What is Digital TV in Australia?
Digital TV brings DVD-quality pictures, and CD-quality sound, to everyday television. In Australia, it also brings new digital TV channels, and interactive features - like weather updates and a digital TV Guide on your screen. Digital signals can be Standard Definition (SD) or High Definition (HD).
Between 2010 and 2013, Australia will be switching to Digital TV, and all our channels will be transmitted in digital - something AUSTAR has been doing for years.
MyStar makes it easy for you to switch to digital TV now.
When will we switch to Digital TV in Australia?
The government is gradually switching free-to-air TV from analog to digital - starting in mid 2010 with Mildura and Sunraysia. By the end of 2013, all analog broadcasts in Australia will be discontinued. If you are not digital TV ready when this happens - you won't be able to watch free-to-air TV anymore.
The switchover is being done region-by-region. Find out when the analog signal will be shut down in your area.
What do I need to get ready for Digital TV?
If you've got a digital-ready television, you're probably ready for digital TV now. But if your TV is more than a few years old, it's probably not equipped for digital TV. The easy way to find out is to see if you get the new GO! channel. If you do, you're probably already digital ready. If you don't get it, there's a couple of options for you to get digital ready:
- Buy a new TV with an integrated digital TV tuner.
- Or keep your existing TV and attach a digital set top box, or a digital video recorder (like MyStar HD) to it.
What new TV channels will I get?
On top of the normal free-to-air channels, switching to digital TV will give you access to new digital-only channels such as these below. The digital TV channels you actually receive may vary, depending on where you live.
- GO!
- ONE
- ABC2
- SBS2
- 7TWO - coming soon to MyStar
- ABC3 - coming soon
How are Standard Definition and High Definition TV different?
Standard definition (SD) is the first wave of digital TV technology - offering greatly improved picture and sound quality over traditional analog TV. Soon every TV channel in Australia will be at least standard definition.
High definition (HD) takes advantage of improved digital technology to provide sharper pictures and better sound than standard definition. To watch HD TV channels you can attach an HD set-top-box or HD digital video recorder (like AUSTAR's MyStar HD) to your analog or standard definition TV. MyStar HD will also let you access AUSTAR's 13 new HD channels. To get the full picture and sound benefits of high definition you'll need a high definition TV.
MyStar HD - The easy way to go digital
With MyStar HD you can quickly make your analog TV ready for the digital TV switch. MyStar HD will give you access to the HD and digital TV channels available in your area, we'll take care of installation and you'll enjoy the features and benefits of a digital video recorder without the large upfront cost.
Check out the features of MyStar HD
Digital free-to-air TV reception black spots exist.
Glossary
Digital video recorder
A personal digital recorder is a device that plugs into to any digital or analog TV. It allows you to view, and record, digital TV channels. Recorded programs are saved onto an internal hard drive, like you would save files on a computer.
Digital set top box
A digital set top box plugs into an analog or digital-ready TV - allowing you to view digital TV channels. Unlike a digital video recorder, a standard set top box does not have an internal hard drive so it doesn't have the ability to record or save programs.
Interactive features
Interactive features are made possible by digital TV and accessed through a dedicated button on your remote. The most common interactive TV feature is the on-screen digital TV Guide. AUSTAR also offers features such as live sports statistics, being able to choose which game you want to watch (from 2 live sports games) and local postcode weather forecasts.
