[mythtvnz] Confirmed - TVNZ Switch to Optus D1 H Pol on 31 Jan

[Steven Ellis]

Just got the details from TVNZ.

An Important Advisory from TVNZ=92s Digital TV Group

This message is being sent to stakeholders and members of the industry
ahead of public announcement so that everyone concerned is aware of
changes being made before customers begin making enquiries and so that
workloads can be planned around month=92s end. This message is in respons=
e
to requests from the industry for adequate advance notice of engineering
works which affect the test channels on TVNZ=92s free-to-air digital
satellite platform.
Please note that on-screen announcements begin on Monday 15th January (se=
e
below re crawler captions) after which you can expect to receive
enquiries.


TVNZ will be transferring its free-to-air digital test services from Optu=
s
B1 satellite to the new D1 satellite at the end of this month.

The change is essential because the B1 satellite has reached the end of
its useful life and is unreliable.

TVNZ will be making the transfer in the middle of the night to minimise
disruption because there will be an unavoidable interruption to test
channels.

Work will begin at midnight on the 31st January when signals will cease
from B1, resuming a few hours later on the new D1 on the same frequency,
12.483GHz, but with the new polarity, =93horizontal=94.  TVOne, TV2, Deut=
sche
Welle, CCTV9, Bloomberg and TVNZ Wide Screen test channels will all move
with the transfer.

A second signal on frequency 12.456 GHz, also =93horizontal=94 will be pr=
esent
for one week, after which it will disappear.

The interruption will mean that all set top boxes receiving free-to-air
test transmissions will need to be retuned manually when they are switche=
d
on for the first time after engineers have made the transfer in the early
hours of February the first. Viewers will have to use their remote to fin=
d
the on-screen menu, select the tuner and =93H=94 or =93Horizontal=94 pola=
rity and
then choose the desired channels.

Viewers who have difficulty retuning should contact the company that
supplied or installed the equipment.


The changeover affects free-to-air digital test transmissions TVNZ
established in preparation for the introduction of the new FreeView
satellite services later this year.

TVNZ analogue signals are NOT affected.

This message will be available to any viewers/media who enquire between
now and January 31st, and then there will be a follow-up message advising
those asking =93where have my TV channels gone to?=94

Meantime, TVNZ is
Advising this change by email, fax, letter or phone call to every known
stakeholder/installer/retailer/agency.
Telling viewers who enquire, as the main message, to =93contact your
installer or the company that sold you the equipment=94
Ensuring all enquiries are promptly and accurately answered.
Briefing appropriate staff-members in TVNZ who might receive viewer=20
enquiries
Responding to media enquiries
Providing an FAQ information sheet
>From Monday 15th January advising viewers of changes by on-screen crawler
captions on each test channel, in rotation, 24 x 7 until 2359 hours,=20
January 31st
Ready with a system on February 1st to confirm to stakeholders/industry
that either the transfer has been made successfully or to quickly update
stakeholders/industry if there are any unforeseen problems/delays with th=
e
transfer.

For the FAQ:  email digital@tvnz.co.nz
For further information email digital@tvnz.co.nz or fax (09) 916 7897 or
phone (09) 916 7658


Ric Carlyon
Digital TV Group,
TVNZ,
Auckland.
10/01/07


--------------------------------------------
Steven Ellis - Technical Director
OpenMedia Limited - The Home of myPVR
email   - steven@openmedia.co.nz
sales   - sales@openmedia.co.nz
support - support@openmedia.co.nz
website - http://www.openmedia.co.nz