[TelstraClear] Review of the TelstraClear PVR Beta

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] Review of the TelstraClear PVR Beta

1 | 2

ZiglioNZ

194 posts

Master Geek

#375454 1-Sep-2010 19:51

cyril7:
Uh, ok, so: does it work off a lan port from a router?

The current and seemingly ongoing TCL mess requires that you have a Broadband modem on their HFC network that directly connects to the STB via the LAN port and supplies EPG info. This connection is not related to your normal broadband via HFC cable and operates on a seperate carrier and VLAN on the Telstra HFC network, basically its all a nasty cludge.

So what other things TCL can put on this connection I have no idea, currently it only provides EPG data to the SD STB's, so at the current point all I can say is you cannot do anything with the LAN port its tied to a seperate VLAN to provide data from servers you have no access to (but the STB does) so what extras it can provide are privey to TCL, I suggest you call their help line and ask a CSR and see how far you get, take some pills or a strong drink beforehand, it will help.

Cyril

Absolutely not worth it. They just want to keep reinforcing their walled garden.
Look at the US, with lots of on-demand providers. Even blockbuster is closing down.
The way to go is separation between carriers and content providers.
When everyone else does, what will TC do?
I'll wait for the Android TV and see if it'll be as succesful as Android for mobile.

hatchi

65 posts

Master Geek

#375504 1-Sep-2010 21:31

Apple are rumoured to be announcing something in about 7 hours NZ about their Services

Davos

85 posts

Master Geek

#375560 2-Sep-2010 07:48

The box has two lan ports. One for connection to the private vlan to receive EPG data and I believe decryption entitlements for the Verimatrix system. The new boxes do not use Irdeto.

The other LAN port is disabled, presumably reserved for future use.

It has USB ports but they're disabled as well.

Kezzainc

97 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#375959 2-Sep-2010 20:09

... I'm pleased someone else cracked this can open.

My thoughts with the t-box are very positive. Well done guys. I live and breath this stuff in my everyday life, so I'm hard to please. The first thing one will notice is the high res, pretty GUI. Full credit, simple but so much better than Sky's. Its still got speed as its main issue but that is well reported and it will come. Myself I've never had a corrupt recording. In most cases I find if I pause live tv for just a few moments to get into the buffer, it looks better with my LCD and its artifacting problems with scaling. This is huge...

It must be noted, with no hesitation this is the best quality picture I've seen on paid tv in NZ. Its great. It does come out of the box with a lot of contrast but easily managed. 1080i but it sounds the box is ok for Progressive.

Thanks Telstra for the great box but please keep up the work even after release with more downloadable content etc. It just a nice PVR with just sky's channels. It does needs a X factor added ... using that sitting duck network you have ! ;-)

Highly recommended everybody !

sub

358 posts

Ultimate Geek

#376068 3-Sep-2010 05:41

Kezzainc:
Its still got speed as its main issue but that is well reported and it will come.

I wouldnt be as optimistic on this front. This sort of thing is hard to improve. I suspect the CPU in the box is just too slow for the type UI technology they're using. Hopefully they'll be able to trim a little time of the channel changes though.

kruza

21 posts

Geek

#377017 5-Sep-2010 22:06

sub:
Kezzainc:
Its still got speed as its main issue but that is well reported and it will come.
I wouldnt be as optimistic on this front. This sort of thing is hard to improve. I suspect the CPU in the box is just too slow for the type UI technology they're using. Hopefully they'll be able to trim a little time of the channel changes though.

The speed doesn't seem to be too bad at all, if you key in 003 for channel 3 it changes fast but if you just press 3 it takes more time as I guess it has a wait period incase other keys are pressed.

All in all, I am very impressed with the box so far, the HD content is amazing.

Still a few bugs but hopefully these get ironed out before the release to the public.

lchiu7

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#377097 6-Sep-2010 12:21

What is the quality of the SD picture compared with what comes out of the Digital STB? That is pretty terrible and looks even worse when displayed on a HD set.

