Vodafone TV retirement plan: September 2022

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177 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 36

#2952247 8-Aug-2022 19:40

PolicyGuy:

mclean:
You'd think Sky could give us a hint on what their new box will do, before we all go off and make other arrangements to cover off what we think it won't do. Things like YouTube, Free to Air, Spark Sport, etc. In case it's none of the above, a lot of us could be organising an Apple TV or similar. After which we might review whether we want/need the full Sky service anyway.

Maybe Sky don't know / haven't decided?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's an intense unresolved internal debate at Sky about precisely what configuration(s) at precisely what price point(s) they'll offer.
Can and will any local storage be offered? If so, would it be, e.g. an SD card or M2-type SSD? In the base or in a 'Premium' offer? In every box but only turned on if the right software is loaded?
What features would be in the base software load? YouTube, NZ FTA channels? Browser and/or app based? What 'Premium' features could be offered, for how much?
What connectivity options would be turned on in base and 'Premium' configurations? HDMI? USB-C? WLAN? Wired Ethernet?
All at once at initial launch or 'Premium' first & 'Economy' later, or 'Standard' first and 'Premium' later?
What'll we call it for marketing purposes?

Almost all this stuff is software-configurable so doesn't actually have to be decided until the last minute

A lot of technical questions that may or may not be answered this year. I guess the point is that Sky has been working on an Internet-based box/service for some time to augment their satellite-based service (and it doesn't yet fully exist as a marketable product or brochure ware), the Vodafone service expiry gives them an opportunity to keep those users who subscribed to Sky on the Vodafone box and who don't have dishes who will probably be lost as customers if the Voda service closes. The initial focus when the Sky box launches will be on Sky subscribers, I don't know if the Sky box will appeal or be offered to non-Sky subscribers, it may depend on what features it offers at what price.

FineWine

3115 posts

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Nurse (R)

Lifetime subscriber

#2954187 13-Aug-2022 12:26

Here is Consumer NZ take on this: VodafoneTV shuts down next month: what are the alternatives?

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

Ulairi

39 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 13

ID Verified

#2954214 13-Aug-2022 14:31

The switch-off is now delayed by one month. Now the end of October: Vodafone-agrees-to-delay-switching-off-VTV-to-assist-Sky

dbatten

19 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#2957245 21-Aug-2022 12:15

So @Sanson was correct, not that I didn’t believe him but a succession of tech writers who should have known better either confirmed SKY linear channels were to be available via IP

à la VTV or glossed over the issue because they didn’t either know or didn’t bother to ask.

It galls me to go back to Sky. I left them because I got sick of being charged to get HD content on my then spanking new Pana Plasma TV and even last year subscribing to Sky sports via VTV saw most of the extra Olympics channels not even in HD. Even continued harping to get premium Rialto in HD via VTV took months of lobbying!

VTV was unable or unwilling to get Sky to negotiate updated improvement in DRM rights application so more progs could be stored in the cloud for 3 day rewind or for access rather than recorded to a PVR. VTV has also been at the mercy of Sky and their ability (or not) to upload content correctly so you could view, for example, all the eps of Succession or White Lotus instead of just some of them. Once again weeks of lobbying was needed to correct.

VTV get zero points for turning their backs on the VTV European customer experience as the premium aggregated content supplier over IP and DVB-S / terrestrial. While the merger between them and Sky didn’t proceed and the influence of a corporate banker more interested in squeezing the most out of core business was inevitable, a relationship between Sky and VTV creating a market leading experience and weaning trad Sky customers off their dishes and clunky old MySkys where possible is now but a pipe dream.

Instead we will be offered a yucky white box which is just a miniaturised MySky with App streaming capability, a fancy remote and revisiting a free dish installation. So old news and again, smacks of Sky’s lack of foresight, investment in what is now mainstream tech that the rest of the enlightened world gets to experience.

Rushmere

359 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 188

#2957249 21-Aug-2022 12:27

I just wish Sky had purchased VTV and used that as the basis for their new platform.

Maybe it wasn't an option that was open to them, but it's a shame.

I'm also disappointed with the way it's going, with apparently no option to get a simple streaming service for all Sky programming with pause, rewind and record capability - unless you also get a satellite dish.

After many years of being a Sky customer (directly and then via Vodafone), I'm now seriously considering other (less comprehensive) options.

Tatou

244 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 58

#2957251 21-Aug-2022 12:36

I am in the same boat of having to reconsider whether to continue with the Sky channels or just go streaming( Netflix etc) on an Android box.

Sadly the house we bought four years ago had a Sky dish with coax cabling to many rooms. I removed them all as we had VTV which was far superior (and of course we could get the Sky channels) and rewired the house with ethernet cables.

I too had hoped for a VTV like box and NO satellite dish. Talk about back to the past...

