[TelstraClear] Telstraclear HD PVR

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BigMal

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Topic # 29722 16-Jan-2009 15:32

As we're now into 2009 I thought I'd revive this topic :-)

I went into the Telstraclear store on Courtenay Place today and again asked when Telstraclear would be offering an HD TV service. The person behind counter said "we've been told to say "sometime this year"".

This is just cr@p. Has anyone else heard anything? I'm about to jump ship.

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Biddle Corp

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Reply # 190028 16-Jan-2009 17:04

You could always just go down the PVR track if you want a unit simply for recordings (and not the other cool features the box will have when it does launch).

Using a DVB-C card does break the TCL terms & conditions (hooking up an unauthorised device to the TCL network) but with one and a card reader and MDAPI aware TV software such as GB-PVR or Media Portal you can have a full working PVR solution for recording and playback of TCL channels as well as Freeview|HD.

kiwipawl

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Reply # 190034 16-Jan-2009 17:59

I heard that an annoucement was being made towards the end of Feb.

But I also heard last year that it was going to the the end of October 2008!

Screeb

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Reply # 190038 16-Jan-2009 18:34

kiwipawl: I heard that an annoucement was being made towards the end of Feb.

But I also heard last year that it was going to the the end of October 2008!

And such is the story of TelstraClear. The company that promises the World next week, and delivers Ethiopia two years later instead. Then increases the price.

BurningBeard

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Reply # 190049 16-Jan-2009 20:08

After the bully-boy from Sky came door-knocking, I'm willing to cut my losses to make a point. He wasn't just pushy, he was damn-near aggressive. I had to ORDER him to leave my property. How many times must one say "No, I'm not interested"??

On the flipside, it is a tad annoying that no clear answer seems to have been presented (as far as I can see here). There's advertising everywhere for Sky's version... every day Telstra don't have their HD TV service up and running is potentially another day losing more TV customers. The fact that the MYSky guy came door-knocking is testament to the fact that Sky are aggressively pursing Telstra customers. One can only hope the delay is because they're working on a very good product and don't want to rush it.

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lchiu7

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Reply # 190137 17-Jan-2009 10:24

I have basically given up waiting. I record FreeviewHD using gbpvr and everything else using a PVR250 card. I did look at a DVB-C card but my experiences with a Dreambox (which does basically the same thing) showed me the increase in quality was marginal, especially for FTA channels which come across in pretty average quality anyway. For TV1/2/3 I prefer to record the FreeviewHD signal, even though there is precious little HD content around.

Now should TCL start sending down their own content in HD and/or provide a box that can record FreeviewHD also, that might change my mind but like most of us here, not holding my breath.

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BigMal

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Reply # 190140 17-Jan-2009 10:38

sbiddle: You could always just go down the PVR track if you want a unit simply for recordings (and not the other cool features the box will have when it does launch).

Using a DVB-C card does break the TCL terms & conditions (hooking up an unauthorised device to the TCL network) but with one and a card reader and MDAPI aware TV software such as GB-PVR or Media Portal you can have a full working PVR solution for recording and playback of TCL channels as well as Freeview|HD.

I've been running a Tivo (the coolest SD PVR IHMO) for years now so it's more the HD content that I want to watch more than anything. I guess I'll just hae to switch to MySky.

DeBoyWonder

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Reply # 190934 20-Jan-2009 22:45

Howdy howdy howdy.
For those that haven't read my previous posts, I am TelstraClear staff and my views do not represent the views of TelstraClear.
I'm just an educated opinion.

The official word is that TelstraClear will be 'updating the market' in late Feb.
That is what I am instructed to tell all customers who enquire.

I personally believe that a massive aspect of the delay is ensuring that the equipment does what we want it to do.
The cost of keeping the public on tenterhooks is significantly less than the cost of damage control from releasing a product into the market before it is ready.

Believe me, TelstraClear staff have been begging and pleading the powers that be to hurry up and get this product released.

A little tip for those of you that get aggressive door knockers from Sky, or anyone else selling crap for that matter, tell them you have terrible credit. They usually make their excuses and leave!

BigMal

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Reply # 190955 21-Jan-2009 07:31

After the nonsense I was told at the Telstraclear shop I won't home and ordered MySky HDi.

lchiu7

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Reply # 190970 21-Jan-2009 08:42

That would be a bit a somewhat precipitate decision for me to take. Only because I can record TCL cable and FreeviewHD already with gbpvr and anyway there is a dearth of HD content out there. I would look to the TCL box as a one box solution without requiring too much of my own tech support time :-)

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BurningBeard

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Reply # 190989 21-Jan-2009 10:38

A little tip for those of you that get aggressive door knockers from Sky, or anyone else selling crap for that matter, tell them you have terrible credit. They usually make their excuses and leave!

Hahah good call! I should have pulled that one on him! In hindsight I really should have complained about his behavior. Unless of course it's company policy to use a confrontational tone when hawking a product, in which case he'd get a promotion!

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pacificsurfer51

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Reply # 193169 1-Feb-2009 09:06

DeBoyWonder
I'm with you. I believe vigorous amounts of testing are paramount. If they're making huge improvements in our digital service from day to day, then maybe HD PVR is just around the corner.

To all those Technicians working on Telstraclear HD PVR go hard......

Screeb

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Reply # 193259 1-Feb-2009 17:43

pacificsurfer51: DeBoyWonder
I'm with you. I believe vigorous amounts of testing are paramount. If they're making huge improvements in our digital service from day to day, then maybe HD PVR is just around the corner.

To all those Technicians working on Telstraclear HD PVR go hard......

I think the issue most people have is that TelstraClear have not exactly been forthcoming with timelines. Their december date has rolled on by, and still no word as to what's going on. It would be nice if they simply told us if it's even still going ahead.

DeBoyWonder

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Reply # 193511 2-Feb-2009 19:55

It is going ahead, no question of that.
If TelstraClear were to ignore the HD market then we may as well abolish our TV service all together.

For the record, I sent an email to the powers that be today regarding HD and possible release dates and the response was something along the lines of "stop emailing us every half hour about HD or we'll get a restraining order".

It'll happen........eventually.

BigMal

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Reply # 193518 2-Feb-2009 20:34

What I did was call SKY and order My Sky HDi. I told them I was recommended to SKY as part of the friend-get-friend deal so both me and my father were credited $150 to our sky accounts. This essentially covers the difference I was paying for Telstra TV for the first 6 months as it covers the MySky rental ($15) and the HD ticket ($10). After 12 months IF Telstra finally have an HD I can cancel SKY without penalty (its a 12 month contract) and switch back, essentially costing me bugger all extra cash for a year of HD.

Screeb

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Reply # 193536 2-Feb-2009 22:03

It'll happen........eventually.

"Eventually" being the key word. I'm sorry, but "eventually" is not good enough. TelstraClear needs to realise their customers aren't going to sit around with their thumbs up their arses for all eternity while TCL concocts some solution that will no doubt be overpriced and underfeatured. "But it will be worth it! Just wait!" you say. It could give me a foot massage while fetching me a drink for all I care, the fact is it's not available right now, and for all we know it could come out in 2015 and be a piece of crap. MySky HDi is available right now.

Throw us a bloody bone already. TelstraClear seriously needs to get its act together, on both TV and broadband.

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