Next Generation Experiences

[Hosko]

Has anyone found a 'record me' yet?

It will only be on Foxtel O&O channels

[Forest Lake]

Has anyone found a 'record me' yet?

yes i actually found one when they were advertising Build it Bigger so i pressed the green button and it worked

[Freak]

It isnt recorded in HD. its recorded in SD from WWEHD.

It is recorded in HD, Foxtel are just not showing the HD version.

http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/wwehdfaqs

I hate WWE stuff, but the fact is it would be 4hours of HD on weekends, and likely makes Fox8HD more attractive, but as is it's misleading advertising.

Fox should be foxed to put a disclaimer in the fine print saying "Not All Content is HD" and even that is shonky.

The Cricket on FoxSports3 is in HD right now.

The cricket was just starting, but i wouldn't know Foxtel took my preview of FoxSports3HD off the air, i still have the others.

Edited November 15, 2009 by Freak

[catchlite]

What the hell is with BBC World News?!

It was grouped with all the news channels - sky, cnn, fox, etc. - and now its located at the end of the documentary list. Have they considered the way users interact with news channels. I know that I, for one, like to switch between the various news services, particularly when there is breaking news across all services to compare the converage and points of view.

[forrestery2k]

Good afternoon fellow friends... Okies i just tune in to foxtel digital and yes im impressed with the new channels but let again dont be fooled by what they actually show on the brand new channels. Most of whats on or comming up have allready been shown on the allready exsisting channels with foxtel. So by all means your not really watching brand new shows and programes but much more a mix of bundle cards if you know what i mean.. look carefully and see if you have seen that show in the new channel els where on foxtel.

But yes im quite impressed with the so many movie channels.

I do NOT agree with the word (the next generation) words like that are pretty much commercial hights to make you think its a good company of foxtel. No such thing for next generation. Because when i was on analogue foxtel they end up saying (brand new DIGITAL next generation foxtel in 2004) seriously it cant go any higher then just put on as digital so there is no more such thing for the (next generation) until there is something much better then DIGITAL in the near future. It is a fact.

Know i know ive complaint about things with foxtel. But seriously as i went thru the new channels they are open for me to view.... I do not WANT to pay any extra payments just because they are forceing me to pay for the new channels...

I pay enough as it is with the allways monthly payment.. Does this mean my plan bill will be higher ?

I have basic.. and so on... Not MOVIES and not sports and not adult movie.

So i pay around 78.00 per months. How much am i expect to pay now ?

Will the new movie channels be free for me to keep and view with what im currently paying ?

[cnrmlj]

What the hell is with BBC World News?!

It was grouped with all the news channels - sky, cnn, fox, etc. - and now its located at the end of the documentary list. Have they considered the way users interact with news channels. I know that I, for one, like to switch between the various news services, particularly when there is breaking news across all services to compare the converage and points of view.

Agree.

I also think moving MTV wasn't the right move either.

I know MTV is more and more non music, but it still hasn enough music for mine that it should stay in the music channels.

[Fronty]

What the hell is with BBC World News?!

It was grouped with all the news channels - sky, cnn, fox, etc. - and now its located at the end of the documentary list. Have they considered the way users interact with news channels. I know that I, for one, like to switch between the various news services, particularly when there is breaking news across all services to compare the converage and points of view.

Its 0n 648

What crock of sh#@

[catchlite]

This I find really annoying - Full screen option for Sky News UK would have been good addition

This has been one of my biggest frustrations with the sky news active service for years. I cant understand why Sky UK cant be in full screen. If they can do it to the channels that are already broadcasting on standalone channels, surely they can give us some value-add by viewing the rest in full screen.

On another note, the new GUI of the multiview/active services look nice.

Edited November 15, 2009 by catchlite

[forrestery2k]

What the hell is with BBC World News?!

It was grouped with all the news channels - sky, cnn, fox, etc. - and now its located at the end of the documentary list. Have they considered the way users interact with news channels. I know that I, for one, like to switch between the various news services, particularly when there is breaking news across all services to compare the converage and points of view.

Simple.... foxtel is making it out as if there is lots of channels when its not they mixing things around to make it as if bbc is a new channel for foxtel when its not. I too am furstrated... anything with news channels should be with the news section not mix around like playing cards.

[forrestery2k]

i also fine it very annoying because the new area for all LOCAL news section is nothing more then a 3minute highlight news been repeated over and over plus the screen view are too small for example im in brisbane and i want to watch perth news.... if i click it its a small screen but yet its not live news.. its only from the skynews reader doing a 3 minute news preview been repeated a million times... You would think the local news area would show news for 30min each cities continues.. all your wathing is a preview.... boring. At least the news reader at skynews has extra work to do i suppose.

