While much of the world is transitioning to DTV at various speeds, every once in a while comes a reminder that there's more than one HD transmission standard out there — not just the ATSC system invented and adopted by America. The latest nation to choose a standard is Argentina, which has announced it will opt for Japan's HD system. (Japan, of course, invented High-Def broadcasting several decades ago, albeit of the analog variety.)
Argentina follows Brazil in vying for the Asian ISDB-T standard, as well. Argentine President Cristina Kirchner made the announcement that her country had chosen Japan's standard while at a summit of South American leaders recently.
Choosing a new national television transmission standard may only happen once in a few generations, but when it does it's as political as any other international act. Thus, when Kirchner made her announcement, she also officially ratified a "memorandum of understanding" between the Argentine and Japanese governments, as well as a "cooperation accord" on HD between her nation and Brazil, according to Agence France Presse.
