18 replies to this topic

[alanh]

All,
DBCDE Discussion paper on DTV switchover

Submit by 4th July 2008

[digitalj]

a few things I don't agree with:

Quote

Commercial and national broadcasters are required to transmit at least 1040 hours of high definition programming annually. This requirement ends at digital switchover.

The requirement of 1040 hours of native HD should be kept.

Quote

After end of simulcast period, anti-siphoning event cannot be shown on secondary (SDTV) multi-channelled commercial service or national service, or HDTV commercial or national multi-channelled service if not previously or simultaneously shown on primary service

In metropolitan areas at least, there should be no reason after analogue switch-off that events on the anti-siphoning list can't be put the secondary SD channel as everyone in metropolitan areas will already have an SD STB at minimum which means they'll be able to tune into the event regardless of which SD Channel it's on

[jayweb]

digitalj, on Jun 4 2008, 04:24 PM, said:

a few things I don't agree with:

a few things I dont agree with

I dont have digital free to air in my area yet and I am less than 1/2 hour's drive from the centre of Queensland's 4th largest city.

That it is up to my council to provide it as I am in a black spot.  

Believe it or not, we didn't get TV until 2003 and when we did they decided, in their infinite wisdom, to give us analogue although digital TV was implemented years earlier and digital transmitter sites were available at the time.

Sorry a bit of a rant......

Edited by jayweb, 04 June 2008 - 04:44 PM.

[M'bozo]

Seems to be some movement at the station.

Quote

The Federal Government has set a timetable for the switch-over from analog to digital television.

The analog signal at Mildura in north-west Victoria is the first to be switched off in the first half of 2010.

Other areas will gradually follow until the switchover to digital is complete at the end of 2013.

The switch-over means those without digital television sets will require a set top box to watch free-to-air television.

link

[alanh]

M'bozo,
Interesting since the DBCDE which produces the timetable, or the minister has not published anything!

Alanh

[digitalj]

alanh, on Oct 19 2008, 10:13 PM, said:

M'bozo,
Interesting since the DBCDE which produces the timetable, or the minister has not published anything!

Alanh

it "will" be published sometime next week.

[COFDM MAN]

digitalj, on Oct 19 2008, 09:16 PM, said:

it "will" be published sometime next week.

Brisbane Courier Mail today says that analogue transmissions in Regional Qld will cease in 2011 and S/E Qld in 2013. Quotes Communication Minister Stephen Conroy.

[Shonky*]

COFDM MAN, on Oct 20 2008, 09:08 AM, said:

Brisbane Courier Mail today says that analogue transmissions in Regional Qld will cease in 2011 and S/E Qld in 2013. Quotes Communication Minister Stephen Conroy.

Surely the years are the other way around? Link to article - couldn't fine it online?

Edited by Shonky*, 20 October 2008 - 09:35 AM.

[COFDM MAN]

Shonky*, on Oct 20 2008, 09:33 AM, said:

Surely the years are the other way around? Link to article - couldn't fine it online?

http://www.theaustra...5013404,00.html


I could not find it on the Courier Mail web site either but heres a link to the Australian anyway.

Edited by COFDM MAN, 20 October 2008 - 10:00 AM.

[CWulf]

COFDM MAN, on Oct 20 2008, 10:58 AM, said:

http://www.theaustra...5013404,00.html


I could not find it on the Courier Mail web site either but heres a link to the Australian anyway.

It's all here http://www.minister....leases/2008/077

Edited by CWulf, 20 October 2008 - 11:34 AM.

[191]

There's a lot of newspeak in there, but the summary is:

Quote

Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Perth and Tasmania will switch-off analog in the first half of 2013 and Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, remote western, central and eastern Australia will be digital-only by the end of 2013.

So again, for the large majority of Australians, digital tv will be next to irrelevant until late 2011 at the earliest.

Australia takes 15 years to migrate to digital. God we are the banana republic.

Quote

Digital switchover is important for all Australians as it not only provides access to such things as better picture and sound quality and additional channels but it will also free-up spectrum which can be used for the delivery of new and improved broadcasting and communications services.

Hmm, that's where meat in this sandwich is. I wonder what lobby group will get what they want over the will of the people?

[digitalj]

I think the government could assist digital switchover if they give all pensioners vouchers that can only be used to buy STB's, this could be made part of the $1400 being given to all pensioners, I.e. $1350 + $50 Voucher for a STB, this would still help stimulate the economy and it could allow switchover to occur earlier than otherwise.

[holdencaulfield2007]

digitalj, on Oct 20 2008, 09:28 PM, said:

I think the government could assist digital switchover if they give all pensioners vouchers that can only be used to buy STB's, this could be made part of the $1400 being given to all pensioners, I.e. $1350 + $50 Voucher for a STB, this would still help stimulate the economy and it could allow switchover to occur earlier than otherwise.

I would suspect that a lot of people would resent being told how to spend their money by the government. They might prefer to spend it on food and bills and other necessities!

