Finland runs into 'problems' with analogue shutdown

Sponge Bob

Its not enough to stop the show going on . Analogue shutdown at the end of next month anyway.

Finland has found that cutting over from analogue to DTT will require more relays to fill coverage holes . Finland is not a small country like Ireland , first see.

http://www.digita.fi/digita_dokumentti.asp?path=1841;3801;2089;9490

According to the agreement, Digita builds a total of 48 sub-transmitters to enhance the visibility of digital television in different parts of Finland. The goal is to complete the work by the end of 2007. The exact location of the remaining 17 sub-transmitters will be defined on the basis of measurements carried out during the summer and early autumn.
The channels in multiplex A are YLE TV1, YLE TV2, YLE Extra, YLE Teema and YLE FST5, whereas channels in multiplex B comprise of MTV3, MTV3 MAX (PayTV), Subtv, Subtv Juniori/Subtv Leffa (PayTV), Channel Four Finland and JIM.
The addition of sub-transmitters will enhance the coverage of the terrestrial network. There still may be shadow areas and blind spots within the coverage areas due to the landscape, and receiving broadcasts may not be possible in these areas using common antenna systems. There are shadow areas around Finland, and the areas are usually very small.
Digita and the television companies also agreed upon a shadow area mapping and the related assistance service, in which Digita will assess the reception using measurements and calculations and make suggestions to create digital television reception.

None of the usual crack in ireland where the shadows would bate the coverage into the shadows so to speak , and thats just for analogue and thats without having a TV3 dropdown option on the menu.

Furthermore the sophisticated Finns have radio mapped all their transmitters like a so to let their citizens report coverage 'issues'

http://www.digitv.fi/sivu.asp?path=1;8224;4609

This following one is most instructive of our utter failure here.

http://www.digitv.fi/binary.asp?path=1;8224;4609;7342

Its a place called Inari . Inari is above the ****ing Artic Circle as it happens but it already has Digital TV , unlike Cork or Limerick or parts of Dublin

I make it that there are already MORE LIVE DTT transmitters in Finland and above the Artic Circle than there are in this benighted e-tub of europe ®©® .

Furthermore Finland , while blessed with a population of 25% more than Ireland has almost 500% the land area (at 338k km sq vs 70k km sq ) of the e-tub of europe ®©® including bits where the sun don't shine half the year. On a pro rata basis we shall therefore need 10 extra UHF relays to fill DTT coverage holes here and thats after we turn off VHF3 and replace it with analogue UHF....which is itself still beyond the e-tub of europe ®©®

Ulsterman 1690

Finlands land area is larger than Ireland but on the other hand its terrain is (mostly) flatter meaning they need more main transmitters but fewer relays

Sponge Bob

I make it about 120 already on this list of DTT transmitters.

http://www.digitv.fi/sivu.asp?path=1;8224;4609

and another 48 relays to come, and for 5m people .

heres what we have including self helps I think , just over 100 ??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RT%C3%89_Network_Limited

still the same ratio per capita. we would need maybe 120-130 in the end as against their 170 ...except that they are planning on building them all by end 2007 and we have not really started.