[TelstraClear] TelstraClear new Digital TV service

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chiefie

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Topic # 4877 5-Sep-2005 10:45

Okay... It's finally here the upgrade... I'm getting mine installed this weekend.

Now, question. has anyone (in Kapti/Wellington/Christchurch) that are already using the new digital decoder? my question is, does it use SCART? or more so, what connections does it have?

I have a Sony DVD/HDD recorder and it support SCART and from what i can understand, using SCART (smart tv control) it can send signal to smart tv or devices that understand smart tv signal to change channel for recording.... this is possible?

and also, the new remote control for TelstraClear Digital Decoder... anyone know what is the actual build/model for it? I'm looking at getting a Learning Remote Control like Logitech Harmony or Lowal's Learning Remote from Harvey Norman to control Sony TV, Sony Home Theatre, XBox, Sony HDD/DVD recorder, Joytech MultiSwitch and ultimately the new TelstraClear Digital Decoder.

While we're at this subject, do you use a learning remote? if so, what's your recommendation?

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Reply # 19653 5-Sep-2005 17:45

I have had several (sub $75), but most of them suffered an inability to learn from older DVD players.

Now that I have some decent gear, im thinking about getting one of the flasher ones - but only if it does all my gear.

chiefie

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Reply # 19656 5-Sep-2005 18:15

same. the guy at harvey norman told me the highest end ($449) can be connected to PC via USB and docking cradle and program from there, change the layout of the buttons, and backup the settings.

But i also have been eyeing on Phillips Pronto, or Logitech Harmony 888.

I don't see them here in NZ, might have to do a mail order from elsewhere.... anyone else heard/used any of the learning remote and can give comments? PLEASE HELP US!

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Reply # 19745 6-Sep-2005 08:48

Prepare to be disappointed.

I upgraded my two analogue decoders to digital a couple of weeks ago.

Bad news - only RF and composite, no scart, no component and no DVI.
Link below shows the decoder - it is the 3000 series. If you read the specs they could have chosen S-Video, SCART and component outputs if they wanted but chose not to.

http://www.adbglobal.com/./products/broadcaster.htm
Check out the PVR option as well - I wondered what the TelstraClear guys were doing, Sky is looking good come december when they release their PVR

Hooked up to my 10 year old sony 29 inch tv definite improvement - much cleaner picture.

Hooked up to sony hs50 projector on 106inch screen - oh no. Nothing like the DVD quality they promised, destroyed by composite signal and i suspect some digital compression.

For example watching the rugby channel closeups are fine but distance shots very blurry. I know its not the system because DVDs are crystal sharp.

I wrote an email to them expressing my disgust. I will post the email I sent to them when I get home from work at a reasonable hour this week.

One bonus is that sound is better, stereo at last - although still no digital optical or coaxial input.

On remotes I imported in a Harmony 880 couple of weeks ago (landed for $420, although there are sites in NZ selling for much cheaper now!) - works really well. I use a harmony 688 for the normal tv and have done so for probably 18 months. Support is excellent including toll free numbers from NZ to Canada.

I have the harmony 880 controlling the projector, electric screen, DVDO IScan HD+, DENON 2910 receiver, Telstraclear decoder box, Playstation 2 slimline and Philips 963sa dvd player. It works very well. One button turns everything on - fantastic.

chiefie

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Reply # 19746 6-Sep-2005 09:22

Hi DMC!

Thanks for the review/reply. That's wonderful! Some truth about TelstraClear's Digital box.

Sure is a disappointment... :-( I just hope that it will have the similar feature as Sky Digital Box that will automatically switch to the bookmarked programme at the right time.

I sure hope to see TelstraClear will offer or change to the PVR option, or at least one that support component/scart/svhs model...

On the other note, sounds like Harmony 888 is a good remote, if you have the time, could you please post your review about Harmony 888? I am very interested to learn more before getting it... and also, where online you can find the remote codes? I like to check and see what is available and whether my devices are supported or not.

p/s: did you program TelstraClear digital remote yourself? or did you find the remote code for use on Harmony 888?

Kel.

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chiefie

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Reply # 19767 6-Sep-2005 16:59

DMC. do you know which local NZ sites that sell Harmony 880? I have installed and used the harmony trial mode, and i managed to find the supported devices.

though, what is the model that TelstraClear is using for their digital decoder? Is it i-can 3000c? that's the only 3000 that i see listed under "Advanced Digital Broadcast" for digital set top.

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Reply # 19785 6-Sep-2005 23:42

That is the device that I was using, from what I can see it is the "retail" version of the 3000 box. If you got to the retail rather than broadcast section of the ADB site you will see the i-scan equipment. I assume in some countries you can buy your DTSB rather than having to rent the cable tv providers. Probably means they let the likes of TSL brand their own boxes and hence the broadcast section of their site.

I found that with only one exception that definition (and also the one for the 2000 decoder) worked fine (channel buttons, menu button, prev button, info button etc etc. The Guide button didn't work for some reason so I learned it from the TelstraClear remote and I was in business. The other thing I did was to learn the blue, green, yellow and red buttons for the LCD screen to have the same functionality for these as well.

In terms of NZ sites all I did was google for logitech harmony 880 restricting to site:.nz and the relveant sites came up, although they all referred to 3COM rather than logitech for some reason. On seein the pricing I was begining to suspect I would have a deep case of buyers regret so I didn't investigate further.

see link below for example - not available until 1 October though
http://www.aquilatech.co.nz and search for harmony.
(I am not affiliated to these guys although have bought a couple of products - it was just the first site in the google search, there are others as well)

The remote has the old quirk but I am sold on it - hence my decision to buy the 880 as soon as it came out - can't have too many remotes in the house and meant that I was able put away the seven remotes comprising my home theatre system and with one touh button it does all the switching for me!

