[TelstraClear] T-Box compared to ADB STB

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chiefie

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#68717 27-Sep-2010 08:47

Last Saturday, we have 2x T-Boxes installed and so far we have made quite a fair use out of it; scheduled quite a few recordings already. Having 2 recording tuners and a live tuner, and then double it!! We'll be in recorded TV galore for a while.

Anyhow I noticed a feature that was on ADB STB, is missing on T-Box.

We do use the "blue" alternative showing time on ADB STB extensively, this is sorely missing on T-Box. We used to check the current playing programme and if we missed the start of it, we would check the alternative showing time and making sure we are able to watch it next. If this is on T-Box, this could mean we can schedule a recording for the next time it will be showing.

What other missing features that you've used on ADB STB and found they're missing on T-Box?

If we compile our finding here, it could perhaps help TelstraClear to update or bring the missing feature back on T-Box.

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#384881 27-Sep-2010 12:27

I'm definitely missing the 'alternate screening time' feature - and also the 'keyword search' feature. Currently working around it by using the search feature on the SkyTv website to find the info I want. Bit clumsy though!

chiefie

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#384919 27-Sep-2010 13:15

Oh another cool feature would be making use of the Skip Forward and Skip Backward keys work on the remote, at the moment, I don't think that's doing anything, (no not the fast forward or fast rewind).

Perhaps a skip to next 1 min, or 3 mins, or 5 mins jump? I don't know how big the skip gap be but be useful especially if you accidentally start a recorded programme from start when you have seen half way through it, and having to fast forward at x32 is still slow. *hehe*

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zoom23

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#385562 28-Sep-2010 17:20

Two things I noticed that are missing are:

The 'zoom' option. You could get this by hitting the options button and changing the aspect ratio. This was useful for when they showed 4:3 programs.

The RF out isn't strong enough to drive a long cable. We were using this to send the output to the TV in the bedroom. I guess i'll have to think of something else there. Anyone have any ideas (other than renting another decoder)?

chiefie

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#385565 28-Sep-2010 17:27

There's RCA/SVideo and Component...

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#385588 28-Sep-2010 18:37

Got my T-Box installed today and have to say that it was well worth the wait. Apart from all the nice PVR features the biggest difference does seem to be better quality SD pictures as SD on the ADB STB looked average sometimes.

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#386082 29-Sep-2010 22:08

The RF out isn't strong enough to drive a long cable. We were using this to send the output to the TV in the bedroom. I guess i'll have to think of something else there. Anyone have any ideas (other than renting another decoder)?

I play the AV output of my existing digital TC STB into a stereo AV RF modulator with user selectable UHF output channel and distribute this through a splitter to other rooms. I reckon it gives a better quality (though not outstanding, but I'm probably too used to HD now) signal than the RF output of the STB and also overcomes some issues of other signals on the TC cable interfering with the terrestrial analogue signals (only a problem for another couple of years though). This is model LM-3879 from Jaycar at $89.90.

I had been hoping the the new T-Box would be superior to MySky by having an Ethernet portthat would permit access to the hard drive so I could play recordings over my network on my Xtreamer and Apacer media players but that has been dashed.

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chiefie

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#386119 29-Sep-2010 23:49

@rwnz, I think you'll find that the system is probably capable, however the content owner (movie studios etc) would not be happy with that sort of "openness"... And you'll find it hard to find such feature from paid tv services.

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#386155 30-Sep-2010 07:13

redjet: Got my T-Box installed today and have to say that it was well worth the wait. Apart from all the nice PVR features the biggest difference does seem to be better quality SD pictures as SD on the ADB STB looked average sometimes.

I said that to zollymonster a number of times, my DM has a vastly better picture image than the standard ADB Box. Plus I run component out of it, and yes there is a difference between Freeview HD and TCL on 1/2/3 when they are running HD shows, but to me it's not a night and day difference. It's a shame that TCL had such a rubbish box for such a long time, and that they have moved away from Irdeto encryption with their new box, right now I am just too dammed busy to move from TCL to Sky.

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#386190 30-Sep-2010 09:26

T-Box feature request - Recorded programme playback options.

