Stuff story: Obstacles cleared for FreeviewHD expansion

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andrewcnz

961 posts

Ultimate Geek

#76799 7-Feb-2011 07:14

Ten more centres should be able to receive FreeviewHD by the end of June, after obstacles that threatened to delay the expansion of the high-definition free-to-air service to another 12 per cent of the population were overcome.

The Government announced in September that it would meet the $7 million capital cost of extending the free high-definition television service to Wairarapa, Taupo, Whanganui, Taranaki, Nelson, Gisborne, Rotorua, Whangarei, Timaru and Invercargill.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/4623686/Obstacles-cleared-for-FreeviewHD-expansion

Jaxson

8044 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#436115 7-Feb-2011 08:26

Wow, Whanganui is on the list, and by June too. That's great news. Rugby World Cup and Election year really do help to move things along aye!

marmel

1924 posts

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#436123 7-Feb-2011 09:03

I've emailed Freeview and Johnston, Dick & Associates (Company installing most of the hardware) to see if anyone can tell me if the Invercargill transmitter will cover Gore. The same transmitter currently broadcasts the existing terrestrial analogue services to both areas so I am hoping the same will be true for the digital signal.

fatjulio

90 posts

Master Geek

#436135 7-Feb-2011 09:52

O for orsum

richms

28217 posts

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#436139 7-Feb-2011 10:00

Any word about more infill around Auckland at all?

Richard rich.ms

snowfly

543 posts

Ultimate Geek

#436184 7-Feb-2011 11:23

Good to see New Plymouth there, fingers crossed this goes ahead by June.

oxnsox

1923 posts

Uber Geek

#436208 7-Feb-2011 12:09

richms: Any word about more infill around Auckland at all?

One suspects Freeview in-fill is via the sat service :)

It's an argument that works across the whole country

Jaxson

8044 posts

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#436218 7-Feb-2011 12:19

oxnsox:
richms: Any word about more infill around Auckland at all?

One suspects Freeview in-fill is via the sat service :)

It's an argument that works across the whole country

It raises a good point though about the very nature of terrestrial broadcasts. It's going to be highly terrain dependant in a lot of areas. From memory some of the areas left off the initial roll out fell into this category of being hard to cover easily terrestrially. That means there will still be some without reception I'm sure even after the upgrade.

Still it's great news for most I'm sure.
Also means approved twin tuner PVRs are then available in these areas at significantly lower prices than their satellite counterparts, not that there ever was an approved freeview sat pvr anyway.

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Deev8

481 posts

Ultimate Geek

#436265 7-Feb-2011 13:08

oxnsox:
richms: Any word about more infill around Auckland at all?

One suspects Freeview in-fill is via the sat service :)

It's an argument that works across the whole country

Population density needs to be figured-into the decision. I have a feeling that terrestrial in-fill transmitters around Auckland will be more justifiable than many parts of the country. The push has consistently been to cover x% of the population with terrestrial transmissions.

Speedy885

182 posts

Master Geek

#436594 7-Feb-2011 22:33

snowfly: Good to see New Plymouth there, fingers crossed this goes ahead by June.