme nowadays? You should have the answer, right?

Taking me as an example, I rarely watched TV programme since the birth of my boy!

To be honest, what is the audience’s expectation? Audio/Video quality or programme contents?

If TV programme provider is not moving forward, definitely it will be replaced by those OnDemand video platforms shortly.


Interestingly enough, by the time you have enhanced or replaced those aging analog TV broadcast service with great efforts, the demand on service was already gone!

據特區政府的商務及經濟發展局局長邱騰華說：

全面數碼電視廣播是全球趨勢，除了提供更佳的聲音及畫面質素外，還可以更有效使用珍貴的頻譜資源。騰出的頻譜可以作多種用途，包括供5G的高增值流動電訊服務使用，提升網絡容量，並紓緩現時擠塞的室內流動電訊熱點（例如港鐵車站），支援香港的整體電訊及智慧城市發展。

對於以上種種優點，大家應該不會有甚麼異議。

香港用了差不多22年的時間去發展數碼電視廣播，目的是為普羅大眾提供優質視聽享受，但坦白講，今天還有幾多人在看電視呢？大家心裏有數吧！

就以我家為例，自從兒子出生後，已差不多沒有再收看電視台了！

究竟觀眾要求的是視聽質素還是內容呢？

傳統電視台如果仍然停濟不前的話，相信不久便會被一眾的網上點播平台所取替！

更有趣的是，當你窮一生之力去改善、替代一樣服務之時，這個服務的需求早已不再了！

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And on 11:59pm, 30 November 2020, the old analog TV Broadcast service came to its end in Hong Kong. This marked the end of an era and Hong Kong will step into its full launch of Digital TV Broadcast service.

But is this the only thing that marked the end of an era in Hong Kong? ⋯

時至2020年11月30日，晚上11時59分，模擬電視廣播終於完成了它的歷史任務，標誌著一個年代的終結，香港亦正式踏入全面數碼電視廣播的年代。

唉，作為年代的終結，香港又豈止一個模擬電視廣播服務呢！⋯