6. What are the characteristics or technical specifications of the equipment I will need to receive DTT?


DTT transmissions in Portugal use DVB-T technology and MPEG-4/H.264 video compression.

Therefore, to receive DTT broadcasts, the technical specifications of your equipment must meet at least two conditions:

  • it must be compatible with the DVB-T standard;
  • it must be capable of MPEG-4/H.264 video decoding.

If your product does not meet these two conditions, you will need to do the following:

  • if you want to use your current television set, and your current television set has a SCART or HDMI socket, you will need to acquire an external set-top box, usually a set-top box, connected between the aerial socket and the television set; the set-top box and your television must, together, satisfy the two conditions above;
  • if you want to buy a new television set and do not want to have to install an external set-top box, you need to acquire an integrated digital television set which is capable of DVB-T reception and MPEG-4/H.264 video decoding;
  • if you subscribe to a paid television service or receive television other than through an external terrestrial aerial, this means you may not necessarily have to switch to DTT.

Before purchasing any equipment make sure that you have direct access to DTT in your home. If DTT is not available, or provision is limited, you may need different equipment to receive DTT (for example, a satellite dish and a set-top box for satellite reception). For further information, check with MEO - Serviços de Comunicações e Multimédia, through the DTT Website https://tdt.telecom.pt/ or by calling 800 200 838 (freephone).