Free to air TV set to cost $700

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lchiu7

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Topic # 12341 12-Mar-2007 19:35

Article on stuff

http://stuff.co.nz/3990072a28.html

A bit misleading since they then to go on to say the STB will be $300 so maybe $700 includes the dish or a typo?

Also some interesting comments about those with Sky boxes being able to access some of the content (presumably the current FTA channels) and/or splitting the signal from the dish into a Freeview STB to get other channels.

The Freeview STB are certified for what that is worth. Presumably it means it can get teletext and receive EPG information. But I wonder what the current lot of DVB-S boxes that are out there? Will they be able to view all the Freeview channels (putting aside the additional features?)

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sbiddle

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Reply # 63505 12-Mar-2007 21:18

The $700 was $300 for the STB and $400 for the dish install.

But professional installers say an estimate provided by Mr Maharey in June that dishes would cost $150-$200 including installation is similarly out of line and that the price for professionally installing good quality equipment will be about $400.

I'd expect a dish made of gold for a $400 install and would predict that anybody trying to charge that much won't be in business long..

richms

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Reply # 63511 12-Mar-2007 23:56

Once this carry on with only 2 companies being able to use the brand goes away, I expect we will see ones branded zone and homechoice or whatever being sold in countdown alongside the $50 dvd players and $50 stereos and $10 toasters.

Then things will get interesting.

That hills box isn't worth 1/3rd of what they are asking IMO.

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Reply # 63521 13-Mar-2007 06:18

richms: Once this carry on with only 2 companies being able to use the brand goes away, I expect we will see ones branded zone and homechoice or whatever being sold in countdown alongside the $50 dvd players and $50 stereos and $10 toasters.

Then things will get interesting.

That hills box isn't worth 1/3rd of what they are asking IMO.

Agreed. I think questions should be asked to Mr Maharey as to why a single supplier has been given a 1yr exclusive deal so that early adopters can be milked by a monopoly.

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Reply # 63528 13-Mar-2007 08:28

I still struggle to see why I would want yet another box and another sat dish. I already pay for Sky and now I am expected to fork out up to $700 for a crap 'free to air' TV service.

BTW - I have seen set to boxes at Target in Oz for $120.

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Reply # 63534 13-Mar-2007 08:53

Jama: I still struggle to see why I would want yet another box and another sat dish. I already pay for Sky and now I am expected to fork out up to $700 for a crap 'free to air' TV service.

BTW - I have seen set to boxes at Target in Oz for $120.

If you already pay for Sky then Freeview isn't for you. There are a lot of people in NZ however who don't subscribe to Sky and rely on FTA TV broadcasts.

The Australian STB's are DVB-T not SVB-S. DVB-T won't start in NZ until Feb 2008 and will also use MPEG-4 rather than the old MPEG-2 so most cheap STB's (like the $120 one) will be incompatible.

I think Freeview is a great concept. If you don't like it then don't use it, it's not like you're being force fed it and don't have a choice.

cyril7

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Reply # 63545 13-Mar-2007 10:06

You can buy DVB-S boxs here for around $100, they just wont support TVNZ's mheg-5 interactive and epg features. Other than that you will be able to watch programs on it just like certified ones.

Current retail cost of a 54-65cm dish is $50-$60, LNB, $40-$50, and mast $50-$70 (lots of mounting options thus variation). Tyical install will use around 20-30meters of cable at $1.20/meter, add in a couple of connectors and cable clamps and you have $170-$200 in parts.

Install time can range from 1-4hrs depending on whats involved and what the customer wants, so add another $50-$200 in time.

Then add a STB, $100 for basic DVB-S box, or as the article says $300 for a certed box.

Grand total can range from $270 through to $700.

Cyril

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Reply # 63546 13-Mar-2007 10:19

I wonder if the Freeview FTA set top box will decode multiple channels at once?

I agree there is no point to purchase freeview if you have sky or TelstraClear cable TV, but for people like my parents, it would be a pain in their back pocket if they had to buy one for their TV and another for their video.

To me this is the biggest advantage of TelstraClears Cable TV - one STB and cable splitter does the whole house abiet the FTA RF signal isnt quiet as sharp as the digital.

To me the biggest issue re Freeview that does not seem to have been discussed is, what is the reason for freeview given that there are currently two TV distributors in NZ and potential more if we can get really highspeed broadband?
Is it a legacy that TV transmission is free but basic telephone services are not?
After all the government isnt talking about putting in place its own telephone network cables to rival Telecom and Telstra (Not that its going to stop the Wellington City Council from spending $millions of my rate money trying)

Nety

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Reply # 63548 13-Mar-2007 10:27

I have an old sky dish on the roof which was there when we got the house. Guessing th LUN is dead or no good anyway but the dish looks ok. What is the deal as it is a sky dish. Can they get narky if you start replacing bits on it?

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cyril7

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Reply # 63550 13-Mar-2007 10:45

Neither of the two FreeView boxs have dual tuners/decoders, they say they will have a PVR out next year.

The reason for freeview is a good question. Canwest for example dont want to do it, as their is no monetary gain in it. However the rest of the world has moved to digital TV, it frees up heaps of bandwidth the the guvment intend to auction off and make a pretty sum out of. And thats about it. Ohh and it offers cystal clear pictures and CD quality sound (just quoting the blurb there).

Nety, the dish still belongs to Sky, but as it would cost them to come and remove it, dont be surprised if they dont give a damn. If the LNB is an old CalAmp one, then it could well be full of water and good for nothing. If its a Sharp one, even an older one then it should be fine.

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Reply # 63564 13-Mar-2007 12:39

how can i tell? is the photos of both somewhere?

steve98

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Reply # 63567 13-Mar-2007 12:52

I know that both TVNZ and Canwest have said they will be broadcasting in widescreen sometime after Freeview has launched, does anyone know whether they will also be broadcasting in widescreen over Sky TV or would it just be on Freeview? I've been hanging out for some widescreen content but don't really want to ditch Sky for it. Thanks!

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Reply # 64863 23-Mar-2007 20:23

With regard to teletext and EPG, I use a PC connected to my PC with a Technisat Skystar2 DVB-S card and the mediaportal PVR software and teletext and epg work flawlessly. They are all standards-based so I assume would work with the cheap non-certified STBs.

With regard to using a sky dish, our house came with a sky dish from the previous owner that has a 11.3GHz LNB and it is working fine with the aforementioned setup pulling the feeds from Optus D1.

sbiddle

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Reply # 64864 23-Mar-2007 21:21

steve98: I know that both TVNZ and Canwest have said they will be broadcasting in widescreen sometime after Freeview has launched, does anyone know whether they will also be broadcasting in widescreen over Sky TV or would it just be on Freeview? I've been hanging out for some widescreen content but don't really want to ditch Sky for it. Thanks!

This is a (as yet) unanswered question. I've still yet to see a definite response from Sky as to whether you'll be able to see the WS FTA feeds.