[boric]

holdencaulfield2007, on Oct 20 2008, 09:54 PM, said:

I would suspect that a lot of people would resent being told how to spend their money by the government. They might prefer to spend it on food and bills and other necessities!

Their money? MY money!

But you're right, the entire problem with attempting to switch analogue off is that for a lot of people analogue is good enough. Why should they pay to fix something that isn't broken as far as they're concerned? Digital TV is not a priority for those that $1400 will make a difference for.

Besides which, once the gummint buys STBs for pensioners, they'll need to buy STBs for other beneficiaries and on it goes. Either make a bulk order for one STB for every household or don't bother and let each household upgrade or not.

[alanh]

All,
Firstly, this is not the first time this has happened. Try mobile phones, however unreliable reception is likely to be caused by poor antenna installations or Master Antenna TV systems rather than the telephone company.

I think a bigger problem is the user interface where TV stations have multiple identical program selections. This is confusing to lots of viewers.

AlanH

[alanh]

Quote from J Chowland,

jchowland, on Oct 26 2008, 09:52 AM, said:

Interesting interviews by Media Watch about why it's not being pushed by the Commercial Networks- essentially it says that there are two reasons for not pushing multi-channelling and the euro-block digital style network,

a) Revenue Splitting. With more and more digital channels, the networks are scared that having more channels will make each ad less profitable (i.e. instead of capturing 1/4 of the population (Seven/Nine/Network TEN/SBS) they could be talking about 1/8 of the population.

The networks (NEIN especially) that were bought on mountains of debt have to now repay that debt.

For these reasons, the networks are more than happy to be able to say 'sorry, government regulations, simulcasting, analog requirements etc' so that they don't have to give anything extra. It's the old adage, build it and they will come. Make it available and they will want it. The latter applies here.


It's available here.

[M'bozo]

A group representing commercial broadcasters says the switch-over to digital television should be delayed in areas where its take-up is lagging.

The Federal Government is still finalising the timetable for the switch-over, but says it will begin in 2010 and finish by 2013.

The chief executive of Free TV Australia, Julie Flynn, says it should not be imposed on communities where large numbers of people are still dependent on analogue broadcasts.

"The switch is going to impact the people who haven't made the switch," she said.

"We're not talking about large numbers of them, so it's getting to those people and buying some extra time to make sure they're ready to make the switch."

??? (assuming this is accurate reporting)

link

[DrP]

Is anyone surprised?

[azure]

$6.7 million campaign to drive digital switch
Neil Shoebridge
The Australian Financial Review, Monday 23 February 2009

The Rudd government will unveil its labelling scheme for digital-ready television equipment in late March and advertise the end of analog TV due in late 2013.

The information campaign, with a $6.7 million budget, will start at the same time as the government stages its industry conference entitled "Get ready for digital TV," on March 30 and 31.

In the second half of this year, the government will start a separate ad campaign in Victoria's Sunraysia district, the first area in which analog TV will stop.

"The labelling scheme is designed to help consumers make informed decisions when purchasing new TV sets or TV equipment such as set-top boxes," executive director of the government's digital switchover taskforce Andy Townsend said.

"The national advertising campaign will let people know about the switchover and help them understand what each of the labels means."

The switch to digital TV will start in Sunraysia in the first half of 2010 and then move to other regions.

"Regional TV operators are desperate to switch off their analog signals because multi-casting is costing them a bomb" one executive said.

Perth and Brisbane will be the first capital cities to lose analog TV signals, in the June 2013 half, followed by Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in the December 2013 half. The government and the taskforce developed the timetable in consultation with the TV industry.

"It's a challenging but achievable timetable, " Free TV Australia Chief executive Julie Flynn said. "It is dependent, in part, on getting a lot of planning issues resolved, but the government is very committed to meeting the deadline."

The government hopes to raise more than $1 billion by selling the analog spectrum now used by free-to-air TV companies. The commercial networks want an assurance that the spectrum would not be sold to new free-to-air TV operators.

Ms Flynn said Free TV Australia's key concerns about the digital switchover had not changed over the past three years.

"The main issue is ensuring that everyone who gets an analog signal will get a digital signal," she said.

"It needs to be a smooth transition, and we need to know what the government's digital dividend review will look like."

......In late January, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the government would set up a satellite service in the Sunraysia region to fix TV "black spots" and provide assistance for people on pensions to buy digital TV sets or set-top boxes. He did not say how much would be spent on either plan.

A TV executive said: "The government is going to have to fund the switchover in many places, including schools, universities, libraries and nursing homes. How much that is going to cost is anyone's guess."

Mr Townsend said the owners of schools, hospitals, universities and so on would have to fund the switch to digital TV.

"Where residents of aged-care facilities are eligible for household assistance, they will be entitled to the installation and demonstration of a set-top box.," he said. "This will not include any external cabling work, which is the responsibility of the building owner.

Edited by azure, 24 February 2009 - 05:07 PM.