Any one here testing the NTL S/A Tv drive

RS100 · 19-10-2006, 12:25

Any one here testing the NTL S/A Tv drive, I know it is being tested wondering if any of you guys are

Graham M · 19-10-2006, 12:45

The testers are probably subject to some kind of non-diclosure agreement tbh, but I'd be interested to know if anyone has one and is it any good.

Jules · 19-10-2006, 12:50

Wish I had been given the chance to but sadly not

Bob · 19-10-2006, 14:28

I believe that only selected employees have the box

DaveC · 19-10-2006, 21:09

Showing my ignorance, what are you refering to?

Stuart · 19-10-2006, 21:35

NTL's up coming Sky + clone with Hi Definition Television. Basically the same as the Telewest TV Drive, but with different software.

http://www.telewest.co.uk/html/tvdrive/index.html

sollp · 19-10-2006, 21:42

Yep,

Has HDMI, USB, SATA, Optical out, 3 tuners, 160Gb Harddrive, 2 Scart sockets, RF socket, and lots of fancy other software, haven't much time on it, but to say it is a clone of Sky+ would be wrong considering the Scientific Atlanta TV drive has more features on it in one box than Sky's.

And of course you don't have to pay for the STB or installation as long as you keep your original STB for an extra ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£5.00 per month.

Tristan · 19-10-2006, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart C

NTL's up coming Sky + clone with Hi Definition Television. Basically the same as the Telewest TV Drive, but with different software.

http://www.telewest.co.uk/html/tvdrive/index.html

I've no inside info to share on this one, but I'd be surprised if the software was that different from the Telewest version (bug fixes and under-the-hood changes for the new networks aside).

Stuart · 19-10-2006, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristan

I've no inside info to share on this one, but I'd be surprised if the software was that different from the Telewest version (bug fixes and under-the-hood changes for the new networks aside).

It probably isn't that different. NTL do seem to be spending an awfully long time testing it though.

Tristan · 19-10-2006, 22:05

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.

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.

uno · 20-10-2006, 00:43

I think the network testing is fairly advanced on Langley network with quite a few headends being HD ready now. My girlfriends Samsung box is showing PVR epg and also BBC Hd and Itv HD in channel listings on engineers boot up menu all say not provisioned so i would imagine her local headend is recieving the feeds and that local testing is taking place.

opelfruitcase · 20-10-2006, 02:38

Its pretty much exactly the same as the TW version of the TVdrive... there are some issues I've heard about from others but I'm not testing it myself (was given the opportunity, but never got around to it). As previously mentioned, Langley customers, expect it around December time, Bromley, your looking at January.

Stephen · 20-10-2006, 08:19

Its very good.

gadge · 20-10-2006, 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by opelfruitcase

Its pretty much exactly the same as the TW version of the TVdrive... there are some issues I've heard about from others but I'm not testing it myself (was given the opportunity, but never got around to it). As previously mentioned, Langley customers, expect it around December time, Bromley, your looking at January.

that seems to make sense wont be long.

Wicked_and_Crazy · 20-10-2006, 14:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by sollp

Yep,

Has HDMI, USB, SATA, Optical out, 3 tuners, 160Gb Harddrive, 2 Scart sockets, RF socket, and lots of fancy other software, haven't much time on it, but to say it is a clone of Sky+ would be wrong considering the Scientific Atlanta TV drive has more features on it in one box than Sky's.

And of course you don't have to pay for the STB or installation as long as you keep your original STB for an extra ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£5.00 per month.

But there is a monthly charge. Has Sky dropped its + monthly charge since HD has been released?