Vodafone TV [UFB] - technical details?

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › Vodafone TV [UFB] - technical details?

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 95
Inactive user

#143491 16-Apr-2014 18:04

Hello

I'm interested in finding out about the technical details of the Vodafone UFB TV offering. Streaming technology, comparitive bitrates (compared with Freeview HD and/or Sky native), decoder/recorder/set-top-box choice, encryption, on demand movie ordering technology etc.

Basically I'm trying to gauge how "locked in" to Vodafone hardware (router/switch, set top box) I would be, and what advantages (aside from the extra channels) the solution would have over a standard Freeview HD or Sky install.

I expect I've missed this somewhere but currently can't find anything beyond channel lists, EPG etc. on Vodafone's website or these forums.

Can anybody point me in the right direction?

Regards and thanks,
mm

1 | 2 | 3

3009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 379

ID Verified

Trusted

#1026355 16-Apr-2014 18:09

Completely locked in. You must use the Vodafone supplied hardware (DVR and Router)

Sky SD channels and HD are sourced direct so higher bitrate than via Satellite.

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."

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2153
Inactive user

#1026356 16-Apr-2014 18:18

Completely uncompressed HD, As Grant said completely locked down and has a very high bitrate.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 95
Inactive user

#1026357 16-Apr-2014 18:22

ZollyMonsta: Completely locked in.

Well that's unfortunate. Not going to be a suitable option for me then.

ZollyMonsta: Sky SD channels and HD are sourced direct so higher bitrate than via Satellite.

Really unfortunate. I thought I might have read that somewhere. I was also fortunate enough to be given a quick tour of some of the facilities at the Tardis in Seaview, so could have been mentioned then. A great selling point if you ask me... but no mention on the website?

Lorenceo

904 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 336

Trusted

#1026380 16-Apr-2014 19:13

TimA: Completely uncompressed HD, As Grant said completely locked down and has a very high bitrate.

Completely uncompressed? Are Vodafone multicasting giagbits per second to each fibre node? Surely it's H.264 or MPEG of some description?
Speaking of multicasting, didn't someone post here very recently saying they got their Vodafone IPTV to work by enabling multicast routing on their router?
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=143367

insane

3324 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1006

ID Verified

Trusted

2degrees

Subscriber

#1026386 16-Apr-2014 19:21

Multicast is not broadcast, they don't send streams where they are not requested. The worst case scenario would be 24mbps x number of different channels being watched at once per edge device.

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1528

#1026388 16-Apr-2014 19:26

TimA: Completely uncompressed HD, As Grant said completely locked down and has a very high bitrate.

completely uncompressed? what bitrate is that?

Can't see the measly 320GB Hard drive being much use if the bitrate sits at 20+Mbps

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1026389 16-Apr-2014 19:28

It's H.264 compression using multicast over UFB.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 95
Inactive user

#1026405 16-Apr-2014 19:35

sbiddle: It's H.264 compression using multicast over UFB.

What makes it not possible to use other hardware?
I assume the Sky channels are encrypted, but the Freeview ones...?
I also found the Asus router thread now, and the comments there make it seem like other hardware can work, but Vodafone don't want to support those configurations... which is fair enough. For the technically literate it would be helpful to have the bare technical truth somewhere even if not supported.

DjShadow

4222 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1322

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1026414 16-Apr-2014 19:53

Slightly OT but the only thing I'd like to know is when will we see Vodafone TV offered in more regions?

ZollyMonsta

3009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 379

ID Verified

Trusted

#1026422 16-Apr-2014 20:05

DjShadow: Slightly OT but the only thing I'd like to know is when will we see Vodafone TV offered in more regions?

Wheels are in motion... But no time frames yet that I'm aware of... :)

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."

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2153
Inactive user

#1026428 16-Apr-2014 20:38

NonprayingMantis:
TimA: Completely uncompressed HD, As Grant said completely locked down and has a very high bitrate.

completely uncompressed? what bitrate is that?

Can't see the measly 320GB Hard drive being much use if the bitrate sits at 20+Mbps

In terms of not compressed i was meaning that it is delivered to us in its form it gets to you. So we are not further compressing like they do over Satellite.

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.

FelixW

36 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 4

#1027766 19-Apr-2014 16:01

ZollyMonsta:
DjShadow: Slightly OT but the only thing I'd like to know is when will we see Vodafone TV offered in more regions?

Wheels are in motion... But no time frames yet that I'm aware of... :)

How about sky arena events? the only thing stopping me from switching from sky

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2153
Inactive user

#1027768 19-Apr-2014 16:08

FelixW:
ZollyMonsta:
DjShadow: Slightly OT but the only thing I'd like to know is when will we see Vodafone TV offered in more regions?

Wheels are in motion... But no time frames yet that I'm aware of... :)

How about sky arena events? the only thing stopping me from switching from sky

I never thought about those. I am pretty sure its specific to SKY? But dont take my word for it.

*Edit, I forgot to say. If you want digital TV through VF and live in Auckland over UFB you can only have VF TV.

DjShadow

4222 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1322

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#1027792 19-Apr-2014 17:11

Looks like you can book Sky Arena on Vodafone TV: http://www.vodafone.co.nz/more-sky/

ZollyMonsta

3009 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 379

ID Verified

Trusted

#1027793 19-Apr-2014 17:12

FelixW:
ZollyMonsta:
DjShadow: Slightly OT but the only thing I'd like to know is when will we see Vodafone TV offered in more regions?

Wheels are in motion... But no time frames yet that I'm aware of... :)

How about sky arena events? the only thing stopping me from switching from sky

No Arena PPV events yet. In another few months...

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."

1 | 2 | 3