NTL Video on Demand, survey by email!
 

Anyone else had an email from iBurbia, working via a website run by http://www.sowhatdoyouthink.co.uk/ that forms a questionare on a proposed video on demand service from NTL.

I ran through the survey along with a multimedia demo and it looked quite impressive. Included films on demand, TV programs on demand and playback of recent programs.

Not sure of the techology they were using - more likely a TIVO style box as it said you could wind back and forward in what you were watching.

The quesitonare asked how much you would pay for various services plus the normal customer profilling. Looked quite professional too.

Any else get this or am I priviledged.

APS

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Nothing here yet.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Yeah I got that too- looks like an interesting service. Ability to choose from over 500 new & old films, play them when you like, pause them and so on. You get a 24 hour 'rental' of some films so is exactly like going down the video shop. It said they'd be introducing a free service allowing you to play back a variety of popular TV shows from the previous week.
Wonder when it'll happen!!

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

That sounds great, its what I'd hope would happen. Finally an answer to Sky's sky+ system. And if its free too all the more better.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

This is the video they show you:
Click here for the video.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

whats the bets thats the MR2 update for bromley....langley will follow few months later.....however the date is thurs 27th...thats the same date used for the screens of langley from the Guide you got :D

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

That looks good. Fairly mind boggling though, I've been trying to get my 'head round' thousands of subscribers, all pausing, rewinding & suspending hundreds of different films. I'd be interested if anyone has any information on how that will be achieved.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

that service is gonna be amazing!! i cannot wait until it is available
:)

the hell with sky+
:D
i hope it is with mr2. it's a way to say sorry for all the crappy bugs! :)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I'm wondering the same as you Gaz, their systems are creaking with the current systems running off it. How will it cope with the extra speed they are offering customers as well as the additional bandwidth this service take up, whats the bit-rate on a standard digital channel? 3Mbps??

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

unless, the service will mean the end of Near-video on demand! so that's 55 spare channel streams - should be plenty of space for the vod service.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

But surely that means only 55 people on the platform will be able to use the service at once!!

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I think it should be an interesting service. The only limitiation I can think of would be a lack of content if you don't want what could be called mainstream television and movies (for instance, how much of BBC four is likely to be available). As for it being "free", I got the impression they were charging "a small monthly charge" for it.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

so obviously they dont have bandwidth problems?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I'm sure there was a very in-depth conversation about the bandwidth going to be used for the Vod service either here or on digitalspy a few months back.

I'll see if I can dig out the link. There was a pretty good explanation of how the service works for different people watching different streams.

EDIT: The Digitalspy forum search is unavailable right now so I can't get the link.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

As dezzo said, there's a really detailed thread on this on DS.

It won't just be 55 people able to watch, 'cause cable can do something called narrowcasting, where signals are only sent to a small number of homes. I guess the closer the broadcast equipment is to your house (in terms of network architecture, not geography), the fewer "other people's" films you'll recieve, increasing the chance that there is spare capacity for you.

The company producing this (On Demand Group?) must have gone over the numbers and concluded that there is enough capacity in each narrowcasted area to serve the amount of people they expect to use it.

One last thing - the original poster said this is likely to be TIVO like technology, which it isn't at all. TIVO (and other PVR/DVRs like Sky+) cache the programmes on the client side (that is, in your house). Video on Demand caches the programmes server side (at ntl datacentres). ntl's systems have far more capacity than a TIVO box, which is why choice from 500+ movies is possible.

I can't wait for this! It looks to be the biggest improvement in cable TV since digital was introduced!

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Really!? Let's hope they have more capacity than their mail servers! :D

I think ntl need to improve their basic DTV service before they go offering services like this.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Nice to see you are as supportive as ever :rolleyes:

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Neil at the end of the day, as you are aware, there are many people who have NTL that are very happy with the service they receive.

People who have broadband, telephone or television services that have never broken down or had any technical faults.

Theses people are never going to actively seek out an NTL/Telewest/Cable site such as this.

Perhaps Neil needs to improve his basic stance on NTL before he comments on new services from NTL? :rolleyes:

NTL has made mistakes in the past. It will continue to make mistakes in the future, but until they do why comment on it.

For what its worth, cable companies in America are running this kind of service which has begun to bring back some of the people lost to the rising DSAT services.

If that happens here then NTL maybe able to claw back on some of the mistakes of the past, reclam a bigger share of the market and finally, when it does happen, become a super company with Telewest.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Well the video is certainly very impressive. It could very well be the cable "killer app" if they can deliver it soon, and at a better price than Sky Plus.

The future's bright...

