Communications Minister Stephen Conroy confirmed over the weekend that the Federal Budget due to be delivered on Tuesday night contains $308.8 million to continue a scheme which is seeing pensioners provided with a free set-top box to assist them with making the switch to digital television.
“The Gillard Government’s Digital Switchover program is ensuring people in regional and remote Australia have access to the same number of digital television channels as people in capital cities. When the switchover is complete in 2013, all Australians will have access to metro-equivalent TV services, no matter where they live,” Conroy said in a statement.
“For most people, making the switch to digital television is straightforward and inexpensive. However, the Government recognises that some Australians, particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and their carers, may require assistance to switch to digital TV.”
The program provides eligible pensioners with a HD set-top box and assistance to install the hardware and use it – at no cost to the receipients. The 2011/2012 budget provides funding for the program until the end of the Digital Switchover program across Australia at the end of 2013.
The news comes as the Federal Government is increasingly ramping up its push to switch the nation over to the new digital television standard. The spectrum used for the analog television signal – known as the ‘Digital Dividend’ – will be reallocated to other purposes, such as supporting mobile networks in Australia.
Just last week, Conroy announced a switchover date for regional Queensland, as well as the launch of free to air digital TV services by satellite to residents in remote and regional Western Australia, via a government-funded service.
A number of towns in regional Queensland – such as the regions of Wide Bay, Capricornia, Darling Downs and so on, will switch to digital-only TV on 6 December 2011.
“More than four out of five households in regional Queensland have already converted to digital TV, according to the latest Digital Tracker survey to the end of March 2011,” Conroy said at the time. “Those households yet to make the switch to digital now have a deadline for when their analog TV signals will be switched off for good.”
Conroy said 79 per cent of households across Australia were now digital ready, according to the latest figures from the Digital Tracker survey for the first quarter of 2011: “Whether by terrestrial or satellite broadcast, almost four out of five households across Australia has now made the switch to digital TV. This compares to less than half of households which were digital ready just two years ago.”
Image credit: Ry Young, royalty free
How is this going to help pay bills?
MR Swan
MRs C Yuile
A set top box may be of no use without a new digital aerial.
So what are they supposed to do? Switch off analogue TV and leave people without a signal? This is an excellent idea and will speed up the much needed transition to a digital only system. We are lagging badly behind the rest of the world on this and the spectrum is needed to deliver other important services.
If Labor didn’t give out boxes, they would be criticised for leaving people in the dark with no TV, but because they are giving out boxes, people automatically jump to “this will fail”.. What would you suggest as a viable alternative?
Sorry Jane. That reply was intended for Paul. Hit the wrong button.
However technically there’s no such thing as a “digital aerial”. They are incorrectly marketed with tags like “digital ready”, however digital TV is delivered in the way same way as analogue, and any old aerial can pick it up providing it supports UHF. On occasions people need new aerials if they are VHF only, but normally any existing aerial will work just fine.
Not everyone lives in cities simon. A booster as well as an antenna is needed for digital reception in remote areas.
Yep, that can be true. It depends on how far away you are from a digital repeater (which does the boosting for you). However this isn’t just a regional problem. It can happen in apartment buildings or other. Blackspots created by barriers or interference.
I was simply pointing out that there is no such thing as a “digital aerial”. However you are quite right to point out that its not always as simple as just installing a set top box. The govt is aware of this though and the roll-out of digital repeaters to eliminate black spots has been happening for over 10 years now.
Given Australia’s sparcely populated coastal cities, remote areas, thick bushland and mountanious topography it was always going to be a lengthy and difficult process, and I’m sure you’re right that giving out free set top boxes isn’t a magic fix. However its a step in the right direction as we’re starting to switch off analogue already.in some areas and it wouldnt be right to leave pensioners (many of whom will be confusedby the process) without a TV signal. Particularly as for some of them the TV is the only.company they have.
So yes, some people will need a new antenna (most won’t) and some.will.recquire boosters, but chances are that
Damn it. I’m borrowing an Android phone and this new Gingerbread keyboard is taking some getting used to. Apologies for all the mis-placed full-stops and the end of my comment vanishing.