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Rushmere

359 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 188

#2957253 21-Aug-2022 12:50

Tatou:

I am in the same boat of having to reconsider whether to continue with the Sky channels or just go streaming( Netflix etc) on an Android box.

Sadly the house we bought four years ago had a Sky dish with coax cabling to many rooms. I removed them all as we had VTV which was far superior (and of course we could get the Sky channels) and rewired the house with ethernet cables.

I too had hoped for a VTV like box and NO satellite dish. Talk about back to the past...

I've actually got two rusty non-functioning old Sky dishes on the roof right now! The cabling has all been removed by previous owners.

I'm in the midst of a major home renovation project, with the house being totally reconfigured. The lounge will be moved into a new extension by next year, and the roof will be completely replaced. New cabling and a dish on the roof is a complication I can do without right now. It's not 1997 any more, streaming should be the primary new option for most people, not satellite dishes and yet more cables.

dbatten

19 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#2957259 21-Aug-2022 13:22

The other thing I will miss-on getting rid of the dish years ago we had CAT 6 wiring to 3 tvs around the house so with a 2k powered HDMI splitter and sim std HDMI cabling out of the VTV box plus 1 x HDMI to RF HD sender to 2x RF to HDMI HD receivers therefore 3 tvs receiving 1080p feeds and with a 2nd gen VTV box original line of sight remote for the lounge and Gen 2 remote for the rest of the house we have been able to watch and control content throughout the house albeit with a slight delay to the other rooms. What to do now? db

SteveC

stevec
489 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 95

Lifetime subscriber

#2957268 21-Aug-2022 14:03

@dbatten: ... What to do now? db

Wait for the next brave operator who tries to bring broadcast TV into the 21st century. Vodafone appears to have been defeated by DRM. There is a long history of entertainment rights owners stopping progress. Sky don't seem to be planning to move beyond the 20th century kaupapa. We might just have to wait ...

Apsattv

2453 posts

Uber Geek
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#2957377 21-Aug-2022 19:14

The U.S is currently moving to atsc3 nextgen for over the air. Interesting

Speedy885

182 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 25

#2960447 28-Aug-2022 12:36

SteveC:
@dbatten: ... What to do now? db

Wait for the next brave operator who tries to bring broadcast TV into the 21st century. Vodafone appears to have been defeated by DRM. There is a long history of entertainment rights owners stopping progress. Sky don't seem to be planning to move beyond the 20th century kaupapa. We might just have to wait ...

Dinosaurs Reigning (over) Media. Why are Companies still bending over for them? Its completely ridiculous in this day and age. I 100% support paying for Content and will do so if its something im interested in. Paramount+ and a couple others would be great to have without needing to jump through a few hoops before I can watch it. Im a paying Customer and trying to GIVE them Money, why is it not as good as a US Citizens? Also while not TV related, Licencing prevents me from legally acquiring FLAC from some Artists via legit online Stores. Only option for those is shitty MP3 while other parts of the world get to enjoy FLAC.

*edit for Grammar

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Rickles

3109 posts

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#2961446 31-Aug-2022 09:43

FWIW, yesterday I disconnected the Vodafone TV device at my daughter's house, and plugged in a DishTV SmartVu A7070.

Worked like a charm and ideal replacement unit with added benefit of adding Apps as one likes. PBTech even had it on special 😁

Eva888

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#2961461 31-Aug-2022 10:03

Rickles:
FWIW, yesterday I disconnected the Vodafone TV device at my daughter's house, and plugged in a DishTV SmartVu A7070.

Worked like a charm and ideal replacement unit with added benefit of adding Apps as one likes. PBTech even had it on special 😁

If it ever plays up and freezes like mine did from new, change the batteries in the remote. Mine drove me nuts with all sorts of weird glitches until I figured this out. Now I love it and have bought a second one.

Fog

378 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 30

#2961465 31-Aug-2022 10:10

Eva888:
Rickles:

FWIW, yesterday I disconnected the Vodafone TV device at my daughter's house, and plugged in a DishTV SmartVu A7070.

Worked like a charm and ideal replacement unit with added benefit of adding Apps as one likes. PBTech even had it on special 😁

If it ever plays up and freezes like mine did from new, change the batteries in the remote. Mine drove me nuts with all sorts of weird glitches until I figured this out. Now I love it and have bought a second one.

Does this unit replace the VTV.? I want to be able to record but I really don't want a Dish.

konfusd

216 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 131

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Lifetime subscriber

#2961468 31-Aug-2022 10:23

Fog:
Does this unit replace the VTV.? I want to be able to record but I really don't want a Dish.

I’m in the same boat. As far as I can tell, there’s no device (currently on the market at least) that will stream Freeview AND record out of the box.
My current solution is using xTeVe to proxy publicly available streams into Plex, but it’s definitely DIY and not really set and forget. Not to mention the extra hardware cost / LAN requirements / Plex Pass cost etc.

I volunteer my time on here, and all opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.

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