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Thread: VAST Info

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    Senior Member Jaz808's Avatar
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    Default VAST Info

    VAST (Viewer Access Satellite Television) is to fill in Black Spots when Aus goes Digital Terrestrial


    For the first time all free-to-air digital television services, including the original three commercial and two national channels, and the 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 VAST service will provide regional viewers with access to the local news currently broadcast in their TV licence area via a dedicated local news channel. It will also provide viewers with access to the ABC’s new 24-hour news high definition multi-channel which will be launched later this year.

    Specs

    The Eastern VAST Technical Specifications are as follows:
    • use of an Optus C1 series or a satellite at 156°E that provides equivalent or better performance in the Eastern VAST Service Area;
    • MPEG4 or MPEG2 encoding;
    • transmission compliant with DVB-S2 standard (ETSI EN 302 307);
    • 16:9 aspect ratio;
    • the minimum resolution and format for an HD channel is 720p;
    • a Downlink Faded C/N0 Threshold in accordance with the DVB-S2 standard, with a 1 dB implementation margin;
    • a modulation type of 8PSK at FEC rate of 3/5, in accordance with the DVB-S2 standard;
    • a symbol rate of 30 MS/s;
    • a clear sky link margin of at least 4.0 dB;
    • an EIRP of at least 49.2 dBW at Belrose, Sydney;
    • for EIRP levels at other locations, refer to the Contour Map of this Annexure; and
    • nominal bit rate specifications of 2.5Mbps for SD and 7Mbps for HD.

    Conditional Access System:
    • support an embedded IRDETO KMS Conditional Access System consisting of softcell version 3 within the Set Top Box; and
    • support IRDETO Smart Card version 5 or higher conforming to ISO7816;

    ***IRDETO KMS Info*** Irdeto Key Management System (KMS)

    - Built-in recoverability and renewability:
    Irdeto KMS renews security by updating smart cards or softwarebased
    clients over the air via Irdeto’s FlexiFlash technology. A
    built-in mechanism allows Irdeto to introduce unforeseen features
    and countermeasures as plug-ins to the system, which results in
    shorter development, test and release times. This design enables
    operators to quickly respond to new threats and ensure rapid
    recoverability.

    - Future-proof cryptography:
    Irdeto KMS, in conjunction with Irdeto Premium card, uses the
    latest advances in cryptography to create Irdeto-specific
    algorithms and an operator-unique cryptographic layer. It results in:
    No single point of security failure
    Higher resistance against attacks with proven cryptographic
    strength and indefinitely updateable algorithms
    Operator separation, reducing the risk of threats spreading
    from one operator to the next

    - Countermeasures against control word sharing (CWS):
    Irdeto KMS provides effective defense against CWS, including:
    A heuristic algorithm to detect smart cards used for analog rebroadcasting
    on cable networks
    An improved Communications Interface layer with intellectual
    property rights (IPR) support to enable prosecution when an
    Irdeto Premium card is used in emulation set-top boxes



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    Is this because you just found out about VAST?
    Last edited by LeroyPatrol; 17-06-10 at 01:26 AM.
    XCRUISER HDSR600HD twin sat and terrestrial receiver $OOS *
    XCRUISER HDSR385 Avant - sold out$OOS UltraPlus DVB-T and DVB-S2 tuners $49 Remotes $OOS

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    There's a few threads running on this already.

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    Senior Member Jaz808's Avatar
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    Yeah LeroyPatrol, i am in melb and never heard of VAST, seen the word vast in the sat forums, done a quick search here "vast" and didnt find much info

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    Why are Regional viewers being discriminated against (again) with all this encryption technology when Metrop viewers have basically nothing?
    The last three paragraphs of those specs makes me wonder why they need to go to such lengths for what is fast becoming a not so FTA television coverage ??
    I can buy a terrestial STB, go ANYWHERE a transmitter exists and rescan and theres the picture.
    Not so with VAST !!
    I also feel they will use this control to prevent 'Time Shifting' of any programs they dont want you to record or if they allow it, it wont be downloadable to another medium.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    Why are Regional viewers being discriminated against (again) with all this encryption technology when Metrop viewers have basically nothing?
    Although encryption of the digital channels ABC2, ABC3, SBSTWO, 7TWO, GO! and ONE makes little sense (these channels won't carry any region specific advertising), the encryption concept allows serivce areas to be defined for the main channels 7,9 and 10 where it does make sense.

