19 replies to this topic

[alanh]

All,
Timetable

AlanH

[CWulf]

alanh, on Oct 20 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

All,
Timetable

AlanH

Any comments on the metro dates Alan?

[alanh]

CWulf,
The message has finally got through about the huge number of Master Antenna TV systems in blocks of apartments which are incapable of distributing ABC SBS TEN and in some cases SEVEN.
How many antenna installers are around to do this job?

AlanH

[CWulf]

alanh, on Oct 20 2008, 03:22 PM, said:

CWulf,
The message has finally got through about the huge number of Master Antenna TV systems in blocks of apartments which are incapable of distributing ABC SBS TEN and in some cases SEVEN.
How many antenna installers are around to do this job?

AlanH

I agree that was probably one of the considerations in developing the timetable and leaving the metros to last.

But you've made all these posts telling everyone the metro analogs will turn off at the end of next year, despite other posters suggesting that the timetable hadn't been set and that mightn't be the case.   Were you wrong or are you now arguing that DBCDE and the minister have changed the dates again?

[digitalj]

alanh, on Oct 20 2008, 03:22 PM, said:

CWulf,
The message has finally got through about the huge number of Master Antenna TV systems in blocks of apartments which are incapable of distributing ABC SBS TEN and in some cases SEVEN.
How many antenna installers are around to do this job?

AlanH

I feel that prior to final switchoff dates in metro areas that for the year coming up to the switch off date, analogue should slowly have it's power decreased, this way, people who have to use MATV's will still be able to watch some sort of analogue picture, but as it slowly gets worse, the number of complaints will rise and force the owner of the block to do something about the antenna so that the residents can watch digital instead of the poor analogue picture, it would start affecting people furthest from the transmitter first and slowly start to affect blocks closer to the transmitters, it would also have the benefit of making people get STB's over a period of time instead of all of a sudden a month before analogue is switched off, because retailers will probably not be able to keep up with that sort of demand.

[azure]

alanh, on Oct 20 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

All,
Timetable

AlanH

Please advise us when you're linking to a .PDF file
cheers

Edit - I'm running Safari 3.1.2 on OSX 10.4.11 and for some reason when Safari attempts to open a PDF file in a new tab sometimes it freezes (i must perform a Force Quit)
So I usually just d/load PDF files directly to the hard disk and open them with Adobe Reader

Edited by azure, 20 October 2008 - 03:31 PM.

[alanh]

Azure,
I have put the dates into all the "Get the best reception" posts as appropriate for the area.

CWulf,
I have only used media releases from the Minister, and his departments. Note that the previous Minister had the end of this year for the switch off, however no one had investigated the consequences such as MATV systems and there is still 7 high powered transmitters without digital brothers, along with many lower powered transmitters. So how can you switch it off.

AlanH

[Techie]

alanh, on Oct 20 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

All,
Timetable

AlanH

File isn't there anymore.....

[DrP]

Try this one, but don't believe it until you actually see analogue TXs being switched off.....

Digital television timetable (File format PDF, File size 34Kb)

[tannhauser]

Does anyone out there seriously believe that analog TV will be switched OFF in their lifetime???
It is a simple POLITICAL decision - whatever government that is in power in 2013  foolish enough to actually do this would be committing suicide.

Michael.

DrP, on Nov 21 2008, 12:34 AM, said:

Try this one, but don't believe it until you actually see analogue TXs being switched off.....

Digital television timetable (File format PDF, File size 34Kb)

[alanh]

tannhauser,
The USA will be switching off all main analog TV transmitters in the whole USA in February next year. It has happened in Germany, and is progressively occuring in the UK as I type.

AlanH

[DrP]

When one looks at the penetration of FTA digital TV in those markets the reasoning becomes obvious.  Australia has yet to reach the level at which the UK determined it would 'switch off analogue' and unless a miracle happens its unlikely to have reached that level by the time the latest 'switch off' date rolls around.  If this latest switch off date actually sticks (and why would it given the history) I imagine there will be a saleman's bonanza avalanche of purchases of STBs a month or two out from the switch off date .. or a lot of TVs are going to stop receiving FTA.

But looking at FTAs apparent desperate struggle to discourage people from watching it (how else could one interpret the goings on), TVs that don't receive FTA may not be such an issue anyway.

[alanh]

I do not know what you are going on about.
STBs are well under $100. The main problem is conversion of MATV systems, particularly ones of which there are many who have poor wiring.

I wish to remind you of mobile phone conversion from analog to digitial and then onto Next G

AlanH

[DrP]

alanh, on Dec 17 2008, 01:27 PM, said:

I do not know what you are going on about.

Most likely because you've completely failed to understand any of what I posted and instead decided to go off on some tangent about STBs costing $100.

