Wow. Can’t believe WIN is taking the technological lead on something.
They’re definitely doing this now because: 1) party like it’s 2016; 2) get the complaints out of the way now; 3) hopefully people will be upgraded by the time of the affiliation switch; 4) fork Network 10, they’re only providing us all their content.
Much less than that. I’m sure most people have MPEG-4 capable TVs these days - if not it’s time for an upgrade.
When he released the broadcasting green paper in November, Paul Fletcher indicated that there would be almost no issues for viewers when stations moved to MPEG-4.
Could this be WIN finding out if there are problems before they respond to the green paper? The deadline is now 23 May 2021.
I suppose it is conceivable that 80 will carry WIN SD from Monday.
And that WIN will later advise viewers that the SD service will be discontinued on 80 soon - perhaps even a crawler. Then prior to 1 July put up a tuning message.
A brand new channel 9Life (or WIN Life) coming to channel 80.
To continue watching your favourite programs on WIN TV switch to channel 8 for a high definition picture.
If you have any queries ask your grandchildren or your preferred TV supplier for help in upgrading.
Are you sure they’d know? Given that over the air TV isn’t a thing to them any more.
if they want a spot on the Channel Nine board in years to come?
The people least likely to have MPEG-4 sets are the ones most likely to be unable to just upgrade. Either through cost, or sheer complexity - there’ll be a bunch of hotels/hospitals/nursing homes which pipe a signal through - the TV itself might support HD, but is being fed with SD because of old but working equipment.
WIN could do this - but need to do so with a much better and clearer communications strategy. Make people aware of it with enough time to act - teach them how to check, and how to get help if they aren’t ready.
Can debate on size, but they will be cutting off a substantial portion of their audience.
If it’s a reaction to anything, it’d be WIN staking out that even with MPEG-4 they need a full multiplex.
I’ve just rescanned my STB (my ‘no name’ branded bedroom TV from 2012 is not MPEG-4 compatible), and can confirm that WIN Illawarra on LCN-8 is in HD. It’s also still available on LCN-80 as WIN HD Illawarra.
How about the multichannels? Are you able to tell if they are running via MPEG2 still?
Bold & Peach are still on MPEG-2 SD.
I’m in Central Victoria and it’s still normal for me.
Must of been an Illawarra only thing.
yes as this stage and which was posted above this was an Illawarra thing and not a win wide thing
Strangely, there’s now no mention on their website about WIN Illawarra on LCN-8 now being in HD, even when I set the page to Illawarra & South Coast. 
No point having it there to begin with. Honestly, how many of their viewers go to wintv.com.au on the regular?
The posts about the change on the WIN News Illawarra Facebook page appear to have been deleted, and the Twitter posts on the news feed still have the old Ch 8 & 80 (HD).
Most of Sydney can pick up Wollongong.
I’m well aware of that. It’s the channel label that has me scratching my head.
Is that just Fetch’s guide name for it - with Wollongong/Canberra having WIN Local News in the schedule unlike other WINs in the area?
The first four letters of Wollongong are incorrect, if you were to spell it out it would read Woollongong.
