How To Retune Your Digital TV

Today is “retuning day” for digital TV in Sydney — the digital spectrum is being reallocated to more efficiently use available frequencies. Retuning your set isn’t a big deal, but here’s what to do if you’re unsure.

TV picture from Shutterstock

Why is this happening? Now that the whole of Australia has been switched to digital TV, the existing channels can be assigned in a more efficient way without risking interference. That also makes it possible for the old analogue TV spectrum to be reassigned for other uses.

Much of Australia has already gone through this process. Today (18 March) sees the process happen in Sydney, with other regional centres still to follow. (You can check the date for your area on the MySwitch site.)

Many newer TVs will automatically detect the changes and rescan when you switch them on. If they don’t, it’s generally a matter of hitting the “Menu” button on your remote control and looking for an option that says “tuning”, “channels” or “scan”.

Note that the numbers you use to select channels don’t change — it’s only the frequency on which they are transmitted that alters. Foxtel customers also don’t have to do anything, as they don’t use the terrestrial TV network.

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