19 July 2004

TVNZ Goes Stereo in Hawkes Bay

From 20 July 2004 television viewers in Hawkes Bay will be able to enjoy their favourite TVONE and TV2 programmes in full NICAM Stereo.

The enhancement to the Hawkes Bay service has been made possible by the replacement of the obsolescent television transmitters at the Mt Erin transmission site, which is part of an ongoing replacement plan by TVNZ.

Viewers who wish to receive the new NICAM Stereo service will need to have either a NICAM-capable receiver or a NICAM-capable VCR. Reception by existing mono receivers and VCRs will not be affected by the NICAM signal.

NICAM stands for Near Instantaneous Companding Audio Multiplexing and is a digital system capable of providing sound quality approaching that of the compact disc.

ENDS