I hope you got the gist of my message anyway. I’ll contribute more when I’m back to a real keyboard on my PC :-)
Yep, that can be true. It depends on how far away you are from a digital repeater (which does the boosting for you). However this isn’t just a regional problem. It can happen in apartment buildings or other blackspots created by concrete barriers or interference.
I was simply pointing out that there is no such thing as a “digital aerial”. However you are quite right to point out that its not always as simple as just installing a set top box. The govt is aware of this though and the roll-out of digital repeaters to eliminate black spots has been happening for over 10 years now.
Given Australia’s sparcely populated coastal cities, remote areas, thick bushland and mountanious topography it was always going to be a lengthy and difficult process, and I’m sure you’re right that giving out free set top boxes isn’t a magic fix. However its a step in the right direction as we’re starting to switch off analogue already in some areas and it wouldnt be right to leave pensioners (many of whom will be confusedby the process) without a TV signal. Particularly as for some of them the TV is the only.company they have.
So yes, some people will need a new antenna (most won’t) and some.will.recquire boosters, but chances are that
Yep, that can be true. It depends on how far away you are from a digital repeater (which does the boosting for you). However this isn’t just a regional problem. It can happen in apartment buildings or other blackspots created by concrete barriers or interference.
I was simply pointing out that there is no such thing as a “digital aerial”. However you are quite right to point out that its not always as simple as just installing a set top box. The govt is aware of this though and the roll-out of digital repeaters to eliminate black spots has been happening for over 10 years now.
Given Australia’s sparcely populated coastal cities, remote areas, thick bushland and mountanious topography it was always going to be a lengthy and difficult process, and I’m sure you’re right that giving out free set top boxes isn’t a magic fix. However its a step in the right direction as we’re starting to switch off analogue already in some areas and it wouldnt be right to leave pensioners (many of whom will be confusedby the process) without a TV signal. Particularly as for some of them the TV is the only company they have.
So yes, some people will need a new antenna (most won’t) and some will recquire boosters, but chances are that
This will be another failed program… Why dont we give everyone on welfare a free Digital TV.!
is it possible that this time the jobs can be given to qualified people who are out of work rather than companies already making profits
these jobs are given to qualified people.
You will find that independant contractors that have been working in this field for some time are installing these boxes and upgrading antenna systems.
To do this work you must have a government endorsement, and there is strict criteria to receive the endorsement.
You need necessary signal measuring instruments, have been working as an installer for a specified time frame and must pass an exam to do so.
If you are not industry based you will not pass the exam.
This protects the people and the industry.
Hope that helps
These people have government endorsement do they..hmm, just like the ceiling insulators.
It’s pretty hard to bodge a STB installation. Can’t see any people being electrocuted by their TV.
Unless of course you’re just making a generalised comment suggesting that just because it’s a Labor funded program it will automatically be stuffed up. In which case you should probably through in a clichéd line about school halls as well.
What does one do if the tv you have is too old for a digital box. and how are they going to distribute the $400.
No TV is too old for a STB. Even if it pre-dates RCA inputs (which would make it truly ancient) you can always run an RF signal to the antenna input.
Kerry,
these people do have gorvenment endorsements, yes.
Unlike the insullation scheme where people seemed to come from every where, this scheme requires the contractors to be skilled already in this field.
there are 3 levels of endorsement, domestic, commercial and sattelite.
The average person on the street will not be able to gain an endorsement as their is strict criteria to be able to do so.
Unless you have industry experience, which is what all the contractors working this scheme have, you will NOT be able to pass the examination to receive an endorsement.
Oh and Simon, there are areas around the country where UHF is either not supported or combination of UHF/VHF is required.
Anyone unsure what antenna they require should check what frequencies are being transmitted in their region.
Would it not be more practical for “qualified” pensioners ask for and be given a voucher entitling them to spend $200 or $300 and put their own money if neccessary towards a new digital TV (they will have to eventually anyway). They could be told which stores to buy from. this is a lot simpler and gets pensioners a decent TVas well. Brochures in my mailbox this week have 32inch digitals for under $400.
