What you need to know about the digital TV switchover

TV in Rotorua and the rest of the upper North Island is going digital on Sunday, December 1.

Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Northland will go digital on Sunday. The rest of the country has already successfully made the move to digital TV.

Digital TV offers more channels, better pictures, better sound quality and new services.

Viewers need to get Freeview, SKY or IGLOO to keep watching TV.

Further information is available from www.goingdigital.co.nz or freephone 0800 838 800. Our opening hours are:
• Saturday 30 November 9am to 5pm;
• Sunday 1 December 7am to 9pm; and
• weekdays between 8.30am and 5pm.

You don't need a new TV to go digital but you will need a TV with Freeview built-in or the right set-top box together with a UHF aerial or satellite dish.

It's a good idea to check what you have and what you require before you buy anything new.

All TVs in your house need to go digital

The best way to ensure you are watching digital TV is to check your TV has at least 13 channels, including Choice TV, TV1+1 and TV3+1, and an on screen TV guide.

A Targeted Assistance Package is available to assist those groups most likely to face the greatest technical and financial barriers to going digital.

To be eligible for the Package, you must have a working TV which does not yet have Freeview, SKY or IGLOO, and you must be either:
• aged 75 or over with a community services card, or
• receiving a Veterans Pension; or
• receiving a Supported Living Payment for Health Reasons (formerly the Invalids benefit; or
• former recipients of the Veterans Pension or Invalid's Benefit who converted to new Zealand superannuation at age 65 or after.

Recorders need to go digital too. If recording is important, viewers might want to consider getting a new digital personal video recorder such as MyFreeview or MySky.