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On 6/15/06, Craig Box <Craig@itpartners.co.nz> wrote:
> The long-awaited "free-to-air" digital television plan was unveiled at
> the Beehive today, heralding the beginning of the end of fuzzy pictures
> for rural residents."

Ha. Instead of fuzzy pictures they can enjoy the wonders of rain fade.

I'm still waiting for details - particularly will they be encrypting
transmissions? Are they going to use the same satellite as Sky (I
think they have confirmed this)?

Steve

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> On 6/15/06, Craig Box <Craig@itpartners.co.nz> wrote:
>> The long-awaited "free-to-air" digital television plan was unveiled at
>> the Beehive today, heralding the beginning of the end of fuzzy pictures
>> for rural residents."
>
> Ha. Instead of fuzzy pictures they can enjoy the wonders of rain fade.
>
> I'm still waiting for details - particularly will they be encrypting
> transmissions? Are they going to use the same satellite as Sky (I
> think they have confirmed this)?

Here are the two big announcements

http://corporate.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_detail/0,2406,331747-180-245,00.html
http://www.bclnz.com/index.php/ps_pagename/mediarelease/pi_mediareleaseid/64

They are going to use Optus D1 which replaces the existing Sky satellite
later this year, plus offer terrestrial digital where possible. No rain
fade with terrestrial, and D1 has higher power beams than B1 & B3 to
prevent/reduce issues with satellite reception.

They have confimed that there will be no encryption (YAY).

Sadly they haven't announced the technology -

SDTV + MPEG2 or
HDTV + H264

Probably SDTV for now like the UK. DTT (Digital Terrestrial TV) boxes
should be about NZ$100-150 based on UK and AU prices. DTH (Direct To Home
Satellite) will be higher due to dish costs and more expensive set top
boxes.

Testing DTT SDTV support with our myPVR units at the moment and it is
excellent compared with analogue.

Once the release the technical details I should be able to confirm full
support and start bringing in the hardware.

Steve

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On 6/15/06, Open Media Support <support@openmedia.co.nz> wrote:
> They have confimed that there will be no encryption (YAY).

That's good news.

> Probably SDTV for now like the UK. DTT (Digital Terrestrial TV) boxes
> should be about NZ$100-150 based on UK and AU prices. DTH (Direct To Home
> Satellite) will be higher due to dish costs and more expensive set top
> boxes.

Why are the boxes more expensive for satellite?

> Testing DTT SDTV support with our myPVR units at the moment and it is
> excellent compared with analogue.

As is the TVNZ DVB-S feed.

Steve

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> On 6/15/06, Open Media Support <support@openmedia.co.nz> wrote:
>> They have confimed that there will be no encryption (YAY).
>
> That's good news.
>
>> Probably SDTV for now like the UK. DTT (Digital Terrestrial TV) boxes
>> should be about NZ$100-150 based on UK and AU prices. DTH (Direct To
>> Home
>> Satellite) will be higher due to dish costs and more expensive set top
>> boxes.
>
> Why are the boxes more expensive for satellite?

Just seem to be that little bit more complicated. Also mass market driven.
The UK model has meant that DTT kit is dirt cheap. DTH costs rise due to
additional install costs as well like dish etc.

Similar with PC kit. DVB-T appears to be generally cheaper, but that is
starting to change.

>> Testing DTT SDTV support with our myPVR units at the moment and it is
>> excellent compared with analogue.
>
> As is the TVNZ DVB-S feed.

Whats the bit rate on the TVNZ Wide signal on DVB-S at the moment. On
DVB-T it is seriously high, and an odd resolution for the espect ratio.

Steve



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On 6/15/06, Open Media Support <support@openmedia.co.nz> wrote:
> Whats the bit rate on the TVNZ Wide signal on DVB-S at the moment. On
> DVB-T it is seriously high, and an odd resolution for the espect ratio.

I can't remember off hand. I'll have a look when I'm back home on
Saturday. I seem to recall people here saying it was higher than the
DVB-T transmission, but I'm not sure if that was the TVNZ-Wide or the
One and 2.

Steve

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Has anybody seen any details today of where DVB-T coverage will be rolled
out? My understanding from a conversation several months ago was that DVB-T
would only be rolled out in major metropolitan areas with satellite to cover
the rest of the country.




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I think this is great news...

