Nine (WIN)

Except for 10 it seems?

How long will you keep ch5 in mpeg2?
We are yet to set a firm date, but we anticipate before the end of next calendar year.

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Whoever wrote that page needs some help…

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Could be an error, could be something to do with the JV?

I’m pretty sure they’re referring to incorrect channel numbers again anyway, isn’t Life on 85 on WIN WA?

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Good news. I wouldn’t take the FAQ section literally as it’s proven they copy paste the answers from previous switch overs.

Really hoping they know what they are doing. As has been documented by me ad nauseum for years, WIN WA’s current MPEG-4 channels often deteriorate after a while. They have never been able to get proper stat muxing working. I hope now that it will be MPEG-4 right through to the end user that they’ll be able to just create the muxes on satellite and just feed them into the transmission as-is, if that’s even possible?

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Don’t ABC and SBS do that on 160°E?

That’s exactly what they do. ABC/SBS on D1 use single transponders per network/state which makes it very easy to convert to terrestrial on site. They’re like exact copies of their terrestrial multiplexes, so the bandwidth allocations per service are on point from origin to end user.

The problem with Optus Aurora/VAST is it’s 100% MPEG-4 and services are allocated bandwidth accordingly. The networks can’t just copy paste the transponder to their terrestrial mux like ABC/SBS on D1 as they require some or all of the services to be converted back down to MPEG-2 at each site. This conversion process has resulted in quality issues on both 7 and 9 terrestrial retransmissions.

What I am hoping for is that the networks start using the bandwidth allocations set by Optus/VAST on terrestrial as the services will be MPEG-4 straight through.

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Wondering if we will see Extra return to WIN from July 1.

Not seeing any changes in Bunbury yet.

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Hasn’t started yet; late March

Same poorly formatted article and on air update as Eastern and SA, with a notice pointing out that VAST won’t be affected:

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I haven’t had a chance to check myself but disaster at mum’s house this afternoon. No commercials stations and no AFL on 7+ app. Presuming the MPEG4 upgrade has happened in regional WA ( and mum’s TV isn’t compatible).

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ahh, ok…

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WIN says:

“We have commenced our improvement in Western Australia with our remaining MPEG2 channels upgrading to MPEG4.
The reason we are doing this is to complete the move to newer technology allowing us to improve picture quality and give us more flexibility in how we deliver Free To Air”

You have to just love WIN’s spin don’t you - MPEG4/DVB-T2 is just the regional broadcasters getting their duck’s lined up for the inevitable 600Mhz spectrum buyback as per what has happened in the USA. Most of the regional TV studio’s land and buildings have been sold off, now its only the spectrum licences left to sell.

The bad news for WIN etc is MPEG4 TV’s all come with internet connectivity and old TV stations don’t have much of a track record against streaming.

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It would make a huge amount of sense even without a 600MHz replan - splitting the Ten network content between the different broadcasters would save them a lot of money - especially in cases like WA/Mildura/Central where it’s a loss making joint venture.

That said, in WA - aren’t all WIN’s services fed direct from VAST - they can’t really improve picture quality or gain flexibility in the short run given they have the capacity constraints on their share of VAST.

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Have WIN stopped doing local sponsors and station idents?

Why does it matter? I thought you didn’t watch WIN? :wink:

I watch Nine News on Nine (WIN)

Seen today during local news


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There is already talk of smart TV set makers not including FTA tuners on some models in the not-to-distant future. This was mentioned in the recent Parliamentary Prominence Enquiry. The likes of WIN have left things way too late and will be totally bypassed before long. Is no wonder NEC seemingly has next to no interest in buying WIN anymore.

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Saw WIN in Albury last night and all 3 HD channels looked good (9, 9Go and 9Gem). Why can’t all networks do this?

Kudos to WIN for being on the front foot with HD multi channels.

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So WIN have gone and screwed around with our channels (again) in the Riverland. Now 10 is on the same bandwidth as 7 lol (557.500 Mhz) and the channel numbers are now all jumbled up (536.500 Mhz now a dead frequency)

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