New regional sat service announced

[dibbz]

More than 200,000 homes in regional Australia who were in danger of missing out on digital television will be able to tap into a new satellite service under a plan expected to be announced today by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

Regional programming will be enabled by technology similar to that used by Foxtel with its Sky News channel that allows for multiple programs to be broadcast simultaneously.

I wonder if they will make you use a special receiver as well.

[poiuytrewq]

Very interesting news! Will be interesting to see what form it ends up taking and how long til it's up and running.

[bambbbam]

Based on previous form from ACMA, I'll "believe it when I see it"

[poiuytrewq]

Just been looking at some of the news. Looks like Aurora is in for a major upgrade by the middle of the year. All 16 channels via sat including "local news" which i assume is being done in a similar way to sky news local (looping on a dedicated channel maybe).

Apparently it will be running by the 30th of June when the first analog switch off takes place in Mildura. I wonder if they will be using the same irdeto system as aurora? I need to get me an aurora whitey.

Will be interesting to see if it's MPEG4 or MPEG2.

p.

[C-Bander]

Media Release

Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Digital television Australia-wide

The Rudd Government will implement a satellite service to provide digital television to viewers in regional blackspot areas.

"All regional Australians will now receive the same television services as people in the cities," said the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.

"This is a fantastic outcome for people in regional Australia, many of whom have received limited television services for many years."

"This historic decision will dramatically improve the choice and quality of television services for regional Australia as we move towards digital switchover."

"For the first time all free-to-air digital television services, including the original three commercial and two national channels, as well as new digital services such as ABC2, ABC3, SBS TWO, GO!, 7TWO and ONE HD, will be available to all Australians, no matter where they live."

"The satellite service will provide regional viewers with access to the local news currently broadcast in their TV licence area via a dedicated local news channel."

While the final cost of the digital satellite broadcasting service will be determined following negotiations between broadcasters and satellite service providers, the Government is committing $40 million per year over the four-year forward estimates to build and operate the service, for the potential benefit of up to 247,000 households across Australia. This is an ongoing Government commitment.

Under an agreement reached with all television broadcasters across Australia, broadcasters will upgrade more than 100 existing regional analog ‘self-help’ transmission facilities to operate in digital, while the Government will fully fund and build a new digital satellite broadcasting service for regional viewers who are unable to receive digital television from those facilities.

The measures are part of Australia’s ongoing switchover to digital-only television and will be in place before analog services are switched off in each regional broadcast license area.

Viewers who currently rely on ‘self-help’ sites that will be upgraded by broadcasters under this agreement will simply need to install a high definition set-top-box to access a full suite of digital television channels.

Any regional households not able to receive digital television from the upgraded ‘self-help’ sites will be served by the new satellite, which will also carry the full suite of digital channels. In order to access the new satellite service, these households will need to install a satellite dish.

"The Government will provide a satellite conversion subsidy to eligible households currently served by ‘self-help’ transmission sites which are not upgraded to digital by the broadcasters," Senator Conroy said.

"This landmark agreement would not be possible without the cooperation of Australia’s free-to-air broadcasters and I would like to acknowledge their constructive approach to digital switchover."

Senator Conroy said that the Government will be writing to ‘self-help’ transmission licensees detailing the new measures as well as providing further information to local communities.

The Government is currently consulting with broadcasters to identify the list of ‘self-help’ sites to be upgraded to digital for announcement in the first half of 2010.

The list will include new digital terrestrial transmitters at Underbool and Ouyen in the Sunraysia/Mildura region, the first license area to switch to digital-only television. The satellite service for the Sunraysia/Mildura region is expected to commence prior to 30 June 2010, when analog television services are due to be switched off in that licence area.

More information:
Online:
Freephone: 1800 20 10 13

Date: 5 January 2010
Contact: Tim Marshall xxxx xxx xxx xxx

[Zero Alpha]

Another article here.

Regional TV viewers face $300 bill in digital service blackspots

[pc9]

Okay - there will be a cost involved, especially for people living in the smaller communities. I guess in the range of $400 ($300 for the cheapest HD box plus offset dish, lnb etc), however this may be reduced with subsidisation.

