For the majority of Australians, getting ready for digital TV will simply mean the purchase of a digital ready TV or digital set top box (STB). This is a simple and cheap option to enable digital TV content to get to the homes of most Australians through existing transmission towers. In some areas though, satellite reception will be the only option.
In areas of Australia where communities are reliant on council run Self-Help transmission facilities, TV broadcasters will soon decide whether these consumers will have access to terrestrial transmissions or will be reliant upon satellite reception.
While the government has announced a satellite solution, all the details have not yet been finalised. The costs to consumers are expected to be higher than terrestrial reception because of the inclusion of next generation technology.
Below we compare terrestrial and satellite options.
| Terrestrial | Satellite | |
|---|---|---|
| How many channels will I have? | Up to 16 channels | Up to 16 channels |
| Will I have local content in the same way as I’m used to? i.e. local news, information and advertising. | YES | NO - The government has announced that local news will be available in regional areas of Australia, but this will be in an alternative format. As large geographic areas will be receiving the same satellite service, some information and advertising will not be relevant to all viewers, depending on their location. |
| Will I be able to use my existing set top box (STB) or digital ready TV? | YES | Set top box: NO Digital ready TV: Only with the addition of a suitable Satellite receive system |
| How much will it cost to be ready for digital TV? | Many new TVs are now digital ready. Prices for a STB to convert older TV sets start at around $50. Each additional television could be converted for $50 to $100. | Government has advised that the average cost of a satellite dish and receiver for the first television in a home is likely to be $650. The cost of conversion to satellite reception for a home with two televisions is expected to be approximately $1,000. Converting additional televisions (third, fourth etc) to digital satellite is likely to cost an additional $300 each. |
| Is there anything else I need to have to be aware of for digital TV? | If you have been receiving analogue terrestrially, then in most cases once you get a digital receiver, you’ll be ready for digital TV too. | You will need to have a clear line of sight to the satellite sending you content. Rain may also disrupt your reception from time to time. |