I was listening to the National Program on the way home tonight and a guy
(sorry can't remember his name) from SkyTV was on for a while telling all and
sundry that 40% of new zealand people already have digital in their home...
not us could not justify the $50 a month...

Then interestingly he say's that Prime will become free over satellite, if I
heard him right, but then it sounded like you may not get TVNZ or TV3 etc on
your Sky box because with this new Freeview setup they will be in competition
with SkyTV... I suppose that's why Sky don't let you watch NASA TV on their
box cause they realy love their customers money not their customers...

Tim

On Thursday 15 June 2006 12:57, Craig Box wrote:
> "The Government confirmed today free-to-air digital television would be
> phased in from next year.
>
> The long-awaited "free-to-air" digital television plan was unveiled at
> the Beehive today, heralding the beginning of the end of fuzzy pictures
> for rural residents."
>
> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10386708
>
> Craig
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Has anybody seen any details today of where DVB-T coverage will be rolled
> out? My understanding from a conversation several months ago was that
> DVB-T
> would only be rolled out in major metropolitan areas with satellite to
> cover
> the rest of the country.

Sadly no technical details with todays announcements so far.

Unless someone can prove me wrong.

Steve


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The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
the channels available via DTT?



Can/will you also get the EPG data via DTT (DVB-T)? That would be one of the
main drivers to go DVB for me.



Nick


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Nick & Ann Read wrote:

>The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
>the channels available via DTT?
>
>
I'd be surprised initially as I doubt there will be that many channels.
Have to wait and see

>Can/will you also get the EPG data via DTT (DVB-T)? That would be one of the
>main drivers to go DVB for me.
>
>
In theory yes. In practise it will depends on the technical standards
that they decide to adopt.

Steve

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On Thu, 15 Jun 2006 23:29:33 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Nick & Ann Read wrote:

> The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
> the channels available via DTT?

Yes I read it that way too. In a bloody footnote. That would be bad
because:

1. I already have a dvb-s card

2. I don't get any acceptable reception on terrestial tv (ie tv1 etc) at
my home, so don't think I will be able to get DTT.


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Nick Rout wrote:

>On Thu, 15 Jun 2006 23:29:33 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
>Nick & Ann Read wrote:
>
>
>
>>The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
>>the channels available via DTT?
>>
>>
>
>Yes I read it that way too. In a bloody footnote. That would be bad
>because:
>
>1. I already have a dvb-s card
>
>2. I don't get any acceptable reception on terrestial tv (ie tv1 etc) at
>my home, so don't think I will be able to get DTT.
>
>
>
Well I've updated our home page with links to all the current major
references. I hope to add in a section dedicated to tracking the
progress to Digital TV over the next week

http://openmedia.co.nz/

There is now a PDF on the government website that provides more
background, but still has insufficient technical details.

Steve

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Nick Rout wrote:

>On Thu, 15 Jun 2006 23:29:33 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
>Nick & Ann Read wrote:
>
>
>
>>The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
>>the channels available via DTT?
>>
>>
>
>Yes I read it that way too. In a bloody footnote. That would be bad
>because:
>
>1. I already have a dvb-s card
>
>2. I don't get any acceptable reception on terrestial tv (ie tv1 etc) at
>my home, so don't think I will be able to get DTT.
>
>
>
Just had it confirmed. All 18 channels will be available on DTT and DTH,
with possible exceptions around regional channels. For example CTV might
only be available on DTT around Christchurch but not on DTH.

Steve

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On 6/15/06, Nick & Ann Read <nick.read@engineer.com> wrote:
> The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
> the channels available via DTT?

Don't forget that BCL are in the terrestrial television broadcast
market and not the satellite TV market - of course they are going to
play down the satellite side of the announcement.

All of the other news stories and press releases seem to say that
satellite delivery will be first with DTT to follow. The purchased
transponder on Optus D1 allows 18 channels with TVNZ and CanWest
having purchased 6 each. I seriously doubt that DTT will have anything
that isn't also on the satellite until that space runs out.

Steve

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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:03:25 +1200
Steve Hodge wrote:

> On 6/15/06, Nick & Ann Read <nick.read@engineer.com> wrote:
> > The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
> > the channels available via DTT?
>
> Don't forget that BCL are in the terrestrial television broadcast
> market and not the satellite TV market - of course they are going to
> play down the satellite side of the announcement.
>
> All of the other news stories and press releases seem to say that
> satellite delivery will be first with DTT to follow. The purchased
> transponder on Optus D1 allows 18 channels with TVNZ and CanWest
> having purchased 6 each. I seriously doubt that DTT will have anything
> that isn't also on the satellite until that space runs out.
>
> Steve


Is Optus D1 the same satllite that Sky are switching to?

