A source close to Austar has seen fit to send us some (as yet unconfirmed) details of the upcoming HD MyStar service in Australia. It sounds pretty decent…
Set to launch in mid November this year, MyStar HD will offer about 15 HD channels to subscribers, with content mirroring Foxtel’s own expanded HD offering. With the launch, more SD channels will also be available – again, much like Foxtel.
The box itself will go by the model number T600 (Judgement Day must be getting closer), and is likely to include a 320GB HDD like the iQ2. Inside the box, the number of tuners will remain the same, but be upgraded to HD.
There’s no word on pricing at this stage, but all things considered, it seems like a pretty top-notch piece of kit. Obviously we’ll keep you updated when any of this gets confirmed…
Johnd
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 1:33 PM…and I bet they still don’t have an a la carte option so you don’t have to take the 14 channels of rubbish just to get World Movies
Ben
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 3:57 PMBut, world movies is the worst of the 14 other channels. I’d much rather watch my movies in english than quasi-foreign porn.
Ben
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 3:59 PMAnd you can buy world movies for $6 extra buy itself… douche
matt h
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 2:36 PMYeah, and if I don’t upgrade I’ll probably find that the bandwidth on my already bit-starved SD channels magically gets even worse at about the same time…
Steven Palmer
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 5:43 PMAbout time, can’t get Foxtel in my city.
Doug
Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 2:37 PMConfirmed or not, most of us are not at all interested in the cosmetic front panel picture approach but are far more interested in the business end or (rear veiw). Can you please show us what we are interested in knowing? What are the connections ie: scart, av, Hdmi etc? What are the box spec’s? Re pricing, there is no way they can justify charging extra for a proper hd service. That should now be an industry standard. We have had hd equipment for years, They are the week link in the chain dragging their feet with their over compressed program format, which gives us and appalling picture quality. I can stomach having to pay $5.00 extra for a box each month but not the blatant ripping off of loyal customers with throwing and extra charge in because they have hd. Come on Austar we have been subscibed since your inception, time to give something back to those that have supported you and made you what you are today. Loyalty is a two way street.
Adam
Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 8:54 PMobviously there is hdmi it is HD dumbass
Josh
Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 4:31 PM1080P can be broadcast via Component and Optic for audio. Atleast get your facts right before you express your sarcastic ‘misinformation’
Gordon Shannon
Thursday, September 3, 2009 at 11:22 PMI am not overly interested in a HDD in the tuner as I can usually see all I want with the +2 hour time shift and with most programs being eventually repeated anyway, all you have to do is wait.
While I wont hold my breathe, I do hope they might give us better flexiblity to dump programs we dont want instead of being lumped together as they are currently so we can see what we like.
Goodbye Sport,Cartoons and Music.
008Zulu
Sunday, September 6, 2009 at 3:57 PMDoes the Foxtell equiv allow you to swap out for a larger HDD? 320gb is pretty small considering they have 1.5tb available now.
Matt
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 9:18 PMThe connection is HDMI or comp. No prices yet released. But there WILL be charges as Pay Tv companies like Austar have to pay Optus (satellite owner) fees which will be higher now that they have the HD access. No company is in business to run a loss. If you want the new box then you WILL pay for it end of story. People should know by now that nothing is free anymore. Considering Foxtel charge $200 for installation of the IQ2 HD decoder I doubt you will get it much cheaper than that. As Foxtel are the initial provider to Austar. Exact same channels exact same numbers even. Though FOxtel is a little higher due to their satellite AND cable charges. But again it is called PAY TV for a reason. Also the Mystar HD is the FIRST HD box due to Optus only launching their HD satellite on 22/08/09, So this is the FIRST time Austar have even had the chance to release a HD decoder.
dale
Friday, September 18, 2009 at 10:52 AMCONFIRMED!!!!!! Just recieved the new mag today (October 2009)
shiley bailey
Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12:28 PMi just received the austar magazine it was awsome!! how much would it be
Tom Barca
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 9:32 AMi couldn’t agree with you more shiley, it looks fantastic, ill finally be able to go watch hd shows and movies on austar im kinda of hoping that bbc hd, cbbies and bbc knowledge will launched at the same time
neville
Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 7:56 PMin response to josh, 1080p can not be broadcast via component, component can only do 1080i, HDMI can do 1080p, not that there is a huge visuall diference component is also an analogue connection it takes a digital scource and converts it to analogue, HDMI IS DIGITAL PICTURE AND AUDIO. Also HDMI carries uncompressed audio ie DTS MASTER AUDIO and Dolby Digital True HD all in one cable. And HDMI 1.4 soon to be release with also carry ethrenet.
Rupa Sztraka
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 2:41 PMSorry neville but you are wrong ! Component (YPbPr) can do 1080p.
Look up “Component Video” on Wikipedia. link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video
tech x
Monday, October 5, 2009 at 5:46 PMAust*r techs were told that they would have it and know about it before they started bragging about it. Typical of them they did the same to us with myst*r
austar hd is crappy
Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 6:31 PMI won’t be upgrading to Austar HD until they give me the option to upgrade without their shitty $14.95 MyStar HD which I don’t even need. I already have a DVR and I do not want to pay $14.95 extra for something I don’t need or want!!!