Igloo closing

Forums › Sky, Neon, Lightbox › Igloo closing

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1095 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 108

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1588300 8-Jul-2016 14:54

About $99 (download from $199 originally):

Old story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/8736779/Igloo-slash-price-of-set-top-box

MikeB4

MikeB4
18776 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12769

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1588305 8-Jul-2016 15:02

DarthKermit:

How much did one of them Igloo boxes cost to buy?

I think the one we have gathering garage dust cost circa $100

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

joshhill96

1512 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 188

ID Verified

Trusted

#1588308 8-Jul-2016 15:08

openmedia:

Ideally move Prime over their in HD and then resell/lease out remaining capacity.

Better yet make a couple of channels FTA like SkyNews is in the UK

I was thinking of Russia Today, Euro News, France 24 but yes could release more bandwidth to Freeview

mattwnz

20520 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4798

#1588309 8-Jul-2016 15:10

wazzageek:

MikeB4:

mattwnz: They are also removing the EPG functionality, which renders it pretty useless. But they have stated they won't be providing. refunds. Haven't they heard of the Consumer Guarantees Act where goods must be free from minor defects and last a reasonable period of time. I got one for my parents and it was always a dog and needed regular rebooting after a freezing.

The offer of free Sky install and $19 per month for 6 months is probably sufficient compensation.

The unit itself will still "work" - it's the service that will cease to exist, and I don't think the CGA applies to a monthly subscription?

In the article they basically admit that removing the EPG seriously compromises it's useage. Not have the EPG on a freeview device is effectively removing an advertised feature of it. So I think they should provide refunds to those how request it. I know that my parents don't want sky for any price, they already have lightbox, and they only want the FTA channels, on their igloo. When they had had sky basic they never watched it as it was full of rubbish programs they weren't interested in. I guess they can always go back to the retailer instead, because they didn't buy it from sky. I think the box retailed for about $199 so it is reasonably high value for such a box. I have a tivo that is much older, and they are still doing the EPG for that. Maybe sky should open source the EPG for the igloo. I would 5+years for a STB of that value would be considered reasonable.

DjShadow

4222 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1322

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1588312 8-Jul-2016 15:17

joshhill96:

openmedia:

Ideally move Prime over their in HD and then resell/lease out remaining capacity.

Better yet make a couple of channels FTA like SkyNews is in the UK

I was thinking of Russia Today, Euro News, France 24 but yes could release more bandwidth to Freeview

+1 For Sky News UK, they have Geoblocked their live Youtube stream :(

MikeB4

MikeB4
18776 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12769

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1588316 8-Jul-2016 15:24

we are gathering a grave yard of these services. I think the next one to go the way of the Dodo will be Quickflix, with their financial woes I think they will be history sometime in the next 24 months.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

wazzageek

1095 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 108

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1588319 8-Jul-2016 15:26

MikeB4:

we are gathering a grave yard of these services. I think the next one to go the way of the Dodo will be Quickflix, with their financial woes I think they will be history sometime in the next 24 months.

I thought they'd already closed.

mattwnz

20520 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4798

#1588374 8-Jul-2016 15:33

MikeB4:

we are gathering a grave yard of these services. I think the next one to go the way of the Dodo will be Quickflix, with their financial woes I think they will be history sometime in the next 24 months.

Although quickfix doesn't have any hardware, so won't be a problem for people. The problem is hardware that relies on the comapny that produces teh hardware supporting them for a reasonable period of time. Tivo have done a good job, as they are still supporting 5 years after they stopped selling. From the article igloo devices were still being sold recently. The same problem occurs with smart TVs, where the services get cut after a period of time, but this isn't mentioned when you buy them. It does destroy a lot of goodwill between a customer and the brand when it happens.

Linuxluver

5833 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1639

Trusted

Subscriber

#1588376 8-Jul-2016 15:38

toprob:

My flatmate uses it, she's 70+, and except for the times when I need to reboot it for her to get the guide back, she finds it great for the price. I got the email this morning advising of the shutdown, this follows a couple of questionnaires a few months ago asking what would be a suitable replacement. However Sky have chosen 'none of the above' -- they've offered to match the Igloo price ($20) on basic Sky until July 2017, and then what? I guess it reverts to $50. Certainly not the solution I voted for:)

My flatmate has to decide where to go from there, keeping a few of the Igloo channels at minimum, so I guess that she might just have to pay the price.

Netflix. Or Curiosity Stream.

_____________________________________________________________________

I've been on Geekzone over 16 years..... Time flies....

MikeB4

MikeB4
18776 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12769

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1588377 8-Jul-2016 15:38

mattwnz:

MikeB4:

we are gathering a grave yard of these services. I think the next one to go the way of the Dodo will be Quickflix, with their financial woes I think they will be history sometime in the next 24 months.

Although quickfix doesn't have any hardware, so won't be a problem for people. The problem is hardware that relies on the comapny that produces teh hardware supporting them for a reasonable period of time. Tivo have done a good job, as they are still supporting 5 years after they stopped selling. From the article igloo devices were still being sold recently. The same problem occurs with smart TVs, where the services get cut after a period of time, but this isn't mentioned when you buy them. It does destroy a lot of goodwill between a customer and the brand when it happens.