There was some comment from Sky this morning on National Radio about use
of their dishes with Freeview. At the important point someone made a
whole lot of noise and I missed exactly what he was saying. Something
along the lines of interference between co-existing freeview and sky
boxes blah blah. Very cagey he was!

My perspective is that a satellite is the only way I can get TV. Thats
why I have Sky digital. I can see a Tui Ad:

"When Freeview starts, Sky will make available cheap Sports only
subscriptions so that people can get most of their TV from Freeview plus
Sky Sport for a small amount more."

Yeah Right!

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On 6/16/06, Nick Rout <nick@rout.co.nz> wrote:
> Is Optus D1 the same satllite that Sky are switching to?

Yup.

> There was some comment from Sky this morning on National Radio about use
> of their dishes with Freeview. At the important point someone made a
> whole lot of noise and I missed exactly what he was saying. Something
> along the lines of interference between co-existing freeview and sky
> boxes blah blah. Very cagey he was!

You need a splitter and that's it. I'm using one now to split the
signal to my Sky decoder and my DVB-S card and it works perfectly with
no loss of quality that I can see.

Steve

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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:38:57 +1200
Steve Hodge wrote:

> > There was some comment from Sky this morning on National Radio about use
> > of their dishes with Freeview. At the important point someone made a
> > whole lot of noise and I missed exactly what he was saying. Something
> > along the lines of interference between co-existing freeview and sky
> > boxes blah blah. Very cagey he was!
>
> You need a splitter and that's it. I'm using one now to split the
> signal to my Sky decoder and my DVB-S card and it works perfectly with
> no loss of quality that I can see.

I did think he was talking a load of crap.

Strategy: wait for Sky to make whatever changes they need to their
dish to accomodate Optus D1 (new LNB?) and then once Freeview starts,
ditch them and keep their dish.

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On Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:17:10 +1200
Steven Ellis <steven@openmedia.co.nz> wrote:

> Nick Rout wrote:
>
> >On Thu, 15 Jun 2006 23:29:33 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
> >Nick & Ann Read wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>The BCL announcement seems to imply that satellite will only get a subset of
> >>the channels available via DTT?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Yes I read it that way too. In a bloody footnote. That would be bad
> >because:
> >
> >1. I already have a dvb-s card
> >
> >2. I don't get any acceptable reception on terrestial tv (ie tv1 etc) at
> >my home, so don't think I will be able to get DTT.
> >
> >
> >
> Just had it confirmed. All 18 channels will be available on DTT and DTH,
> with possible exceptions around regional channels. For example CTV might
> only be available on DTT around Christchurch but not on DTH.
>
> Steve
>

excellent. I don't miss CTV at present, so doubt I will on freeview.

Maybe if I could see it I would like what i see. is this a paradox. Hw cares, I will be happy to have 18 channels on freeview :-)


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On 6/17/06, Nick Rout <nick@rout.co.nz> wrote:
> Hw cares, I will be happy to have 18 channels on freeview :-)

To be honest I'd be happy just to have the 5 main FTA channels...

Steve

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Steve Hodge wrote:

> On 6/17/06, Nick Rout <nick@rout.co.nz> wrote:
>
>> Hw cares, I will be happy to have 18 channels on freeview :-)
>
>
> To be honest I'd be happy just to have the 5 main FTA channels...
>
And that is what has sky really worried. A lot of people only have a sky
dish because their reception is so bad. FTA digital satellite without a
subscription to sky will appeal to a lot of people.

Steve

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On 6/17/06, OpenMedia Support <support@openmedia.co.nz> wrote:
> Steve Hodge wrote:
> > On 6/17/06, Nick Rout <nick@rout.co.nz> wrote:
> >> Hw cares, I will be happy to have 18 channels on freeview :-)
> >
> > To be honest I'd be happy just to have the 5 main FTA channels...
> >
> And that is what has sky really worried. A lot of people only have a sky
> dish because their reception is so bad. FTA digital satellite without a
> subscription to sky will appeal to a lot of people.

I don't know that I'd want to give up Sky - I want the sport, and
since we started using MythTV we actually record a lot of stuff of
things like Discovery, History Channel, etc.

Steve

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