[TelstraClear] Are you getting a T-Box?

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › [TelstraClear] Are you getting a T-Box?

lchiu7

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#68581 25-Sep-2010 11:24

Well after years of anticipation it's out. But after reviewing the pricing and features I have decided to pass.

Firstly you need to front up with $499 for the box or $15/month for 24 months.

Then for the HD service which you would get, another $10/month. Finally $100 installation.

For myself I record FreeviewHD using GBPVR and a DVB-T card and Saturn TV using the same (different card).

So I would pay an additional $25/month just so I can watch and record Sky Sports in HD. That doesn't stack up. Additionally with the GBPVR setup I can record 3 channels (2 Freeview, one cable) at the same time and watch another Freeview channel.

HD movies don't interest me since I have an extensive BluRay collection and prefer to watch them that way.

Of course YMMV and it might you. Just wondering what fellow GZ'ers are considering.

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#384281 25-Sep-2010 12:22

Well from the sound of it, you don't watch other Sky programmes so yeah, it's not for you..

But I think for many that are on TCL Digital TV service, and not switched over to Sky TV are delighted to have T-Box. I'm getting two installed/upgraded later today.

Then there's TCL's 100Mbps upgrade, which potentially mean more content or whatever be delivered through cable, so bandwidth may not be a problem then Sky TV would have.

I'm looking forward to my T-Boxes.

p/s: installation of $99 for existing customer (or $199 for new customer - unclear) is waived for October.

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lurker

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#384304 25-Sep-2010 13:23

I'm getting one this afternoon... Just waiting for the phone to ring basically.
I'm not quite geek enough to have my Saturn TV running through my HTPC so the T-Box is welcomed by the other half. As Chiefie stated, there's no installation fee, so as far as the monthly charges go, with the recent cable broadband changes I can drop to a lower plan (I'm on 50GB right now and will probably go down to the 40GB) and I'm basically no worse off. In fact I might be saving some money. I've held off buying the unit outright, it's a bit too much for me to spend at the moment, after 24 months I'll see how things are going.
For me the killer feature for this box would be the ability to play my own media from external sources. Really hope that's something in the pipeline.

chiefie

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#384305 25-Sep-2010 13:27

@Lurker, you either have the option now, or never, to "buy it outright"... at the end of the day you don't own it at all.

Sales rep suggested that with $15/month for primary unit, the additional is $10/month, cheaper than the current second decoder fee of $25/month. I opted for $15/month+$10/month instead of paying $499 each outright for "indefinite leasing".

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lchiu7

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#384310 25-Sep-2010 13:43

I pay $9.95 for the second analogue box. That works okay for me in the bedroom apart from not getting FoodTV there (my wife complains).

Second digital decoder is $14.95/month not $25. A way better deal that Sky's $29.95.

If you get a T-Box do they take away your digital STB? I guess if you keep it then they will charge you $14.95 as if it were the second digital decoder.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

lurker

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#384311 25-Sep-2010 13:45

chiefie: @Lurker, you either have the option now, or never, to "buy it outright"... at the end of the day you don't own it at all.

Sales rep suggested that with $15/month for primary unit, the additional is $10/month, cheaper than the current second decoder fee of $25/month. I opted for $15/month+$10/month instead of paying $499 each outright for "indefinite leasing".

Oh cool, thanks for clearing that up. I thought at that price it was yours :-) I'll rent permanently.
I just checked my last bill on the old 10Mbps/50GB plan, I paid $198 and I think in October this plan (with T-Box rental) is going to costs $190 (15Mbps/60GB). But I think I'll be fine on 40GB so that one is $165. I think the $10 HD ticket is on top of all that and I pay $5 for Saturn Extra . But still, as long as I'm not paying much more than what I am already, I don't see the point in not getting a T-Box. I think it's a good month to be an existing TCL customer!

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#384319 25-Sep-2010 14:15

lchiu7: I pay $9.95 for the second analogue box. That works okay for me in the bedroom apart from not getting FoodTV there (my wife complains).

[Edit]

Analogue isn't going to be around forever...

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lchiu7

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#384321 25-Sep-2010 14:18

Then I just pay $14.95 for the second digital box. At that time I might think about the T-Box for the bedroom.

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chiefie

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#384333 25-Sep-2010 15:06

Stand corrected, it is $15 (my brain told me $25) for second digital tv STB. So going T-Box for primary and secondary decoder be $15+$10.

But you can't have T-Box as secondary though. So if you want to keep the Digital TV STB and get T-Box upgrade, it'll be $15+$15 (digital TV STB). I asked about it yesterday and which is why decided to go for 2x T-Boxes.

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lchiu7

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#384357 25-Sep-2010 16:43

chiefie: Stand corrected, it is $15 (my brain told me $25) for second digital tv STB. So going T-Box for primary and secondary decoder be $15+$10.

But you can't have T-Box as secondary though. So if you want to keep the Digital TV STB and get T-Box upgrade, it'll be $15+$15 (digital TV STB). I asked about it yesterday and which is why decided to go for 2x T-Boxes.

Hmm - that's interesting. I pay $10 for the analogue decoder now. I could ditch it and get the T-Box and only be paying $5 more a month. Now that is compelling.

[edit]

No that doesn't work. They wanted me to have to T-Boxes for an additional cost over my current bill of $25 ($15 for the first T-Box and $10 for the second) so I decided to pass.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

chiefie

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#384370 25-Sep-2010 17:33

Got both installed. But the technicians said those getting 2 T-Boxes have 50/50 chances of working; namely they were talking about the service points configuration that only TelstraClear people should/can be able to do. The technicians (Downers Engineering) spent a good while here to get them working.

First hitch was the modem not working correctly after provisioning, and would power cycling itself when a T-Box is plugged in to get its lengthy update. After a good while, the technicians decided to swap the modem and that got somewhere... however the T-Box wouldn't able to get STB bouquet update. :-(

At least we got one running!

I may try giving TelstraClear a call tomorrow and see how that'll be. Otherwise Monday but I'm gonna be busy on Monday to get this sorted :-/

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ZollyMonsta

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#384378 25-Sep-2010 17:56

Got your message chiefie... If you can reply to my response I can probably have a 'poke around' and see if I can work out what is going on. Drop me a reply to the message.. include your T-Box MAC address
(It's the first MAC address listed on the rear of the T-Box).

Cheers,
Grant

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ZollyMonsta

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#384379 25-Sep-2010 17:57

BTW: It is not normal practice for an installer to leave a install before confirming everything is working.

I will chase this up on Monday when I get into the office.

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."

chiefie

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#384384 25-Sep-2010 18:04

Hey Grant, I had a couple of technicians here today, and they both said they had one or two household with double upgrade and all experiences 2nd T-Box not able to get STB bouquet update.

In all saying, the technicians (Sean/Shawn? and Mark) from Christchurch Downer Engineering been great, but they're just as puzzled as well.

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ZollyMonsta

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#384395 25-Sep-2010 18:59

chiefie's t-box all sorted now.. (don't watch too much disney channel) ;-)

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."

chiefie

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#384397 25-Sep-2010 19:01

Woohoo! Thanks Grant! I have DISNEY channel that I can watch in bed! ;-)

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