Foxtel Owners & Discussion Thread

[oldrocker]

I thought Ten's coverage of the rugby World Cup was pretty good. It was certainly a lot better PQ than Fox Sports had.

But then it doesn't take much to better those channels.

I will be waiting to see what Foxtel comes up with with HD packages. There will be strings attached not to mention extra dollars.

From what I have heard and read so far I can't see much to get excited about.

I just wish they would bring the PQ of Fox Sports up to the same standard as the movie channels. That's just below SD isn't it?

[Paranoid666au]

The SD looked pretty shocking though, the green field was just a pasty, digitised mess.. Worse than the NRL on channel 9 SD

[aussiefan]

Just a question

Are they getting rid of "standard set top box" in the future :shrug: I'm not with foxtel yet

Thanks

[cttc]

Are they getting rid of "standard set top box" in the future :shrug: I'm not with foxtel yet

Maybe for some time in the foreseeable future (use iQs) for new installs, but can't see them replacing all the boxes already out there for a long long time and they would need a very good reason (going all MPEG4 etc) .

[BigBad64]

If this has been asked and answered please just tell me where.

Will the FTA HD channels (eg 7HD & 10HD which have some different content) be broadcast over Foxtel Digital Satellite on this new service?

[QuozL]

If this has been asked and answered please just tell me where.

Will the FTA HD channels (eg 7HD & 10HD which have some different content) be broadcast over Foxtel Digital Satellite on this new service?

From what I remember from the QA session broadcast after the press conference; On cable yes on satellite only if the stations pay for transponder space for the HD channels when the new satellite goes up.

Cheers Al

[BigBad64]

From what I remember from the QA session broadcast after the press conference; On cable yes on satellite only if the stations pay for transponder space for the HD channels when the new satellite goes up.

Cheers Al

Thanks Al.

After a bit of digging I found out some more. Mentioned it here;

http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?showtop...pid=952714&

on Post #16.

Cheers.

[Craegus]

Wow, Foxtel is offering 4 new HD channels at start up of their FoxtelHD+ service, and for what cost $120 or more?

This is starting to become a bit of a rip off, I have the platinum package and am supposed to get over 100 channels (if you actually count them it is only 60 or so original channels with several +2 channels that show exactly the same thing just 2 hours later and then other channels that cost even more to see just a small selection of {e.g. box office})

I get the fact that it is a double edged sword (in the fact that the cost is high because there is a lower number of people signed up compared to other countries {25% here compared to over 90% in the United States} and that people don't sign up because the cost is too high) but really compared to the rest of the world we are not getting a fair go.

For example: Direct TV in the United States offers packages starting at $29.99USD ($33.26AUD) for 45 channels {Family package} (similar to our starter package $37.95AUD ($34.23USD), however this is where the lines of similarity change.) For $49.99 ($55.45AUD) they get 150 channels {Choice Package}, for $54.99USD ($60.98AUD) there is over 200 channels {Choice Xtra}, for $59.99USD ($66.53AUD) they get over 200 channels plus a DVR (their version of IQ){Plus DVR Package}, for $64.98USD ($72.06AUD) over 200 channels including HD channels {Choice Xtra + HD Access}, $69.99USD ($77.61AUD) gets then 200+ channels including HD and a HD DVR {Plus HD DVR}, and finally for $99.99USD ($110.88AUD) they get 265+ channels including HD and a HD DVR {Premier Package}.

So to compare platinum to their nearest package we get:

Platinum: 100 Channels* = $105.95AUD ($95.56USD)

Choice: 150+ Channels = $55.45AUD ($49.99USD)

Now add IQ to this

Platinum + IQ (100 Channels) = $115.95AUD ($104.58USD

compared to

Choice Xtra Plus DVR Package (200+ channels) = $66.53AUD ($59.99USD)

Does this seem fair especially in today’s financial environment with interest rates on the up?

I myself do not have the worry of a mortgage at the moment but I do rent and that has gone up in the last few years and on top of this I am a university student who is also the carer for my disabled father [he is the reason we get Foxtel as he rarely leaves the house and there is not enough choice with just free to air TV] (so I do not earn that much money {around $500 a fortnight}) My mother does work but is only paid during the school term so over the Christmas break she does not get paid, so financially we are no better off than anyone with a mortgage.

Is it too much for a company to maybe lose some of their earnings to attempt to increase their subscriber numbers and also give their current subscribers a financial break?

To illustrate this point, Foxtel's profits have jumped by 19 times from $4 million to $76 million and subscriber numbers jumped 12.4 per cent to 1,443,000 in the financial year of 2006/2007 (The Age, Friday, August 10, 2007 http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=75669)

Perhaps before offering HD, Foxtel should look at giving some better value for money to its loyal customers and maybe in doing so increase their subscriber numbers and profits further (because as we all know it is all about the money).

[aussiefan]

Thanks I wanted to make sure before getting foxtel

[Struggo]

Wow, Foxtel is offering 4 new HD channels at start up of their FoxtelHD+ service, and for what cost $120 or more?

Perhaps before offering HD, Foxtel should look at giving some better value for money to its loyal customers and maybe in doing so increase their subscriber numbers and profits further (because as we all know it is all about the money).

Spot on

After 10 loyal years, never missing a payment I'm about to get rid of the rubbish.

What has tipped me over the edge you ask?

Try and call Foxtel, there is no customer service at the moment. Just some BS message about a upgrade and then it hangs up you

[Craegus]

I can understand that completely, if it wasn't for my father and the fact that I love the sport channels we probably would drop it as well.

[Happs]

If Super14 rugby was on FTA I'd be cancelling my subscription right now too!!!