I'm very sceptical of these announcements (we've heard it all before) but if this is true, its the best news for a decade or so. People in remote areas can at last get some decent digital TV. The biggest losers will be the pay providers who have been cashing in on a pathetic Aurora service by being able to market widescreen/high def etc in these areas. With 13 or so good quality digital channels I can see an increase in pay TV churn numbers.

Overall, a very good outcome but I would like to see more details in relation to time zones, source commercial broadcasts, football coverage etc etc.

[nando]

Quote:
"Eligible householders will secure a $300 subsidy to the $600 cost, leaving them with a $300 bill.
Those not eligible will need to pay $600."

So if your not eligable you can still receive it? Possibly unencrypted then?

[BlackDuck]

The Government will provide a satellite conversion subsidy to eligible households currently served by ‘self-help’ transmission sites which are not upgraded to digital by the broadcasters," Senator Conroy said.

The Duck household have been helping themselves to TV transmissions via satellite for some years.

Oh joy!, Does this mean that the government will subsidise my acquisition of a new HD STB?

[CONAXLE]

Yeah! I believe it when I see it,Lol! like that time Brian Harradine close all the XXX's channels off NSS 6, Boy! that was really a Blackspot!..

[hamguy2]

they want to fix the whole pay tv system up first like the installation of iq2 boxes etc my god its a trifal service what they offer my god .hamguy2

[Farmsky]

All my letters to The Minister of Communications of the last three governments have finally been answered.

Thanks Mr Rudd.

A nice user benefit for the analogue spectrum sell-off or the "digital dividend".

[poiuytrewq]

hi there ,the australian govrenment is full of it no one vote for mr rudd in the next election hes a socialist this guy .the australian government wouldnt have the intelligence to have a good tv service put in for people in the bush. theyd rather help people out with people smuggling etc foreign aid giving money to indonesia india and other places. these people ask for the money and 50% of the funds for the sunami appeal went to corrupt politicians in indonesia etc ,its like all the computers he said he was go to give schools what happened to them the other day he give india 50 million dollars interest free my god, i wish any australian person can get a interest free loan which they cant rudd and the government before it has adjusted the credit laws in such away for a person on a pension to get a loan to do repairs his or hers house etc you basically have to give them the deeds for your house my god. but these boat people who come here they get free rent thousands of dollars of free aid from this government plus subsidised free housing nearly from the australian government. now with the new laws in australia anti offshore ilegal laws you had to pay the detention centr care you got money back also the other monies that were given to these boat people etc. they think they can just come into this country and apply for political asylum this has got to stop australia cant even take 25 million more people in 50 years because of the droughts housing shortages etc .alot of people want the population capped at 25 million thats it for now,why they dont they do it because they rather sell out our country and its minrerals etc to places like china the worst thing they have done was let china into the wto ( world trade organisation ) id say no more coal sales to china india etc . also a moritorum on chinese imports my god help the battling aussie farmers etc dont buy stuff from china etc buy australian .thanks hamguy2 nsw australia

Did someone tell you they're taxing full stops Hamguy?

[USS_RubberDucky]

unreadablebadlyformattedtext

I'm thinking you have more problems with paragraphs, capital letters, and apostrophes than you do with the Australian government...

[BlackDuck]

hi there ,the australian govrenment is full of it no one vote for mr rudd in the next election hes a socialist this guy .the australian government wouldnt have the intelligence to have a good tv service put in for people in the bush. theyd rather help people out with people smuggling etc foreign aid giving money to indonesia india and other places. these people ask for the money and 50% of the funds for the sunami appeal went to corrupt politicians in indonesia etc ,its like all the computers he said he was go to give schools what happened to them the other day he give india 50 million dollars interest free my god, i wish any australian person can get a interest free loan which they cant rudd and the government before it has adjusted the credit laws in such away for a person on a pension to get a loan to do repairs his or hers house etc you basically have to give them the deeds for your house my god. but these boat people who come here they get free rent thousands of dollars of free aid from this government plus subsidised free housing nearly from the australian government. now with the new laws in australia anti offshore ilegal laws you had to pay the detention centr care you got money back also the other monies that were given to these boat people etc. they think they can just come into this country and apply for political asylum this has got to stop australia cant even take 25 million more people in 50 years because of the droughts housing shortages etc .alot of people want the population capped at 25 million thats it for now,why they dont they do it because they rather sell out our country and its minrerals etc to places like china the worst thing they have done was let china into the wto ( world trade organisation ) id say no more coal sales to china india etc . also a moritorum on chinese imports my god help the battling aussie farmers etc dont buy stuff from china etc buy australian .thanks hamguy2 nsw australia

A Socialist in the labor government.
Fair enough I suppose!