    My idea (which is clearly unrealistic ) is for 7,9 & 10 to broadcast multiple regions FTA, identical in fashion to the ABC & SBS channels on the D1 satellite.

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    This argument seems to come up every couple of weeks on this and other forums. A lot of people think the networks encrypt their channels on Aurora (and soon VAST) just to make regional people suffer, or because they have control issues. "Bah, it's not free to air if I need to pay for a card" .. Bullsh!t.

    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    Why are Regional viewers being discriminated against (again) with all this encryption technology when Metrop viewers have basically nothing?
    It's not discrimination. It's the way the broadcast business operates. If you were allowed to air a radio station to people in your area, but your only option was to deliver it using satellite, then you'd have no choice but to encrypt it. Licence areas exist for a reason. They ensure networks make a profit only in the area(s) they broadcast in. If Imparja was unencrypted (notice I didn't use the term free-to-air, because it already is), then every NFL fan in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, pretty much the entire southern-half of Australia would ditch their local Channel Nine and watch NRL at a better time on Imparja. What happens to their local Channel Nine then?

    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    The last three paragraphs of those specs makes me wonder why they need to go to such lengths
    Me too, but remember this; People have abused the sh!t out of the satellite commercial networks for years. If I was SCTV, I'd be mighty pissed off with pubs across the country showing GWN for the live footy. And vice versa. These networks will try to stop this.

    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    for what is fast becoming a not so FTA television coverage ??
    Again, you're confusing the term "free-to-air" with "unencrypted". No matter what VAST does, you'll never pay a cent after setup costs.

    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    I can buy a terrestial STB, go ANYWHERE a transmitter exists and rescan and theres the picture.
    Is it the same picture? No. You'd be watching pictures intended for the viewers in the area you're in. You just can't compare terrestrial with satellite. One only reaches the city limits, the other reaches as far out as Christmas Island. They need to regulate who watches what because the individual commercial networks are only permitted to broadcast within their licence area. It's tough, but that's just the way it is. It's not about them making money, it isn't a paid subscription service. It's free-to-air for the people with the right equipment. In VAST's case, a smart card is as much a part of satellite equipment as the dish or the box.

    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    I also feel they will use this control to prevent 'Time Shifting' of any programs they dont want you to record or if they allow it, it wont be downloadable to another medium.
    I'm worried about this one, too. Clearly I'm on their side when it comes to the encryption on their channels to begin with. How they're unlocked, and what a viewer can do with data from those locked channels, is definitely something we should be concerned about.

    | www.SatTVGuide.com.au |

    Volunteer, non-profit online TV guides for VAST viewers.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaz808 View Post
    Yeah LeroyPatrol, i am in melb and never heard of VAST, seen the word vast in the sat forums, done a quick search here "vast" and didnt find much info
    The Age had a full page story on it a couple of weeks ago.Hugh

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jaz808 View Post
    seen the word vast in the sat forums, done a quick search here "vast" and didnt find much info
    I just tried it... came up with this:


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    Maybe I'm a bit of thr track here, but why cant everbody who wants satetelle TV be able to have it?
    For example if i where out in the Simpson desert or some other god forsaken place why would i want to veiw the FTA channels, i mean if your supermarket was advertising their goods how the hell would you be able to buy anything from them!
    Vast should be free to all in this country no mater where you live, so if you want it, you pay for the privelidge simple as that. All this other crap can be area controlled as it is now on Optus, take WA for instance on an official Optus card you will ony get WIN & GWN nothing from the other states.Take the caravaners for instance 6 months on then off,why? because that's how Optus run the system and it's absolute Bull---t, there's a lot of caravans out there that will get the raw end of the deal.
    I don't know how you feel about this but i'm sure most people would be more than happy to pay a one off fee, similar to Optus, you have to by a card don't you!
    So i'm all for it free Vast for everyone country city or remote all the same

    Cast your votes or better still start a petition, this Forum has many followers and together we could make a difference to those in Canberra to see it in another way.
    E&O excused
    Touboy11
    Last edited by toyboy11; 25-04-11 at 04:18 PM.

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    Toyboy,
    This has been Masticated, desicated, abbreviated, agitated, unblocked constipated and many other 'Ated' over the last year at least.
    We know a lot more now about VAST than when the origonal posting in this forum was made.
    There have been a number of sutble but never the less important changes as well and no doubt more will happen.
    SA has officialy 'Gone Over', Rural Vic is approaching its completion in less than 3 weeks and certain parts of WA have FINALY been allowed to obtain VAST albeit not the full suite but its started.
    Keep tuned for Future Updates and Information at Austech, the Info Forum for the 21 st Century
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    I think you are missing my point. all i want is FREE sat for all, not certain area's.

