PRESS RELEASE 16 January 2012

Mainland TV to Introduce digital TV channels along side Freeview

Mainland TV is now broadcasting 8 digital TV channels and 2 radio stations from Observatory hill Nelson ( Ch 26 Horizontal polarity at 25 DBW ) and the same 8 channels from the Takaka Hill site - near the main road SH6 summit ( Ch27 Vertical polarity at 29 DBW ).

Mainland has introduced a number of new terrestrial digital TV channels including two of its current analogue TV channels.

Viewers who receive Mainland TV analogue TV channels now only need a digital TV or a terrestrial digital TV set top box or a terrestrial digital recorder.

If viewers are not tuned to Mainland they will need one UHF TV antenna mounted vertical polarity pointing half way between Mt Campbell & the Takaka Hill highway summit or an antenna pointing to Observatory hill.

Viewers should receive all the digital TV channels & new digital TV channels providing their antenna has a line of site view to the hills behind Motueka or Observatory hill & the hill 200 metres north of the centre of NZ.

If not most viewers can tune to Observatory hill Nelson on digital channel 26 using auto or manual tune.

From 1 March we hope to have all the channels operational.

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Tuning in tips

You may need to perform regular auto tuning on your TV's or set top boxes as we finalise the channels and as new channels come on line.

It is important to ensure you have the correct polarity for the sites you are tuned to. You may need to perform a manual tune on Mainland ch26 horizontal polarity if you are close to Observatory hill with a UHF antenna pointing at it. If you have 2 UHF antennas and live in Richmond, Stoke or Tahuna then ch 26 Observatory hill may be the best option. Select manual tune and select ch26 then press enter.

Some Nelson City viewers can get their TV antenna installer ( or do this themselves) to remove the UHF antenna reflector so they can receive both Mainland digital & Freeview on the same antenna at the same time. This is only an option in some inner City areas. It may be worth trying, to save having to buy two antennas.

The reflector normally adds gain to the antenna and reduces signals from behind the antenna that can cause reflections, multipathing and phase errors. If you live in an area where Observatory hill is to your South west and Freeviews site just 200 metres north of the centre of NZ is to your north east you could try removing the reflector and pointing the antenna at the weakest signal. It usually works fine doing this as the driven element remains in phase to both signal sources and reflections are minimised as both signal sources should be very strong to over ride reflections or multipathing.

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Before you buy a digital TV or have an antenna installed

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Before you buy a digital TV or set top box make sure the shop shows you it going on all the Freeview and Mainland digital TV channels before you buy.

If they can not, we suggest you try another shop. When you arrive home you should select autotune and retune it in as in your location the receiver may find a better signal as both Mainland and Freeview use two sites both with the same channels to enable you to receive a signal in most locations. There will be spots where you can receive Mainland and not Freeview and visa versa.

When it comes to TV antenna installers don't take reception advice as always true. We encounter complaints from viewers, about installers who have given the wrong or bad advice.

If one installer can not provide reception get a second or third opinion.

Generally if you can see the Takaka Hill where the main road goes over the top and you can see Mt Campbell you should have no problem receiving both Mainland & Freeview digital TV channels.

Point your antenna in the vertical plane half way between the Takaka hill and Mt Campbell.

If you can see Observatory hill Nelson then your should receive Mainland using horizontial polarity. If you can see the hill 200 metres north of the centre of NZ (above the wood) you should receive Freeview.

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For more information please see our website ( www.7-media.net) or talk with your local TV antenna installer