Contents - Connect-World

National Development
Each area was planned with a least
seven channels, to enable conversion
of the five existing networks plus
capacity for two future services.
Preservation of viewers access to their
existing free-to-air services in the
simulcast area was of paramount concern
for the ABA. The ABA was also
concerned about potential interference
to the reception of existing analogue
services. So, when the switch-on
of new digital transmissions results in
any interference, the ABA expects the
television industry to deal with the
problem, in part through the mechanisms
of the ABAs Interference
Management Scheme.
In general, the ABA has been pleased
with the industrys response to managing
the impact on viewers of digital
transmissions.
Following the introduction of the first
services at the main transmitter in the
metropolitan markets, broadcasters
have expended considerable effort to
increase the coverage of their networks
in the rest of their metropolitan
markets and to introducing digital
transmission in regional areas.
Current situation
The challenge now facing Australia is
to encourage the take-up of consumer
equipment, such as digital set top
boxes and integrated digital television
sets.
Although the switch-off of analogue
transmission can, by law, occur as
early as eight years after digital services
began in each area, the government,
through a series of statutory reviews,
is only now considering the preconditions
for turning off analogue services.
Digital television set top receivers and
integrated digital television sets sales
had reached 530,000 units by the end
of September 2004, and averaged
40,000 in each of the preceding three
months, compared to 10,000 units for
the September quarter 2003. On the
basis of these figures, more than
700,000 homes (or eight per cent of
all households) are expected to be
(free-to-air) digital by the end of
2004.
Digital subscription television numbers
are also growing: passing the
900,000 mark by the end of 2004, if
not sooner.
Digital Broadcasting Australia
believes that sales will continue to be
“The challenge now facing
Australia is to
encourage the take-up
of consumer equipment,
such as digital set top
boxes and integrated
digital television sets.”
strong as the number of suppliers
grows, the range and type of receivers
increases and consumers become
more aware of the benefits of free-toair
digital television.
The number of transmitters continues
to grow, enabling the continued roll
out of digital services. More than 350
transmitters currently provide digital
services, reaching more than 90 per
cent of the population and at least
another 50 are expected to be on air by
the end of 2004.
The commercial broadcasters have
confirmed that they are committed to
a common platform for digital terrestrial
services based on open standards,
with a minimum standard for set top
boxes.
They also agree that interactive set top
boxes for the Australian market
should be able to receive all interactive
applications from all commercial
broadcasters and that boxes should be
forward compatible, so that applications
for first generation interactive
boxes will work with later versions.
What can Australian viewers
expect from this digital technology
HDTV
In Australia, it was decided from the
outset that high definition television,
HDTV, would be an integral part of
the suite of facilities offered by digital
services.
Accordingly, the ABA planned a seven
MHz television channel for each
national and commercial service in
each transmission area.
Broadcasters must provide services in
standard definition mode and, as well,
a legislated minimum of 1040 hours
per calendar year of high definition
programming.
To protect consumers from being
forced to purchase a high definition
digital receiver, any programme transmitted
in high definition must also be
transmitted in standard definition.
There are signs the decision to adopt
HDTV may be vindicated; large display
units that benefit from the betterquality
digital pictures have proliferated.
As the availability of flat display
panels increases, and prices continue
to fall, more and more Australian consumers
are switching to widescreen
television.
There are now an estimated 640,000
widescreens in Australian homes, of
which 30 per cent are relatively expensive
plasma or LCD screens. The average
monthly sales of widescreen televisions
to retailers for third quarter
2004 were 46,000 units.
Uptake of widescreen displays is
believed to be a key driver in viewer
decisions to upgrade to digital reception.
Meanwhile, there are indications that
demand for true HDTV displays may
follow close behind. DVDs will soon
be available in high definition and television
games will be available in HD,
starting Christmas 2004. These, and
improved compression technologies —
such as MPEG 4 — Part 10 and
Windows Media 9 Series — are all driving
the demand for better resolution,
larger monitors and, ultimately, high
definition displays.
Data broadcasting
When planning for the conversion
from analogue to digital television
transmission, the ABA planned at
Figure 1: Both the analogue and digital transmission
networks use channels in the VHF and UHF
parts of the broadcasting service bands.
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