Given the value of auctioning off unused broadcast spectrum for mobile communications platforms, administrative bodies in most nations of the world are moving towards digital television and radio services. The more efficient allocation of the RF spectrum that digital broadcasting affords, allows huge swathes of particularly the VHF and UHF bands to be freed up for auction to the highest bidder.
Digital also allows the production of television – particularly live sporting events – to be performed far more efficiently. With digital recording, fault prone mechanical tape systems for instant replays may see events missed, because a limited number of tape machines may result in some cameras not being supported by a tape machines for the purposes of replay.
With digital, as long as you’ve got enough disk space – and these days, it’s dirt cheap – you can cover as many cameras as you wish to use – making for a more complete experience of the event. Magnetic tape also has a propensity to degrade over time.
As a bit of a flashback, here’s a segment from the excellent “Beyond 2000” television program of the 1980’s and 1990’s, documenting how Channel Seven covered the 1991 Bathurst 1000.
Times certainly do change!