Soon you will only be able to watch Das Erste in HD.
For almost ten years, ARD showed its programs in low SD quality and also in high-resolution HD format. But from January 7, 2025, the double transmission will come to an end. The ARD's own signal and that of all third-party programs via satellite in SD quality will be switched off.
The reason: Costs are to be reduced. Speaking to the news agency epd, a ARD-Spokesman when announcing last year that a dual supply with both SD and HD channels was “no longer economically viable”.
The problem: Not everyone can receive HD. To do this, you need an HD-capable television (HD-capable and standard DVB-S2) or a suitable receiver (HD receiver for satellite reception or HD receiver for cable reception).
The change will affect the 16.3 million households that TV received via satellite. 1.1 million of them still watch SD channels, which is almost seven percent. Many people will therefore have to buy a new device.
Can I receive in HD?
You can tell whether you already have an HD-capable device by the addition of “HD” to the program name in the channel list on your television. Alternatively, you can use the info button on your remote control to open a window that provides information about the reception quality. In most cases, “HD” will also appear in the channel logo on the television screen.
Exceptions: hr, MDR, NDR, phoenix, Radio Bremen. Here you will only find the label in the station list.
Take enough time to check. HD has been around for many years. Your device may be equipped with the right features without you knowing it.
Sometimes the HD versions are hidden at the back of the program slots and the SD versions are at the top. In this case, simply move the HD channels to the front of your channel list.
Another way to check is to use the automatic channel search. Be careful: this will take time and effort, as many TVs also delete saved channel and favorite lists during the search. You may then have to re-sort these.
If the HD addition does not appear in the logo or in the channel list, you must react – otherwise your screen will remain black from the deadline.