Good Standard Definition STBs cost arount $200... and High Definition STBs cost around ... $500? If you have a 'normal size tv' and a good tv reception, there isnt really anything to be gained by digital tv. If you want to watch wide screen, High definition will get you there. Digital will eliminate effects of minor ghosting, noise, and interference. But if your reception isnt good, rather than having a poor quality picture, youll have none. And unfortunately with digital, with fast moving scenes you can notice pixelation (under some conditions atleast).
** You are out of touch - prices have fallen.
** Utter bullshit.
SD digital supplies a DVD quality, noise and ghost free pic that very few folk have with analogue. Plus a semi wide screen option ( letterbox mode ) that gives more of the picture than analogue 4:3 can.
** It can *remove* quite major ghosting and serious amounts of noise plus most RF interference.
Pics can go from **totally unmatchable** to perfect - particularly true with channel 2 since the digital version is on VHF ch 12.
** Utter bullshit again - see above.
** Not true of the SD digital system.
Dick Smith has a generic DSE for $138, Teac for $168, DGTec for $298, Panasonic for $298. High Definition ranges from $398 to $748. Dick Smith prices are usually fairly average
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All you need is a quality antenna, and no bad conditions to get a good picture (most of melb area can achieve this). Then theres no point in going digital. Quite unlike going from B&W to Colour. Sure, I appreciate letterbox when watching DVD's, but im not too fussed watching 4:3 on analog even if it is pan & scan or cropped.
Ive youve seen digital work where analog had serious amounts of noise, thats encouraging. Ive heard this isnt always the case.
I wish channel 2 analog had been on VHF ch 12 Its frequency seems to be a bit low for optimum tv reception (maybe why 0 moved to 10 ?)
Phil Allison can't afford to spend anything more than $100 on a STB.
He has to budget that low to go with the 21 y.o. Sony CDP-101 CD player, the ageing AWIA 9500 LW/MW/FM tuner (same model recently passed in on Ebay with no bids at $19.95) the 12" AWA Deep Image portable tele (circa 1978) and kit speakers driven by a clapped out amplifier.
All TV transmitters are analog. The only digital transmitter is one used to send true keyed CW, AKA "Morse code" Existing TV transmitters are being retrofitted for digital TV in some places. The reason most stations are buying a new transmitter is twofold: One, they don't want to drop their analog service right away, and they can write off the cost the new transmitter on their taxes during the forced upgrades.
As far as cooling cost the heat from the tubes is transferred by copper pipe to an outdoor heat exchanger. The cabinet of a Comark 130 KW (Visual) and 65 KW (Aural) TV transmitter I serviced was cool to the touch, except on the outside of the water jacket on the three 65 KW EEV Klystrons. The two large heat exchangers blew a lot of hot air into the outside air and away from the building. The support equipment was a heavier cooling load than the transmitter. The control room was smaller than the transmitter room but had more air conditioning units on that part of the roof.
************************************************ No, haven't got one. I don't see any point in getting one because I get excellent FTA reception but I prefer to watch Foxtel.
Cheap STBs are $80-$150 Good STBs cost at least $200
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