Vodafone TV retirement plan: September 2022

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421 posts

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One NZ

#2829549 9-Dec-2021 15:36

DjShadow:

quickymart:

So...TV gone now too? What's left on the old cable network now? Internet only?

That is my understanding

Yes, I'm also leading the team doing the full upgrade of all HFC customer cable modems to DOCSIS 3.1. We're almost there, only about 50 to go. The benefit of shutting down the Tbox TV on that network was that we've been able to re-farm all the TV spectrum so that all the cable spectrum is available for carrying internet traffic.

We were hoping for a nice boost in our Sam Knows speed test results, but with a very small SamKnows sample size, and glitch between our Internet Border Gateway and the Wellington Internet Exchange (WIX) that affected some of the testers in Wellington, combined to mean the latest result actually got worse! It's all fixed now and we expect to see the speed boost from having a pure, internet only, DOCSIS 3.1 cable network come through in the next results.

Hamish

openmedia

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#2829551 9-Dec-2021 15:42

gustov:

The ability torecord and save broadcast TV in NZ is extremely limited now (I know Vodafone TV is not a recorder but I have a saved programme on it from more than nine months ago, so it is/was a quasi-recorder albeit in the cloud and not under your control).

There are now two brands of recorder only, in New Zealand.

There is Panasonic, but they have told me they are getting out of the market which is why they did not roll-out a TVNZ freeview upgrade last June when TVNZ left the Freeview group. If you want TVNZ on-demand, don't buy a Panasonic recorder as they don't have it installed, only Freeview.

There is DishTV. They were due to release a new model (one satellite, one terrestrial) to supersede the A2 before Christmas, but have had to delay this until 2022.

So for those you who prefer to record/save your NZ television and watch it when it suits you (knowing that not all programmes are made available in the streaming on-demand services), then the choices of recorder are very limited.

Or build a MythTV box - mine has been going a while and has 2 DVB-T tuners and 4 DVB-S(2) tuners, plus can record the IPTV based streams for most NZ channels as a backup.

Number of shows:
2489
Number of episodes:
22391
First recording:
Saturday February 4th, 2006
Last recording:
Wednesday December 8th, 2021
Total Running Time:
15 years 10 months 3 days 6 hrs 6 mins
Total Recorded:
2 years 22 days 23 hrs 31 mins

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

openmedia

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#2829553 9-Dec-2021 15:44

ukoda:

I brought 3 of these STBes a year ago and they have worked well. On the other hand I have found Freeview also works well with Kodi with the right addon. I would really like to see some firmware to reflash these as Linux or Android boxes to run a suitable Freeview app on, such as Kodi.

Will this have any effect on the Freeview streams at i.mjh.nz?

Most of those streams are official broadcaster streams and don't appear to be connected to Vodafone TV

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

sansom

421 posts

Ultimate Geek

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One NZ

#2829555 9-Dec-2021 15:45

Tatou:

Sad as I was very happy with current service including the Sky channels.

I suspect that I will be paying more for the same Sky content and other channels than I am currently paying with Vodafone

Vodafone HFC will have to be competitive with Fibre to keep me post the end of VTV.

The data, VTV and Sky channels all through one account was one factor keeping me with them (as well as the deal).

We are working closely with Sky to enable you to continue to watch Sky on the current VTV platform at the same cost after 1 March ... billed by Sky.

Sky will then work on options to move your Sky services to their new box when that's available.

As just posted, now that the HFC cable network in Wellington & Christchurch is purely internet-only DOCSIS3.1, this should be offering awesome performance for just $63/mth ($53 if you have a Vodafone pay monthly mobile).

Hamish

01EG

603 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2829558 9-Dec-2021 15:54

sansom:

Yes, I'm also leading the team doing the full upgrade of all HFC customer cable modems to DOCSIS 3.1. We're almost there, only about 50 to go.

Op-s-s-s-s, after 20 years with you I'm moving to Voyager fibre. :/

sansom

421 posts

Ultimate Geek

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One NZ

#2829559 9-Dec-2021 15:58

Rushmere:

mattwnz:

Can we go back to the retailer now to get a refund under the CGA?

I purchased one from 'The Market', who are the agent for Noel Leemings. But the invoice is from the market and all warranty stuff has to go through the market. So I can see that isn't going to be easy.

'The Market' isn't just an agent, it's part of the same company as Noel Leeming (they're all owned by The Warehouse Group), so that shouldn't cause any problem. Although you could technically go back to the retailer, it'll probably be easier to go via Vodafone, especially when the product is still working and will continue to do so until next September.