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    Quote Originally Posted by toyboy11 View Post
    I think you are missing my point. all i want is FREE sat for all, not certain area's.
    I think you're missing the point that in reality, that's never going to happen with the commercial networks.

    You can have unencrypted ABC/SBS but that's pretty much it.

    We'd all like to have everything available to all for free from sat, and we can all dream about it and whinge about it, but it's better to just accept it's not going to happen.

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    Quote Originally Posted by toyboy11 View Post
    I think you are missing my point. all i want is FREE sat for all, not certain area's.
    The point is that you either get free terrestrial TV or free satellite TV (VAST) not both. The program content is basically the same all over Australia.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rodnic View Post
    The point is that you either get free terrestrial TV or free satellite TV (VAST) not both. The program content is basically the same all over Australia.
    If I had the choice, I'd take terrestrial FTA, given the amount of glitches, audio-sync issues, etc with the only VAST box available..... and.... a huge choice of STB's, PVR's and integrated tuners in screens for terrestrial.

    Until there's a decent choice of VAST decoders available, it's impossible to tell if the problems are with the box or the provider.

    One has to wonder if the rediculous fees for VAST compliance certification is just a stitch-up between the government, Optus, networks and UEC to keep the likelihood of any competitive product to a minimum.

    Optus never did this with Aurora, so why suddenly are they permitted to engage in this anti-competitive pricing behaviour?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rodnic View Post
    The program content is basically the same all over Australia.
    Yes, but the ADVERTISING is not the same all over Australia and the commercial networks get their revenue from advertising, not the content. Advertisers want to know that people in a certain area will see their ads. Networks couldn't sell any ads if people in their broadcast area weren't watching their advertising stream any more due to viewing some other broadcast area channel.

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    Quote Originally Posted by davmel View Post
    Yes, but the ADVERTISING is not the same all over Australia and the commercial networks get their revenue from advertising, not the content. Advertisers want to know that people in a certain area will see their ads. Networks couldn't sell any ads if people in their broadcast area weren't watching their advertising stream any more due to viewing some other broadcast area channel.
    Yep... no matter how much some people hate ads, without them, we'd have no commercial TV (or radio) and an advertiser isn't going to spend money on advertising if it doesn't generate profit.

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    It would be interesting to see just how many adverts are genuinely 'LOCAL', ie Joe Bloggs Widget Weaving and Woggle Emporium in Downtown Bullamakanka ' and how many are Multi National stores either with the Franchisee's name added or not.
    Currently we cant judge VAST on advertising because of the 'Scenic Loop' running when the advertising occurs in their other markets to see just what appears where and if it eventually follows the current Aurora advertising, we will be seeing promotions from retailers 100's of Km's away.
    Also VAST isnt entirely funded by advertising currently as the Fed Govt is contributing to the costs.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    It would be interesting to see just how many adverts are genuinely 'LOCAL', ie Joe Bloggs Widget Weaving and Woggle Emporium in Downtown Bullamakanka ' and how many are Multi National stores either with the Franchisee's name added or not.
    Currently we cant judge VAST on advertising because of the 'Scenic Loop' running when the advertising occurs in their other markets to see just what appears where and if it eventually follows the current Aurora advertising, we will be seeing promotions from retailers 100's of Km's away.
    Also VAST isnt entirely funded by advertising currently as the Fed Govt is contributing to the costs.
    Even terrestrial TV in Toowoomba quite often has ads for other towns such as Townsville or Rockhampton. I am not about to leap into the motor and drive a couple of days to visit Joe Bloggs Widget Weaving and Woggle Emporium in those towns even if the Widgets are 5c cheaper. I think the ad revenue could be smaller than Joooliars contribution to VAST.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mtv View Post
    I think you're missing the point that in reality, that's never going to happen with the commercial networks.

    You can have unencrypted ABC/SBS but that's pretty much it.

    We'd all like to have everything available to all for free from sat, and we can all dream about it and whinge about it, but it's better to just accept it's not going to happen.
    Well, why not as i've said in post No10.
    Last edited by toyboy11; 26-04-11 at 10:56 PM.

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