User Article 4 Views By ant on Sep 24 2008, 3:41 am

Rapid global technology developments will see Laos prepare for digital television broadcasts in line with an Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) agreement signed in 2006. Deputy Director General of Lao National Television Mr Phoumy Phengsavath said only 50 percent of current television broadcasts in Laos use digital signals. Authorities plan to shift from analogue to digital transmission by 2015 and completely cease analogue broadcasting by 2020. “The current analogue system requires the use of a parabolic antenna, which people adjust to receive a satellite signal, but production equipment such as video cameras is operated digitally,” Mr Phoumy said. A digital system uses discrete values to represent information for input, processing, transmission and storage while analogue systems use a continuous range of values to represent information. The use of digital signals will result in clearer and sharper pictures. Mr Phoumy said analogue based equipment is becoming difficult to find as most manufacturers produce equipment for the digital market. “We are now focusing on obtaining digital equipment and training our staff how to use the new equipment,” he said. He said China is helping Laos to make the changeover to digital transmission. “We have also asked for assistance from Japan, but are yet to receive a response,” he said. Mr Phoumy said Laos has 40 TV stations and supplying all of them with digital equipment was a challenge, particularly as equipping a station costs between US$500,000 and US$1 million. He said more government funding is needed, as well as support from other countries. Asean agreed in 2006 to encourage member countries to transfer to digital television by 2015. Malaysia will complete its transition to digital next year and Vietnam will completely shift from analogue to digital in 2016. China will ensure all television broadcasts are digital by 2010 and completely stop the use of analogue systems by 2015. Lao National Television was established in 1983 and first began using digital equipment in 2004. The network now reaches 60 percent of the country, but will be able to cover all of Laos once the transition to digital takes place.