Find HS Code and trade information for digital television

Digital Television

Digital television (DTV) is a broadcasting system used to transmit television signals as digital encoded streams instead of the analog signals previously used. It represents a significant advancement over analog television, offering improved picture and sound quality, increased efficiency in spectrum usage, and the ability to provide additional services.

Material & Technology

DTV relies on a variety of technologies, including:

• Digital Encoding: Signals are compressed using standards like MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264 (AVC), and H.265 (HEVC). These codecs reduce the amount of data needed to transmit the signal, allowing for more channels within the same bandwidth.
• Multiplexing: Multiple channels are combined into a single transport stream for transmission.
• Modulation: Digital data is converted into a radio frequency (RF) signal suitable for over-the-air broadcasting, cable transmission, or satellite delivery. Common modulation schemes include QAM, COFDM, and QPSK.
• Transmission Mediums:
  • Over-the-Air (OTA): Utilizes terrestrial broadcast towers.
  • Cable: Delivered via coaxial or fiber optic cables.
  • Satellite: Transmitted via communication satellites.
  • Internet Protocol Television (IPTV): Delivered over the internet.
• Display Technology: Requires compatible televisions capable of decoding digital signals. Common display technologies include LCD, OLED, and Plasma (though less common now).

Purpose & Function

The primary purposes of DTV are:

• Improved Quality: Offers clearer picture and sound compared to analog television.
• Increased Capacity: Allows for more channels to be broadcast within the same bandwidth.
• Interactive Services: Enables features like interactive program guides (IPG), on-demand video, and data services.
• Efficient Spectrum Usage: More efficient use of radio frequency spectrum, allowing for other services to utilize the freed-up bandwidth.

Usage Scenarios

• Home Entertainment: The most common use, providing access to a wide range of television programming.
• News & Information: Delivering news, weather, and other informational content.
• Public Safety: Used for emergency alerts and public service announcements.
• Advertising: A platform for targeted advertising.
• Closed Captioning & Accessibility: Improved support for closed captioning and other accessibility features.

Common Types

• ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee): The standard used in North America, South Korea, and parts of Mexico. Focuses on 8-VSB modulation for over-the-air broadcasting.
• DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting): A family of standards used in Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia and Africa. Includes several sub-standards:
  • DVB-T (Terrestrial): For over-the-air broadcasting.
  • DVB-C (Cable): For cable transmission.
  • DVB-S (Satellite): For satellite delivery.
• ISDB (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting): Used in Japan, Brazil, and parts of South America.
• DTMB (Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast): Used in China.
• IPTV (Internet Protocol Television): Delivered over a broadband internet connection. Examples include services like Sling TV, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV.
• Smart TV: Televisions with integrated internet connectivity and apps, often utilizing IPTV or streaming services.
• HDTV (High-Definition Television): A type of DTV with a higher resolution than standard definition television.
• UHDTV (Ultra High-Definition Television): A type of DTV with even higher resolution than HDTV (e.g., 4K, 8K).

Digital television encompasses a range of apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images, or other data. The following HS codes are relevant based on the provided information:

• 8517690000: This HS code covers telephone sets, including smartphones, and other telephones for cellular networks or other wireless networks. It also includes other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images, or other data, specifically those used in wired or wireless networks (like local or wide area networks), excluding those under headings 8443, 8525, 8527, or 8528. The tax rate is a base tariff of 0.0%, an additional tariff of 25.0%, and a tariff of 30.0% after April 2, 2025, resulting in a total tariff of 55.0%.

• 8528720400: This HS code covers reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording/reproducing apparatus. Specifically, it applies to incomplete or unfinished apparatus (including assemblies for television receivers consisting of all parts specified in additional U.S. note 9 to this chapter plus a power supply) presented without a display device, incorporating video recording or reproducing apparatus. The tax rate is a base tariff of 0.0%, an additional tariff of 25.0%, and a tariff of 30.0% after April 2, 2025, resulting in a total tariff of 55.0%.

• 8528726420: This HS code also covers reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording/reproducing apparatus. It specifically applies to other color apparatus with a flat panel screen, incorporating video recording or reproducing apparatus, and with a video display diagonal not exceeding 75 cm. The tax rate is a base tariff of 3.9%, an additional tariff of 7.5%, and a tariff of 30.0% after April 2, 2025, resulting in a total tariff of 41.4%.

• 8529900400: This HS code covers parts suitable for use solely or principally with the apparatus of headings 8524 to 8528, specifically other printed circuit assemblies of television apparatus, such as tuners. The tax rate is a base tariff of 0.0%, an additional tariff of 25.0%, and a tariff of 30.0% after April 2, 2025, resulting in a total tariff of 55.0%.

• 8529908300: This HS code covers other parts suitable for use solely or principally with the apparatus of headings 8524 to 8528, specifically other parts of articles of headings 8525 and 8527 of television apparatus. The tax rate is a base tariff of 0.0%, an additional tariff of 25.0%, and a tariff of 30.0% after April 2, 2025, resulting in a total tariff of 55.0%.