[catchlite]

Agree.

I also think moving MTV wasn't the right move either.

I know MTV is more and more non music, but it still hasn enough music for mine that it should stay in the music channels.

what they should have done was offer another MTV service, like they do in the states, where there is more music, and perhaps move the channel with predominantly non-music content to the entertainment area. Im mixed on the MTV move. I skip it when I want to hear music, because it hardly has any...but it is still Music Television.

[wumpster]

As a footnote to my previous post I have just spoken with the techs at foxtel, they state that today was the launch of the new channels and that the full new active facilities (including Skynews UK full screen) will be available in the coming weeks, although he could not be more specific on timing. We will wait and see !!!

[loony]

Will the new movie channels be free for me to keep and view with what im currently paying ?

They are free until the end of this month after that they will go back to telling you that you need to subscribe to them.

[theburnsta]

I must say overall i'm pretty underwhelmed. I'm on Melbourne Satellite and have been told for as long as i can remember that the new satellite will bring everything to satellite subscribers that cable subscribers have.

Now with channel 7 on foxtel will mean my tv will pretty much be tuned into foxtel for 99% of the time. This is the biggest channel addition for mine.

But what about all the FTA Channels in HD? What about channel One (531) and no doubt cable customers will receive GO! and Channel 7Two aswell (if they havent already). Just a tad disappointing...

Has everyone else got the same channel lineup as me?

As for everything else the update has brought, i'm pretty impressed, but nothing to write home about...No Game changers included....

[Harlequin]

I am gobsmacked at the number of forum contributors who actually believed that the HD channels would exclusively broadcast 1080i HD content; and especially so in the Sport domain.

Having got that out, I feel that Foxtel do have an obligation to denote which programmes are 1080i HD and which are upscaled. I have noticed an 'HD' symbol in the information bar of some channels but at this early stage it's unreliable; and although I'm not a great fan of Sport, I am of the opinion that denoting genuine HD broadcasts is vital 'consumer information' given how spectacular an event can subjectively look in HD compared to upscaled SD (the same cannot always be said for HD movies and TV programming, due to myriad variances in lighting, contrast, filtering et al).

The 'Optus' movie channel presentation is inferior in comparison to the 'Foxtel' movie channels, if for no other reason than the across-the-board absence of Dolby Digital 5.1. HD movies with compressed dynamic range audio? Hello, Movie Network?, still not able to see the forest for the tree's, eh?

The majority absence of Original Aspect Ratio (OAR) in movie presentation, across all movie channels, is a concern. The cropping of a 2.35:1 movie to 1.77:1 (16x9) is not so objectionable if care has been taken at the 'pan & scan' stage; but as this does not always happen (worst example thus far, for me, "The Apaloosa"), it is easy to be brought out of the immersive atmosphere of a film by not seeing an element in the original frame to which a character is drawn, because the 'scanning artiste' had stepped outside the transfer booth for a quick smoke. Naturally, scanning issues will not be as prominent as they were in the days of 2.35:1 to 1.33:1 (4x3) transfers, but there is still surprisingly much potential for visual screw-ups; and as I have said before, one step forward, two steps backward: that's 16x9 presentation.

[basketballer999]

I have sat in melbourne and everything is fine for me

i wish sky local could become full screen and also havent found if the record me function is up yet when u view ads

also i am also the same happy now we have channel 7 but i still need to change for seven 2 and Go but i hear they will be up in few weeks to view but id love to view one (channel 10s digital channel) as i know cable viewers have it

Edited November 15, 2009 by basketballer999

[timy]

I think anyone who is disapointed should disconnect their foxtel. Other than the early stuffups I think the new additions are great. I think foxtel should learn from this and not in future string out the time frame when introducing new things. The longer people have to get excited and look forward to things the more dissapointed they tend to be when it arrives. When something new is available foxtel should just introduce it like they could have done with this over 6 weeks ago. The problem with foxtel and the people who run it is they wont learn and propbably dont care.

[loony]

I must say overall i'm pretty underwhelmed. I'm on Melbourne Satellite and have been told for as long as i can remember that the new satellite will bring everything to satellite subscribers that cable subscribers have.

Now with channel 7 on foxtel will mean my tv will pretty much be tuned into foxtel for 99% of the time. This is the biggest channel addition for mine.

But what about all the FTA Channels in HD? What about channel One (531) and no doubt cable customers will receive GO! and Channel 7Two aswell (if they havent already). Just a tad disappointing...

Has everyone else got the same channel lineup as me?

As for everything else the update has brought, i'm pretty impressed, but nothing to write home about...No Game changers included....

