Limestone Coast residents are purchasing new televisions and set top boxes following changes to television transmission in eastern South Australia.
Over the coming months, the WIN, Network 10 and Seven signals will be transitioning their remaining Mpeg2 delivered channels to Mpeg4.
In a statement, WIN said this would enable it to complete a move to newer technology “allowing us to improve picture quality and give us more flexibility in how we deliver free to air programming to regional Australia”.
“Nine Network channels are already Mpeg4 (Channel 80, 81, 82, 83, 84) and Sky News Regional (Channel 53) are already delivered in the newer technology (Mpeg4). If you already receive these channels, then you should have no problem throughout this transition,” the statement said.
“Televisions bought in the last 10 years should have no problem with this technology and the transition should go unnoticed.”
Bi Rite Mount Gambier owner/manager Rick Macera said the store has experienced an increase in community members purchasing set top boxes and televisions amid the transmission changes.
“There has definitely been an increase in sales on televisions and especially set top boxes. We are on our second batch of set top boxes,” he said.
“Just last week we were not aware the Channel 7 and the Channel 10 upgrades were done which obviously knocked out a lot of televisions where they could not see those two particular networks.
Mr Macera said the store began to receive phone calls the following day as well as customers visiting the store saying they had lost a network, later finding out via social media that the two networks had been upgraded.
“I think the networks were done Wednesday night from what we understood and Thursday we pretty much got an immediate reaction to those upgrade,” he said.
Mr Macera said the Limestone Coast community had been receptive to the upgrades due to the advanced warnings by the networks.
“I think a lot of them waited until they got to this result where they could not see their television programs anymore,” he said.
“Maybe some people did not understand they would not see these television programs as these upgrades were done.
“A lot of older community members have definitely been coming in and the television they seem to have changed over the most has been their second or third television they have in the house for other viewing purposes.
“There seems to have been a few younger people who have upgraded their television to a bigger screen.
“We are attempting to get as many set top boxes for people who do not want to spend money on a television which is an economical way to get all those television stations.
“We have also had a few people upgrade their hard drive recorders to overcome the television networks.”