At the moment when playing back a recorded programme for the one that have been viewed, you'll get two options to playback from "Start" and "Last viewed". I have done this too many times and accidentally trigger-happy and OKed the "Start".

It would be better/wiser to keep the default on "Last viewed" since there's no option to specify a specific time to jump to or "chapter" or time skip-forward.

And if possible, when trying to playback a viewed recorded programme, it would contextually know it was finished playing and the only option will be playing back from "Start" or just automatically start from beginning.

Also to reduce the confusion, perhap the status could be "Scheduled", "Recording", "Recorded", "Partially viewed", "Viewed", "Recording error".

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#386213 30-Sep-2010 10:08

chiefie: @rwnz, I think you'll find that the system is probably capable, however the content owner (movie studios etc) would not be happy with that sort of "openness"... And you'll find it hard to find such feature from paid tv services.

I know. I just think that it would have been the next step as most houses have multiple TV's. Media centres and networked media is growing and content can be recorded, stored centrally and watched anywhere in the house (which I do with Freeview HD). Even if I was to get a second T-Box (though I probably won't even get a first) I couldn't link them and watch the recordings stored on one with the other.

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#386225 30-Sep-2010 10:31

DirectTV in the USA were advertising the ability to watch recorded TV from any DirectTV PVR in the house when I was there last. It showed a man watching sport I think and getting kicked out of each room and continuing to watch the recording in the next room.

I was pleased to find that running a xbox 360 as a extender for media centre gives that functionality.

I would think it is quite possible that the TC hardware can do it and may be something they add down the track. But I would expect that it would only be to other T-Box's.

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#386226 30-Sep-2010 10:32

rwnz:
chiefie: @rwnz, I think you'll find that the system is probably capable, however the content owner (movie studios etc) would not be happy with that sort of "openness"... And you'll find it hard to find such feature from paid tv services.

I know. I just think that it would have been the next step as most houses have multiple TV's. Media centres and networked media is growing and content can be recorded, stored centrally and watched anywhere in the house (which I do with Freeview HD). Even if I was to get a second T-Box (though I probably won't even get a first) I couldn't link them and watch the recordings stored on one with the other.

Plus exactly like the MySky, if the box blows up you loose all your recorded content.
Hence why the alternative STB's such as a Dreambox or Vu-Duo are great options. Or building your own PVR with a DVB-x card in it. But now the only way to do it is with Sky with a NZ45 card and no longer with TCL due to TCL dropping Irdeto in favour to cardless Verimatrix CA.

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#387375 3-Oct-2010 13:16

zoom23: Two things I noticed that are missing are:

The 'zoom' option. You could get this by hitting the options button and changing the aspect ratio. This was useful for when they showed 4:3 programs.

The RF out isn't strong enough to drive a long cable. We were using this to send the output to the TV in the bedroom. I guess i'll have to think of something else there. Anyone have any ideas (other than renting another decoder)?

I have a backfeed on both the TBox and on the old digital box. This goes from the composite output (I use 3 different outputs on the Tbox via some tweaking) to a wee box and then to something in the roof which then means any tv can tune in via analogue channels and find each boxes output. Im sure it has some pretty technical name for the box behind the tv but it has composite in, is powered and then rf out to the bit in the roof.

Edit - went and looked and it is a prolink rf modulator.

As to features the one I asked for in the beta was a playout list. I set 1 show playing (on box in computer room) and hop off to bed to watch it in the bedroom. On MySky you and queue 1 or more shows to playback after eachother. Vital with a backfeed like I have.

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#387530 4-Oct-2010 08:12

One thing that would be useful would be to extend the recording time when a programme runs later than advertised. I added the buffer time (15 mins) to each recording but this would still not be enough for live sports where a game can run into extra time.

Other option (similar to a PVR) would be just to hit "record" and it records what ever channel for a set number of hours

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#387836 4-Oct-2010 19:34

T-Box feature request - Double-Speed Playback with Audio

Like on Windows 7 Media Center. I found this function great after short pauses to catch up without missing what was being said etc, especially for the Rugby and News.

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