Analogue TV switch off date?

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timestyles

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#25635 27-Aug-2008 16:24

Has the date to switch off analogue TV in NZ been chosen yet? If so, when is it? Thanks.

cyril7

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#160209 27-Aug-2008 16:28

I dont believe an actuall firm scheduled date has been chosen, but it is more likely to be a staged event. But the offical line from freeview is this.

A consumer facing government/industry entity will be created in mid 2008 to manage the transition. At 60% digital homes (primary TV only) a target date will be set. At 75% digital homes or 2012 (whichever is earliest) they will set a date. A one region switch off trial will be completed followed by region by region shut off (all completed within one year). ASO will therefore take place sometime between 2012-2016.

By the way a digital home is one that has at least one (primary TV) on either FreeView or Sky Digital.

Cyril

timestyles

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#160211 27-Aug-2008 16:30

Great, thanks that's pretty much all I wanted. Nice knowing that any hardware I buy now will be broken before it becomes obsolete. Thanks again.

old3eyes

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#160215 27-Aug-2008 16:34

Depends when the Gov decides they want to sell off the frequercies for 4G cell services..

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Old3eyes

richms

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#160544 28-Aug-2008 20:54

Not soon enough IMO, perhaps they can fire up more muxes and more channels once the few 1000 remaining sky uhf customers are gone.

Richard rich.ms

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#160548 28-Aug-2008 20:57

richms: Not soon enough IMO, perhaps they can fire up more muxes and more channels once the few 1000 remaining sky uhf customers are gone.

Which then poses the question as to whether prime will ever end up on Freeview or Sky will go it alone with their own DVB-T network. It's a stupid thing to do but stupider things have happened in the world..

eXDee

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#160554 28-Aug-2008 21:12

One thing for sure is that Sky certainly isnt going to cooperate esp with TVNZ unless they get something they want out of a deal.
I reckon Freeview should concentrate less on trying to compete with sky on the satellite TV front and attempt to work with Sky in order to help acheive Freeview's purpose - to replace analogue.
Ideally:
Prime is broadcast on DVB-T/DVB-S Freeview
Sky can point their STBs at the freeview muxes
Sky can reencode Freeview HD to beam off their own muxes ala TV3
FTA channels broadcast off sky muxes are unencrypted

Though none of this is going to happen any time soon.

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KellyP

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#160701 29-Aug-2008 12:37

My bet is January 1, 2012.

sbiddle

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#160705 29-Aug-2008 12:43

James Bond: My bet is January 1, 2012.

I doubt this will happen. The government have already said the date would be announced in 2012, not that 1012 would be the date. Discussion papers on the topic all talk about a date that's in all likelyhood going to be somewhere around 2014-2016 and there has been nothing to suggest this will change.

cyril7

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#160715 29-Aug-2008 13:18

If you vote for the greens then they will be gone by lunchtime, as someone quite rightly informed them that Tx's use 6-10x the power of the DVB-T ones that replace them. So it gives them the same good feelings as wafting around in their prius's.

Cyril

Radiotron

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#160803 29-Aug-2008 20:49

Off topic a little, quote "as they waft around in their Prius's", ha, you will hear the soft thuds of polar bears, penguins and baby fur seals being clubbed with defunct NiMh battery packs from Prius's (Pious really) as they waft to a halt...
The only thing green is the paint on some them... nearly 59000 km recorded in spreadsheet for a 1991 2l Opel, 8.37l/100km! And that is city driving and the odd highway run... Why spend $30k+ on new car, that will buy a lot of petrol, not mention environmental cost of making new car.
Back on topic, the analogue switchoff is many moons away, there is too much money to be made moving basic analogue boxes, and the Waiatarua tower is still a pretty cool bit of technology, just a shame the Concert FM was moved to Sky tower and sound quality of transmission went for skate, not to mention reception quality.

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pjamieson

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#160866 30-Aug-2008 12:18

Which then poses the question as to whether prime will ever end up on Freeview or Sky will go it alone with their own DVB-T network. It's a stupid thing to do but stupider things have happened in the world..

I too have wondered whether Sky will start their own DVB-T network? Freeview is of course just Kordia with a promotional body of channels connected to it. Nothing stopping Sky renting the transmission tower space and doing their own thing to my knowledge. Whether they want to is another story, or is it better to put all their eggs in the DVB-S basket (with a backup Satellite).

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old3eyes

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#160904 30-Aug-2008 16:49

Whats the bet that Sky would use a different DTT stanndard to Freeview just to piss every one off and make them buy new Sky certified DTT boxes..

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Old3eyes

openmedia

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#160928 30-Aug-2008 18:34

If Sky launched a DTT network it would include pay encrypted channels, hence you would need a new STB anyway.

They have requested to retain their existing UHF frequencies for such as use after the analogue switch off, but I'd prefer for some of them to be handed over to freeview to bost the multiplex count from 3 to 5 or 6.

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.