Vodafone will meet all its CGA obligations and support agreements with its retail partners (like The Warehouse Group). Full details and planning for people eligible for refunds is underway. This process will start in March/April 2022 and we will contact all customers who are eligible for a refund at that time.

Hamish

sansom

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One NZ

#2829564 9-Dec-2021 16:09

Dynamic:

Eva888: Question. Our VTV box which included Sky was given to replace the Tbox. It includes Freeview.
If I now call Vodafone and drop Sky, will the Freeview part continue to work until September?

Yes @Eva888 the box will keep working exactly as it does now until the end of September. I'll not be doing anything different for 6 months with my setup, and evaluate my options closer to shutdown time.

@Dynamic is correct. The only thing I would add is that those that keep their Sky packages running on VTV will definitely be offered options to move to Sky's new box next year, options that might not be available to the Freeview customers.

Hamish

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mentalinc

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#2829570 9-Dec-2021 16:35

Link for the lazy for some info on the new SKY Boxes

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126809788/sky-tv-gives-sneak-peek-of-new-settop-box-and-promises-loyalty-rewards

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Quic: https://account.quic.nz/refer/473833 R473833EQKIBX

MikeB4

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#2829581 9-Dec-2021 17:21

mentalinc:

Link for the lazy for some info on the new SKY Boxes

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126809788/sky-tv-gives-sneak-peek-of-new-settop-box-and-promises-loyalty-rewards

I hope they offer the box in black. White will look odd in our media shelf.

mclean

581 posts

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#2829584 9-Dec-2021 17:25

01EG: Is this model https://www.dishtv.co.nz/Refurbished?product_id=216 can be alternative to Vodafone TV? Looks to me it can stream the freeview TV?

Or this one https://freeviewnz.tv/stream-freeview/. Doesn't include full Sky, of course, but it does have Spark Sport.

ukoda

56 posts

Master Geek

#2829586 9-Dec-2021 17:34

mclean:

01EG: Is this model https://www.dishtv.co.nz/Refurbished?product_id=216 can be alternative to Vodafone TV? Looks to me it can stream the freeview TV?

Or this one https://freeviewnz.tv/stream-freeview/. Doesn't include full Sky, of course, but it does have Spark Sport.

I started with a VTV then brought one of those as it was cheaper that the VTV and what Freeview is promoting. Turns out it was basically useless. No Ethernet connection and was unreliable to the point I shelved it and purchased a couple more VTV.

For Freeview the VTV was good in that it was easy to set up and simply worked. With it's demise I would suggest finding a good Kodi box, I use Amazon Fire TVs for that, and then install the Freeview add on.

01EG

603 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2829589 9-Dec-2021 17:44

ukoda:

mclean:

Or this one https://freeviewnz.tv/stream-freeview/. Doesn't include full Sky, of course, but it does have Spark Sport.

I started with a VTV then brought one of those as it was cheaper that the VTV and what Freeview is promoting. Turns out it was basically useless. No Ethernet connection and was unreliable

Same here, except I sold mine. Will not recommend it.

mclean

581 posts

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Subscriber

#2829595 9-Dec-2021 18:02

ukoda: I started with a VTV then brought one of those as it was cheaper that the VTV and what Freeview is promoting. Turns out it was basically useless. No Ethernet connection and was unreliable to the point I shelved it and purchased a couple more VTV.

For Freeview the VTV was good in that it was easy to set up and simply worked. With it's demise I would suggest finding a good Kodi box, I use Amazon Fire TVs for that, and then install the Freeview add on.

No ethernet, no way! Thanks for the tip. If the Sky box could manage Spark Sport, YouTube and Plex/Kodi then it would be a big step forward. But I'm not holding my breath on that one!

sansom

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#2829596 9-Dec-2021 18:02

01EG: ukoda: mclean:

Or this one https://freeviewnz.tv/stream-freeview/. Doesn't include full Sky, of course, but it does have Spark Sport.

I started with a VTV then brought one of those as it was cheaper that the VTV and what Freeview is promoting. Turns out it was basically useless. No Ethernet connection and was unreliable

Same here, except I sold mine. Will not recommend it.

I bought one of those to check it out... tiny! It worked for me but, man, it sure did get hot!

Hamish

itey

474 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2829606 9-Dec-2021 19:01

What a joke. I bought a VF TV box just 3 months ago.

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