Foxtel Owners & Discussion Thread

[paolo]

I succumbed and ordered IQ2 today. Going to be installed on 7 June, the first Saturday available. It was going to be the 4th but I can't get the time off work.

I reckon the installer will be here about 6 minutes. Plug in the HDMI, run the cable to the existing socket on the wall, plug in the phone line and gone. $200. cha-ching!

[davmel]

That is what convinced me. I got a new house, and I going to get a HD antenna installed for ffa HD. Do not have to now.

What is a HD antenna??? Is that something that gullible suckers pay for?

[Sgt Bargearse]

I wonder what sort of audio output connection they have. I hope it is the old toslink connection so I don't have to buy another bloody cable.

HDMI, 2.0 Analog, Optical and Coax Digital from what I can tell.

[Mighty Mouse]

Hello all.

Signed up today for IQ2 and the 5 channels, install date of 11th June PM in Northern suburbs of Melbourne (Satellite install).

Just wondering how many eggs the installer will lay with the current setup I have.

Current Pace unit feeds Component, S-Vid and Composite video, along with analog and digital audio into a home theater amp. The RF output of the STB is then amplified (it's a pretty crap level to start with), and fed into an RF distribution system which gives me Foxtel on every TV in the house as an additional channel. Of course everybody has to watch the same channel but thats the way it goes.

The last installer who came in to do the original 'Digital' install had kittens and ranted and raved about two many outlets etc etc, this all came about when Foxtel changed the terms and conditions to expressly forbid the viewing of Foxtel on multiple TV's without having to pay for the privilege (even though it was just the same channel from single STB on all TV's. I did the original setup before they changed the T's & C's.

Also keen to know what functionality the Network port on the back provides.

[sirhc55]

Interesting. I just read my amps HDMI passthrough and it states that sound will directly passthrough the amp straight to the output source which is my television.

I just hooked up my free to air set top box which has hdmi and the sound would not come out of my amp speakers. It would only come out of the television.

Cheers

Darren

If you have an Onkyo make sure you have turned HDMI OFF in setup so that the sound comes through your system speakers and not your TV.

[TonuiFK]

What is a HD antenna??? Is that something that gullible suckers pay for?

Hehe, well, an Antenna then. New house, knocked down the old house and rebuilt.. Forgot to get an antenna put in place. So, I was going to look at getting one for the ffa HD channels.. But, I wont bother now, since they will come via the IQ2 box.

That is how I convinced the wife..

Hon, even if we drop the HD channels, we will still be able to watch HD ffa without having to install an antenna...

[sirhc55]

Hello all.

Signed up today for IQ2 and the 5 channels, install date of 11th June PM in Northern suburbs of Melbourne (Satellite install).

Just wondering how many eggs the installer will lay with the current setup I have.

Current Pace unit feeds Component, S-Vid and Composite video, along with analog and digital audio into a home theater amp. The RF output of the STB is then amplified (it's a pretty crap level to start with), and fed into an RF distribution system which gives me Foxtel on every TV in the house as an additional channel. Of course everybody has to watch the same channel but thats the way it goes.

The last installer who came in to do the original 'Digital' install had kittens and ranted and raved about two many outlets etc etc, this all came about when Foxtel changed the terms and conditions to expressly forbid the viewing of Foxtel on multiple TV's without having to pay for the privilege (even though it was just the same channel from single STB on all TV's. I did the original setup before they changed the T's & C's.

Also keen to know what functionality the Network port on the back provides.

Basically, don’t tell. After he sets up the main feed you set the rest up later. . .

[mdl]

Basically, don’t tell. After he sets up the main feed you set the rest up later. . .

There's no RF output on IQ2............so you cant feed back the signal thru to other tv outlets anymore

[davmel]

There's no RF output on IQ2............so you cant feed back the signal thru to other tv outlets anymore

Just use a UHF video modulator from the composite video output.

[Gozu]

Hello all,

I've got the IQ and am just wondering how much more room on the hard drive there will be on the IQ2? It's about 30hrs on the normal IQ isn't?

Also I know this isnt the right area but couldnt find this anywhere, do peeps get many bugs in their IQ's? For me at certain points like say 40% remaining, 25% remaining on the hard drive etc. the IQ will play up and pause or just turn off when viewing things back. In those certain areas of the hard drive it will do it every single time without fail so kinda defeats the purpose of recording anything to the IQ if you can't watch it back properly.

Do they kick up a stink about sending someone out with a replacement box and surely it's at no extra cost?

