Chris

You're not thick, you just didn't know a certain piece of information ... asking questions is the best way to fix that! I asked that question once in another forum and a very helpful ntl techie gave me a lengthy response. In essence it goes something like this:

1. What 'CR3' means to you depends on whether you are on the original NTL network (sometimes called the 'Langley Platform') or the one they bought from Cable & Wireless, often known as the 'Bromley Platform'. Easiest way to establish which platform you are on is to look at your channel numbers. On Langley, BBC1 is channel 101; on Bromley it's just 1.

2. The designation 'CR' or 'Consumer Release' was originally used by C&W to denote each newer version of its Set Top Box (STB) software. CR1 was very basic; TV, programme guide and pay-per-view films. CR2 offered more functions and a nice blue programme guide; CR3, the most recent software update now in use on Bromley, allows all kinds of sexy stuff like overlaid graphics, multi-screen views etc etc and is a fetching magenta.

3. While C&W pursued a policy of major new software releases, NTL went more for gradual, continuous development. Thus it's difficult to compare directly the development of the two platforms. Nevertheless, NTL's current Langley software has become known as CR2, even though it is not the same as Bromley CR2.

4. In a similar vein, Langley users can expect their own version of CR3 some time later this year. If you believe ntl that is.

N.B. It's worth noting that while Bromley is now generally all-singing, all-dancing CR3, some parts of the Bromley network, notably in South London, are so old, flakey and generally pants that they can't cope with CR3. In these areas TV viewers are still stuck with CR1 and can't even get Broadband internet.