The deployment of ultra-high definition DTT continues at a sustained pace. Some 32 million households can now receive France 2 in UHD. Objective: complete coverage of the territory for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
No doubt: France Télévisions and TDF are on course for the generalization of ultra-high definition (UHD) television over the air, via DTT (digital terrestrial television). And the deployment of this new broadcast format continues as planned, according to the initial schedule, with a fifth phase on May 22, 2024.
Thus, since January 23, it has been possible to receive France 2 in UHD in certain regions of France (in Paris, Nantes and Bordeaux). On February 27, new transmitters (in Brittany, New Aquitaine, Occitanie, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia and New Caledonia) switched to this mode of broadcasting. On April 2, others followed in Brittany, Mayenne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. On April 23, it was the turn of new zones, with the update of transmitters located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Ile-de-France, Normandy, Occitanie and Pays de la Loire.
And since May 22, 2 million inhabitants in Centre-Val de Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Occitanie and Brittany have also had access to France 2 in UHD with the commissioning of seven transmitters, notably on emblematic TDF broadcast sites of Clermont-Ferrand-Puy-de-Dôme, Tours-Chissay and Carcassonne-Pic-de-Nore.
In total, some 32 million households can now benefit from UHD DTT across the country. The initial objective is unchanged: ultimately, around 70% of the population will be covered for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, an event which will serve as a showcase for this technology via France 2. France 3 will also be available in UHD, but only from 10 July to September 10, 2024.
France 2 UHD: a very gradual deployment
After a long gestation and a period of testing (see our article), France Télévisions is continuing the deployment of ultra high definition – UHD, often confused with true 4K. In its press release of January 22the public audiovisual group detailed the schedule for the deployment of this new broadcast format, a deployment which will take place gradually until the launch of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, next July.
In fact, France 2 UHD is only available in certain regions initially, in mainland France (on TNT channel 52) and overseas (on channel 22). And you will have to wait until the beginning of July to be able to benefit from the similar version of France 3. This is not the only difference between the two channels: because if France 2 UHD will broadcast 24 hours a day without time limit, France 3 will not will only be entitled to two months of broadcasting. Here is the calendar shared by France Télévisions.
France 2 UHD in mainland France
- January 23 for the Paris, Nantes and Bordeaux regions
- February 27 for the Toulouse and Rennes regions
- April 2 for the regions of Marseille, Montpellier, Lorient, Laval
- April 23 for the regions of Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Rouen, Le Mans
France 2 UHD in Overseas
January 23 for Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Réunion and Mayotte
- end of February for Wallis, New Caledonia and Polynesia
- end of March for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon
The case of France 3 UHD is more complex, due to the channel’s numerous regional variations. France Télévisions announces broadcast in UHD from July 10 only, without giving further details.
It should be noted that France 2 UHD will not be limited to DTT: the channel will also be broadcast by satellite, on channel 52 of the Fransat bouquet, and in IPTV (streaming), via Internet service providers’ boxes . No specific date has been announced for ISPs, and we will have to wait for announcements from operators (Bouygues Télécom, Free, Orange and SFR) to find out more).
UHD TV: a very slow evolution
Remember that UHD TV brings a clear improvement in image quality. First, by increasing the definition (the number of elementary points that make up the image) which goes from 1920 x 1080 pixels in Full HD (the current standard for DTT) to 3840 x 2040 pixels in UHD (i.e. four times more). Then, by the fluidity, with 50 “full” images per second thanks to the progressive mode instead of 25 (50 “half images” per second with the current interlaced standard), which will be felt especially in action scenes and the sport. In addition, TNT UHD improves the light dynamics and colorimetry of images by managing the famous HDR10, instead of the traditional SDR (standard dynamic range) mode. Finally, DTT also promises better sound quality by being compatible with audio standards which offer various advantages (see our article for all these technical aspects).
However, these technical improvements will not change anything in the programs. Apart from some content produced in ultra high definition (such as Roland-Garros or the Paris 2024 Olympic Games), France 2 UHD will simply reproduce content from the classic channel, with simple artificial scaling. There is therefore no question, at least for the moment, of watching films in “native” UHD. In any case, you obviously need to have a UHD-4K compatible television and be located in one of the regions where UHD TNT will be broadcast to benefit (free) from France 2 UHD. As we can see, if TVs have been ready for 4K-UHD for years, this is still far from being the case for broadcasters, on TNT or in streaming: and we will undoubtedly have to wait many more years before ultra high definition is becoming widespread on our screens…