The January 2025 switch-off of standard definition (SD) channels by German public broadcaster ARD on the Astra 19.2° East satellite system triggered a surge in television and set-top box sales. According to the industry association Deutsche TV-Plattform, citing GfK data, approximately 1.6 million TV sets were sold in Germany during Q4 2024—a 6.2% increase year-on-year.
The demand for HDTV set-top boxes experienced an even more dramatic increase. Sales almost tripled between November 2024 and January 2025. This surge followed the introduction of on-screen captions on ARD’s SD channels from mid-November 2024 and the subsequent SD switch-off in early January 2025. Set-top box sales jumped from 78,000 units in November to 130,000 in December, ultimately reaching 277,000 in January 2025. While many households had proactively upgraded to HD, the shutdown provided an additional sales boost. Sales have since normalized, suggesting most affected households have completed their transition.
However, the transition presents ongoing challenges for institutional settings such as hotels, hospitals, and senior care facilities. These locations require not only individual device replacements but often comprehensive upgrades to their communal reception infrastructure. This necessitates extended planning and financing periods, adding complexity to the process. Deutsche TV-Plattform reports that manufacturers of professional reception systems are facing high demand and are working to address existing delivery backlogs.
To facilitate a smoother transition, Deutsche TV-Plattform organized a roundtable discussion on the SD switch-off, engaging stakeholders early on. Participants included representatives from ARD, AG SAT, ANGA, cable and satellite operators, the housing industry, consumer protection groups, and the electronics industry. The focus was on transparent communication and proactive problem identification. Although the transition in some institutional venues is still ongoing, ARD’s successful shift from SD to HD broadcasting is considered a model for ZDF’s upcoming SD switch-off on 18 November 2025.