State of Broadcasting and
Digital Migration in the Region

https://zimbabwe.misa.org

Digital Broadcasting Migration Components in Zimbabwe2
a.

Content production infrastructure :
i.

TV studios- the plan is to have 6 studios at Pockets Hill, Mbare, Montrose, Gweru,
Masvingo and Mutare.

ii.

Content gathering equipment (OB vans, DSNGs, flyaway kits)

b. Signal processing equipment:
i.
ii)
		
		
		
		
c.

National high definition TV head end (multiplexer) is at Pockets Hill
Satellite uplink facility for signal distribution and gap filling on DVB –S2, Ku band
platform. The satellite uplink has dual purpose, firstly it is the primary distribution
channel of all TV and radio services to the 48 transmitter sites and a direct to home
DTH link on DVB-S2 platform to all viewers who might not get reception from the 48
transmitter sites and any other additional sites that might be added in future.

Digital terrestrial transmission network:

There are 48 transmitter sites dotted throughout the country. There are 24 backbone sites and 24 gap
fillers. Zimbabwe like most SADC countries adopted the DVB-T2 transmission standard, the standard
used in Europe.
d. Digital Terrestrial Transmission reception.
Set top boxes or DTT decoders are required to receive the digital signal. Many countries which
successfully implemented the DBM put up policies to make the set top boxes affordable and easily
available with a lot of consumer protection measures. It is a zero sum game to transmit the signal when
consumers do not have receive gadgets. The project coordinators in Zimbabwe, the Broadcasting
Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) requested for 400 thousand set top boxes way back in 2015 and no
funds have been availed this far.

2progress report SADC Post DTT workshop 2020

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Select target paragraph3