Right, my misunderstanding. Why do they need the SD channels tho if they’re MPEG4?
The SD channels use the older MPEG2
But they won’t anymore in Tassie correct?
Not entirely. It seems that every network has different MPEG2 channels still.
WIN is the standout with the only leftover channel being WIN SD in MPEG2, all the rest of its channels are already MPEG4.
Not sure about the other network channels.
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But I’m saying this upgrade will change all channels over to MPEG4?
We don’t know. The main SD simulcasts, not right now, but this is probably one of the steps to going MPEG4 only.
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Actually, Free TV Australia sent out a flyer on this (related to the video @tx42 uploaded), sounds like WIN went a little early on this as the full switchover date won’t be until 5 October:
And yes, reading that, it sounds like the idea will be to move the HD channels to the single digits. I guess in most cases (except SBS) they’ll keep the x0 numbers as a redirect for the time being.
WIN didn’t have a two-digit simulcast number (they just used LCN 8) so would’ve had to add one to keep the MPEG-2 simulcast going (21, 51, 61 already exist). Also sounds like SBS One SD and HD will swap, so the SD is on 30 and HD on 3.
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Tasmania is different to every other region. All SD channels are MPEG-4 on all 3 commercials except the primary SD’s. So, 7two, 7mate, 9Go!, 9Life, 10 Peach, 10 BOLD and Nickelodeon are all MPEG-4.
This change in October brings the Tassie networks one step closer to eradicating MPEG-2 all together. The next change will be deleting 21, 51, 61 and 88. Not sure what SBS is planning but I think @Spi is right.
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Just saw this ad on 7 during the last break in the AFL. The WIN Network logo was replaced by the 7 logo on that version.
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Yeah, I suspected after seeing the flyer’s existence that it was a Free TV advert more than it was specifically a WIN advert, which makes sense.
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Currently watching the NRLW on LCN 81 “9Gem” on the Ballarat feed (yes I know I’m probably the only one who is!).
Certainly looks HD, and looks good too, but I do wonder why they didn’t change the LCN name to include HD in the name like the metros do eg. “9Gem HD”.
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What’s the need if it’s the only one?
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I think “7mate HD” is still like that in metros even though there’s no SD anymore ?
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I hear ya. I suspect that I may have been the sole person in Hobart watching NRL on my recent visit. I do note that the Saturday night match was on the main 9 channel there, which I thought was odd.
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I think because they usually align with the Melbourne schedule.
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Yeah I think they should drop it
Yep that’s why, they just take whatever Melbourne does.
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Maybe once EVERY channel is in HD, yes, but whilst there are still SD channels around eg. 7two or 9Life, I’d still like to see HD in the LCN names where applicable.
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I suspect it probably felt just as odd that (non-finals) NRL was on in Melbourne too though! Although depending on the game and with a strong enough Storm contingent, they probably don’t mind for the last few weeks where Sat footy exists on Nine… it’s not like they’d gain too much ratings wise on a Sat night by counter-programming the southern footy.
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I’m personally a fan of HD in the channel names and logos. Might as well show off how many you have, right? Perhaps Seven’s plan is to keep HD in the name just for a while so viewers, particularly sports viewers, know for sure it’s the HD version that’s left?
Hopefully the networks will unanimously rename and renumber all their channels once the “Tasmania Experiment” goes national.
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