Vodafone TV - new Gen2 box

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#2325687 27-Sep-2019 08:06

ABNZ86:

Linux:

ABNZ86:

ttaotua: Thanks and oh darn, I was hoping TWH would sell the cheaper.

Will a Gen 1 VTV box with update also work with other ISP's? Or is the Gen 2 box the only one that works with ISP's other than Vodafone?
Could be a cheaper option.

Cheers

@ABNZ86 Quote from Vodafone NZ community

Both Gen1 and Gen2 boxes will work on any ISP in NZ. However you must pay for your Gen1 service as an add-on to a Vodafone broadband plan currently: effectively meaning that you wouldn't run Gen1 on another broadband provider (unless it's been gifted to you by a Vodafone broadband customer)

Thanks, what about a purchased secondhand gen1 box. I see a couple for sale on trade me.

@ABNZ86 Why would you buy Gen1 when Gen2 is out and will 100% do what you want on any ISP?

Just makes no sense!

ABNZ86

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#2325689 27-Sep-2019 08:13

Linux:

Why would you buy Gen1 when Gen2 is out and will 100% do what you want on any ISP

Because ttaotua was hoping for a cheaper option.

If you can get a gen1 for half the price of a gen2, can accept no wifi and it does the same thing as the new model, why wouldn't you?

cyril7

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#2325690 27-Sep-2019 08:13

Are not the Gen1 units part of your contract and belong to Voda, just like the T-Box's, so those pawned on Trade Me might not be legal sales

Cyril

ABNZ86

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#2325692 27-Sep-2019 08:16

cyril7:

Are not the Gen1 units part of your contract and belong to Voda, just like the T-Box's, so those pawned on Trade Me might not be legal sales

Cyril

If so, that would be a good reason not to.

sittingduckz

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#2325696 27-Sep-2019 08:31

ABNZ86:

cyril7:

Are not the Gen1 units part of your contract and belong to Voda, just like the T-Box's, so those pawned on Trade Me might not be legal sales

Cyril

If so, that would be a good reason not to.

@sansom, What's Vodafones view on this?

I'm not a complete idiot, I still have some parts missing.

sansom

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#2325711 27-Sep-2019 09:01

sittingduckz:

ABNZ86:

cyril7:

Are not the Gen1 units part of your contract and belong to Voda, just like the T-Box's, so those pawned on Trade Me might not be legal sales

Cyril

If so, that would be a good reason not to.

@sansom, What's Vodafones view on this?

Hi, @cyril7 is correct. Gen1 units are supplied as an add-on to Vodafone broadband plans, and ownership/title remains with Vodafone. Only Gen2 units are sold outright.

Hamish

Aaron2222

216 posts

Master Geek

#2325734 27-Sep-2019 09:32

sansom:

Aaron2222:

Got one yesterday. Reasonably happy with it so far. A few issues, but it's looking like it's going to be a good option.

Aside from the lack of HDMI-CEC and previews while fast-forwarding/rewinding (which are meant to be coming soon), a few issues i found were:

The TV Guide shows the last 3 days for selecting programs for catch up, but programs from the earliest day shown that have had their catch up expire (so shown just over 3 days ago) still have the catch up symbol shown on them.
The symbols for catch up and restart from beginning are inconsistent with the symbols shown on the channel list and features on the help page on Vodafone's website.
The channel list and features is out of date (e.g. Parliament TV is shown to not support catch up or recording, but does)
The TV Guide doesn't show whether a program that hasn't aired yet will be available for catch up, only if it can be recorded.
While Sky channels can be hidden in settings, this doesn't hide the programs and episodes only on Sky from the search and program episode listing.
After searching for a program using search, it's hard to then record it (due to all the Sky only episodes, have to find one on the channel you want to record) or find by what's actually available for catch up (as it puts you at the most recent episode, even if it's not on for a week).
There's noticeable delays in some of the interactions (e.g. when selecting things).
The device name for pushing a YouTube video to the app on the Vodafone TV from the YouTube site is long and not user-friendly (ideally you should be able to set a friendly name for each device and that would be what's shown from the cast menu).
The number keys on the remote don't work for typing from within apps.
The keyboards (in the menus as well as apps) seem fixed in an ABC layout, with no option for QWERTY.
The main issue however is the limitations on what can be recorded. Obviously not Vodafone's fault, and actually not that big an issue as most content on TVNZ 1 and 2, Three and Prime is available for catch up (the 3 day rewind). Oddly though, Prime News, The AM Show, NewsHub and The Project aren't available for catch up, but The AM Show, NewsHub and The Project are recordable. But hopefully the amount of non-recordable content should decrease as time goes on as licencing is sorted out. Also, I did see a couple of issues regarding the programming data from the broadcasters. One show had a new season shown as a separate program (the title had "NEW: " added to the beginning of the title). Another had the beginning of the episode chopped off due to an entry for filler content, with the episode starting during the entry for filler content.

Overall though, so far it seems to be quite good.

Thanks @Aaron2222, great feedback. It's good to see that most of those are quite fixable details which we'll get onto. The one that worries me is that "there's noticeable delays in some of the interactions (e.g. when selecting things)." - this isn't the normal experience. Can you please let me know what ISP you're using?

When selecting a program from the TV Guide, there's quite a significant delay between pressing enter and the info screen for that program appearing. Most things are fairly instant though. ISP is Spark.

How does the system group the same program on different channels together and how is the amount of padding before and after a program (for catch up and recording) determined?

