MySatTv update

[pc9]

Might not be any more than you already know, but this is an email reply I just got from MySatTV:

"Hi Brian, All current Aurora customers that are in the Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV1 licence area will be able to register for the VAST Satellite Service from the 15 th of December 2010, the broadcasters and the government are still working through the people who are in a known blackspot area and have previously been connected after getting approval from the broadcasters. As no decision has been made on this at this stage could you contact us in about a months time and we might be able to offer more information then" .

VAST Administration

Very positive news indeed Brian. Any ideas how the registration will process will proceed. Apparently Zacker had quite a time in relation to his authorisation in the Mildura area - apparently lots of details required.

[mtv]

Very positive news indeed Brian. Any ideas how the registration will process will proceed. Apparently Zacker had quite a time in relation to his authorisation in the Mildura area - apparently lots of details required.

Zacker's issue was that the installation address he submitted indicated terrestrial signals should have been sufficient in that area.

We are talking about two entirely different scenarios here.

The Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV1 licence area currently has, and most likely will not have, any terrestrial digital transmissions, so at this stage, it is considered that any application in that area will automatically approved for those officially-registered Aurora viewers in those areas.

The other issue, which is 'black-spot' areas, which are within terrestrial-transmission areas, but for reasons such as blocking terrain, etc, can't receive terrestrial digital signals, may be eligible for VAST, however, signal measurements/tests may be required to confirm terrestrial reception cannot be obtained with a suitable mast and antenna. These viewers may already be using Aurora.

There is still ongoing planning by networks to provide some 'blackspot' areas with terrestrial translators, which is probably the reason why automatic VAST authorisation for some areas will not be given at this time.

[gordon_s1942]

These so called 'Black Spot Areas' are a joke.
MTV knows my area and it has never been or ever likely to be covered by any terrestrial service so how they drew the lines on the map to delineate these areas is way beyond my understanding.
The majority of my ACMA map area has been settled since the 1820's so they cant say that when these areas were declared, there were no settlements affected, be they farms,Hamlets or Villages.
Every current Transmitter/Translator has a known coverage area and anyone outside that known area should be automaticaly covered by VAST.
If your inside the coverage area and cant a reception, then you go the 'Black Spot' way.
Also its about time they announced where any new terrestial services are proposed so we can get an idea and save chasing our tails.

[viewer]

Here's my answer from mysat..I am a registered blackspot aurora user..

Hi xxxx, thanks for your email. The Aurora or 'RABS' service is licensed to provide satellite TV to viewers located in the Remote Central & Eastern Australia TV1 licence area. This area encompasses most of the Northern Territory and REMOTE parts of SA, Vic, NSW and Qld ie. areas that are too far away from a television transmitter for the signal to be received adequately.



On reading your email below, it seems you are in what is referred to as a "black spot" area.



On the 15th of December this year, viewers who are actually LOCATED WITHIN the Remote Central & Eastern Australia TV1 licence area will be able to register their VAST smartcard for the VAST Satellite Services. A decision has not yet been made on the process that viewers who have been given "out of area approval" for RABS will need to follow, but it is extremely doubtful that they will be automatically able to register for VAST as this service is being rolled out in conjunction with the switch off of the analogue signal/digital rollout throughout Australia.



For further explanation re the VAST service and a timeline for digital rollout in your area, pls visit or



I hope this information is of assistance to you.



regards

xxxxx

Things still look crook for me.

[mtv]

No surprises there, unfortunately viewer.

Standard reply which says bugger all.

[pc9]

Zacker's issue was that the installation address he submitted indicated terrestrial signals should have been sufficient in that area.

We are talking about two entirely different scenarios here.

The Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV1 licence area currently has, and most likely will not have, any terrestrial digital transmissions, so at this stage, it is considered that any application in that area will automatically approved for those officially-registered Aurora viewers in those areas.

The other issue, which is 'black-spot' areas, which are within terrestrial-transmission areas, but for reasons such as blocking terrain, etc, can't receive terrestrial digital signals, may be eligible for VAST, however, signal measurements/tests may be required to confirm terrestrial reception cannot be obtained with a suitable mast and antenna. These viewers may already be using Aurora.

There is still ongoing planning by networks to provide some 'blackspot' areas with terrestrial translators, which is probably the reason why automatic VAST authorisation for some areas will not be given at this time.

Ok thanks for that - my situation is slightly different. My authorised Aurora Cards are in the remote NT township where I live, which has analogue re-transmission of the current Aurora services, ie Imparja, SC7, ABC 1, SBS 1.
I was authorised on the basis that although I was in a terrestrial local footprint, the reception in my area was poor, especially on 7 and SBS which are broadcast on the UHF band. Also, what I was requesting was simply to receive direct to home satellite service of what was being transmitted terrrestrially.

I'm not sure how that places my registration with VAST (do they respond that I am not technically in a terrrestrial blackspot?), but sure as hell I will advise this forum of the outcome of my application on 15 December.

