Proper PDO instantiation

gistfile1.txt

<?php

//for PHP 5.3.6+

try {
    $dbh = new PDO('mysql:dbname=databasename;host=hostname;charset=utf8', 'username', 'password');
    $dbh->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
    $dbh->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES, false); 
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    die("Database connection failed.");
}

//for lower PHP versions
try {
    $dbh = new PDO('mysql:dbname=databasename;host=hostname', 'username', 'password');
    $dbh->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_ERRMODE, PDO::ERRMODE_EXCEPTION);
    $dbh->setAttribute(PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES, false);
    $dbh->exec('set names utf8'); 
} catch (PDOException $e) {
    die("Database connection failed.");
}