pgdownload Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Yes the Boxset comes free only if you keep your existing package. Only you can decide on the 'value' but a channel with complete back seasons of such great shows sounds pretty good for $10 a month (You'd pay hundreds possibly over $1000 to buy the DVD collections.) Again obviously up to you, but the new Essentials Package $25) seems to drop the premium Kids Channels (which possibly seniors don't want?). You can then add in the Drama Package ($20) which provides the Boxset channel and the following top tier channels (in HD): Showcase BBC First 13th Street FX SoHo So for $45 a month you get a pretty amazing amount of high quality content (Its the combo I'd go for if I got Foxtel) Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiddoInOz Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Plus 10 for HD... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomfam Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I currently get the Sport, Essentials and HD on a deal I negotiated with Foxtel for $60 until Nov. We watch very little other than the sport. I reckon the "Seniors" deal now is the way for me to go before Nov 3. That package gives you "Seniors Pack" which includes SOHO, C&I, Bio, History and 13th Street amongst others at $39. Sport is $16 and HD is $6. This totals $61 and would also include Boxsets. Or I could go Essentials $25, Sport $25 and HD $10 under the new scheme for $60. It is a bit of line ball deal but to get a few better channels for the extra $1 is the better way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Under the new scheme you miss out on the Box Set as well as a number of the good drama channels. I agree, if you like sport then the Seniors package for $61 is your best bet (and you can always switch to the standard package later on if you decide (you won't be able to go the other way after Nov 3). Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Plus 10 for HD... IMO a waste of money for most seniors. Even those with 'good' eyesight are unlikely to get much benefit from HD over SD once they sit back on the couch. Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiddoInOz Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 True but your post... but the new Essentials Package $25) seems to drop the premium Kids Channels (which possibly seniors don't want?). You can then add in the Drama Package ($20) which provides the Boxset channel and the following top tier channels (in HD): Showcase BBC First 13th Street FX SoHo So for $45 a month you get a pretty amazing amount of high quality content (Its the combo I'd go for if I got Foxtel) Implies that for $45 you'd get HD. No malice just pointing it out. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) Implies that for $45 you'd get HD. No malice just pointing it out. First rule of clarifications is to make them clear Thought you were just adding in your personal list of must haves, thanks for picking up the oversight. Out of curiosity, I assume the HD package is just extra channels that are also in HD. Not existing SD channels now available in HD. Likewise you can still get some channels in HD even without the HD package? Regards Peter Gillespie Edited September 11, 2014 by pgdownload Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiddoInOz Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Nope HD charge is to unblock the HD versions of channels you have already subscribed too and these channels only. Rort! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomfam Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) IMO a waste of money for most seniors. Even those with 'good' eyesight are unlikely to get much benefit from HD over SD once they sit back on the couch. Peter Gillespie Sorry Peter, couldn't disagree more mate. The AFL when in HD on Fox Footy is quite spectacular. There is a huge difference between for example the Ch 7 SD feed even when it is upscaled to HD to what you can get with Fox Footy true HD. Edited September 11, 2014 by thomfam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Sorry Peter, couldn't disagree more mate. The AFL when in HD on Fox Footy is quite spectacular. There is a huge difference between for example the Ch 7 SD feed even when it is upscaled to HD to what you can get with Fox Footy true HD. I agree sport is something of a special case. You might as well be watching a low res youtube video for all the blockiness watching football in SD brings. Close ups no problem but panning the camera across the field turns most of the action into vibrating blobs. I'd imagine even those with failing eyesight (and after 50 everyone has failing eyesight to some degree) could appreciate the better resolution. But watching 'normal' dramas etc. is usually the equivalent of watching sport close up. Even when the camera pans out the shots are planned steady and basically it all looks a lot better even though its only SD. HD can provide a lot of extra detail but usually 'seniors' can't make it out anyway, just a fact of life. Thinking about it, I suspect the improved PQ for HD sport is due to improved bitrates that can better handle rapid camera pans etc. HD makes watching sport bearable (IMO) but the improvement helps those with 20/20 vision just as much as those with 10/10. Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterca Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I'm a serior as well ( 60+ ) and there is a very noticablle difference between Foxtel SD and HD even to my aging eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTPCFreak Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Got the letter from Foxtel about the changes. I'm currently on Essential + Sports + HD for the standard price of $84 p.m. The "bonus" content includes all the channels except for the movie ones and BoxSets (since I'm not an existing subscriber of one of the General Entertainment packs, I don't get BoxSets as a bonus). To get the equivalent channels as the bonus offer under the new pricing scheme (which will also including BoxSets as part of the Drama package), it would cost $110, so the bonus content is actually fairly decent. The alternative is to go for the new Entertainment pack at $25, plus Sports ($25) + HD ($10), but that would mean missing out on FX and SoHo, the only two non sports channels that I actually do watch (very "clever", Foxtel). Adding $20 to add the Drama pack would then bring the price to $80, $4 less than the existing customer bonus offer and I'll also gain BoxSets, but miss