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Free to Air TV Channels
TV GUIDES (What's On)
Pay TV Options
- Austar - Pay-TV operator
- Foxtel - Pay-TV operator, part owned by Telstra
- Optus - Pay-TV operator
Australian Communications and Media
Authority (ACMA) - Licenses and regulates TV stations.
Two important questions about Televisions in Australia seem to be:
- Will my UK TV work in Australia ?
- What are the programs like ?
Will my UK TV work in Australia ?
Maybe is
the only real answer. Some of the older TV's will get a picture but no
sound, but this can be got round by either having the TV converted when you
arrive, or you can buy an Australian VCR or Set Top Box, when you get here and use that to
receive the channels. We have an old TV that doesn't receive correctly,
hooked up to a UK video player that can't be tuned in, but it operates perfectly
just for watching Videos. Great in a child's room.
A link at
www.videouniversity.com
gives World Wide TV Standards information.
There are some differences, even on the PAL
system, for example:
Australia uses System B : Colour = PAL : Stereo = Zweiton B/G
United Kingdom uses System I : Colour = PAL : Stereo = Nicam I
Note: Germany uses System B & G : Colour = PAL : Stereo = Zweiton B/G,
so is very similar to Australia. If your TV can be changed to suit other
European Countries then it may work perfectly well in Australia.
Australia - System B specs are:
625 Lines
7MHz Channel
5MHz Vision
+5.5MHz Sound
-VE Vision
FM Sound
+5.742MHZ Zweiton
+5.85MHZ Nicam |
UK - System I specs are:
625 Lines
8MHz Channel
5.5MHz Vision
+6.0MHz Sound
-VE Vision
FM Sound
-
+6.552MHz Nicam |
Germany - System B specs are:
625 Lines
7MHz Channel (or 8MHz on G)
5MHz Vision
+5.5MHz Sound
-VE Vision
FM Sound
+5.742MHZ Zweiton
+5.85MHZ Nicam |
An Australian Electrical Socket
What are the programs like ?
Now that is an interesting question, and the
answer must depend on what channel you watch, and what type of programs you
personally like. A general consensus of
opinion has been that the programs are not very good. However, with a
recording device, DVD or VHS, you can pick and choose your programs.
The main channels here are ABC, Ch 7, Ch 9 and Ch 10, with less popular ones
being SBS and Channel 31 (in some areas).
Some comments, that I have read, are that there isn't enough decent British
TV on here.
I actually read a similar comment the other day, and checked the TV
guide: Ch 7 was 6:30 Heartbeat, 7:40 Rosemary & Thyme, 8:45 Judge John Deed,
10:45 Ruth Rendell Mystery.
OK, it isn't every day that it happens like that, there are some periods (the
Non Rating periods) when the choice is left to watching something previously
recorded, or hiring a DVD/Video.
Adverts are a common complaint, generally being 3 minutes long, between
program segments of about 7 minutes.
There are many American Cop shows on Ch 7, 9
and 10, together with many showings of "The Simpsons", so if these are your
thing, then you won't have many complaints.
Most people who like to watch sport tend to get
Foxtel.
How much do TV's cost in
Australia ?
Some example prices March 2008 Based on SONY brand.
$717 Sony BRAVIA KLV20G300 20" G Series LCD
$1,137 Sony BRAVIA KLV26U300 26" U Series LCD
$1,229 Sony BRAVIA KDL32V3100 32" LCD TV
$1,249 Sony BRAVIA KDL32S3100 32" LCD TV
$1,395 Sony BRAVIA KDL32D3100 32" D Series LCD TV
$1,431 Sony BRAVIA KLV32V300 32" LCD TV
$1,475 Sony BRAVIA KDL40V3100 40" V Series LCD TV
$1,485 Sony BRAVIA KDL37S3100 37" S Series Digital LCD (Priced at
$999 in Kmart in June 2008)
$1,618 Sony BRAVIA KDL32V3100P 32" V Series Pink LCD TV
$1,618 Sony BRAVIA KDL32V3100R 32" V Series LCD TV
$1,618 Sony BRAVIA KDL32V3100W 32" White LCD TV
$1,719 Sony BRAVIA KDL40D3100 40" LCD TV
$1,909 Sony BRAVIA KLV40V300 40" Analogue V Series LCD TV
$2,045 Sony BRAVIA KDL46V3100 32" D Series LCD
$2,074 Sony FWD40LX2B 40" LCD TV
$2,117 Sony FWD32LX2S 32" LCD Display
$2,344 Sony FWD50PX2SBKT 50 in. Plasma Television
$2,459 Sony BRAVIA KDL46D3100 46" HD Tuner LCD TV
$2,603 Sony FWD40LX2S 40" LCD TV
$2,633 Sony BRAVIA KDL40W3100 40" W Series LCD TV
$2,855 Sony BRAVIA KDL40X3100 40" X Series Full HD LCD TV
$2,939 Sony BRAVIA KDL46W3100 46" W Series LCD TV
$2,973 Sony FWD-40LX2B 40" LCD TV
$3,107 Sony BRAVIA KDL40XBR 40" XBR Series Full HD LCD TV
$3,134 Sony BRAVIA KDL40V2000 40" LCD TV
$3,443 Sony BRAVIA KDL46X3100 46" X Series Full HD LCD TV
$3,695 Sony BRAVIA KDL46XBR 46" XBR Series Full HD LCD TV
$3,995 Sony BRAVIA KDL52W3100 52" W Series LCD TV
$4,229 Sony BRAVIA 40" KDL40X2000 X Series HD LCD TV
$4,697 Sony FWD50PX2S 50" Plasma Television (Silver)
$4,702 Sony FWD50PX2BSTD 50" HDTV Plasma TV
$4,955 Sony BRAVIA KDL52X3100 52" X Series Full HD LCD TV
$5,094 Sony FWD50PX2/S 50 in. Plasma Television
$5,207 Sony BRAVIA KDL52XBR 52" XBR Series Full HD LCD TV
$5,324 Sony BRAVIA KDL46X2000 46" X Series HD LCD TV
$5,495 Sony FWD50PX2/B 50" Plasma Television
$9,297 Sony BRAVIA KDL52X2000 52" X Series HD LCD TV
Many cheaper brands are available, one example being offered was a 127cm High
Definition Plasma for $1,599. The same brands smaller version, 107cm and
also HD, was $999.
Some examples at Nov 2005, from a National Chain, were:
- Hicon 34cm $87
- Sony 68cm Pure Flat Wega $569
- Sony 76cm Wega model $1,139
- Samsung 109cm Rear Projection $1,311
- Sony 76cm "LCD" Bravia $2,624
- Panasonic 106cm Plasma TV $2,624
- Phillips 127cm Pixel Plus 2 PLASMA WOOX $6,125
These are all CASH prices
Videos
There are three world standards for video: PAL,
NTSC and SECAM. These standards are mostly incompatible, although some recent
VCRs will play multiple formats.
PAL is used in UK, Spain, Netherlands
and Australia, amongst other countries.
NTSC is used in America, Canada and Japan amongst other countries.
SECAM is used in France amongst other countries.
DVD's
Your DVD's may be specific to certain areas. The UK is DVD Region
2, and Australia is DVD region 4. Many DVD players have a region free option,
which means they will play any DVD.
CD's
All CD's will play in machines from anywhere.
Links
-
DTV Forum - Australia's leading Digital TV and AV Forum
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