TalkTalk TV (IPTV) - economical with the truth...

6th.replicant

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Oct 26, 2007
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Recently signed up to TalkTalk TV (né Tiscali TV), an IPTV-based setup.

If you're thinking of doing the same - beware!

At face value it looked good: all Freeview channels + Sky 1/2/3 & Sky Arts, FX & various other satellite-type channels. A free HDMI PVR that records 2 channels simultaneously; free wireless router + unlimited 8MB broadband; 'free' landline calls 24/7, incl line rental - all for £25/month + a one-off £30 instal fee. Not bad, eh?

However, what TalkTalk don't tell you is that the TV PQ is dependent on your broadband DL speed, you need at least 7.5MB to get decent PQ or to receive their on-demand HD films. For example, I get 5.4MB DL speed, so the PQ is VERY mediocre & inconsistent.

It's not possible to record 2 ADSL-sourced/satellite-type channels simultaneously, only 1 ADSL & a Freeview, or 2 Freeviews. In turn, nor can you watch the 'catch-up' service, which is via ADSL, & record an ADSL-sourced channel simultaneously.

Also, the PVR has the world's noisiest, most intrusive & irritating cooling fan, which also whirrs away 24/7 if the box is on recording stand-by (not exactly eco-friendly & a tad annoying when you want some P&Q). And invariably the box requires several prods of its remote's 'on' button before it will deign to fire up.

Not surprisingly, I've cancelled my contract & gone back to using my Humax.
 

Tonya

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Sorry to hear about your woes, but just to let you know that the future of IPTV is looking bright.

It seems to me that UK customers are getting a bit of a raw deal when it comes to Internet deals these days.
Here in Norway for example, I'm connected to a fibre network and get 50/50 Mbs Internet speed, TV channels some(with multiple camera angles) and telephone through the same small box.
If I select the "sports page" portal, it's possible to select any 5 games that are currently being played on the same screen and zoom in to any one of them instantly.
A wasted feature in my household as we all hate football
emotion-10.gif

There is no "capping" restrictions in Scandinavia so you have unlimited download capacity at all times.
I can be downloading 15 different files and still watch the BBC iPlayer in HD without a glitch.
The actual fibre unit that sits on the wall is the latest generation Motorola (!) design and I must say the picture & sound quality using HDMI is pretty darned good.

What's more, using the remote control I can access my email, daily newspaper (and indeed this site), view several webcams of my choosing and play some quite entertaining games.
HD films are also available on demand at a cost of around three pounds each for a 24 hour period.
There are a few "background" channels such as fishtank, log fire, etc, if you need them and you can upload hundreds of your own HD photos to the IPTV's website so you can create your own background channel.

So please don't let your experience put you off the delivery system for good, it will get better!
 

6th.replicant

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Tonya:
Sorry to hear about your woes, but just to let you know that the future of IPTV is looking bright... ....I'm connected to a fibre network and get 50/50 Mbs Internet speed...
...So please don't let your experience put you off the delivery system for good, it will get better!

50MB broadband - gadzooks! The chances of the UK ever having 50MB are probably, umm, nil. Most of us are lucky to actually receive 5MB DL speed, & a maximum of 2MB is probably much more common than the UK's ISPs would care to admit to.

IPTV is great in theory but, for the foreseeable future, the majority of the UK's broadband network is too 'old school' for such a 'new school' setup. Perhaps TalkTalk TV is putting the cart before the horse?
 

Tonya

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Yep, we are pretty lucky here in Norway, just the thought of download limits are incomprehensible here.
When pressure was applied from abroad to stop access to TPB (arghh, Jim lad) the idea was dismissed as a restricion of freedom!

Talking of IPTV, the new 4G mobile network is being rolled out now with a speed of 100 megabits per second http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8412035.stm and looks promising.

We also have a rather spiffing free to air 6 channel digital TV & 14 radio channel service in DMB format transmitting in 16:9 launched last year.

The concept, called MiniTV, is actually being tested in the UK and Ireland right now.

However,
emotion-22.gif
is still over £9 a pint in the Summer so while we appear technically advanced so to speak, it's far from Utopian over here!
 

hammill

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6th.replicant:Tonya:

Sorry to hear about your woes, but just to let you know that the future of IPTV is looking bright... ....I'm connected to a fibre network and get 50/50 Mbs Internet speed... ...So please don't let your experience put you off the delivery system for good, it will get better!
50MB broadband - gadzooks! The chances of the UK ever having 50MB are probably, umm, nil. Most of us are lucky to actually receive 5MB DL speed, & a maximum of 2MB is probably much more common than the UK's ISPs would care to admit to. IPTV is great in theory but, for the foreseeable future, the majority of the UK's broadband network is too 'old school' for such a 'new school' setup. Perhaps TalkTalk TV is putting the cart before the horse?The chances of 50mb in the UK are very good indeed as virgin already offer it in some areas. I have a 10mb package with no download limit and I get that everytime I have checked. 20 mb is available where I live. You have to be in a cable area of course.
 

ukdavej

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Tonya:

However,
emotion-22.gif
is still over £9 a pint in the Summer so while we appear technically advanced so to speak, it's far from Utopian over here!

I hope we don't get to that situation in the UK with the "minimum price" proposals.
emotion-8.gif


Broadband TV is a good idea but, as already stated, dependant on the connection speed which is, in a larger than you'd expect number of cases, simply not up to the job. I switched from ADSL years ago as my line is made of cat gut and completely useless. Even now, 4 years later the on-line checkers say I can just about eek 2.5mb speeds if I take up BT on one of it's latest offers. For the "up to 8 mb" varieties, evn on an LLU, you have to practically live in the exchange to get anything more than 6mbs.

Currently, the only system capable of supporting this kind of thing with any consistancy is cable but that has it's own problems. I have Virgin broadband, 10mb package. It is rock solid and rarely goes off and the speeds never dip. Fine for BB TV you'd think. It has unlimited downloads BUT is subject to traffic management. Therefore, as soon as my downloads for the day reach 750mb, they throttle me back 75% and it drops to 2.5mb for the next five hours. So no good for BB TV. The only package not subject to traffic management is the 50mb XXL service (which is blistering I have to admit) but at £38 a month, it's a bit pricey. Therefore, all things considered, you may as well just take Virgin's TV package and have done with it.
 

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