I dont think foxtel have ever said satellite will be perfectly equal to cable around FTA channels

The FTA stations being on the satellite have nothing to do with Foxtel. It is up to each FTA station

7Two and Go! are supposed to be available from the 24th (I think that is both platforms)

Edited November 15, 2009 by loony

[forrestery2k]

They are free until the end of this month after that they will go back to telling you that you need to subscribe to them.

Thank you loony. So after 1 month they going to force me to subcribe them or you mean upto you if you want them or not ? Im not going to pay for it. I preffered to go to the cinemas for that,.

[loony]

Thank you loony. So after 1 month they going to force me to subcribe them or you mean upto you if you want them or not ? Im not going to pay for it. I preffered to go to the cinemas for that,.

You will not be forced to upgrade nor will you have to call to have the channels removed.

They will automatically drop off and behave just like they do when you are not subscribed to a channel.

[ausnew]

I do not subscribe to movies but have no free preview of them at present - thought I would do for 2 weeks

Also, My EPG is only still 7 days on my IQ2 - Is that correct ?

[grb1503561862]

I must say overall i'm pretty underwhelmed. I'm on Melbourne Satellite and have been told for as long as i can remember that the new satellite will bring everything to satellite subscribers that cable subscribers have.

Now with channel 7 on foxtel will mean my tv will pretty much be tuned into foxtel for 99% of the time. This is the biggest channel addition for mine.

But what about all the FTA Channels in HD? What about channel One (531) and no doubt cable customers will receive GO! and Channel 7Two aswell (if they havent already). Just a tad disappointing...

um, the biggest channel addition for you is something that you don't pay for? sorry, but I simply cannot understand this logic.

no word from the FTA networks about FTA HD or secondary SD channels. you need to ask the FTA networks about those, since it is up to them to pay for the satellite retransmission.

sounds like you would be better off buying a FTA HD STB if this really bothers you.

[grb1503561862]

I am gobsmacked at the number of forum contributors who actually believed that the HD channels would exclusively broadcast 1080i HD content; and especially so in the Sport domain.

Having got that out, I feel that Foxtel do have an obligation to denote which programmes are 1080i HD and which are upscaled. I have noticed an 'HD' symbol in the information bar of some channels but at this early stage it's unreliable; and although I'm not a great fan of Sport, I am of the opinion that denoting genuine HD broadcasts is vital 'consumer information' given how spectacular an event can subjectively look in HD compared to upscaled SD (the same cannot always be said for HD movies and TV programming, due to myriad variances in lighting, contrast, filtering et al).

for the purpose of scheduling recordings I completely agree. but I just checked out the new HD channels (sat feed @ Southland shopping centre) and there was a massively noticable difference between HD content (cricket) and other.

that said the cricket looked brilliant in 1080i HD.

the upscaled SD looked no better than 576i SD.

[beastjim]

Loving the glitch where I am not subscribed to the Showtime pack, and thus don't recieve showcase, yet I am getting showcase +2. Hehehehe. Interesting to see all the HD channels appear on the normal IQ as well, I suppose to entice you to upgrade. Otherwise still disappointing some of the channels that have been around for a while haven't moved to the Horizontal polarity (I am on IQ Lite), like CNBC, TVN and NITV. But I will take HD over them any old day.

I hope all the box office stuff eventually changes over, and that I will be able to get sports active material especially EPL games, but I will wait patiently as it seems not all of it is changing at once. Also for me the change was seemless, was playing on the PS3, finished a game a wammo there were all the new channels. I guess something as large scale as this was never going to happen 100% for those that have been missing channels.

[digitaldreamer]

I must say overall i'm pretty underwhelmed. I'm on Melbourne Satellite and have been told for as long as i can remember that the new satellite will bring everything to satellite subscribers that cable subscribers have.

Now with channel 7 on foxtel will mean my tv will pretty much be tuned into foxtel for 99% of the time. This is the biggest channel addition for mine.

But what about all the FTA Channels in HD? What about channel One (531) and no doubt cable customers will receive GO! and Channel 7Two aswell (if they havent already). Just a tad disappointing...

Has everyone else got the same channel lineup as me?

As for everything else the update has brought, i'm pretty impressed, but nothing to write home about...No Game changers included....

i'm with you... and yes there was a lot of spin early on promising the new satellite would mean all this extra capacity that would give we satellite subs (the poor cousins) the same service.

where is the logic in providing the olympic preview channel on 140, 200 and 500, new to foxtel channel on 136 and box office preview on 138.. then sacrifice a handful of proper channels by using dodgy frequencies (satellite lite won't pick up). why not place all those promotional channels on the vertical frequencies.. as they are only promoting services available to full service customers anyway. and use what seems to be valuable horizontal frequencies for proper channels so we can all access them. there has to be a better way foxtel.