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

All I can say is, "where, when & how do I sign up for a trial?" :D

Would this be able to run on the current STBs? I'm thinking a box with a HDD would be rolled out to be used as a buffer for fast forward & rewind. Probably not required, but it would prevent any lag after key presses on the remote.


Andy.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Can you trial this?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I'd assume it would be trialled by associates first of all with all manner of non-disclosure agreements being signed by them.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

There were mutterings of a small VOD trial being set up in Scotland towards the end of last year - whether there was any truth to it is another matter.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Realisitically, you're looking at at least two trials. The first a small "proof of concept" trial in a single area for employees only. The second would be a much larger trial, probably a few thousand sunscribers in a single area, along the lines of the wireless broadband trial conducted in London a few years ago.

I hope they pick Poole for the second stage ;)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

my tv guide shows that front row will be taking away some movies from ntl customers, and we won't be getting next weeks new films!
so, that must mean front row streams are being removed!
possibly leaving space for VOD testing or new channels??
:)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

it is for new channels

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

if they do it,it take about two years,and a lot money?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

well it's not video-on-demand. i asked front row, and here is their reply...
so a few problems...
:)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Exactly!! Well Said!!

I had an absolutely crap servce from Sky and ADSL but am willing to accept that some people might recive a reasonable service from the aforemention providers..

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

ntl should give the people what they want,good channels we do not need more solf ware.????

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Err, the whole point of Video On Demand is it doesn't use channels (directly). You pick what you want to watch and when you want to watch it. Say, if you wanted to watch the whole week's Eastenders (not that I am saying you would) at 3am on Saturday, you could. You would just pick the programs from a list.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I think that would depend on the people... personally I want true VOD, a dual-tuner PVR or a combination of the two. As it stands today, if had the choice I would subscribe to Sky+ purely for the PVR, not the number channels.


Andy.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

i know that you are saying,but it will take one or years bring video on demand,and a lot of money

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

ntl arent paying for the upgrade and servers needed the ondemand group who run front row are and they with get a cut of the revenue

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

The link isn't working now.

Does anyone have a copy they can send me or another address I can view it at?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

So basically, something might actually happen for once, given its someone else sorting it out.. :D

j/k :)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Sorry and its not even in my internet files as I've had to restore from a backup today :( I'm sure someone will be able to find you a copy ;)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Yours won't.
Your cards are marked! :ninja:

;)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

ntl say it is coming soon,like cr3 was coming soon?????

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

You fishing mate, or digging? Either way, no comment.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Some people are never happy are they?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Proppin without giving away any trade secrets, can you talk us through some of the technical side of it?

It would be interesting to see how this would work.

Plus thoses people who query the power of the software could get some idea of what it could do?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

If the details and pricelist on DS are genuine, then it would suggest that the launch isn't that far away.

But then again it could just have come from some "would you be prepared to pay £x for this"-type market research...

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Sorry mate, I can't and won't say anything 'interesting'.
VOD's a bit of a sore point for me. I was asked to get involved with the original project a few years ago. I went and queued in London (2 days) for a new passport (my first ten year one) so I could visit the states to see the new kit. Three days before I was due to fly the project was pulled.

A man I have a lot of respect for gave a presentation to a few of us a week or so ago, I enjoyed it. He asked for no details to be passed on, and I won't.

Sorry.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Ok Proppin. Thank you for being honest about it rather then trying to dodge the issue.

Hope that the project does go as well as the presentation did :)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

From Digital Spy:

Current details & prices of the new VOD service

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

someone is dreaming video on demand is not comeing to ntl this year,they did not say it was.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I think you may be surprised.

As the service appears to have already been split into various packages (movies on demand ppv & monthly, tv plus, catch-up tv) it suggests ntl: are gearing up for a launch, at least in a trial area. I would say it's definately past just trialing the technology.

It may be a few months or more away, but I'd say we will see something later this year.


Andy.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Will this require new set top boxes or just a software upgrade?

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

a software upgrade.
the set-top-boxes are supposed to be ready to take vod. but i'm sure many of the old ones will die, cos they is crap.
:)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I don't know if it means much, but my Tivo gained an extra channel this morning: NTL-OD. Could be interesting assuming OD stands for On Demand.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

I don't think it means anything. My TiVo had various channels added, including NTLOD (named NTL On Demand Events) last week, all on channel 0. Channel 0 is now used for all purchased Front Row movies and purchased events. If you go to channel 0 now you'll see the Front Row guide.

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Channel 0 has always been used for PPV on Bromley -- CWC designed a much better system in the first place ;)

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Rubbish! :p:

Re: Survey by IBurbia of NTL Video on Demand!
 

Yay. Docsis rules again :)

;) Proppin - will have to talk to you about that presentation.