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What Italy’s digital TV switchover means for you

All Italian TV channels will be switched to HD by December 21st. Here's what that means and how to check if your TV set or decoder is compatible.

Published: 16 December 2022 12:23 CET
Updated: 20 December 2022 10:41 CET
Old TV set
All Italian TV channels will be switched to HD on December 21st and not all TV sets will support the new system. Photo by PJ Gal-Szabo via Unsplash

As Italy approaches the holiday season, Italian TV is set to undergo a major change and one that could make some residents reconsider their last-minute Christmas gifts. 

On Tuesday, December 20th, Italian TV will make the switch from the old coding system, known as MPEG-2, to the new-generation MPEG-4.

This means that, from Wednesday, December 21st, SD (standard definition) channels will no longer be available in Italy as they’ll be replaced by their HD (high definition) counterparts. 

So, for instance, the ‘SD version’ of channels like Rai1, Rai2 or Rai3 will soon be permanently switched off, with the HD format being the only available option for viewers. 

The same will be true for other popular channels, like Rete 4, Canale 5, Italia 1 and La7.

READ ALSO: Who needs to pay the Italian TV licence fee – and how to cancel it

Naturally, many residents are left wondering whether their current TV sets or decoders will be able to support the new HD channels. 

The good news here is that most new-generation TVs and decoders are already compatible with the MPEG-4 system and therefore with any given HD channel.

This means that most residents won’t have to do a single thing about the digital switchover aside from rescanning their TV channels on December 21st. 

TV remote

Most new-generation TVs and decoders are already compatible with HD. Photo by Chris DELMAS / AFP

So how can you be sure that your TV or decoder is actually compatible with the new system?

Briefly put, if any of the channels between 1 and 10 is currently available in HD, then that means that your TV or decoder already supports MPEG-4. 

If, on the other hand, you can currently only see channels from 500 onwards (and you’ve already rescanned the channels), you’ll have to buy a new TV or decoder in order to be able to view the new HD broadcasts. 

READ ALSO: Seven classic films to watch for an Italian Christmas

On this note, it’s worth pointing out that the December 21st switchover will only be the first step in a broader digital transition planned by the Italian government. 

Next year, Italian TV will switch to the DVB-T2 (Digital Video Broadcasting – Second Generation Terrestrial) system. 

Though we still have some way to go to this second switchover – the date hasn’t been announced yet – you can check whether your TVs or decoders will be able to support the new system. 

If your appliance handbook states that your TV or decoder is equipped with a ‘DVB-T2 tuner’, then they will support DVB-T2 transmissions. 

You can also tune in to either channel 100 or channel 200. If a blue card reading ‘Test HEVC Main 10’ appears on your screen on either channel, then your TV or decoder is compatible with DVB-T2.

For further information or guidance, you can contact the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy’s support centre, which is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm at 06 87 800 262.

Alternatively, you can send a Whatsapp text message to 340 1206348.

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LIVING IN ITALY

Why is Ascension Day a holiday in most of Europe but not Italy?

Italy is known for being a particularly religious country, so why isn't Ascension Day a public holiday here?

Published: 6 May 2024 10:31 CEST
Why is Ascension Day a holiday in most of Europe but not Italy?

This year, Thursday May 9th is Ascension Day, the day many Christians believe commemorates the ascension of Christ to heaven following 40 days of preaching after his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

This means that it doesn’t always fall on May 9th, but changes each year depending on when Easter is.

According to Christian tradition, Ascension Day marks the day Jesus ascended into heaven at Bethany or the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. The date is marked across all branches of Christianity on the sixth Thursday after Easter.

That doesn’t mean it’s a public holiday everywhere, however.

It’s a holiday in countries including France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Certain parts of Switzerland also have a day off.

Calendar: How to make the most of Italy’s public holidays in 2024

But in Italy, a country known for being overwhelmingly Catholic, the date is not a public holiday and not really marked outside Mass.

This is because, generally speaking, traditionally Catholic countries including Italy don’t place such an emphasis on Ascension Day.

Instead, many Roman Catholic countries, such as Poland, Spain, and Hungary, as well as Italy, tend to mark the ascension on the Sunday before Pentecost and view the Assumption of Mary on August 15th (l’Assunzione di Maria in Italian, though the date is also known as Ferragosto) as the more important celebration.

l’Assunzione on August 15th is marked by processions and religious events in towns up and down Italy, while in the week around Ferragosto more or less the entire country closes down for summer holidays during what is usually the hottest part of the year.

Ascension Day isn’t the only important date on the Catholic calendar not marked with a public holiday in Italy. Good Friday may be a holiday elsewhere in Europe, but not in Italy, where it’s seen as a day of mourning.

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