I can’t properly comment on the current playout status of Seven-affiliated SCTV in Tasmania or other regions since I don’t know that much about it, but I think it’s very fair to presume that they’re not likely to be broadcasting 7Flix or a HD simulcast of their main channel (especially in markets that primarily get AFL coverage on 7mate!) anytime soon for various technical and financial limitations. Certainly not before the end of the year anyway.
As far as 9Life is concerned (which is off topic I know), one would imagine that TDT (or any regional Nine station outside of the “major” regional markets of Queensland, NSW and Victoria) are highly unlikely to broadcast that station anytime soon. Tasmanians should be very thankful that they even have access to a HD simulcast of Nine when other regional areas do not!
If anything, there’s probably much more of a chance we’ll see the ABC broadcast their main channel in HD nationwide before the regional commercial networks properly catch up to their metropolitan counterparts in the field of multichannelling.
No one knows the technical or financial limitations of Southern Cross yet everyone is presuming.
SCA has shown they have the money and can very very quickly get past any technical limitations. They had HD up and running for Nine across almost their entire network in a matter of weeks - then switched on 9Life too
Tasmania is one feed (or is it two - northern and southern) to switch SouthernCross7 to HD and 7mate to SD seems like it would be realatively easy and not cost prohibitive at all. Based on how easily and quickly SC was able to do this for anime stations across markets with 20 feeds.
SCA has shown that can quickly and easily and affordability run the primary network in both SD and HD (9, 9HD) plus 3 multi channels (gem go life) across 15 or so local markets in QLD SNSW and VIC
Not sure why they could
Not do the same in 1 or 2 markets in Tasmania - especially considering the dominant ratings / revenue position SC is in Tasmania - it’s the highest rating TV station in the land
Two feeds for the main channel, 7Two and 7Mate are state feeds. I have a feeling this is similar to the SC9 markets where the multi-channels are state based, happy to be corrected.
I dare say it’s more of a “it ain’t broke, lets not fix it” type of approach. You only have to look at the news broadcast, still in analogue and still the same old Channel 10 backdrop since the 90’s. But it works, top rating news every night of the week.
Add an expense to gain little back from advertising? Never going to happen.
On the other hand, Tasmania is such a small market, I’m surprised that SCA didn’t run 9HD on 9 and use the SD encoder for 9Life. No reason to run a simulcast in a market like that. Plus the uptake in HD TVs and set top boxes would be huge there.
[quote=“ando9185, post:145, topic:360, full:true”]
I had someone ask me again the other day when 9Life would be here since mid-August had now passed. WIN don’t like to talk about it and just direct people to Southern Cross but I haven’t seen anybody hassle them yet. I don’t think we’ll see it again unfortunately.[/quote]WIN have nothing to do with the channel now so directing people with their queries regarding it to SC is a given. And SCA have nothing further to say about it as resources are stretched (seemingly anyways).
[quote=“ando9185, post:145, topic:360, full:true”]
I’ll have to switch from ABC Kids to Southern Cross then, I haven’t watched Saturday Disney for years but I remember when it all started, even if it was never as good as Howie the Yowie and the Saturday Morning Fun Show.
[/quote]If you want to watch it in its entirety, then you’ll have to live stream 7flix via +7 as SD switches channels for Sunrise on Seven/Southern Cross at 7am. Used to switch to 7TWO for the following 2hrs but only just recently discovered it shifts to Flix now.
[quote=“Alista, post:152, topic:360, full:true”]
Two feeds for the main channel, 7Two and 7Mate are state feeds. I have a feeling this is similar to the SC9 markets where the multi-channels are state based, happy to be corrected.[/quote] As you said, two feeds for SCTV and state feed for 7TWO and 7mate. SC9 in other markets are a little different as mentioned to this. TDT9 of course a statewide feed for the main and multichannels as it was under Ten.
[quote=“AlanCramer, post:154, topic:360, full:true”]
Add an expense to gain little back from advertising? Never going to happen.