DMC

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Reply # 19786 6-Sep-2005 23:46

As promised copy of my email to TelstraClear. To the extent that more people pass a similar view to these guys we might see some action.

Digital TV

I have been waiting for months for you to convert to digital TV, and despite having a projecter system that would benefit from going digital I resisted changing to Sky because I thought you guys would offer a better system given the advantages of cable over satelite. I thought I had made the right decision when I read the announcement from Steve Jackson promising DVD quality picture and sound. I ordered an upgrade to two digital decoders.

When I got home after the upgrade had been installed I was extremely disappointed that there was only output option - composite - which is the lowest quality output option possible, an option that you resort to when nothing else is available or you have filled your inputs on your screen up.

Whilst you talk about your system being ideal for plasma, LCD or widescreen TV, as you should know these larger screen digital systems are very unforgiving of poor quality signal and this is what you guys are delivering. I find it even more amazing that the ADB website (the supplier of your decoders) clearly states that you could have bought the same model decoder with S-Video and scart connections and possibly component, why you chose not to is beyond me expecially when Sky is about to upgrade their boxes to component and are also about to release a digitial PVR system (and where is TelstraClear's PVR - I note this is another product that ADB is able to offer). If you wanted to save some money (and I can't think it was very much involved) then you could have at least offered people the option to pay a little more to have better connention options, after all the target market (as identified in your own press release) is people who have most likely spent a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000 on plasmas, lcd screens and projectors etc - don't you think that we would pay a few extra dollars to get the best possible signal output.

And I know that the difference between composite and component is material. This is absolutely no comparison between my DVD player running over component (DVD quality) and your cable box over composite (not DVD quality). Similarly the difference between running a playstation with composite versus s-video / component is material.

The test match on the Rugby Channel on Saturday night was a clear demonstration of this with far shots being quite fuzzy on a big screen, and arguably worse than the old analog system - although how much of this was having to use a composite output versus too much digital compression on the original signal I don't know.

I should add that going by local interenet sites / fourms I am not the only one with this opinion.

I keep on wondering why you did this. I also wonder who you got involved in testing of the system that was done prior to lanuch as this is a no brainer. Unless of course you plan to upgrade decoders in the near future.

SNicolle

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Reply # 19795 7-Sep-2005 10:16

a sound letter, if you included relevant information i'd expect you to get a phone call. One typo though and its best to eradicate them to have people take you seriously. Internet down near the bottom is spelt incorrectly :)

chiefie

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Reply # 19797 7-Sep-2005 10:27

there's quite a few typos, like "launch" mispelt as "lanuch" near the end of the post. hehe need to run through spellcheck :D

I'll wait and see what mine is like too this saturday. and if all is sour/bad, we might have to set up a petition! :-D

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Reply # 19817 7-Sep-2005 21:24

Yes should have spelt check but email went out on the 29th. Response below

"I have forwarded your email to the department who is looking into Digital TV issues, as you have brought up some very valid points. Even though they won't contact you directly, they look into this and hopefully look for another option for all customers."

I also had a rant about new customers getting a 12 month holdiday on cable modem rentals when some of us have been paying cable modems rentals for years and don;t have the option to buy our own modem. That was forwarded to the cable modem team but no response there either yet.

jedmeister

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Reply # 20005 13-Sep-2005 13:15

I want to get this harmony 880 but the local shops are a joke. I ordered one in july from aquilatech, but every week they would say shipping is delayed by a week and i see their eta is now 01.10.05.

If i imported one from the states, does the supplied ac adaptor work on NZ voltage?

chiefie

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Reply # 20007 13-Sep-2005 13:38

Cool cool... got the TelstraClear Digital TV service.

And yes... what DMC said is correct, it's the el cheapo sibling of all other ADB digital decorder.

Anyway... jedmeister, what does aquilatech said to you? do they actually have it in stock? I am very interested to get it here and would like to have it soonest if possible... can't handle multiple remotes anymore!!! (LOL)

Oh, i also found out that there are some TV card that support DVB-T, is that what TelstraClear's Digital decoder classified as? what's the difference between the normal TV card that used to be so widely available, and today's digital tv card??? I got lost with these technology!

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Reply # 20009 13-Sep-2005 14:21

Yes - if imported from the US it works fine, just need a plug adapter.

I got mine from provantage, may or may not be cheaper elsewhere but its a struggle to find US mail order companies that will ship overseas.

Note you don't need a transformer as the provided power supply can handle 120 and 240 volts automatically.

I bought the adapter plug from Dick smith, cost $12 I think.

Obviously if Acqulitech pricing (and other NZ web sites with similar pricing) are correct then get from NZ, but I am sceptical that when product actually turns up that it gets delivered for a NZ$ price that is less then the US$ price even before currency conversion - that would be a first!

jedmeister

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Reply # 20019 13-Sep-2005 20:15

Aquilatech told me this on 27/7/05..

Hi - I have just been advised by our supplier that the remote has been held up in Hong Kong and will be another 3 weeks away.
Please let us know if you wish to cancel, I'll update the eta when I
can. Regards, Diane.

I cancelled the order due to the mickey mouse availability - and, whats this about 3 weeks away it is still not here.

Knowing now that the ac adaptor is 120/240v , I'll check out ordering this from overseas.

chiefie

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Reply # 20049 14-Sep-2005 10:43

Hey when you find one, let me know. I am interested in getting one too...

oh and...

Have a look at My Sky

from the look of it... i sure love to have that, wish TelstraClear Digital TV service have PVR options... Or at least a free upgrade to PVR Digital decoder.

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