And we are potentially set for more confusion next week when the jewel in the series' crown, the second Test from Lord's, begins.

But don't fret - a humble TV antenna might be all you and other Australian viewers blindsided by Nine's broadcasting arrangements needs to solve the dilemma.

And if you're a Victorian you might have to make a mercy dash north of the Murray to view the second day of the second Test in high-definition!

Here's a quick Q&A on what all of this means:

Q: Why don't I have access to GEM?

There could be a variety of reasons for this.

- If you view your free-to-air channels through Foxtel and don't have the HD package, you won't get GEM.

- If you get your Foxtel courtesy of satellite, you won't get GEM either because neither Nine or Foxtel pay Optus to retransmit GEM on Foxtel via satellite.

- If you don't have Foxtel but own a digital TV, you're still not guaranteed GEM as most, but not all, digital TVs offer GEM. Another possibility is that you might not have a terrestrial antenna which would enable you to pick up free-to-air channels.

- The best-case scenario is that your digital TV does offer GEM and that you just haven't tuned it properly. This is easily fixed – all you have to do is press the 'autotune' button on your remote control and after a few minutes, GEM should start appearing.

Q: What are my alternatives?

- If you don't have an antenna, go to your electronics store and buy one. They can cost as little as $35 which is a small price to pay for a month-and-a-half of riveting Ashes action.

- You could also buy a $30 Cricket Australia 12-month live pass for your mobile, tablet or desktop which is a very valuable investment given it will also give you access to the Aussies' summer Test series against New Zealand and the West Indies as well as one-day and Twenty20 series against India and the Big Bash League.

- Upgrading your Foxtel package to HD would also be a simple solution and, if you're really desperate, you could even buy a new digital TV that offers you GEM in the unfortunate event that your current TV doesn't.

- But if forking out cash doesn't appeal to you, then you could always settle for listening to ABC Grandstand either on the old-school wireless or online.

- Following ball-by-ball updates on the net could also be your go if you're not prepared to part ways with your hard-earned shekels.

Q: Are all the Ashes Tests being screened on GEM?

Every Test match, bar the second Test at Lord's, will be screened on GEM in their entirety around Australia.

Q: How does the Nine Network intend to telecast the Lord's Test beginning July 16?

The first, fourth and fifth days will be shown in high-definition on GEM and the third day will be seen in standard-definition on Nine in all markets.

If you're in Victoria, South Australia or Western Australia, the second day will be screened on Nine.

If you're in Queensland or New South Wales, the second day will be screened on GEM.

Q: Will the broadcast quality always be as good as it was on Wednesday night?

The broadcast quality was so good because GEM is a high-definition channel and those crisp images will beam back from the UK for majority of the series as the action will be seen on Gem for the most part. But unfortunately a portion of the Lord's test, the jewel in the crown of the series, will be seen on Nine which is a standard-definition channel.

Q: Why are the Ashes being shown on GEM rather than Nine?

To avoid scheduling clashes with Nine's coverage of other sports. For instance, on the night of July 17, the NRL will be shown on Nine, the Ashes on GEM and the friendly between EPL giants Liverpool and A-League outfit Brisbane Roar will be seen on Nine's other free-to-air channel GO!.

What happens if I can't get 'gem' on my TV? All my channels run through my fox accounts... Does this mean I can't get the cricket people?— Cam Mooney (@cam_mooney) July 8, 2015

Public service announcement: I'm also in can't get Gem on Foxtel class. Do what I did, buy @CricketAus live pass, $30 for 12mths #Ashes2015— Rohan Connolly (@rohan_connolly) July 8, 2015