[mythtv-users] Australia, Freeview and MythTV

[Simon Hobson]

Shawn Haggett wrote:

>"New high-definition set-top boxes conforming to the networks' new
>specifications will be on sale by May 1."
>
>"The broadcasters will not begin this transmission until the majority of the
>population has a device that can receive MPEG4 transmissions," Freeview's
>chief executive Robin Parkes said.
>"Each broadcaster will decide this individually."
>
>So they want to push for MPEG4, and they want devices that support this to be
>available for purchase on May 1st. But the stations aren't going to change
>until there's people that can receive their transmissions. I'm sure there's
>still plenty of people not ready for digital, and people that have recently
>upgraded are not going to want to do so again for a while. I see an MPEG4
>system some time off in the future.

Sounds pretty much what's going on in the UK, except that the HD 
channels are going to start being transmitted in some areas as the 
analogue switch off proceeds*, but no announcement has been made**, 
and hardware isn't expected to be available until the end of the year.

* The original plan was to wait until 2011 or 2012 when analogue has 
gone, and then roll out HD nationally. I think they've decided to 
start rolling it out as soon as the frequency planning/constraints 
allow.

** The people pushing digital don't care - they are only concerned 
with making sure people can "get digital". They don't see pushing 
people to buy kit that won't pick up transmissions due in the next 
year or two as a problem !

Like someone mentioned, there's going to be a lot of "upset" people 
when they find their "HD ready with built in Freeview" sets won't 
actually do HD Freeview.

-- 
Simon Hobson

Visit http://www.magpiesnestpublishing.co.uk/ for books by acclaimed
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