Gee lolih I did not know this ..........my new set has the feature .but others will be glad to know ..........thanks ..............clay

Thanks for that I am already set but will tell my friends

The following is taken from the government site referred to.



"Household Assistance Scheme:

For the vast majority of people, making the switch to digital TV will be a relatively straightforward and inexpensive exercise. However, some Australians – the elderly, people with disabilities and their carers – without access to family, friends or community support, will require assistance to switchover to digital TV. Recognising these difficulties, the Government will be providing in-home assistance to eligible households in the Mildura, regional South Australia, regional Victoria and regional Queensland TV licence areas. Lessons learned from these areas will help inform the approach taken to the broader switchover around the rest of Australia.



The Household Assistance Scheme will, at no cost to eligible households, supply, install and demonstrate a high definition set-top box specifically chosen to meet the needs of the elderly or those with a disability and conduct any cabling and antenna work where necessary. A household will be eligible for assistance where at least one resident is receiving a maximum rate Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer payment, Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) service pension or the DVA income support supplement payment. The scheme will be rolled out on a region by region basis, commencing approximately six months before each region switches over and concluding one month after switchover.



On 4 December 2009, Hills Industries was announced as the successful contractor for the Mildura switchover region. Eligible households who opt-into the scheme, will be contacted by Hills to arrange a time to carry out their switchover to digital TV. Letters inviting eligible households to opt into the scheme will be sent out approximately six months before each region is due to switchover. Those residing in the Mildura TV licence area will receive their letters in January 2010".

Thanks Pommy, I havn't yet found out how to collect and send things on, what a dill I am.

Thank you Mr. Rudd (if you are responsible) for this wonderful gesture.



Arn't Age Pensiones well looked after. My husband and I are finding the Pension

a sheer delight. No having to get up and go to work but sit back and enjoy. Retirement

is fantastic and we are having a ball. Australia is a wonderful Country and we as Australians have

so much to be grateful for. The money is there every fortnight and enough to live we are finding and

we are even able to save a bit.

You will not hear complaint from us.

How very kind this is but why restrict it to only a few regions of our vast country.



We have digital TV already down here in Tasmania in spite of the fact the mainland media and now seemingly government forgetting we exist until an election looms.



But do our pensioners get this help - not from the good post above!



Why I wonder? Are they so far behind the roll out that they don't know we have it already - for over a year in my rural area this month.



Jolly good idea but it should not be limited to just one or two regions but to the whole community in need of such help.

Big Val,

I think you will find the Mildura area is one of the first to go all digital and will be losing the normal signal completely, which is why they are being singled out for early assistance. No doubt other areas will get the same help in due course. Melbourne has 3 years, (I think), before we are completely digital.

Yes Big Val it is kind.

Keandha is right Mildura is the first but all Aussies who need it

will be given the help. You can read up on it. Good on Tassie. having it already.

Not quite the back water people think is it.

Yes BigVal, on the site there is a map of where and when the analogue will be switched off, Tassie must be included.

I will have a look but usually you may not notice but most TV ignores the state altogether.