Life after Vodafone TV

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imd6662

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#295248 16-Mar-2022 10:55

Not sure if this is the best place for it, but it might be nice to have a succinct post (or thread) about the main possible options for current VTV users post September. Some of this is traversed in the existing 'retirement' thread but quite mixed in with general comments on VF's decision, refund policies etc.

It would be handy to have a list of possible options, with perhaps a very brief set of pros and cons (including cost, level of savvy required etc.)

Seems like mainstream options are pretty much (new) Sky box, Apple TV(?), DishTV, <insert manufacturer> Android TV...?

timmmay

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#2887019 16-Mar-2022 11:05

The Xiamomi Mi Box S (PBTech Link) Android TV box for $146 inc GST does a good job of Netflix, Disney, NZ TV, Kodi, and everything else we've tried. It gets regular updates. We run it with a USB ethernet adapter, you need to fiddle a bit in the Android settings to get that working but once you do it's stable.

scuwp

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#2887025 16-Mar-2022 11:10

I think the concept of recording shows and watching them later is all-but redundant. I see some comments about going back to modded TiVo's and such like and I can't help but think....why????

For plug and play Apple TV would have to be right up there, and we are not an Apple family by any means, but this is a quality piece of kit that just works. I reluctantly brought one, and can't believe I didn't do it sooner.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

PSlover14

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#2887060 16-Mar-2022 11:35

Maybe not exactly what people are looking for, but personally I ended up signing up for Sky's existing Satellite service. A combination of moving to a house that currently only has 4G internet and VTV shutting down made Sky Satellite make sense to me, VTV worked fine at my old place with UFB but had some signal quality issues on 4G, especially if anyone else in the house was using the connection. I'm not super stoked that recording costs extra, but I am happy that I can record whatever I want. Sky has been great for me since I personally don't like having to pick what to watch (read: indecisive) so Netflix/etc are not super helpful to me. The one pain point was that booking the Sky install online didn't work, so I had to ring up which meant talking to a very pushy salesperson who was trying hard to sell me Sky Sports and Sky Movies (neither of which I wanted, I only wanted starter + MySky).

EDIT: I should probably mention for everything outside of broadcast TV, I actually have an Android smart TV so Netflix/other apps was not a concern since I can just use the TV's built-in software. VTV was pretty much entirely for Sky/Freeview

alasta

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#2887155 16-Mar-2022 14:07

I bought a Vodafone TV in late 2019, used it for about three months, then decommissioned it as it felt like an experimental product to me.

I replaced it with an Apple TV and never looked back. The only disadvantage with the Apple TV compared with Vodafone TV is that live TV on the 3Now app is in standard definition, but I imagine Discovery will be working hard to fix that.

The Apple TV also has the advantage of being able to bring up your Mac or iPhone screen on the TV which is quite useful if you want to show something to someone else in the room.

Senecio

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#2887177 16-Mar-2022 14:56

The problem with all the alternative streaming options is that the official streams provided by TVNZ and Three are only 720p and 25fps. It doesn't matter what hardware we use that limitation exists. If you want a 1080p/1080i picture then your only options are to put an antenna on your roof and use a DVB-t tuner or sign up to Sky satellite.

For what its worth my fall back will be to use the official apps on my ATV 4k. Its a drop in picture quality but I only watch FTA TV infrequently and I'm not about to sign up for Sky nor install an antenna.

Apsattv

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#2887372 16-Mar-2022 20:10

The TV3 webstream is 1080 now

Its TVNZ that are slacking

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eracode

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#2887378 16-Mar-2022 20:37

(From the other VTV thread): “What I am going to really miss is being able to re-start The Chase at 5:30 pm, skip all ads - then re-start the news at 6:15 pm. and skip ads. Doing this, we watch nearly two hours of programming without any ads (and can skip the COV bits we hate) in about 1h 15m. Brilliant and I'll do it hard when it's gone.”

Is there any other kit that can do this? - but please don’t say ‘modded Tivo’ because that’s not a track I want to go down.

I know you can record Sky - but can you start playing a FTA programme on Sky before it has finished recording?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

imd6662

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#2887481 17-Mar-2022 08:51

eracode:

(From the other VTV thread): “What I am going to really miss is being able to re-start The Chase at 5:30 pm, skip all ads - then re-start the news at 6:15 pm. and skip ads. Doing this, we watch nearly two hours of programming without any ads (and can skip the COV bits we hate) in about 1h 15m. Brilliant and I'll do it hard when it's gone.”

This! Best use-case ever and an unlooked for gift from VTV. VF giveth and VF taketh away, alas.

openmedia

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#2887486 17-Mar-2022 09:10

Apsattv:

The TV3 webstream is 1080 now

Its TVNZ that are slacking

Three is still 576p

https://three-livestream.fullscreen.nz/index.m3u8

It is the placeholder for the new channel Eden that is 1080, and currently showing TV3.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

invisibleman18

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#2887566 17-Mar-2022 12:36

eracode:

I know you can record Sky - but can you start playing a FTA programme on Sky before it has finished recording?

Yes you can start playing any recording on MySky before it has finished. At least that was the case when I last had it prior to switching to Vodafone TV 4 years ago. Of course, you have to remember to record it though. The big advantage of VTV was being able to go back 3 days and play anything from the guide without having to remember to record it.

Following this thread with interest. I follow enough sport that I still need Sky Sport, and my wife likes some of the lifestyle type channels you get with Sky Starter so continuing with VTV billed through Sky for now. Waiting to see what the offer is for the new Sky box which is hopefully a very similar replacement for VTV. Won't be impressed if the cost is significantly more though so following here to keep track of the best alternative options aswell.

eracode

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#2887911 17-Mar-2022 21:36

invisibleman18:

eracode:

I know you can record Sky - but can you start playing a FTA programme on Sky before it has finished recording?

Yes you can start playing any recording on MySky before it has finished. .

Thanks, did not know that and it’s a relief to hear it. Still not as good as VTV but at least it can be done.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.