What is Freeview?
Freeview is a collective of New Zealand's leading broadcasters including TVNZ, TVWorks (owners of TV3 and C4), Maori Television Service, and Radio New Zealand. They formed a collective called Freeview to bring you New Zealand's favourite TV programs in crystal clear digital quality for free. A one off payment is required for a digital receiver and, unless you already have one, a satellite dish installation or UHF aerial installation.
Who Can Get Freeview?
Freeview is available to all New Zealanders, via either the satellite service or the UHF digital service. The Freeview satellite service covers all of New Zealand
The Freeview|HD service, which uses a UHF aerial instead of a satellite dish, was launched in April 2008 in nine major centres (Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin) covering 75% of New Zealand homes.
Once you have purchased the digital receiver and, if you need one, installed a satellite dish or a new UHF aerial, you can watch and listen to Freeview's channels for free.
What Channels Are On Freeview?
See our Freeview Channels page for an up to date list.
Will There Be Ongoing Fees?
No - this is one of the big differences between Freeview and payTV - there are no joining fees, no monthly fees and no contracts. You buy the hardware and the service is free.
Will I Have To Buy A New TV?
No, you will not have to replace your current television, even if it is older. The digital receiver converts the digital signal so you can see and hear all of Freeview's channels through your existing television.
Why Will Freeview Be On Both Satellite & Aerial?
To ensure that all New Zealanders can access Freeview, it's being offered by both satellite and aerial. This is the most cost effective solution for New Zealand (given its hilly landscape) while ensuring a reliable, digital broadcast. Freeview by satellite is available to nearly 100% of New Zealand homes and started in May 2007. Freeview|HD which is received by UHF aerial, is available to about 75% of New Zealand households and the broadcast area will be increased over time. The Freeview|HD service is 'High Definition' (HD) capable, meaning that the service provides some high defintion channels up to 1080i. It is up to each broadcaster to decide if they will broadcast an HD signal. The satellite service will be 'Standard Definition' (SD) for the foreseeable future.
What Is Freeview|HD?
Freeview|HD is the name of the Freeview service that is broadcast to your UHF aerial as digital terrestrial. Using the Haute HD3000, Visione or Topfield Freeview|HD receivers you can receive these signals in perfect clarity. See our product range for more details.
What does Freeview|HD deliver in addition to Freeview satellite?
Where the Freeview satellite service made bad reception a thing of the past by delivering crystal clear standard definition pictures, Freeview|HD will provide crystal clear digital pictures and sound on all channels with the added bonus of some of your favourite programmes broadcast in High Definition. TVOne, TV2, and TV3 are being broadcast in a high definition format. There will be no standard definition signal for these channels meaning no need to simulcast in SD and HD. TVOne and TV2 will broadcast in the 1280 * 720 progressive (720p) format, while TV3 will broadcast in the 1920 * 1080 interlace (1080i) format. Both provide stunning HD picture quality. At launch not all programmes on these channels are true HD (i.e. shot, edited, stored, and broadcast in HD). As such the balance of the TV programmes are ‘up-converted’ (or up-scaled) from standard definition to the appropriate HD format.
What High Definition programming will there be?
As stated above the TVOne, TV2, and TV3 schedules are ‘up-converted’ (or up-scaled) from standard definition to the appropriate HD format. Initially, TV3 will offer about 12 hours a week in true HD. TVNZ broadcast 2008 year’s Beijing Olympics in High Definition on TVOne. We expect that each channel will look to increase the quantity of true HD programmes throughout 2009. In addition, Freeview will provide an HD demonstration channel (channel 100) to showcase true HD 24 hours a day.
Which areas will be able to receive the new Freeview|HD service?
Freeview|HD is broadcast on a digital terrestrial network and received via a UHF aerial. It will be available in the Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier, Hastings, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. That’s 75% of New Zealand homes. Full coverage maps for each area are available at www.freeviewnz.tv. Outside of these areas, which equates to about 25% of homes, the Freeview satellite service provides free-to-air access to digital television. As Kordia, the state owned broadcaster, upgrades and extends the broadcast network, more and more homes will be able to receive the Freeview|HD service.
So if I live outside of the Freeview|HD service areas, do I not get high defintion TV?
No that is not true. While you can not receive the Freeview|HD service outside of the broadcast area you can still receive the Freeview satellite service. Using the Topfield and DishTV up-scaling receivers you can still have this service up-scaled to 1080i in perfect clarity whereever you live. Click here for more information.
Why Is Digital TV Happening?
The Government has announced that the current analogue service (your normal TV reception from an aerial) will eventually be switched off, probably in the next 4-7 years. The current policy is that a target date will be set once 60% of homes have digital television and a switch off date finalised once 75% of homes have digital TV. We are currently at approximately 50%. Freeview’s aim is to ensure that world class digital technology is not only available and affordable but that it also offers a superior broadcasting experience for all New Zealanders. The goal is to make this a reality for Kiwis through choice, not compulsion.