On the other hand, Tasmania is such a small market, I’m surprised that SCA didn’t run 9HD on 9 and use the SD encoder for 9Life. No reason to run a simulcast in a market like that. Plus the uptake in HD TVs and set top boxes would be huge there.
[/quote]Good point. There’s no reason why they couldn’t have done this if there’s little space and is the true reason for 9Life MIA.
I have received feedback from Southern Cross Tas that they are indeed looking at an overdue change to bring the main channel in HD hopefully by end of this year. Wait and see I guess. 7flix is unknown they do not have an arrangement for access to that channel with 7. I am keen for the main channel to be in HD though! Will finally be able to watch the news in PAL analogue upconverted HD, haha! Well maybe not the news other 7HD content will look good hopefully.
I reckon the dual state feeds for the main channel being the main cost problem for this change but they should be able to overcome this like Win have hopefully.
Interesting. I’ll believe when I see it regarding the main channel going HD. Would be great to have SCTV in HD with the rather pointless 7mate being downconverted to SD. But no doubt it will probably be another drawn-out thing like the whole supposed relaunch of their News.
Speaking of, if they are seriously thinking of going HD they need to totally relaunch and upgrade their equipment for the News. Would be the perfect time to do this. I wonder if they’ve moved out of the old Watchorn St. building yet?
They’re still in Watchorn street, I doubt we will see any upgrades to the news anytime soon, it already rates so highly and will be a costly upgrade - I also wish they would too but its unlikely I suspect. They only upgraded to server playout 5 years or so ago, they were using reel to reel tape still for stories and a digital beta tape for the news opener. Whereas providing HD means another few encoders and playout updated for HD in Canberra much like they have done to broadcast 9HD across their markets, however there would need some core configuration of the 7HD feed and timings etc for that setup.
It would be funny (and quite sad in a way too) if Tasmania had access to Seven programming in HD on a regular basis before Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast, Perth and Regional Queensland (all of which are Seven O&O markets that currently get 7mate as their HD channel)!
Ironically this has happened before back in the day when Seven broadcast their HD channel as 576p, southern cross was broadcasting content in 1080i from the HD channel.
I didnt realise that all the larger 7 markets hadn’t yet switched to 7HD though interesting.
[quote=“dfp, post:159, topic:360, full:true”]
They’re still in Watchorn street, I doubt we will see any upgrades to the news anytime soon, it already rates so highly and will be a costly upgrade - I also wish they would too but its unlikely I suspect. They only upgraded to server playout 5 years or so ago, they were using reel to reel tape still for stories and a digital beta tape for the news opener. Whereas providing HD means another few encoders and playout updated for HD in Canberra much like they have done to broadcast 9HD across their markets, however there would need some core configuration of the 7HD feed and timings etc for that setup.
[/quote]Didn’t they put the premise up for sale to move out earlier in the year or something? Are they ever going to move?
Yeah, which all comes back to the same important thing… $$$. Why bother when the vast majority happily sit down and watch it as it is each and every night. If/when WIN sorted themselves out and started to seriously threaten them they might do something, but that won’t happen for some time yet.
Sad that if they have the HD channel that their only locally produced content (the News) won’t be in actual HD. Analogue upconverted HD here we come!
[quote=“SydneyCityTV, post:160, topic:360, full:true”]
It would be funny (and quite sad in a way too) if Tasmania had access to Seven programming in HD on a regular basis before Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast, Perth and Regional Queensland (all of which are Seven O&O markets that currently get 7mate as their HD channel)!
[/quote]Haha. As I said, I’ll believe when it/if happens. SC tend to say one thing and then actually do nothing. Would be great to get something before Syd/Bris/Perth etc for once!
It will likely be a process of sell current premises, lease those premises while looking for/building a new home and then move.
I imagine the move would coincide with the news changing to be HD - the effort and expense of setting up a new studio and moving gear would make it the same effort and only a little more expensive to do it in HD, especially since they’ll have to replace the old gear sooner or later anyway. With the move so close (relatively speaking - even if it’s still a few years off) I can’t see them going to the effort of upgrading to HD at Watchorn Street.