But do I get a subsidy for a HD STB or not hg?

[nando]

Translation:

Hi there ,
The Australian govrenment is full of it no one vote for mr Rudd in the next election hes a socialist this guy. The australian government wouldnt have the intelligence to have a good tv service put in for people in the bush. They'd rather help people out with people smuggling, etc, foreign aid, giving money to Indonesia, India and other places. These people ask for the money and 50% of the funds for the sunami appeal went to corrupt politicians in Indonesia etc. Its like all the computers he said he was go to give schools what happened to them the other day he give India 50 million dollars interest free my god! I wish any Australian person can get a interest free loan which they cant, Rudd and the government before it has adjusted the credit laws in such away for a person on a pension to get a loan to do repairs his or hers house etc you basically have to give them the deeds for your house my god. But these boat people who come here they get free rent thousands of dollars of free aid from this government plus subsidised free housing nearly from the Australian government. Now with the new laws in Australia anti offshore ilegal laws you had to pay the detention centr care you got money back also the other monies that were given to these boat people etc. They think they can just come into this country and apply for political asylum this has got to stop. Australia can't even take 25 million more people in 50 years because of the droughts, housing shortages, etc. Alot of people want the population capped at 25 million thats it for now, why they dont they do it? Because they rather sell out our country and its minrerals etc to places like China. The worst thing they have done was let China into the WTO (world trade organisation). I'd say no more coal sales to China, India etc. Also a moritorum on Chinese imports my god help the battling Aussie farmers etc. Don't buy stuff from China etc. Buy Australian. Thanks hamguy2 NSW Australia.

Still has f**k all to do with the topic.

Cheers,
Nando :P

[CONAXLE]

Translation:

Hi there ,
The Australian govrenment is full of it no one vote for mr Rudd in the next election hes a socialist this guy. The australian government wouldnt have the intelligence to have a good tv service put in for people in the bush. They'd rather help people out with people smuggling, etc, foreign aid, giving money to Indonesia, India and other places. These people ask for the money and 50% of the funds for the sunami appeal went to corrupt politicians in Indonesia etc. Its like all the computers he said he was go to give schools what happened to them the other day he give India 50 million dollars interest free my god! I wish any Australian person can get a interest free loan which they cant, Rudd and the government before it has adjusted the credit laws in such away for a person on a pension to get a loan to do repairs his or hers house etc you basically have to give them the deeds for your house my god. But these boat people who come here they get free rent thousands of dollars of free aid from this government plus subsidised free housing nearly from the Australian government. Now with the new laws in Australia anti offshore ilegal laws you had to pay the detention centr care you got money back also the other monies that were given to these boat people etc. They think they can just come into this country and apply for political asylum this has got to stop. Australia can't even take 25 million more people in 50 years because of the droughts, housing shortages, etc. Alot of people want the population capped at 25 million thats it for now, why they dont they do it? Because they rather sell out our country and its minrerals etc to places like China. The worst thing they have done was let China into the WTO (world trade organisation). I'd say no more coal sales to China, India etc. Also a moritorum on Chinese imports my god help the battling Aussie farmers etc. Don't buy stuff from China etc. Buy Australian. Thanks hamguy2 NSW Australia.

Still has f**k all to do with the topic.

Cheers,
Nando :P

I think Hamguy is in the "Black Spot area" or one too many drug or alcohol..Lol!

[pit5bul]

ill start a new petition
deport Hamguy2 to Redneck USA were he belongs... whos with me ??


Sorry Ham guy hope u can take a joke...

[C-Bander]

Once again, Hamguy2 hijacks a thread, that has nothing to do with Subscription TV.

[bambbbam]

Back on topic - seeing there is no current third broadcaster in regional WA, does this mean a new channel?