TV Globo in Brazil has launched an experimental DTV+ broadcast in Rio de Janiero. The new transmission technology will be commercially available from 2026, ideally in time for the World Cup. Digital Television+ is the name now used for the TV 3.0 transmission standard adopted by Brazil.
Installed at Pico do Sumaré in Rio de Janeiro, the service is medium power and covers areas of the South Zone and Barra da Tijuca in the city. Access will be restricted to professionals using prototype DTV+ receivers. The pilot transmissions use the 300 MHz band with a single frequency network.
The transport layer carries two services in the same 6 MHz channel. One is 1080p VVC at 6 megabits per second, the second uses MPEG-5 LCEVC+VVC coding at 10 megabits per second to deliver 2160p. Immersive audio is delivered in MPEG-H 5.1+4H format. Both services are received using an application in the set-top box.
The system of LCEVC enhancement was pioneered by British company V-Nova, which was founded in 2011. In 2015 it announced its Perseus compression scheme that could augment existing compression to deliver ultra-high-definition services in less bandwidth than competing approaches. The V-Nova technology was later included in MPEG-5 Part 2 Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding or LCEVC.
With a temporary license granted by the Ministry of Communications and Anatel , the station will operate as a scientific and experimental testing centre. It will be used to evaluate new content and system architecture models, accelerating the development of the industry.
DTV+ can offer 4K resolution pictures, with the potential for 8K. The system uses internet technologies, but an internet connection is not necessary for reception. However, connecting to the internet will allow for interactivity and personalisation.
At the launch event, Paulo Marinho, the chief executive of Globo, said: “DTV+ is another step towards the future. It strengthens the vocation of Brazilian open TV, respects its history and expands its role.”
TV Globo operates free-to-air television networks in Brazil and has international distribution globally.