Overview
- ZDF will cease SD transmission for ZDF, ZDFneo, ZDFinfo, KiKA and 3sat, with broadcasts continuing only in HD.
- Viewers with non‑HD sets will lose these channels unless they use an HD‑capable TV or external receiver, which are available for about €30.
- HD reception remains available via satellite, and cable providers such as Vodafone and Pyur are removing the SD versions and carrying the HD feeds.
- Roughly 2.5 million German households still lack HD reception, according to the Astra TV‑Monitor 2024.
- The decision ends costly dual distribution and follows ARD’s earlier SD shutdown, with terrestrial DVB‑T2 having broadcast exclusively in HD since 2017.