WIN Network to ditch MPEG-2, launching 9GemHD

[Smacca]

WIN Network has announced they will be transitioning to MPEG-4 for all their digital TV services in all markets by the end of the year. The change also sees 9Gem make a switch to HD.

May 2023
9Gem switches from MPEG-2 SD to MPEG-4 SD

June 2023
9Go! switches from MPEG-2 SD to MPEG-4 SD

July 2023
9Gem switches from SD to HD

December 2023
Ch9 on LCN 8 will swap to a simulcast of 9HD.

More information:

[Xplorer]

That good news.
Let's hope that VAST will also see the same changes.

There are still plenty of hotels and motels that when scanning the channels, all MPEG4 channels are blank but MPEG2 channels are viewable.
Those will indeed need to purchase new TV sets for their rooms.

Not sure how this will impact the motels with IPTV headends streaming FTA and foxtel channels.
They may also require hardware upgrades to receive MPEG4 channels and transcode to IP to disdistribute upgrades ugrading of hardware

[Smacca]

That good news.
Let's hope that VAST will also see the same changes.

They didn't make any special mention for WA so it is assumed they will upgrade 9Gem to HD and ditch the SD version of Channel 9 on VAST, in line with the rest of the WIN Network. The hard work will be converting all the terrestrial sites that are fed by VAST to being solely MPEG-4.

VAST in Remote Central & Eastern is unlikely to change.

[beerman]

It's about time something changed. Digital TV in Australia has been stagnant for several years now. Don't think we will ever see DVB-T2 here.