Digital television Australia

If you can't begin to see the horse racing on Channel 78, your old TV or set-top box probably does not offer the new MPEG-4 broadcast standard.

A dispute between Tabcorp and rushing Victoria over horse rushing regarding Sky Racing station may be the not likely catalyst for an important change in Australian broadcasting. The Seven system is broadcasting the Racing.com prey on Channel 78 during the Sky News blackout, opting to utilize the greater bandwidth-efficient MPEG-4 movie format rather than the MPEG-2 standard used by other Australian digital television networks.

Seven West Media is first past the post, establishing Australian Continent's very first permanent MPEG-4 digital television station together with rushing Victoria. Photo: Michael Dodge

This is certainly good news for Australians in that broadcasters may use MPEG-4 to press even more networks into their allotted range, or improve the display quality – maybe paving the way to get more HD broadcasting in the foreseeable future. Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has already raised the outlook of an important shift towards MPEG-4 broadcasting next several years – although the government desires to sell off the freed-up range towards the telcos for high-speed mobile phone broadband.

Unfortuitously the move to MPEG-4 is bad news for Australians with earliest pens digital televisions, set-top cardboard boxes and movie recorders which only help MPEG-2.

You might need to scan for brand new channels so that you can get Channel 78. When your electronic tv equipment can identify Channel 78 as Racing.com but will not show the picture (but will show Seven's various other networks) after that your equipment most likely doesn't support MPEG-4. Some products might provide picture but no sound. It really is worth checking whether there is a firmware upgrade offered by the manufacturer.

Any tv, set-top box or private movie recorder offered within the last 5 years ought to be MPEG-4-ready. Something with all the Freeview logo upon it will surely support MPEG-4, whilst's a necessity in order to get Freeview's tick of approval.

If you are keen to watch the race channel but nothing of this gear within lounge space aids MPEG-4 then you can view it on the web at Racing.com via some type of computer or mobile device. If you'd instead view it on the tv, the most affordable choice is to purchase a $50 MPEG-4-compatible electronic set-top field. The product sales staff at your neighborhood rebate electric shop will in all probability try to sell you a unique television, but do not let them pressure you into investing above you need to. The main networks are not planning change to MPEG-4 for at the least some more years, generally thereis no dash.

It is not the first time we've seen MPEG-4 broadcasts in Australian Continent. The test 3D networks for the 2012 Olympics relied on MPEG-4, although 3D broadcasting seems to be lifeless into the water. The systems have also dabbled in MPEG-4 to their shopping networks.

This new horse racing station is just available in the main city towns until August 29, after which it the channel is going to be revamped as well as perhaps extended to regional watchers. It's not clear whether these Victorian events will eventually go back to the Sky Racing station, but Seven tells me that Channel 78 will continue to make use of MPEG-4 after August 29 – apparently rendering it Australian Continent's very first permanent MPEG-4 station.

The new station clearly skimps on display quality, the fast-moving horses tend to be some a blobby pixelated mess and it'll be interesting to see whether this improves after August 29. Seven could be susceptible to the video feed via rushing Victoria. Channel 78 is transmitted at a much reduced bit-rate than Seven's other networks, partly because H.264 MPEG-4 is more efficient and partly since there's less detail as compared to various other stations. It stays to be noticed whether Seven as well as the other networks see picture quality as a high priority when they go on to MPEG-4 – their remedy for the HD networks does not bode well money for hard times.

• Digital television Group
• Digital television Tuner
• Digital television aerial