[GregA1503560021]

So to compare platinum to their nearest package we get:

Platinum: 100 Channels* = $105.95AUD ($95.56USD)

Choice: 150+ Channels = $55.45AUD ($49.99USD)

In general I agree - US is cheaper. But be careful of how you make these comparisons, it's not so black and white.

In the US there are far more crap cheap channels. There are also many narrowcast/niche channels.

So you're MIGHT really be talking about

- Aussie Platinum: 70 crap channels + 20 average channels + movies + sport = $106

- US Choice: 130 crap channels + 20 average channels = $56

(no debate on average vs crap... just trying to illustrate the differences).

When I lived in Boston I went through and hid 75% of my channels - channels I knew instantly I would NEVER watch. There are far fewer of those here.

[beex]

Hi,

Cttc helped me setup around New Years and although I followed the instructions given,

this seems to be the setup that works best:

Foxtel TV Scart -> DVDR In (Non Syncro Rec)

Fox VCR Scart -> VCR In & VCR Out

DVDR Component Out -> TV Component In

DVDR Composite Out -> TV Composite In

What I'm wanting to do is for the Syncro Rec Input function that I have on my Pioneer DVDR to be triggered by the Foxtel STB on Auto-Tune.

The above setup allows me to record and playback on the Component Channel of my TV but when I swap over the input from Foxtel TV Scart -> DVDR In (Syncro Rec) I get nothing??

Can you help with the best set up please?

Thanks

[Polymer]

In general I agree - US is cheaper. But be careful of how you make these comparisons, it's not so black and white.

In the US there are far more crap cheap channels. There are also many narrowcast/niche channels.

So you're MIGHT really be talking about

- Aussie Platinum: 70 crap channels + 20 average channels + movies + sport = $106

- US Choice: 130 crap channels + 20 average channels = $56

(no debate on average vs crap... just trying to illustrate the differences).

When I lived in Boston I went through and hid 75% of my channels - channels I knew instantly I would NEVER watch. There are far fewer of those here.

What happens here is most of the good shows find their way to other channels. So while you don't have as many channels, you get most of the good shows, just on fewer channels.

I will say though, that there are a number of channels I wish they had...Golf Channel for example...There are a few other ones as well but overall I'd say that at least a good percentage of the programming finds its way to Australian Cable TV which makes it "good enough" for now....In some ways its good not to have the extra crap that you end up watching sometimes..not because it's good but because it's there...

[Guest redglare]

Does anyone know if the IQ2 will have Picture in Picture (PIP) functionality? And I mean full funcionality, not the "Sports Selector" or Fox Sports Active.

Edited February 20, 2008 by redglare

[loony]

The STU is being built from the ground up by Foxtel and Pace.

Nobody here is going to be able to tell you

[cttc]

So when you try to use Foxtel TV Scart -> Pioneer 550HS Input 1 (Auto start rec), (Using composite I assume?) you get nothing when you try to auto record Foxtel using autotune ?

I assume you have followed the steps in the Foxtel manual for autotune.

You have put the Foxtel STB into standby.

I assume you have followed the steps in the Pioneer manual for auto start recording.

Do you get a display from input 1 normally (not trying to auto start rec) ?

Do a test (on show coming on soon) and watch to check that the Foxtel STB comes out of standby for a program you select to autotune and see what your Pioneer does and displays.

I haven't done auto start recording on a pioneer so you might want to ask in one of those threads.

[beex]

So when you try to use Foxtel TV Scart -> Pioneer 550HS Input 1 (Auto start rec), (Using composite I assume?) you get nothing when you try to auto record Foxtel using autotune ?

I assume you have followed the steps in the Foxtel manual for autotune.

You have put the Foxtel STB into standby.

I assume you have followed the steps in the Pioneer manual for auto start recording.

Do you get a display from input 1 normally (not trying to auto start rec) ?

Do a test (on show coming on soon) and watch to check that the Foxtel STB comes out of standby for a program you select to autotune and see what your Pioneer does and displays.

I haven't done auto start recording on a pioneer so you might want to ask in one of those threads.

Hi,

Thanks for replying.

I got a picture now, the input swaps to L1 on the Pioneer for Auto-Start and was on L3 before, swapped over to L1 and got picture and sound back.

Haven't tried Auto-Tune yet.

Are you saying that if you set the Foxtel box to auto-tune and then put it on standby it'll wake up?

That would be cool and just what I want.

[cttc]

From memory it does come out of standby for autotune and yes it needs to if your auto rec is going to work.

[beex]

From memory it does come out of standby for autotune and yes it needs to if your auto rec is going to work.

Yep, just tried it and it works!

Any chance of auto-stopping or is this really in the I.Q realm of things?

Edited February 21, 2008 by beex

[Guest redglare]

The STU is being built from the ground up by Foxtel and Pace.

Nobody here is going to be able to tell you

Oh Dear. Serial No.1 of anything is never good.

[Guest Stevemelb]

What I am getting sick of with Foxtel is not only the crap pic you get but the amount of doco's on about war and all that, I for one do not care about war storys and if I did I would watch ABC2 or get the dvd's.

And alot of the brain dead programs they run on the Discovery Channel are just mind numbing who gives a crap about men who ride bikes FFS.

The programing department need to wake up and get some fresh NEW shows on there system and not compress it that much it looks crap.

As for Foxtel HD whats not to say they will not compress the signel like they do with there Digital service?

[Hosko]

Oh Dear. Serial No.1 of anything is never good.

Pace built the original iQ and the Foxtel HD iQ was built from the ground up it has been highly customised for Foxtel and Sky NZ but it is based around the Pace HD PVR

[Hosko]

What I am getting sick of with Foxtel is not only the crap pic you get but the amount of doco's on about war and all that, I for one do not care about war storys and if I did I would watch ABC2 or get the dvd's.

I love war doco's so don't know what your on about