A brief slide show on digital TV in Australia and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Presented at the Korean Communications Conference November 2010

1. Digital Television The Australian Experience Korean Communications Conference, Seoul Korea 2010 By Adrian Potter

2. Sydney Digital TV UHF Repeater

3. Who am I ? My name is Adrian Potter I’m the Director of Communications Networks for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) I look after the team that runs all of the Transmission and Distribution Networks, both Terrestrial and Satellite I’ve been involved with Television and Radio Broadcasting Technology for over 20 years Mt Lofty, Adelaide, South Australia

4. Who is the ABC ? The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) We are the largest publicly funded (Government) Broadcaster in Australia National Analogue TV Network National Digital Television Network (DVB-T MPEG2, SD and HD) 5 National Analogue Radio Networks An Extensive Digital Radio Network (DAB+) Radio Australia on Shortwave into Asia and the Pacific Extensive Free To Air and Subscription Television, Satellite and Cable Distribution

6. From French Polynesia to London, from Cape Town to Vladivostok and everywhere in between

10. Land Mass - 9,161,966 km2Source – CIA Fact Book

11. Australia’s Television History Television broadcasting began on the 16 September 1956 ABC Television commenced in Sydney on the 5 November 1956 Initially in 625 line, Black and White Colour transmissions commenced in 1st March 1975 Subscription TV (Cable, MMDS and Satellite) commenced in January 1995 Yatpool, Mildura, Victoria

12. Australia’s Digital TV Time Line Late 1997 Technical Trials and Test transmissions of both DVB and ASTC systems 24 March 1998 Government announces Digital Television policy. 8 April 1998 Legislations proposed in Australia's Parliament 18 June 1998 Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) Selection Panel recommend the European DVB-T system. 15 July 1998 Television Broadcasting Services (Digital Conversion) Bill 1998 and the Datacasting Charges (Imposition) Bill 1998 passed into law by both houses of the Australia Parliament 30 July 1998 FACTS Specialist Group-DTTB announces further technical element recommendations. preferred video format for HDTV production purposes is 1920/1080/50Hz interlaced with a total line count of 1125 lines; Dolby AC-3 should be used for audio encoding the Service Information data standard will be based on the DVB-SI standard. 1 January 2001 Digital Terrestrial Television commences in all Australian capital cities.

13. Australia Digital TV Parameters DVB – T 7MHz Guard Interval – 1/16 FFT Size – 8k Modulation 64QAM Code Rate (FEC) 3/4 23.023Mbps useable data rate MPEG2 SD and HD (720p & 1080i) Dolby ™ Surround Sound 16:9 Wide Screen Aspect Ratio 8 Day EPG Derby, Western Australia

14. ABC’s Digital Television Services ABC1 – ABC’s flagship Television channel ABC2 – Arts, Culture and Catch-up TV ABC3 – Children and Teenagers (Kids) ABC New24 HD – 24 Hour News & Current Affairs

17. Viewer Access to Satellite Television The Australian Government is committed to ensuring, as far as possible, that every Australian has access to digital television. Satellite used as an infill in for Digital Television black spots and for remote area viewers (Similar to UK’s FreeSat) MPEG4 SD and HD MHEG Interactive DVB-S2 Commenced June 2010

18. Analogue Switch Off In 2008 the Australian government announced all analogue television transmissions would cease at the end of 2013 Switch off is occurring on a region by region basis, following the UK’s approach Should allow for testing and planning of switchover issues in an orderly way Switch off commenced in the Mildura region on the New South Wales and Victorian border on June 30th this year. Viewer Communication is the key to the success

19. The Digital Dividend Restacking of UHF Channels Restack commences after analogue switch off in December 2013 126MHz of Spectrum made available All channels above 52 no longer available for Television Auctioned for 4G LTE Together with 2.5 DENG Band for 4G LTE Restack to be completed by the end of 2014

20. ABC’s joint venture with WIN TV, Australia’s largest regional media company. Brand New, ‘State of the Art’ Digital Media Centre Strategically Located in South Western Sydney Currently Configured for 132 channels Only 1/3 full Best connected with multiple, path diverse STM16s Ku Band earth station on site and access to redundant Ku and C Band Satellite Earth Stations Media friendly Australian jurisdiction and laws

21. MediaHub main control room, opened March 2010

22. ABC NEWS 24 ABC Sydney, Continuous News Centre (CNC) Opened June 2010

23. The Future ? 3DTV 2010 Trials conducted in Australia Football (Soccer) World Cup Domestic Rugby League and Aussie Rules Finals Special Purpose and Event Based What about a future pathway? DVB – T2 MPEG4 Ultra High Definition National Broadband Network (NBN) Next 9 years every home in Australia will have 100Mbps Fibre Will free to air / linear TV survive the online, on demand, on every device revolution?

24. THANK YOU Mt Owen, Tasmania’s West Coast. Wind and Solar Powered Digital TV and Radio Transmitter site