Mullumbimby residents are invited to attend a free information session about making the switch to digital At the Drill Hall, Jubilee Avenue, tomorrow from 2pm to 6pm.
Residents are invited to drop in any time between 2pm and 6pm to ask officials from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy questions about the switch to digital TV.
Analog TV services in Mullumbimby will be switched off on November 27 to make way for digital-only TV.
After the switch, community members will be able to access all 16 free-to-air digital TV channels from ABC, SBS and commercial broadcasters for the very first time.
To continue watching free-to-air TV after analog signals are switched off, households and businesses will need to ensure their televisions can receive digital TV services. There are two ways to access digital TV:
- connecting a set-top box or digital TV recorder to your existing analog TV; or
- upgrading to a digital TV with a built-in digital tuner.
Some buildings may also need to upgrade their antenna systems and cables to receive digital TV. Residents who rent their homes or live in buildings with shared antenna systems should check with their landlords or body corporate to ensure their building is ready for digital TV.
Households that receive TV reception from the analog retransmission tower at Mullumbimby Creek, which is not being upgraded to digital, may need to receive digital TV from the new Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST). These households may be eligible for assistance under the Satellite Subsidy Scheme to switch to VAST. The VAST service provides all 16 free-to-air digital channels from the ABC, SBS and commercial broadcasters, plus a dedicated regional news channel.
The Australian government is providing assistance to some sections of the community to make the switch to digital TV. For residents that cannot attend the Mullumbimby information session on Wednesday, they can check their eligibility for government assistance by calling 1800 20 10 13 or visit the Digital Ready website.
