Now that the MySky PVR has been out for a while does anyone here have it, and if so how are they finding it ? (Specifically is it better than some of the other options available)
Had mine installed last Tuesday (20/12) was originally meant to be 13/12 but they had delays. Talking to the technician they only started installing them (in Wellington anyway) on the 19th. Was disappointing but not unexpected.
The launch of MySky was very timely for me because the HDD recorder (Hyundai brand) I had crapped out and couldn't be repaired so got a full refund, then a couple of weeks after that my VCR packed up also.
I'm suitably impressed with MySky. I think SkyTV have pretty much got it right. I'd had a read of the UK version, Sky+, manual and it looks like Sky NZ have left most of the good features in place with not that many modifications to the UI(not sure what was needed 'under the hood' to make it work with the local transmission stuff etc.). The compelling feature for me was ease of use, the wife and kids can use it easily, through the EPG integration. Just scan through the guide for whatever you want to record, push one button and it will do it, including alpha-tagging. Time-shifting etc. works a treat too and it's automatic. I was a bit paranoid that any fan-noise might be annoying but there isn't any that I've noticed, maybe it doesn't even have one, haven't had a close look, could be just heatsinks and vents.
It's got a bunch of outputs which means I can now watch Sky in three different rooms in the house, with a bit of help from the installation tech actually, who did a great job.
If you're the sort of person who likes to record and keep stuff than maybe this isn't for you (although you can connect another recording device), but if, like me, you only record something to watch it once and then discard it this is ideal. I had some doubts about forking out a lot of cash and not actually owning anything but then again the warranty never runs out and I'm not likely to be getting rid of Sky in the near future.
Thansk for the info. A couple of questions:
a) Does MySky support picture in picture? (as it has two tuners)
b) Why does it have two antenna outs? any explanation in the user guide?
c) Can you watch two different channels simletaneously through the two RF outputs?
1) no it does not have its own PIP, you can only ever watch one channel at a time, same as normial digital, the second decoder is just so you can record one channel while still being able to watch another (or record 2 at once while either watching one of them, a recorded programme, or normal uhf tv)
2) the 2 rf outputs are so you can view sky on more than one tv
3) no, the additional tv's you connect to the rf outputs will only be able to view what the main tv is viewing.
All in all i find it pretty good, its a lot faster and much easier to use! a good thing is you can record a programme even if you have been watching it for up to an hour (as long as you have stayed on that channel the whole time) you can just hit record and it records it from up to an hour before, handy if you have to go out or something and you want to record the whole programme!
For some reason on mine the volume and mute controls on the sky remote do nothing to the sound, but i think this is just how it was set up. Might have a look at changing it later.
Does anyone know why there have been delays in installing MySky in Christchurch?
I tried to get it for my in-laws when it first started, and they said:
"We'd like to say that we could install it by the end of January, but realistically it won't be until February".
Let's just say from that point on the "Get MySky installed now!" adverts on tv got me rather irritated.
So are you saying the EPG is much faster to use? I hope so, the one on more Motorola decoder is very slow.
Shame about the lack of PIP. Perhaps it is due to only being able to decode one channel at a time (I read somewhere that when recording, MySky records to the HD in encrypted form).
3g:
Yeah, I am in Chch and I ordered MySky in lat November. The earliest that they could install was 19th Jan. Must be some significant demand for it.
yes i mean about the EPG being faster, and also the time when switching between channels is faster (probably due tot the fact you have to enter every channel as a 3 digit number, ie TV2 would be 002 instead of just 2) but you get used to doing the three digit number pretty quickly.
the epg is got a new format too, there is still the screen to view every channel, but also it can be divided into categories to show for example just entertainment channels, sport, documentary, movies etc..
In response to the delay for chch installs, i live in chch and we had ours installed in the 21st of december (originally it was supposed to be the 14th i think but got put off for a week due to apparent troubles with getting the decoders into the country (at least thats wat sky told us). I think a big delay is that there are a lot of people getting it installed and for some it takes a good half day just to do one install, for example with ours we kept our old digital decoder and put it in a different room which meant more cables had to be run to the other room including a phone jack etc. and also some installers are really slack, the guy that did ours took about 2 or 3 coffee breaks and had quite a few smokes.. (the clown was even smoking while connecting cables outsuide right next to our GAS hot water unit!!! wat a clown)..
anyway they are just my views on why there might be such a delay.
its worth the wait tho, makes things so much easier. also if you can read the user manual while its being installed to save time lol. its a useful read to, especially to find out the full use of all the features.
I've had it installed since just before xmas and I think it's great.
Clear picture, easy to use controls, quick to change channels....etc....well worth the money.
Only problem was with the installation - the installer hooked up the mysky video scart output to the tv and the mysky tv scart output to the video....which caused me a bit of grief for a while as you cant change the volume on the video output!!!!! Worked out what he had done so sorted it out though - no biggy.
Oh yeah and my fiance has recorded shortland street a couple of times but it stops like a minute before the end - it may have a feature built in that wont let it record cr@p programs...haha
There seem to be a few software defects in it though, and I have already had my 1st one replaced...
1) Its not a big deal, but sometimes when you record two programs simletaneously, and the one of the recordings stop, then the record light goes out. Its just a visual thing.
2) However, while recording to channels and playing back SuperVolcano (timelapse) on Monday, the light went out, I stopped the playback, checked to see that the programs were still recording correctly (which they were). But somehow, SuperVolcano got corrupted and I was no longer able to play it back. Bummer. I will never know how it ended... (I guessing it wrupted).
The Sky guy was unable to recover the recording, so they just swapped over the decoder.
I was surprised when the salesman told me you could record off to another external storage. I didn't buy it but does anyone know what format these files are in, i.e. can you then play them on other devices, or does the external storage have to be read by the MySky?
If they can then be read by other devices it would be like the MySky service is allowing you to download and own movies etc. to watch and distribute freely, which in this day and age of DRM seems amazing.
> I was surprised when the salesman told me you could record off to another external storage. I didn't buy it but does anyone know what format these files are in, i.e. can you then play them on other devices, or does the external storage have to be read by the MySky?
You can - the format is called VCR. :-)
No you can't pull the recordings off. I believe that they kept in the encrypted format that they are in when receieved off satelite. They only get decrypted when you view them real time....
MySky is really still pretty flawed and buggy. It's about what the US got in 1999 when TiVo came along. Nothing like what today's technology should be like.
Aloha: Well I dont have, but I find it ridiculous that you pay 599NZD for something what you dont own!
Do you find it ridiculous that people pay rent for a place to live when they don't own the house? That people rent furniture, applicances, etc? That businesses lease vehicles, equipment, computers?
There are advantages to renting/leasing/hiring. If anything goes wrong with the device, it's up to Sky to fix it. If the device is upgraded, then you should be able to get a new version without cost. And so on.
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