Student Accommodation
Maintaining continuity of television services throughout switchover will be important for universities and colleges, and student property managers, as part of the provision of good quality student accommodation or to support teaching and administration. Student Unions
will also need to be reminded that televisions and recording devices in bars, common rooms and offices will also need attention before
switchover. Planning ahead is the way to achieve this, not least so that costs can be built into future investment plans.
For the property manager responding to these expectations, thought needs to be given to both the TV equipment and reception systems that are in use in the buildings.
Halls of residence
In most cases, students themselves will be responsible for their TV equipment and also for ensuring that their equipment will work after
switchover i.e. they are equipped with an appropriate digital box or has an integrated digital tuner. However, the property manager, whether
that is the institution, a private contractor, or an independent accommodation provider, may be responsible for providing access to TV
services for example through an aerial.
Typical scenarios of how students access TV include:
No aerial system
In older buildings without built-in aerial systems, students will rely on set-top aerials to receive a TV signals. Set-top aerials can receive
digital TV, providing the signal strength is sufficient and the set-top aerial is good quality. A general rule is that if a good quality pictures can be obtained with today’s analogue signal, then good quality digital signal should be obtained after switchover using a
digital box or a TV with integrated digital tuner. The property manager will need to decide if students should continue to rely on set-top
aerials after switchover, or whether to upgrade the building with, for example, a communal TV aerial system.
Communal TV aerial system
Communal aerial systems are used to deliver television and radio signals received at a single location to a number of users/outputs.
There are two types of communal TV aerial systems:
MATV systems that distribute a digital terrestrial television signal only.
IRS systems that distribute digital terrestrial signal as well as a satellite signals.
Many of these systems will need specialist attention if they are to continue to work after switchover.
IPTV (Internet Protocol TV)
This new technology takes digital terrestrial and/or satellite signals and distributes them through local
high-bandwidth networks. The Higher Education sector is leading the way in adopting this technology as the requirements for high-bandwidth
networks across campuses increases. Often the impetus to install cabling for IPTV in halls of residence is driven by the IT
requirements. Property and IT managers need to co-ordinate their approach, for in many instances disruption could minimised and
resources pooled if broadband is installed at the same time as an upgrade/instalment of digital TV systems.
Shared houses
Again students are likely to be responsible for any TV equipment, while landlords will be responsible for providing access to TV
services. Landlords should check to see if their aerials are capable of carrying a digital signal.
Institutions may want to use their accommodation offices to inform landlords about switchover and the need to ensure aerials are capable
of carrying digital signals.
Teaching and other facilities
TVs will be found in a wide range of other locations around a university or college in addition to student accommodation. TVs may be
used in Student Union buildings, canteens and other communal areas, departments may record TV programmes as a teaching aid, and other
departments such as press offices may use it to obtain relevant coverage for the university. In these cases, the institution is more
likely to be responsible for TV equipment as well as the system to receive it. However, TVs that are used only for playing videos and DVDs
will not need to be converted.
Who is responsible for preparing for equipment and systems of digital TV switchover?
Responsibility for upgrading television equipment and reception systems will fall variously with: the students; the institution; property
managers working under contract to the institution, and private property owners operating independently of the institution. You will need to establish who is responsible for ensuring that appropriate preparations are made for switchover in all the places where TV is used.
Contact us for information on how to get your properties ready for the digital TV switchover.