I am thinking of getting one but might still do recordin using GBPVR for SD stuff since it means I can watch the content on another device. I would have to do analogue capture from the composite or svideo port. I would retain gbpvr recording FreeviewHD as I do now but use the box to record HD content that is not on Freeview, like movies or Sports,

But it does mean another $15/month for the box and $10 or so for the HD plan.

I currently have a digital box and an analogue box. Presuming that this PVR replaces the digital STB I wonder if I could keep it for the spare room and return the analogue box (which costs $10/month IIRC) or would they charge me for a second digital STB, assuming the PVR was the first?

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Quinny

887 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#377273 6-Sep-2010 21:02

I think the SD picture looks better but would suggest you go into one of the stores and check for yourself.

As an aside the PVR/Plasma survived the quake fine however the room it was in was pretty trashed by falling bookshelves. I am however much luckier than many.

D1023319

524 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#377791 8-Sep-2010 10:32

Davos: The box has two lan ports. One for connection to the private vlan to receive EPG data and I believe decryption entitlements for the Verimatrix system. The new boxes do not use Irdeto.

The other LAN port is disabled, presumably reserved for future use.

It has USB ports but they're disabled as well.

Dont get me wrong - I'll probably get one of the box's but it looks like I will have to get a larger TV cabinet to accommodate all the propritory boxes I am accumulating.

I already use my sons Xbox as a media streamer from our PC at the far end of the house but its not ideal.

What I had really been hoping for was that the PVR Box would allow me to transfer recorded programs to DVD or PC, i.e. if my parents ring to say they forgotten to record a program and or slip in a USB stick.

lchiu7

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#377810 8-Sep-2010 11:24

Good point. The digital STB is quite small but the PVR looks larger. And I don't use the modem with my digital STB but apparently you need it for the PVR. So more gear to stuff into the cabinet and accommodat all the wiring.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

Kezzainc

97 posts

Master Geek

Trusted

#377999 8-Sep-2010 20:33

I happen to have telstra's normal STB sitting ontop of the PVR. Easy answer, yes its a lot better if you had the PVR running on composite. If one just wanted the box for the PVR side as no HD TV yet, it does look great through its SD component outputs on my 1080P LCD.

An update to my experience : Have not unplugged it for a week now. Stable. No corrupt recordings. The box gui is quite good, you find yourself where you need to be quite quickly. Very "Miss's" friendly so all good there too men ! I also have no problems at all with size of the STB, its the same size as my amp and the black front and with blue lights it sits quietly. The light flashes every time it receives a remote signal so nice touch with IR. Storage lasting OK if you dont go too crazy with it.

TwoSeven

1624 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#378986 12-Sep-2010 13:36

Out of interest, does the new PVR have UHF pass-through?

In other words, does it have an input and output for UHF like the old SD unit?

Software Engineer
(the practice of real science, engineering and management)
A.I. (Automation rebranded)
Gender Neutral
(a person who believes in equality and who does not believe in/use stereotypes. Examples such as gender, binary, nonbinary, male/female etc.)

...they/their/them...

chiefie

I iz your trusted friend
5877 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#379002 12-Sep-2010 14:04

If you're on Facebook, you can check out TelstraClear's Facebook page/photos.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=155161&id=104773219155

Internet is my backyard...

«Geekzone blog: Tech 'n Chips Takeaway» «Personal blog: And then...»

Please read the Geekzone's FUG

piranha

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#379566 14-Sep-2010 10:12

From DomPost/Stuff yesterday 13/9, "Mr Jackson says TelstraClear will begin selling its long-awaited personal video recorder in the next "two or three weeks", providing pay-TV cable network customers in Wellington and Christchurch with the same features provided by MySky. " That's TelstraClear consumer markets head Steve Jackson.

Keep the faith brothers - or am I the only one still hanging onto the liferaft?

twisted

46 posts

Geek

#379648 14-Sep-2010 13:11

No piranha - i am hanging on also. only just! Was just contemplating giving tcl a buzz to see where they're at with this.

1 | 2