out on about 25 other channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurie Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Optus are launching Optus 10 as an “in-orbit spare” to provide redundancy for their fleet of satellites serving the Asia-pacific region. Optus 10 will provide redundancy for the satellite’s Foxtel has capacity on – Optus C1 and Optus D3. Optus 10 would only be brought into play as a spare in case of a catastrophic and non-recoverable satellite failure. hmm so not going to be used for the new HD channels? cheers laurie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisbie Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Yes the Boxset comes free only if you keep your existing package. Only you can decide on the 'value' but a channel with complete back seasons of such great shows sounds pretty good for $10 a month (You'd pay hundreds possibly over $1000 to buy the DVD collections.) Again obviously up to you, but the new Essentials Package $25) seems to drop the premium Kids Channels (which possibly seniors don't want?). You can then add in the Drama Package ($20) which provides the Boxset channel and the following top tier channels (in HD): Showcase BBC First 13th Street FX SoHo So for $45 a month you get a pretty amazing amount of high quality content (Its the combo I'd go for if I got Foxtel) Regards Peter Gillespie It is tempting to go that way but for me it'd be $55 as we do watch the doco channels a lot and as the prices are now it would have cost $69 to have all the channels I really want so that is quite a bit less and I'd gain quite a few more channels including CNN which I have missed on the Seniors Package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceblinkfroufrou Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 this is the first time i've heard about the changes. i currently have the 'sports hd value pack,' $107 pm. i've just visited the foxtel site and tried to get rid of the 'lifestyle' pack, but i got the message i have to do that over the phone. if i do that how much will my monthly bill be reduced by? actually i have no need for 'foxtel go' either. i suppose i should wait for the changes before getting rid of things? the only thing i'd like to add is 'sentana sports' for the football from the english championship. however i gather i can't just add one channel to my existing package? why the hell wouldn't it be in the sports package anyway? so with the current 'sports hd value pack' would i get those 9 new hd channels? i'd only be interested in the 'history hd' channel out of those. so is it better to cancel and then become a new customer after the changes, or remain an existing one? are existing customers getting their monthly fee lowered to that of new customers that join after the changes? i can't see anything that confirms that, surely it would be greatly unfair not to? what benefit are the changes for me? possibly getting 'history hd?' thats all i can work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lthompson Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 the only thing i'd like to add is 'sentana sports' for the football from the english championship. however i gather i can't just add one channel to my existing package? why the hell wouldn't it be in the sports package anyway? so with the current 'sports hd value pack' would i get those 9 new hd channels? i'd only be interested in the 'history hd' channel out of those. I have Setanta but it's direct with them (as a single channel). Coming from Austar it became unbundled from the sports package a year or two ago and subscribers had to contact Setanta direct to continue their subscription. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheelz Posted September 13, 2014 Share Posted September 13, 2014 so is it better to cancel and then become a new customer after the changes, or remain an existing one? No need to cancel,if your contract is finished you can ring and go on the new pricing from nov3. You will get a letter explaining what will happen to your current package from nov3 in a few days(got mine a few days ago). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 what benefit are the changes for me? possibly getting 'history hd?' thats all i can work out. Your best bet is to wait and do nothing. Once you switch to the new system you can't change back. You can switch to the new system any time (12 month contract) after you've seen what it offers you - as mentioned Foxtel will send out a sheet explaining it all. In a nut shell, if you stick with your current system you will still pay the same amount and also get the new BoxSet channel (reruns of top HBO series etc.) Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Follow PAFC Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Got my letter today bonus content I will be getting BBC First, showcase, box sets some kids channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Got my letter today bonus content I will be getting BBC First, showcase, box sets some kids channels. So how does a similar new package price? You should save a few dollars switching? Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Follow PAFC Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Saving $25 per month and will get three more channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth Nick Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Got my letter today bonus content I will be getting BBC First, showcase, box sets some kids channels. Got mine too. Currently on Essentials/Sports/HD. Letter states for "no additional charge, from November 3" bonus content is; "Channels from all our General Entertainment Packs" & "Showcase". (Documentary & Adventure, Drama & Lifestyle, Kids & Music, & Showcase). This makes no sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgdownload Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 This makes no sense. How so? You'll get some additional channels from Nov 3 at no extra charge. What's nonsensical? Regards Peter Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth Nick Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 How so? You'll get some additional channels from Nov 3 at no extra charge. What's nonsensical? Regards Peter Gillespie 31 extra channels not related to the current package (Including a massive one in Showcase), for no extra charge!! Foxtel doesn't do this........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Follow PAFC Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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