What digital TV will mean in your house

Do I need a special television set?


Not yet. Your standard TV will receive digital television provided you have a set-top decoder and a satellite dish or a cable connection.

What is a decoder and how much will it cost?


The decoder sits on top of your TV and changes the digital signal sent out by the broadcaster to an analogue signal that your television can receive. The decoder is installed at the same time as the satellite dish and will cost about the same as a VHS player - anywhere from about $250 depending on whether you go for a cheapie or Rolls-Royce version.

Will my television set become obsolete?


Yes, but not yet. Some time in the next five to 10 years a new generation of digital television sets which accept the digital signal directly will make decoders, and our current analogue television sets, obsolete.

What's so great about digital TV?


Broadcasters like digital because they can create more channels without having to buy any extra airspace. They also believe interactive TV will provide new ways to make money. In the short term the biggest advantage will be the increase in the number of new channels. TVNZ cannot say yet how many or what they will broadcast, but there will definitely be a new Maori channel.

What can digital do that my old TV can't?


The new buzzwords for the digital TV revolution are convergence and interactivity.

Convergence means different technologies working together. For instance, your digital TV will be able to send and receive e-mail and the internet, either through a phone line, satellite or cable. Sky plans to launch an e-mail service early next year, while TVNZ-Telstra Saturn hope to offer television e-mail within a year.

Digital TV will also be interactive, so you will be able to programme your digital TV to learn the kinds of shows you like and then download them for you to watch at your leisure.

In future, viewers will be able to control camera angles, call up statistics, bank, shop and surf the net. Your TV will become more like a computer.

Digital TV will also allow you to access deeper layers of information. You might see an interesting five-minute interview and want to know more. You will be able to see the full interview, information about the subject and go online and buy the book.

Can I use my Sky decoder to receive TVNZ-Telstra Saturn digital TV?


At the moment, no. Whether this ever becomes possible depends on the outcome of discussions between Sky and TVNZ-Telstra Saturn, and whether the type of system that TVNZ decides to use is compatible.

What is the difference between nicam and digital - are my nicam appliances obsolete?


Digital TV will give a sharper picture and better sound than analogue TV. Nicam improves sound quality and may also improve digital TV sound.

Will Aucklanders be able to get cheap phone services through satellite dishes?


No, but Telstra Saturn is planning to bundle other telecommunications services with the satellite service using its own and other telecommunications companies' facilities.

What's the difference between cable and satellite?


Cable is better than satellite because of its larger capacity but cable networks are much more expensive and take much longer to install than satellite, which is immediately available anywhere in the country. Wellington already has cable and Telstra Saturn is spending $1 billion rolling out cable capability to Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin.

Can Telstra Saturn cable TV subscribers in Wellington already get digital TV One and TV2?

No. People in Wellington do not get any extra services from TVNZ. But the key point is that whereas Telstra Saturn now has cable digital (subscriber paid) TV only in Wellington, digital satellite TV will instantly give the whole country coverage.