Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuart C
It probably isn't that different. NTL do seem to be spending an awfully long time testing it though.
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Testing is the second stage; the first, "getting it to work", was probably what's taken them the time!
For example, the software would have required a lot of changes to recognise the data formats that are used on the Langley and Bromley networks, which are different from Telewest. Then every NTL headend would need to be set up to broadcast the 8-day EPG data required by the PVR. Then (potentially) the box would need to be programmed (or perhaps servers upgraded) to cope with the differences between the NTL and Telewest implementations of VOD. Oh, and Interactive. And the fact that the Langley return path system is different from Bromleys, which these days is probably different from Telewest's as well.
Basically, there was a hell of a lot of work to be done, and if they're testing it now for a December launch in some regions (as seem to be the rumours), then they've actually done pretty bloody well.