[mtv]

pc9,

If you're within the TV1 map area (which you likely are) you'd proabably automatically qualify for VAST in December. Let's hope so.

Obviously I can only go by the information the govt has provided so far.

If it was up to me, I'd make it available to anyone who wanted to receive it... with no encryption, therefore no smartcard required and could be received on any HD sat box.... NOW

[Farmsky]

MTV for Prime Minister!

[mtv]

MTV for Prime Minister!

hehe.... thanks Farmsky.... one vote... well, it's a start.

At least I couldn't do any worse than most of the current batch of political-clowns.

Bonus... I even know what a computer is and know how to use it too.

Seriously, I can't see any logical reason why VAST can't be made available now to anyone who can't, or won't be able to receive digital terrestrial signals.

The system is fully-functional and decoders and smartcards are available.

Let's hope the restriction on the type of decoder is relaxed to permit existing equipment to use the smartcards at the very least.

[pc9]

pc9,

If you're within the TV1 map area (which you likely are) you'd proabably automatically qualify for VAST in December. Let's hope so.

Obviously I can only go by the information the govt has provided so far.

If it was up to me, I'd make it available to anyone who wanted to receive it... with no encryption, therefore no smartcard required and could be received on any HD sat box.... NOW

thanks MTV - only 95 more sleeps til I get proper digital widescreen, HD etc on my big energy gussling plasma - Utopia in the bush me thinks.

[steveandnadine]

My wife was narky at me when I couldn't be bothered getting proper technician blackspot approval for my Sydney based RABS access and just gave a false address in the viewing area when I registered my smart card 10 years ago.

Our blackspot area is slated for a new self help site from the tv stations and this means we won't get decent tv till 2013.

Because of my laziness 10 years ago I can watch it in December!!!

bloody stupid if you ask me

[Farmsky]

... Because of my laziness 10 years ago I can watch it in December!!!

bloody stupid if you ask me

Might be a rush of lazy Aurora applications.

[mtv]

Our blackspot area is slated for a new self help site from the tv stations and this means we won't get decent tv till 2013.

When is your area expecting to have the new terrestrial digital translators operating?

Can you mention the area?

[mtv]

The only hitch for those who may have registered false addresses when obtaining Aurora, is that it's possible there will be a confirmation letter snail-mailed to the registered address.

The letter may have a unique code which will need to be quoted to enable activation of the VAST smartcard.

Obviously, if it's a bogus address (or more correctly, one which you don't receive mail at) you won't receive the letter.

That's if this confirmation process goes ahead of course.

[Farmsky]

Yes the activation procedure may be a trap. See the activation form.

Just out of interest and since it appears rather difficult to get hold of accurate postcode maps, I grabbed the Natmap 250k and overlaid a tiny portion of the 'Remote Central and Eastern Australia TV1 licence area' around my backyard ... and hey presto.



Of course ... the 'Licence Area' boundaries have mostly zip to do with actual TV reception?

[AJM]

I assume that your middle brother will be applying for VAST in December!

cheers

[steveandnadine]

When is your area expecting to have the new terrestrial digital translators operating?

Can you mention the area?

I'm in Sydney, I have no idea when the translators will be installed, but I assume that the commercial stations will put of the obligation as long as possible. Channel ten has been off the air on the current analogue repeater for almost a week now - upkeep on these things is a bitch, they constantly break down and every time they do it will cost the commercial networks money, and I don't think they will repair them real quick when they do go bung

[steveandnadine]

The only hitch for those who may have registered false addresses when obtaining Aurora, is that it's possible there will be a confirmation letter snail-mailed to the registered address.

The letter may have a unique code which will need to be quoted to enable activation of the VAST smartcard.

Obviously, if it's a bogus address (or more correctly, one which you don't receive mail at) you won't receive the letter.

That's if this confirmation process goes ahead of course.

When I first registered ten years ago I thought the same thing, but took a punt and bought a smart card - (using my hacked UEC active foxtel box). The only qualifier then was they asked for my phone number - bugger, I thought, they got me! I thought quickly and said I was an interstate truckie and was never home could I give a mobile number? "of course sir" they said.

With a lot of remote properties mail service is an issue and it's not uncommon to have mail diverted to a more convenient location such as your work, I'm sure an enterprising person could come up with a solution if required.

The thing is though, I'm not sure how much cross checking they are actually going to be bothered with, after all the more checks and balances they put on it, the harder it is for them and all they want to do is get the service up and running and at the same time, convince the commercial networks they are not losing revenue from their precious licence areas.

After all this is the same government that brought us the rigorous checking and quality control of the pink bats scheme and B.E.R.

[gordon_s1942]

I assume that your middle brother will be applying for VAST in December!

cheers

I know my unrelated 5 times removed never met cousin will sure be trying !!!!!!

3 months down and COUNTING !!!

[husky61]

I know my unrelated 5 times removed never met cousin will sure be trying !!!!!!

3 months down and COUNTING !!!

Same here 1 in NT and 1 in Tas!!!