I agree, we have not got a good record for this in NZ. It will be interesting to see if Comm Comm have a look at it.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

mattwnz

20520 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4798

#1588384 8-Jul-2016 15:45

MikeB4:

mattwnz:

MikeB4:

we are gathering a grave yard of these services. I think the next one to go the way of the Dodo will be Quickflix, with their financial woes I think they will be history sometime in the next 24 months.

Although quickfix doesn't have any hardware, so won't be a problem for people. The problem is hardware that relies on the comapny that produces teh hardware supporting them for a reasonable period of time. Tivo have done a good job, as they are still supporting 5 years after they stopped selling. From the article igloo devices were still being sold recently. The same problem occurs with smart TVs, where the services get cut after a period of time, but this isn't mentioned when you buy them. It does destroy a lot of goodwill between a customer and the brand when it happens.

I agree, we have not got a good record for this in NZ. It will be interesting to see if Comm Comm have a look at it.

I think they will likely only look at it if a number of people complain about it, and they have limited resources. I think it is best for people to go back to the retailer and ask for a solution or refund. A freeview box without an EPG isn't what people purchased. Maybe the retailer will switch the box out for another UHF freeview box. I mean there can't be much demand for standalone boxes these days anyway, as they are only really needed for older TVs that don't have freeview built in. The annoying thing is that I got my parents to get one because I thought it was a better solution than a Freeview box, and as it was owned by Sky, I thought they would supported it for a long time. I recall they delayed introducing the box because of hardware or software problems, and the box they ended up releasing wasn't good, as it froze and was laggy.

Dyson

Shop now for Dyson appliances (affiliate link).

Groucho

542 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 217

#1588385 8-Jul-2016 15:46

I still reckon instead of dicking around with Igloo they should have invested in TiVo somehow as a TiVo box is essentially a MySky box for terrestrial. If you look at what the current US models have (including SIX tuners!!) they can take input from terrestrial, satellite and cable plus a slot for pay TV cards. A bit of OS software modification to localise it to the NZ market and would be sweet. Could also bundle all the on demand apps into it as well.

I love my TiVo, yes the NZ model 3 is now 7 years old but shows no sign of age or slowing down and a user interface that still runs circles around any current set top box competitor. Although I'd be really hesitant about Sky being involved at least it could give some security.

mattwnz

20520 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4798

#1588386 8-Jul-2016 15:51

Groucho:

I still reckon instead of dicking around with Igloo they should have invested in TiVo somehow as a TiVo box is essentially a MySky box for terrestrial. If you look at what the current US models have (including SIX tuners!!) they can take input from terrestrial, satellite and cable plus a slot for pay TV cards. A bit of OS software modification to localise it to the NZ market and would be sweet.

I love my TiVo, yes the NZ model 3 is now 7 years old but shows no sign of age or slowing down and a user interface that still runs circles around any current set top box competitor. Although I'd be really hesitant about Sky being involved at least it could give some security.

The tivo is still a good device, and the new models in the US show how we are missing out on the newer hardware.But in NZ it is limited to freeview which isn't great these days.
But I think the big problem with tivo, was the lack of competition in the NZ market at the time, and the way it was marketed and sold by an ISP, instead of a big box retailer. The tivo also competed against skys own Mysky box, and TVNZ was working with sky on displaying TVNZ channels exclusively on sky. I recall it was ages before sky allowed Prime to be on the Tivo EPG.

Igloo failed partly because the hardware was poor and laggy, and didn't have any recording capabilities. It should have become a box for their Neon and sky sport ondemand service, as well as freeview. But now you can use apps instead of needing a box.

wazzageek

1095 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 108

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1588390 8-Jul-2016 15:55

mattwnz:

I think they will likely only look at it if a number of people complain about it, and they have limited resources. I think it is best for people to go back to the retailer and ask for a solution or refund. A freeview box without an EPG isn't what people purchased. Maybe the retailer will switch the box out for another UHF freeview box. I mean there can't be much demand for standalone boxes these days anyway, as they are only really needed for older TVs that don't have freeview built in. The annoying thing is that I got my parents to get one because I thought it was a better solution than a Freeview box, and as it was owned by Sky, I thought they would supported it for a long time. I recall they delayed introducing the box because of hardware or software problems, and the box they ended up releasing wasn't good, as it froze and was laggy.

It would be interesting to hear if the outcome of this was something like a replacement box - Any chance of sideloading an alternative Pace Firmware to turn it into a stock Freeview box, I wonder?

I guess it would come down to how recently one purchased the box, along with what a "reasonable length of time" for providing the EPG would be.

Edit: Assuming it's a Pace box under the hood ...

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 136

#1588395 8-Jul-2016 16:06

wazzageek:

We have Igloo - I'll watch history / nat geo from time to time, and SWMBO likes it.

Having said that, the set top box is pretty rubbish - slow to change the channels, the guide being hit and miss to if it shows what's on.

PPV sports is only good if you only request one PPV event a year, otherwise Fanpass is generally a better proposition.

Can't say I'll be upset to see it go ...

Igloo doesn't have the History Channel which is why I never subscribed. Not surprised to see it go. More surprised it's lasted as long as it has.

It may have lasted longer with a better channel lineup. Their Business Model seemed doomed from the start to me.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4