Yes we can. If your Austar dish and cabling is in good working order then all that is needed is a new VAST digital satellite decoder. The cost of a new decoder is $279; and we charge $90 to install it.
We should provide a word of warning, we use a 90cm satellite dish with all of our installations which minimises the amount of signal loss during rain and storms. Austar dishes are 60cm, so you get more signal loss during storms... so they do work but not as well as a 90cm satellite dish.
The answer to that is yes and no. Yes you can in some rare circumstances, but generally it is not possible. The best bet is to speak with us about it.
Yes. All Aurora satellite decoders will need to be replaced with the new VAST Decoder boxes.
Yes it is, it seems to happen late in the evenings around 9 or 10pm, we are unsure why it occurs but it is widely reported that these decoders suffer from this issue.
It depends on your location, some local news channels are broadcasting, however Prime Tamworth is not one of those.
[ Update 14 October 2011]
I recently spoke with with the digital ready task force about local news channels becoming available on the Vast digital satellite service, and here is what they said.
".... All local news services are available to those who have access to the VAST service and people can select to view any of the news channels for Central and Eastern Australia.
LOCAL NEWS ON VAST
The local news channels have a guide channel (4 on the remote). From there the user should be able to select their local regional news channel. The local news should be on a channel with another local area (2 services per channel). The news should appear on this channel either 30 minutes or 1 hour after it is broadcast terrestrially and will then be repeated as the set (for example, Cairns-Townsville, Cairns-Townsville, Cairns-Townsville) until midnight for all services. The local news services are split up by broadcaster as well as region, and some broadcasters are happy with their news being repeated after midnight to about 7am the next morning. The position of the local news and its channel is not expected to change dramatically. In other words, once someone is used to their local news starting at 8pm on 412 then that should remain fairly consistent.
The current local news may not reflect the final arrangements for local news services on VAST. System improvements to allow greater detail and notification of individual news programs are anticipated at some stage in the future.
Further information about the VAST service is now available on the Digital Ready website: www.digitalready.gov.au if you go to the header tab ‘What is the Switch?’. You can also call the Digital Ready Information Line on free call 1800 20 10 13. Fact sheets on VAST are also available from the website or the information line for the assistance of viewers and antenna installers.
I hope this information is of assistance to you.
Kind regards
Digital Switchover Taskforce
DEPARTMENT OF BROADBAND, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY"
Yes it will, unfortunately you need one VAST satellite decoder box for every television you want to receive the service on. So if you have a TV in the lounge room and one in your bedroom you will need to get two digital satellite decoder boxes installed.
Our standard installation fee includes one VAST digital satellite decoder box. An extra fee of $279.00 (incl GST) for every extra decoder box installed.
No. The VAST TV service will work on the new and old television sets. If you are look for an excuse to buy a new TV then feel free to use the VAST installation is the excuse.