[norpus]

Hello all,

I've got the IQ and am just wondering how much more room on the hard drive there will be on the IQ2? It's about 30hrs on the normal IQ isn't?

Also I know this isnt the right area but couldnt find this anywhere, do peeps get many bugs in their IQ's? For me at certain points like say 40% remaining, 25% remaining on the hard drive etc. the IQ will play up and pause or just turn off when viewing things back. In those certain areas of the hard drive it will do it every single time without fail so kinda defeats the purpose of recording anything to the IQ if you can't watch it back properly.

Do they kick up a stink about sending someone out with a replacement box and surely it's at no extra cost?

Adam, almost double the current IQ

Yes, some of the current IQs have been playing up. It is only a recent phenomenon for me (prob last 6mths) and I have had IQ since inception. I insisted they change over to a new box 3mths ago, after numerous calls and resets, and the new box is not immune to freezing either.

I complained of this recently and so they offered IQ2 to be installed 3 June pm

Not sure whether to keep the IQ to swap for the standard box in the other room - if it is free, probably will.

[robertr]

Rung Foxtel yesterday afternoon requesting upgrade from Platinum IQ to IQ2 ,advised them that I was not in a hurry with the installation date & tenatively booked 21 June as an install date, the tool at Foxtel said that he could not confirm that date however would definately call me back that afternoon.

Well guess what I am still awaiting the return call , in the interim I have emailed Foxtel & stated that I was going to cancel their service after 9 years.

I am still awaiting their reply to that.

Great customer service.

Foxtel have not bothered calling me - they have just lost a customer.

[ShadySoldier]

Hello all.

Signed up today for IQ2 and the 5 channels, install date of 11th June PM in Northern suburbs of Melbourne (Satellite install).

Just wondering how many eggs the installer will lay with the current setup I have.

Current Pace unit feeds Component, S-Vid and Composite video, along with analog and digital audio into a home theater amp. The RF output of the STB is then amplified (it's a pretty crap level to start with), and fed into an RF distribution system which gives me Foxtel on every TV in the house as an additional channel. Of course everybody has to watch the same channel but thats the way it goes.

The last installer who came in to do the original 'Digital' install had kittens and ranted and raved about two many outlets etc etc, this all came about when Foxtel changed the terms and conditions to expressly forbid the viewing of Foxtel on multiple TV's without having to pay for the privilege (even though it was just the same channel from single STB on all TV's. I did the original setup before they changed the T's & C's.

Also keen to know what functionality the Network port on the back provides.

I rang up and got the iq2 to be installed as multiroom on 10th june, and also requested my current stb UEC 720 get swapped for a Pace 420 and the guy on the phone said he'd write it down and if the installer had one, he would swap it over.

But I have the rf out to all the TV's in the house, I guess ill just have to unplug it before the installer comes, then plug it back in later.

[chrig]

I rang up and got the iq2 to be installed as multiroom on 10th june, and also requested my current stb UEC 720 get swapped for a Pace 420 and the guy on the phone said he'd write it down and if the installer had one, he would swap it over.

But I have the rf out to all the TV's in the house, I guess ill just have to unplug it before the installer comes, then plug it back in later.

Why don't you get them to replace it with an iQ, it should be the standard multiroom fee if you are getting an iQ2 installed

Chris

[Hosko]

Why don't you get them to replace it with an iQ, it should be the standard multiroom fee if you are getting an iQ2 installed

Yeah it would only cost the $14.95 you have to pay anyway

[QuozL]

I'm looking for the HD channel icons for my Pronto remote, if anyone has a link to them could you pass it on please.

Cheers Al

[Munki]

Hello all,

I've got the IQ and am just wondering how much more room on the hard drive there will be on the IQ2? It's about 30hrs on the normal IQ isn't?

IQ2 has 320GB.

Has anyone who registered an interest way back been phoned up yet after receiving that email? I'm still waiting.......

[Hosko]

I'm looking for the HD channel icons for my Pronto remote, if anyone has a link to them could you pass it on please.

Cheers Al

Did you try http://hd.foxtel.com.au/hd-on-foxtel/channels.php it has the logos down the left of the page

[QuozL]

Did you try http://hd.foxtel.com.au/hd-on-foxtel/channels.php it has the logos down the left of the page

Yes got those but was wondering if anyone had redone them yet in icon format for the Pronto

Cheers Al

[boxhead]

Just booked in for June 15th Sat.

Can anyone confirm that HD output will be allowed via Component connection. (except for Box Office).

I am pretty sure I saw it somewhere ( Possibly Foxtel HD blog ).

