This would be the next perfect opportunity to kickstart it.
Of course, but as @xyz223 mentioned, not everyone does have MPEG4 TVs. So make the primary channel MPEG2 HD and broadcast the rest in MPEG4 as an initiative to get compatible equipment.
It’s going to have to happen sooner or later; we can’t stay with MPEG2 forever.
All metro HD broadcasts are already MPEG4. Ten has enough spectrum to duplicate one of their multichannels in HD similar to what SBS did with Viceland. However, they can’t afford to drop the SD simulcasts without making the channels unavailable to a huge percentage of their audience; not a viable option for any commercial broadcaster. If MPEG 4 only was a viable option for a channel, Nine would be broadcasting Your Money that way.
Very fair point 
Even a SBS-type situation would be a great start.
I think a ONE HD would be a great addition to their suite of channels especially for sports coverage. It could be a useful tool in future sports rights negotiations to be able to offer HD sports coverage for multichannel sport - whether it was niche sports or AFL in Sydney and Brisbane for example.
100%. If Ten are serious about getting back into the sports game, then this makes total sense.
It’s an MPEG4 channel
**converting Ten HD to MPEG2, as this would be the only MPEG2 service.
Can’t wait forever. Meanwhile FTA continues to lose audience as SD is more and more unwatchable.
that’s not the reason
I’d argue that the quality of the content (too many “reality” programs in the cooking, renovation and dating/relationships/wedding genre) much moreso than the picture is a major reason why FTA TV is shedding viewers.
As for MPEG4, as much as doing a HD version of a multichannel in that format would probably be a gamble worth taking I doubt Ten will bother taking the plunge. You only have to look at Nine sticking with “Your Money” in MPEG2 and Seven switching 7Flix to MPEG2 after the demise of 4ME to see why aside from HD and RACING.COM, the major metro networks are mostly sticking with MPEG2 services for the time being.
But you scream at me, “Some of the regional affiliates run up to four MPEG4 channels!” - OK, but lets take a look at the three most common configurations in aggregated East Coast markets:
*Prime7 SD
*Prime7 HD
*7TWO
*7mate
*7Flix
*RACING.COM
*iShopTV
*WIN SD
*WIN HD
*One
*Eleven
*Sky News on WIN
*TVSN
*GOLD
*SCA Nine SD
*SCA Nine HD
*9Go!
*9Gem
*9Life
*Aspire TV
*SBN
By comparison, it’s five MPEG2 SD channels + one MPEG4 HD channel from Nine & Ten. Seven in metro markets has four MPEG2 SD channels with one MPEG4 channel in HD plus another MPEG4 service in SD.
I think FreeTV, ABC, SBS and ACMA just need to decide that on, say, 1st July 2020 all free-to-air television will be MPEG-4, and that all free-to-air television will be DVB-T2 on, say, 1st July 2022. As has already been mentioned in this thread, the excuse that some viewers don’t have MPEG-4 televisions can’t go on forever.
And for pensioners to be given a free MPEG 4 / DVB-T2 set top box to help with the switchover
Obviously these ones would only get DVB-T, but are the free set top boxes that were given out to pensioners during the transition to digital TV capable of MPEG4?
Many of them would have been. Even the cheap set top boxes around 2012 would have been capable of decoding MPEG4.
I’d restrict all HD channels and future channels to DVB-T2 to encourage people to switch. HD simulcasts of the multichannels can be built up over 5 years or so until DVB-T1 is switched off, or they just leave it going with SD only like the UK.
Personally I think there should be no channels in SD under DVB-T2…except for maybe those paid content channels which aren’t counted in the ratings! 
If we’re going to switch over to DVB-T2, the networks would really need to give viewers an incentive like having all channels in HD.
Agreed. Realistically under no circumstance should channels be in SD (except data casting).
Yes, the ones that were given out during the final phase of analog to digital TV switchover were MPEG4 compatible.
Really ACMA should be leading the charge. The TV stations don’t care. They can’t afford to lose one viewer with the current parlous state of over the air TV.
So ACMA should just mandate that x will happen on y date. And that’s it.
Seems to work just fine in places like Europe. Instead of squealing, people move along with the technology upgrades. To TV anyway. Radio is different! DAB in Norway for example.
We all have a fair idea of MPEG-4 device penetration. Does anyone know how many of those devices are DVB-T2?
It worked fine with the transition from analogue to digital as well. We just need a firm hand to kick the networks into gear.