Fight for the screens: Patients demand HD TV in the hospital!

Fight for the screens: Patients demand HD TV in the hospital!

On January 7, 2025, the ARD stopped the broadcast of its programs in standard definition (SD) after 26 years and from then on only broadcasts in high definition (HD). This has far-reaching consequences, especially for patients in the cardiovascular center (HKZ) in Rotenburg. Since then, the public television channels have no longer been received, which affects displeasure in many, especially older patients and people with visual impairments. Reinhard Gobrecht, 74 years old and dependent on television due to a handicap, expresses his concern about the current situation.

his wife, Dorothea Gobrecht, criticizes the lack of preparation of the HKZ for the SD shutdown. She had already pointed out the upcoming change on January 5 and made contact with the building services and the management several times. Despite this information, the HKZ describes the SD shutdown as a "unexpected technical problem". Press spokesman Werner Hampe confirmed that 20 German -speaking broadcasters, including private programs, are still available. Public law broadcasters are currently only available in the patient lounge.

The technical background of the changeover

The switch to HD should offer the audience a better television experience. HD, with an image resolution of at least 1280 x 720 pixels (720p), delivers a significantly sharp and more detailed image quality compared to SD, which typically has a maximum resolution of 720 x 576 pixels. This technical development leads to brilliant colors and more details, mainly on larger screens. In order to be able to receive ARD programs even after the SD shutdown, televisions require HD-enabled equipment. Instructions on transmitter search and reception parameters are available for users so that they can meet the new technical requirements, such as [help.ard.de] informed.

The change of the TV system in the HKZ was to take place on January 15, 2025 by an external company. The hospital points out that patients do not have to pay fees for television, radio or WLAN, which alleviates the concerns of many affected people in the current situation.

The role of patient entertainment

In today's health care, the topic of patient entertainment is becoming increasingly important. Hospitals are increasingly relying on modern TV systems with interactive portals that not only provide entertainment services but also information. These systems are tailored to the needs of patients and, for example, offer multilingual options and special content for children.

patients have the opportunity to stream favorite series, call up messages and listen to music. Digital offers such as e-books, games and learning programs are also part of the modern patient support offer. However, the implementation of such systems requires close cooperation between technology providers, hospital administration and medical staff. Technical requirements also include hardware selection, software integration, data protection and security, as well as the usability of the systems, as explained on the P/Labor website.

Overall, the current situation in the HKZ in Rotenburg is a challenge that not only requires technical solutions, but also a better understanding of the needs of patients. The switch to HD brings numerous advantages, but care must be taken to ensure that the patients can also use the new technologies.