I have a component connection only HDTV , and Foxtel CSR wasn't sure.

Also, are they still looking at that " Foxtel to go " or similar to allow transfer of

content of IQ2 to mobile devices. I remember it being talked about quite some time back.

Cheers

Brett

[Chris Daley]

I've just seen the deal. For me I am happy to pay for $200 for new box and a small monthly fee ($10). I don't get the cost for the 'packages'. I don't get why I have to pay per channel for what is the same programmes, but just with more data. OK data costs are real; whether it's a satellite bandwidth or server storage but surely these costs are coming down just as quickly as TV pixels are increasing????

But what shocks me is that Foxtel are insisting that I have to continue with the standard resolution 'My Sport' package , at $17.95/month, in place alongside the same programmes in Fox Sports HD at a further $10/month. So when I'm watching Sport HD I'll have the costly privilege of going back (out of nostalgia??) and enjoying it in standard resolution???? In the UK you pay for the box and you pay the monthly fee and you get all same packages you had before, for the same price, but with HD replacing standard resolution. Isn't that the idea? Isn't this about progress?.

\

[Hosko]

I've just seen the deal. For me I am happy to pay for $200 for new box and a small monthly fee ($10). I don't get the cost for the 'packages'. I don't get why I have to pay per channel for what is the same programmes, but just with more data. OK data costs are real; whether it's a satellite bandwidth or server storage but surely these costs are coming down just as quickly as TV pixels are increasing????

I think you'll find that production costs are ridiculously higher for HD then SD. Every piece of equipment has to be upgraded. Its not just how much it costs for satellite bandwidth.

[davmel]

I don't get why I have to pay per channel for what is the same programmes, but just with more data. OK data costs are real; whether it's a satellite bandwidth or server storage but surely these costs are coming down just as quickly as TV pixels are increasing????

The only HD channel that will offer the same programming as SD is ESPN HD which will essentially be simulcast.

All the other channels will have different programming to the SD channel versions. BBC HD is NOT just a HD version of BBC news, it's got NOTHING to do with the news! Go have a look at the UK BBC HD website if you want to see what is shown on that channel.

Also, from observing the EPG data over the past 2 months, the programming on Disc HD and Nat Geo HD is considerably different to the SD versions. If you thought that the HD versions of those SD channels will be simulcast then you'd be wrong.

As far as extra costs go the HD channels use a great deal more satellite bandwidth. Instead of squeezing in 12-15 SD channels per transponder, Foxtel can only put 3 HD channel on each transponder so the effective cost is 4 to 5 times that of an SD channel in terms of satellite leasing costs per channel. Not to mention the extra significant capital outlay in sophisticated real time MPEG-4 encoding and production equipment.

We don't have a huge population and subscriber base to spread out those costs in an insignificant way.

[Chris Daley]

I think you'll find that production costs are ridiculously higher for HD then SD. Every piece of equipment has to be upgraded. Its not just how much it costs for satellite bandwidth.

It's that fact I seem to have to pay for the SD programme AND the very same HD programme that really confuses me. As I said in the UK they don't charge for that. It's like going to the shop to buy a film in Blu-Ray and being told you have to buy the DVD too - pointless.

Plus I do still question that much extra cost. I obviously am a paranoid cynic so I assume they're trying to use better = 'must be more costs' hey...more margin !!!!. I know HD camera are very expensive but SD was expensive in it's day for sure. I'd be interested to know just how much more this programming costs. The BBC (another $10 package) have been shooting HD anyway, for years, for big ticket shows. Do they now charge a so much more for 'Planet Earth' in HD than they do for SD?? As for Foxtel's own productions? There aren't that many are there. It seems you get SBS HD and other channels for no extra?

[gsxrboy]

The latest videoblog mentions a few people from this forum, since they don't really appear in the comments on the foxtel blog, mostly as they edit them all out. So I guess they are at least looking here, wether they actually regard and take thought in the requests of loyal long term customers such as myself.

i.e.

I am keen to upgrade to IQ2 and the HD channels, but I find it ridiculous I would need to also change my subscription to include another mychannel to get access to the disco/natgeo HD channels in addition to the sports ones I am 'entitled' to by having basic+mysport. I don't want to watch the corresponding SD disco/natgeo channels, if I did I would get the channels, I do however want to watch the HD variants of them. So if I am prepared to pay the $15 for the complete HD package why can't I just get that added to my current subscription? We (rightly or not) pay a premium (and that covers the transmission costs etc) for the HD channels so why don't you just supply them as a package if a customer wants them? specially as most of it will be unique content not on the less than SD channels?