[TelstraClear] TelstraClear T-BOX feature demo page

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258 posts

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#383738 23-Sep-2010 18:19

would be interesting to know if you could just replace the HD in the box yourself! why cant they allow upgrades of such a device! cant be nothing more than just a 2.5" HD....

chiefie

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#383974 24-Sep-2010 11:05

Got my T-Boxes booked in for tomorrow afternoon installation!!

I'm impressed by TelstraClear services today! Good on their Sales Team today to give me a callback to escalate my installation schedule for tomorrow.

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Behodar

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#383977 24-Sep-2010 11:11

According to this NBR article, it'll also be available over Crown Fibre once that's up and running. As an extension of that, I wonder whether some of the existing InHome broadband plans will be available over Crown Fibre too.

r2b2

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#383986 24-Sep-2010 11:26

chiefie: Got my T-Boxes booked in for tomorrow afternoon installation!!

I'm impressed by TelstraClear services today! Good on their Sales Team today to give me a callback to escalate my installation schedule for tomorrow.

How did you wing that? First opportunity they gave me was Tuesday afternoon...

ajkiwi

109 posts

Master Geek

#384000 24-Sep-2010 11:52

Hmm... hunted the site, can't find what channels do HD content. Anyone got the info? Trying to decide whether or not to go for it, and if so, whether to go HD...

Hey, where the hell is C4 2? I thought that would be in the lineup by now...

r2b2

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#384001 24-Sep-2010 11:54

ajkiwi: Hmm... hunted the site, can't find what channels do HD content. Anyone got the info? Trying to decide whether or not to go for it, and if so, whether to go HD....

It's kind of mentioned here in the small print - basically I think TV1/2/3 without the HD ticket and Movies/Sport with the HD ticket.

simcore

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#384023 24-Sep-2010 13:03

HomeMedia

-> Channel Line-up

Click on HD ticket to see what is in HD (same as Sky), also lists package prices for the different options.

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chiefie

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#384035 24-Sep-2010 13:30

r2b2:
chiefie: Got my T-Boxes booked in for tomorrow afternoon installation!!

I'm impressed by TelstraClear services today! Good on their Sales Team today to give me a callback to escalate my installation schedule for tomorrow.

How did you wing that? First opportunity they gave me was Tuesday afternoon...

I called up in the morning initially requested for 1 T-Box, so that was schedule for tomorrow afternoon. Then later decided to go for 2 T-Boxes and was told the earliest be next week. However, I expressed that initially it was for tomorrow and the sales person on the phone said she'll book in for Monday morning, and will try escalate its urgency to tomorrow and said she'll give me a callback if it is possible. Not too long later she called and confirming it is possible for tomorrow :-)

So am very happy and excited to see it is happening tomorrow.

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BigBadaboom

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#384051 24-Sep-2010 13:50

Had my T-Box installed this morning. Was quite a long process. It was the installer's first box and apparently for the provisioning guys as well. Was compounded by an apparently faulty first box (he had to swap for another) and an HDMI cable that unplugged itself (unnoticed by us). He was here for two hours! :)
I ordered it yesterday afternoon and got an install time of this afternoon, but he ended up arriving just before 10am.

Have only played with it for about an hour. Here are my first impressios:

- It does not use a card. So no taking your sports-enabled card round to your mate's place any more :(
- Still requires an external modem
- Has an extra network port and a front panel USB port which are currently unused. The book suggests internet streamed content will be available in the future.
- Channel change time is about 3.5secs
- I have noticed some sound issues. A couple of times when I have selected TV3, there has been no sound. Changing the channel and switching back seems to fix it.
- TV guide is only 7 days.

UI deficiencies:
- User interface is quite nice visually, but not 100% intuitive. Could do with some improvements on how it handles user input. It's a little clunky IMO.
- Arrow keys do not auto-repeat. So if you want to scroll through the guide, you need to use the page-up/down, day-forward/back buttons (or press the arrow a gazillion times)
- Responsiveness is not great. UI response time (eg up/down in the guide) is 1-2 seconds.
- There is no search option for the TV guide. So good luck finding that program you wanted to watch next week. :(
- Once you start a recording there seems to be no way to stop it mid way through. You can only delete it.
- The guide has no indication of which programs are in the past. You either have to go by the clock, or try selecting the program and see if you get the confusing "You can't record this program because it is in the past" error.
- Fast forward and back are disappointingly jumpy. You only see about two frames a second. Speeds are x4, x10 & x32.
- I was hoping there would be a category record (eg you record all rugby for example), but there isn't.

Overall, I'm not disappointed I got it. It's nice to finally have HD and have a nice way to record my cable programs. Hopefully most of the UI problems can be resolved in future software updates.

BarTender

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#384065 24-Sep-2010 14:15

Interesting review of the device

I was hoping there would be some point of difference from the T-BOX and MySky, but so far I am failing to see any real difference.

Initial thoughts I have from reading this thread.

$499 for the one off install yet TCL still owns the box, or pay the $15 extra per month.
Same channel lineup as TCL already offer apart from HD1/2/3 and Sky HD channels if you pay the HD Ticket (no Nat Geo or Nasa HD something cool like that).
No remote recording
No content in or out of the box.
And a small HDD to boot.

So how is this box any different to the MySky offering? Apart from the UI that is?

graemeh

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#384075 24-Sep-2010 14:31

BarTender: So how is this box any different to the MySky offering? Apart from the UI that is?

No chance of rain fade, just spade fade :(

It's hard to see TC doing anything better than Sky when they are just reselling sky content. Sky really has content pretty much sewn up in this country.

BarTender

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#384095 24-Sep-2010 15:05

graemeh:
BarTender: So how is this box any different to the MySky offering? Apart from the UI that is?

No chance of rain fade, just spade fade :(

It's hard to see TC doing anything better than Sky when they are just reselling sky content. Sky really has content pretty much sewn up in this country.

But TCL have a nice little array dishes out in Seaview, and there is some good FTA stuff some of which is HD available, then TCL could offer up some advantage over Sky. But perhaps they are not allowed to, but if that is the case how do they have Bloomberg TV.

ZollyMonsta

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#384103 24-Sep-2010 16:05

ajkiwi: Hmm... hunted the site, can't find what channels do HD content. ?Anyone got the info? ?Trying to decide whether or not to go for it, and if so, whether to go HD...

Hey, where the hell is C4 2? ?I thought that would be in the lineup by now...

C42 is Freeview only. You won't find it on Sky either.

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz - Now on iHeart Radio, TuneIn and Radio Garden

As per the usual std disclaimer.. "All thoughts typed here are my own."

chiefie

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#384170 24-Sep-2010 20:51

TCL has Discovery Travel and Living Channel which is exclusive to TCL and not on Sky...

Beside, for those who have triple-play service with TCL, it is easier to go with them for for paid TV services as well...

Hardware wise for T-Box, it is on par with MySkyHDi finally but it will also mean they can extend when 100Mbps service is up and running! Bandwidth is not TCL's problem.

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Morph

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Master Geek
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#384210 25-Sep-2010 02:05

Hey guys ,

Thought it was about time to register rather than viewing hehe..

The 2 biggest things that compare better with the T-Box rather than MySky are as follows:

T-Box has a 300 gig hdd recording 170 hours of normal def video
A custom built interface which means TCL can change +add as they see fit rather than using whats out there on the market.

I am sure you can guess I may work for TCL and i'm sure a few of you people have most likely talked to me on the phone :)

If you have registered then expect a phone call from us soon :)

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