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eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
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#2325742 27-Sep-2019 09:42

sansom:

eracode:

sansom:

eracode:

I have followed this thread with great interest and would be grateful for a couple of points of clarification:

1. I understand that VTV streams FTA TV (TVNZ, Three, etc) simply and directly - whereas the Dish Freeview A2 machine streams a Freeview version of those. Is that correct and, if so, what are the practical and effective differences between these two approaches IRL?

2. You can subscribe to Sky via VTV and need to have Basic before adding Movies or Sport packages etc - in the normal way - but can you add Sky Sport Now i.e. without needing Basic?

Apologies if these have already been specifically addressed.

Hi, for 1. correct, we use our own encoders and CDN to code and distribute the unicast streams for all freeview & Sky linear channels on our own network with increased peering to the other ISPs. @olof may be able to comment more on the differences.

2. We have implemented 1-to-1 pass through of Sky's monthly subscription plans. So you need to buy their Sky Starter ($25.99/mth) plan before adding Movies, Sport etc. However, there's no minimum contract term, just 1 month minimum.

@sansom

Thanks Hamish.

i understand how Sky Basic etc works on VTV. My question was: Can Sky Sport Now, which does not require Basic, be subscribed for and watched on VTV.

https://www.skysportnow.co.nz/packages?type=0&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi4SFqJfu5AIVRCUrCh2fvwdNEAAYASAAEgJHq_D_BwE#packagesSection

No sorry, Sky Sport Now not available on VTV.

That’s a real pity. Was reading earlier in this thread that you can put Sky Sport Now on the Dish Freeview recorder box.

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

huffboy

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#2325759 27-Sep-2019 10:01

ttaotua:
JPNZ:

Did anyone else with VTV get an email today offering 4 months free lightbox? Thought it was strange being a Spark product and not Neon like I have had offered for free before.

Just got TWH mailer and they have a Lightbox and Neon launch offer worth $90. Offer ends 31.12.19.

Is there any code or link for this? interested but I don't have a mailer.

sittingduckz

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#2325763 27-Sep-2019 10:05

huffboy:

ttaotua:
JPNZ:

Did anyone else with VTV get an email today offering 4 months free lightbox? Thought it was strange being a Spark product and not Neon like I have had offered for free before.

Just got TWH mailer and they have a Lightbox and Neon launch offer worth $90. Offer ends 31.12.19.

Is there any code or link for this? interested but I don't have a mailer.

This offer for Lightbox and Neon is in the box (Via voucher code). Bought my from VF and it had these.

On a funny note: I received the notification email from VF saying it was on it way and I should have it in the next 2 days about 10 minutes after it was delivered... obviously by Marty McFly Express Courier Service

I'm not a complete idiot, I still have some parts missing.

huffboy

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#2325779 27-Sep-2019 10:39

sittingduckz:

huffboy:

ttaotua:
JPNZ:

Did anyone else with VTV get an email today offering 4 months free lightbox? Thought it was strange being a Spark product and not Neon like I have had offered for free before.

Just got TWH mailer and they have a Lightbox and Neon launch offer worth $90. Offer ends 31.12.19.

Is there any code or link for this? interested but I don't have a mailer.

This offer for Lightbox and Neon is in the box (Via voucher code). Bought my from VF and it had these.

On a funny note: I received the notification email from VF saying it was on it way and I should have it in the next 2 days about 10 minutes after it was delivered... obviously by Marty McFly Express Courier Service

Ah got it! Thanks!

ABNZ86

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2325826 27-Sep-2019 10:50

sittingduckz:

huffboy:

ttaotua:
JPNZ:

Did anyone else with VTV get an email today offering 4 months free lightbox? Thought it was strange being a Spark product and not Neon like I have had offered for free before.

Just got TWH mailer and they have a Lightbox and Neon launch offer worth $90. Offer ends 31.12.19.

Is there any code or link for this? interested but I don't have a mailer.

This offer for Lightbox and Neon is in the box (Via voucher code). Bought my from VF and it had these.

On a funny note: I received the notification email from VF saying it was on it way and I should have it in the next 2 days about 10 minutes after it was delivered... obviously by Marty McFly Express Courier Service

What are the offers?

sittingduckz

680 posts

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#2325827 27-Sep-2019 10:51

ABNZ86:

What are the offers?

Lightbox - 4 months free

Neon - 3 months free

I'm not a complete idiot, I still have some parts missing.

elmesg

18 posts

Geek

#2325848 27-Sep-2019 11:31

Looking forward to the 5.1 appearing on my Gen1 box - am I right in interpreting that this will only come in an update after the RWC, or is the update for the Gen1 box already done (I'm not at home to check)

Also, has Vodafone done any work with Logitech to get these devices added to the Harmony universal remote database? I've manually done the IR code learning thing and it works OK, but it'd be nice to have an officially supported device in Harmony.

Thx.

PS @olof - nice to see your name pop up!

markkellaway

15 posts

Geek

#2325967 27-Sep-2019 13:08

elmesg:

Looking forward to the 5.1 appearing on my Gen1 box - am I right in interpreting that this will only come in an update after the RWC, or is the update for the Gen1 box already done (I'm not at home to check)

Also, has Vodafone done any work with Logitech to get these devices added to the Harmony universal remote database? I've manually done the IR code learning thing and it works OK, but it'd be nice to have an officially supported device in Harmony.

Thx.

PS @olof - nice to see your name pop up!

Interesting, I was expecting just visual FF and rewind in the update, I thought 5.1 was already there in V1?

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