Igloo tests on CH31 off Waiatarua

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openmedia

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#94524 13-Dec-2011 11:17

There has been some talk about a new DVB multiplex firing up on CH 31 off Waiatarua in Auckland, plus possibly CH 30 off Pinehill. I'm without a UHF aerial at the moment so I can't confirm any details.

Can someone take a look and also confirm if they are using DVB-T or DVB-T2 as there has been some speculation that Igloo will use DVB-T2.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

mm1352000

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#557516 13-Dec-2011 16:26

Would also be good to confirm what encryption scheme they're using. I'm guessing it will be NDS Videoguard like Sky at least for the broadcast services but I guess you never know...

mm

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openmedia

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#557529 13-Dec-2011 16:58

Given the boxes don't appear to have a smart card slot it will be very interesting to hear what encryption standard they will be using.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

codyc1515

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#557544 13-Dec-2011 17:30

openmedia: Given the boxes don't appear to have a smart card slot it will be very interesting to hear what encryption standard they will be using.

I'm pretty sure you will find they do. Either that or they use the Internet (maybe).

kiwiharry

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#560197 21-Dec-2011 11:10

openmedia: There has been some talk about a new DVB multiplex firing up on CH 31 off Waiatarua in Auckland, plus possibly CH 30 off Pinehill. I'm without a UHF aerial at the moment so I can't confirm any details.

Can someone take a look and also confirm if they are using DVB-T or DVB-T2 as there has been some speculation that Igloo will use DVB-T2.

Confirming those channels are listed in the SMART database.

They will be using DVB-T2

If you can't laugh at yourself then you probably shouldn't laugh at others.

mm1352000

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#561146 24-Dec-2011 11:00

Thanks for the comment kiwiharry. I checked the DB, found the local frequency, and scanned it with a DVB-T2 tuner but it seems nothing is up here yet. Anyone able to provide a TS dump from one of the test muxes?

mm

codyc1515

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#564182 4-Jan-2012 02:13

Just bumping this in case there is any new info. Curious to hear of anything.

gareth41

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#566337 9-Jan-2012 01:59

will do a scan once I get a UHF antenna up, havent used one for years as have sky, but we got line of sight to waiatarua

mail2mm

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#567823 12-Jan-2012 11:46

I was wondering if they will use ch 30 from the Sky Tower and the other infill sites like Remuera as well as Pine Hill? Would it then be vertical polarisation as the Freeview transmissions are?

At my apartment building, in the Auckland CBD, ch 30 is in use for a local FTA channel received by satellite. Waiatarua and Pine Hill transmissions are not available because of surrounding buildings. Carriage of Igloo on ch 30 would not be possible without a bit of channel shuffling.

I have tried contacting Igloo and Sky to speak with an engineer about their plans but no luck. Lots of promises to pass on my query or get back to me but no answers.

mm1352000

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#568411 13-Jan-2012 14:30

Hi mail2mm

I was wondering if they will use ch 30 from the Sky Tower and the other infill sites like Remuera as well as Pine Hill? Would it then be vertical polarisation as the Freeview transmissions are?

Yes, they will be transmitting from those locations. Sky Tower and Remuera will be vertical; Te Aroha and Pine Hill will be horizontal. Waitarua will be ch31 horizontal. You can check the RSM frequency database yourself if you want:
link

Sky's client ID is 1106.
What I did was:
1. Enter 1106 in the client ID field.
2. Select "transmit" location (but don't select a location).
3. Select license type "any".
4. Select license status "current".
5. Hit "search".
6. Sort results by channel.

All the DTV*** channels are the ones that Sky will presumably use for Igloo.

There are some other low power DTV licenses there. I'm not sure what they're using them for:
Pine Hill 61 (794 MHz) H 25 dBW
Remuera 54 (738 MHz) V 9 dBW

At my apartment building, in the Auckland CBD, ch 30 is in use for a local FTA channel received by satellite. Waiatarua and Pine Hill transmissions are not available because of surrounding buildings. Carriage of Igloo on ch 30 would not be possible without a bit of channel shuffling.

You might be out of luck by the sounds of it.

mm

knoydart

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#568416 13-Jan-2012 14:40

mm1352000:
There are some other low power DTV licenses there. I'm not sure what they're using them for:
Pine Hill 61 (794 MHz) H 25 dBW
Remuera 54 (738 MHz) V 9 dBW

They are infill licenses but they will be gone by DSO in any case

Flippikat

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#569681 16-Jan-2012 22:16

mm1352000: Hi mail2mm

I was wondering if they will use ch 30 from the Sky Tower and the other infill sites like Remuera as well as Pine Hill? Would it then be vertical polarisation as the Freeview transmissions are?

Yes, they will be transmitting from those locations. Sky Tower and Remuera will be vertical; Te Aroha and Pine Hill will be horizontal. Waitarua will be ch31 horizontal. You can check the RSM frequency database yourself if you want:
link

Sky's client ID is 1106.
What I did was:
1. Enter 1106 in the client ID field.
2. Select "transmit" location (but don't select a location).
3. Select license type "any".
4. Select license status "current".
5. Hit "search".
6. Sort results by channel.

All the DTV*** channels are the ones that Sky will presumably use for Igloo.

Not sure if I'm reading the results right, but it looks to me like Sky has traded 4 analogue TV frequencies for 1 digital frequency at many of their sites - is that right?

mail2mm

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#569726 17-Jan-2012 06:10

Many thanks to mm1352000 for the link and instructions to the SMART database. Here among the concrete canyons of the Auckland CBD we do not have a usable TV ONE signal. That has been solved by taking Freeview satellite TV ONE and feeding a ch 30 modulator. The SMATV system here currently carries SKY satellite, Freeview satellite, Freeview HD (from the Sky Tower) and the free-to-air analogue TV channels.

It looks like we will have to move the TV ONE modulator off ch 30 to an unused channel like 47. That will allow us to carry Igloo, when available, on ch 30 (Sky Tower). Fortunately we have line of sight to the top of the Sky Tower with the vertical antenna tilted upward more than 30 degrees for the best signal.

The 1 December 2013 digital switch over can't come soon enough. Dropping the VHF and UHF analogue TV channel carriage will simplify our SMATV system considerably. We might make the switch earlier if all the residents can be convinced to give up their old analogue TV sets and VCRs. Most already have Freeview HD sets or SKY. The older sets are being used as second sets in the kitchen or bedroom.

Thanks again for your assistance.

sbiddle

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#569731 17-Jan-2012 07:26

The channel restacking is going to cause plenty of issues for many motels and hotels. Many still rely on analogue for FTA channels, and then modulated Sky. Watching TV in fat-o-vision is one of my pet hates, and out of the last dozen or so hotels and motels I've stayed in only one had channels in the correct aspect ratio.

Many are going to face the issue of having to install new STB's and modulators for FTA channels, along with reconfiguring their existing modulatos for Sky, and clearly seem to be waiting until the very last minute to do this.