To restate:

You held up the USA going to switch off and Germany having switched off as an argument against tannhauser's post

I responded that the reason these other markets you referenced were able to switch over was due to far higher penetration of FTA digital than Australia has; and is more than likely to still be higher when Australia's latest switchover date rolls around - assuming it doesn't vary - yet again.  Now assuming the date doesn't fall forward, yet again, that means a lot of people are going to have to rush out and buy STBs

Buying lots = salesman's bonanza.  

Get it now?

alanh, on Dec 17 2008, 01:27 PM, said:

I wish to remind you of mobile phone conversion from analog to digitial and then onto Next G

Thankyou for supporting my 'salesmans bonanza' statement, although I'm not sure you intended to do so.

Edited by DrP, 17 December 2008 - 01:55 PM.

[digitalj]

DrP, on Dec 17 2008, 02:53 PM, said:

Most likely because you've completely failed to understand any of what I posted and instead decided to go off on some tangent about STBs costing $100.

To restate:

You held up the USA going to switch off and Germany having switched off as an argument against tannhauser's post

I responded that the reason these other markets you referenced were able to switch over was due to far higher penetration of FTA digital than Australia has; and is more than likely to still be higher when Australia's latest switchover date rolls around - assuming it doesn't vary - yet again.  Now assuming the date doesn't fall forward, yet again, that means a lot of people are going to have to rush out and buy STBs

Buying lots = salesman's bonanza.  

Get it now?



Thankyou for supporting my 'salesmans bonanza' statement, although I'm not sure you intended to do so.

And even if 6 months out from the switch off dates for capital cities only half the people in them have access to FTA DTV, a lot of consumers are going to get home and wonder why the picture and sound are dropping out regularly on some or all channels or why they can't get any even though DTV is available to them, there aren't enough Antenna Technicians out there to cope with the demand there would be (unless the government pays for technicians from areas where analogue has already been switched off to come to the cities to help).

[alanh]

DrP,
The reason why Mildura was selected is because 75 % of homes already have DTV. The reason is that the third commercial station is DTV only. I suspect Tasmania is similar for the same reasons. The difference there is that the networks have not completed the DTV transmitter rollout. They still have many low powered DTV transmitters to go.

This could also be the same in SA and WA where there is only 2 commercial TV networks. The addition of a third digital only network drives receiver sales. The problem is that in WA regional there is no DTV transmitters except Central Agricultural (which is fed with a single analog signal permanently). SA is a little better off.

AlanH

[DrP]

You appear to be saying that overall digital TV penetration into Australia is fairly low, with the occasional 'hot spot'.  This supports my original comment.

[alanh]

DrP,
The low penetration of digital receivers currently is acknowledged. However the Government as part of the original plan will now allow all broadcasters an additional SD channel with independent programs. This is what the Freeview promotion is all about.

If you want people to buy new equipment then you need to provide extra programming as has been shown above.

The whole developed world is switching off analog within the next 10 years.

We will by 2013 have duplicate analog and digital TV transmission systems nationally. This is costly from a money and environmental point of view. In addition the radio industy is pushing for extra channels to expand DAB+ radio and require them in the range of TV channel 6 - 12.

AlanH

[Digicruiser]

Stuff 2013!  I truly believe that the Metro areas should be cut off end of 2009.  I still hear people saying, "Well I still have plenty of time..." - many out there will just wait until the last moment and many have no understading about their options about connecting a STB to an old TV as a minimal setup.  Government still being in early part of their time (3 years) can tell everyone now in the Metro areas to get on the band-wagon now and one does not have to pay much to get digital these days.  

Seriously, many who know about Digital but choose to stay with Anadog, deliberately put it off because it is inconvenient - but I do except that transition will occur eventually with them, given a long time to decide when they want to do it.  

At least do what ABC had done for a while, showing an ad to say, "if you have a TV with such and such connections..." it will make them think more about their options in the near future if they don't want to upgrade to a proper digital TV.

Are we including in the take-up statistics, people who have Foxtel and don't want to view the FTA by default?  What is the percentage of Pay to population?  With the cover job of Free-View, this should be enough to warn people that infrastructure is in place in all metro areas and anadog should be switched off locally way earlier and just beam out to Rural areas until 2010-2013.  

Either way, the political party in power will still get some flack from consumers who are too lazy to switch other and we shouldn't give them anymore time.

Hell, my member number is 9!  I've seen these dates been put forward way too many times since I've joined this forum - what are we supposed to do, bring them a limo to their door and take them to town for a free conference on why they should transition now and then pay them money as a form of a heavy discount to get these people to consider going digital?

Edited by Digicruiser, 19 December 2008 - 03:14 PM.

[DrP]

alanh, on Dec 18 2008, 11:55 AM, said:

This is costly from a money and environmental point of view.

Not that again.  If you are that concerned with the environment get, say, 100 semis off the road permanently and the freight carried by them carried by train instead.