The switch over to digital <span class="highlight">tv</span>, what happens to <span class="highlight">satellite</span> users?

I've emailed this question to the government too, but I thought ExploreOz would have a people with a wealth of knowledge, some of whom are already familiar with satellite TV due to the travels and perhaps you can give me some idea on the topiic.

Basically in Townsville and Darwin we had the digital TV set up, small LCD telly with a set top box, just standard definition. I thihough it was great with one of those topfield recorders.
Then we moved to Cobar NSW, I think only one channel was broadcast...or planning to be int he who knows how long down the track future so we sold the toppy and hte stb, but of course we still have a little telly.
Then we moved here, Nannup WA, we have our own little 7.5ac of peaceful bush and had to dish out $900 for a satellite TV set up just to watch telly, and of course we 're limited to the regional WA channels (some eastern ABC and SBS as well), one would think that having paid that grand some I could have watched all the FTA chanels that were available even from over east, I mean as if I'm going to buy from a Sydney adveritser over a local one...yeah I'll just hop in my car, be home in a week Darling..... make it two weeks.

Anyway getting to the point, Satellite TV I imagine is already broadcast digitally, but I know we don't receive digital channels like SBS2 etc. So when everyone else switches over what happens to the rural people and travelers? Is there some way to hook up a set top box to the sat tv? Or will the satellite tv companies simply be able to broadcast the new channels through the sat tv system? If so why don't they broadcast some already?

I do love living in the bush, but I like to stay on top of current technology as well! I'm so looking forward to getting the satellite broadband installed in Jan after having been on half speed dialup for 2yrs!

Sorry for the rant and rave, I generally do waffle on too much.
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Reply By: Member - ryan W (QLD) - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 07:13

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 07:13
I live in mount isa, the only dightial tv we are going to get is abc and sbs. it cost the councils a lot of money to change everything over to digital. The councils receive the satalle signal and then sent it to our homes. this is how it is done in a lot of places and mining camps and stations so we are lucky that we get tv at all
AnswerID: 395546

Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 08:17

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 08:17
I had that question on my mind too. A new satellite was launched recently which has enabled Foxtel to broadcast all their new channels. Foxtel also broadcast a number of the FTA but the problem is you have to pay for it and it is not available in all areas. In the Qld area where I am I can't sign up for Foxtel, only Austar but Austar does not, and apparently have no immediate plans to, broadcast FTA. Also those two do not allow their boxes to be used by travellers. The other satellite provider, Selectv, do not broadcast FTA but allow their box to be moved around.
Very interesting. I await the results with baited breath.
AnswerID: 395559

Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:44

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:44
Rod, I take my Foxtel box with me in the van and just plug it into the system.

It works fine.

How would Foxtel know that you are moving around?

They are loathe to put your account onto standby while you are away so they can't have it both ways.

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Reply By: Member - Teege (NSW) - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 09:14

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 09:14
Outa
When you say you have emailed the government who have you sent it to? My experience is that a written letter to your local Federal member AND the relevant Minister (in this case the Communications Minister) usually at least brings a reply. Emails can be very easily disregarded or sent on to the wrong person.

teege

AnswerID: 395567

Follow Up By: Outa Bounds - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:40

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:40
Well I've seen adverts on the TV about the whole "digital ready" thing, so I went onto the government website and emailed the "digital taskforce".
I expect it will take a while to get any sort of reply, that's ok because from what I understand WA won't completely switch over until 2013 even though over east it's 2010 isn't it? No doubt the ad's I've been seeing are the eastern states ones perhaps.

It's just one of those topics that has been on my mind even though there is no real urgency to get answers.
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Reply By: Member - bungarra (WA) - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 11:09

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 11:09
some of your post doesnt add up from my experience this week....let me explain further.........

we live in the SW (only maybe 100km from you) and receive a digital signal but being on the fringe of digital reception it is often a scrambled signal....so this week I decided to go satellite TV

Cost for the complete system.......dish + roof mount + cables + set top box + LNB + Sat finder + compass etc = $269 + Optus Aurora card $99 TOTAL $368. This was purchased from a dealer in Perth.

Channels received are ABC, SBS, GWN & Westlink. Note only customers living outside of Perth will receive the GWN & Westlink

As soon as you move states then your access changes, quote from Optus "Once the customer is outside of WA Optus only looks after ABC/SBS and Westlink. It is up to the customer to contact Imparja and 7 Central for commercial services" end quote

I know of unofficial cards that are also allowing access to more channels of free to air (Imparja etc) including a lot of radio channels..........

How does that differ from your access?...the price you paid seems unreal!
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Follow Up By: Outa Bounds - Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:35

Friday, Dec 18, 2009 at 12:35
We paid for the local electrician to supply and install the whole system hence the extraordinary cost I guess. Also depends on the size of the dish you get I imagine.

Where we live we are only 15km from the Nannup township, but even people who are more like 5km out don't get good orderinary reception, well particularly for certain channels.

We get GWN & WIN, ABC, SBS (different states for ABC and SBS) and yes I think Westlink. It would just be nice to have access to Channel 7 and Ten etc because sometimes they do have better movies or programs shown at better times compared to GWN and WIN which are probably a combination of 7, 10 and 9.

I am vaguely aware of the "gold cards" or cards that can get the extra access but I guess I haven't been desperate enough to try that route.

I agree TV is a luxury, we did go without it for a few months when we first moved into the shed, still managed to watch some recorded programs though, it was more unbearable waiting for Telstra to connect the home phone as we had and still have pretty mediocre mobile reception too.

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Reply By: snapper49 - Sunday, Dec 20, 2009 at 10:24

Sunday, Dec 20, 2009 at 10:24
I too have emailed this question to the appropiate people and am waiting for an answer
got this though

Thank you for your email, we are currently experiencing a high volume of enquiries and will respond as soon as possible.



For more information about the switch to digital TV and to find out when your area is scheduled to switchover, please visit www.digitalready.gov.au.



Alternatively you can call the information line on: 1800 20 10 13.



Please do not reply to this email.





Kind regards



Digital Switchover Taskforce
AnswerID: 395795

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Sunday, Dec 20, 2009 at 10:47

Sunday, Dec 20, 2009 at 10:47
Normal response from a Government employee who hasnt got a clue or

enough sense to just give a one line answer
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