Apsattv
10-05-2008, 12:03 AM
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaruherald/4478526a6010.html
Posted 15-04-2008 08:19 PM
While nine metropolitan areas received the country's first high definition television broadcasts last week, South Canterbury didn't -- and the latest in high definition viewing won't be coming here in the near future.
The Freeview high definition (HD) service is available through the newly established digital terrestrial network. It is beamed to viewers with a HD-capable television who have a Freeview set-top box and UHF antenna.
Unlike the Freeview satellite service only people who live in regions where transmitters have been installed will receive the new service.
However only some programmes shown are in this high definition format.
Freeview general manager Steve Browning said South Canterbury was one of the regions to miss out because its population was not large enough to justify the cost of installing a transmission site here. He did not considered it economic to extend the service.
He said Freeview satellite gave clear digital quality of twelve free-to-air television and two radio services via a satellite dish.
Freeview HD gives you crystal clear digital quality of nine free-to-air television and two radio services via UHF aerial, plus some programmes in high definition. "Freeview HD has been rolled out to 75 per cent of the national population which equates to the nine largest urban centres.
"This is due to the cost of taking the transmission network further than the 18 transmission sites currently built."
Mr Browning said satellite could never provide this really high definition reception.
" Unfortunately HD requires four to eight times more bandwidth , SKY has leased nearly all the appropriate bandwidth on the Optus D1 satellite and so the free-to-air broadcasters are constrained to standard definition only on satellite for the foreseeable future."
Posted 15-04-2008 08:19 PM
While nine metropolitan areas received the country's first high definition television broadcasts last week, South Canterbury didn't -- and the latest in high definition viewing won't be coming here in the near future.
The Freeview high definition (HD) service is available through the newly established digital terrestrial network. It is beamed to viewers with a HD-capable television who have a Freeview set-top box and UHF antenna.
Unlike the Freeview satellite service only people who live in regions where transmitters have been installed will receive the new service.
However only some programmes shown are in this high definition format.
Freeview general manager Steve Browning said South Canterbury was one of the regions to miss out because its population was not large enough to justify the cost of installing a transmission site here. He did not considered it economic to extend the service.
He said Freeview satellite gave clear digital quality of twelve free-to-air television and two radio services via a satellite dish.
Freeview HD gives you crystal clear digital quality of nine free-to-air television and two radio services via UHF aerial, plus some programmes in high definition. "Freeview HD has been rolled out to 75 per cent of the national population which equates to the nine largest urban centres.
"This is due to the cost of taking the transmission network further than the 18 transmission sites currently built."
Mr Browning said satellite could never provide this really high definition reception.
" Unfortunately HD requires four to eight times more bandwidth , SKY has leased nearly all the appropriate bandwidth on the Optus D1 satellite and so the free-to-air broadcasters are constrained to standard definition only on satellite for the foreseeable future."