I bet they would have heaps for sale if for less than that if govt was to payout for the total amount. This is far more useful less administration and management than having installers all wandering aust to install what will become a heap of junk in a short period.
I am an aged Disability Pensioner who lives alone in a rural/residential area. I spend my days (and most of the night) watching TV. Mostly because I am unable to do anything, occassionaly just for ‘company’. I am grateful on one level, that our current Govt. is prepared to help those of us that cannot afford to purchase a new television. I am extremely puzzled however, about some – which I consider pertinent – factors.
1. I see the box units which will allow my old set to recieve the new digital format advertised frequently from as low as $20.oo and up to around $150.oo. I have found over my lifetime that not everything that is cheap is always ‘nasty’ (ineffectual) and too often to be comfortable, the expensive items are the same, no better, or even worse than the cheap alternative!
2. Irrespective of retail price, it does not take any level of intelligence to know that the Government could purchase these boxes for less than even 50% of the retail prices – I would think that considering the enormity of the units required, they could likely purchase an eg… $20.oo unit for perhaps…..$5.oo each?
3. My TV reception is fine – even after Cyclone Yasi destroyed most of my roof top aerial – which I have never been plugged into via the wall socket). Even prior to Yasi, I used the old ‘rabbit ear’ antennae inside to get perfect reception. A friend of mine who lives in the suburbs replaced her ‘old’ TV with a flash big screen digital over 12 months ago. She did not require any fancy aerials etc. Simply a case of ‘unpack, plug in, tune in and enjoy’. Why is there such an emphasis on aerials/antennae – whatever you choose to call them?
4. To me, the most valid. The Govt. AKA known as the TaxPayer – is to spend $350.oo on me to enable me to have digital TV. Thankyou. However, I must tell you this. My TV is around 12 years old. I get purple and or green stripes and hues on my TV screen from time to time – frequency increasing. I get a tiny, extremely bright pin-prick of light in the centre of my screen on the rare occassions that I turn my set off..
Are you, the still hard-working person paying taxes and struggling to make ends meet, happy to see $350.oo of your money go to enable me, a person you have not and will not meet, get a digital box thingy – taking into account that I will not even have a TV that works in the very near future?
5. I see these new digital TV’s advertised for under $300.oo for a size similar to my old box TV. Again, I offer the suggestion that with the size of the bulk purchase, the Govt. could simply replace……..and at a far lesser cost to the tax-payer – the old box TV’s that those of us in this predicament have, with a far cheaper and effective alternative.
I have been a very hard worker my entire life. Working an extra 2 and even 3 jobs at a time to try and do the best I could for my children. Being in the position I now am has destroyed me. Even so, I still ‘give a damn’ about those of you that are fortunate enough to be working and, my very sincere apologies – supporting me!
Still, I hope you pay attention to what I have said and one of you with the fortitude start something that will make the Govt. re-think the manner in which they have chosen to address this television switch-over.
Thankyou.
On behalf of my young friend with the digital TV I also pose…….frequently the programme being watched has nothing except the black screen with ‘No Signal’. For no apparent reason eg. weather, these ‘blackouts’ can last from seconds to hours. I spent a weekend with her not so long ago when a certain station was ‘off air’ for well over 30 minutes – and nothing to tell us what was going on. Consequently, as usual she tells me, a big chunk of the programme was missed and not replayed. Will digital TV be like watching a DVD that is flawed – and will it be a regular problem that analogue did not have?
My apologies – I forgot No. 6. I can only think with this supposedly well-intentioned, very poorly thought out scheme, that a certain person/s are doing the ‘get rich quick’ thing for someone/s – likely with a big kick-back.
Australia should have had digital tv in the major cities on the uhf band 4 here in Brisbane i’m about 5 km from the digital vhf transmitter towers and we have problems with the signal that is to strong but sbs works a lot better because its on the uhf band and on the gold coast digital tv works a lot better and more room on the vhf band for dab+ radio
Comments are closed.