Ntl recordable stb - a possibility ?

Originally Posted by Andy C

Even if ntl didn't incorporate hdd recording, with the number of channels available today a dual-tuner is a must have. All I can say is thank god for the various +1 channels and Sky One Mix!

The funny thing is, with all the hoo-hah over the 'digital revolution' and what a great thing it is, the industry at large seems to have got away with the most obvious failing of all - the simple ability to watch one channel and record another, which we all got used to in the 80s and 90s as we all came to have our own video recorders.

TBH, all I want is a VCR with an integrated, digital tuner so I can record one thing and watch another. I'm still not entirely sure why this, presumably simplest of problems (take the analogue tuner out, put a digital one in?) seems beyond the wit of the Sonys and Panasonics of this world.

[Dooby]

a video with an integrated digital decoder is probably not that viable because there isnt one common digital decoder (AFAIK). I would imagine that you might start to get ones with freeview / DTT decoders in, but I would find it more likely that you get PVRs with DTT decoders in ( actually you can already, Pace do one called 'Twin View' HDD and 2 decoders )

[magpie]

Originally Posted by ianathuth

Can you imagine trying to record programs with only a three day EPG available.

An ntl DVR system would be a separate service to the standard DTV system. Therefore, the STBs would be built with a lot more memory, allowing for a larger guide to be stored. Existing STBs would simply ignore the extra data.

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by magpie

An ntl DVR system would be a separate service to the standard DTV system. Therefore, the STBs would be built with a lot more memory, allowing for a larger guide to be stored. Existing STBs would simply ignore the extra data.

Yes, I thought about that just after I posted but I am unsure of just how NTL transmit the data to the STB and what effect this extra transmission would have on service.

Sky appear to update their EPG on a continual basis throughout the day based on recordings on Sky+ being made correctly even when a news break happened just before the program was due to originally screen. NTL only appear to update once a day.

The big question is how does the customer pay for a cable PVR service? NTL customers are used to getting free STBs but can they give free PVRs? Either you will have to buy the NTL PVR or pay increased monthly subscriptions for the service given that it has been said on here that NTL hardly make anything out of Digital TV.

[MovedGoalPosts]

I don't see a problem with customers paying more for the recordable service. Effectively for Sky + you do that now £200 ish for an install, compared to the almost free install offers for standard Sky. Ntl could either charge more per month or have a higher install cost to pay for the recordable box.

[Pea-Pod]

Could never wait for NTL too act with this PVR in their stb's. So I've got a Philips DVDR80 (DVD Recorder).

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

I don't see a problem with customers paying more for the recordable service. Effectively for Sky + you do that now £200 ish for an install, compared to the almost free install offers for standard Sky. Ntl could either charge more per month or have a higher install cost to pay for the recordable box.

http://twcny.com/cable/DVR/index.cfm?ThankYou=One

A $10 monthly fee in the US. So £10 over here, same as the sky+ fee.

[andrew_wallasey]

Don't know if this news is of any interest to anyone. It's from the start of this month 4th May if I recall.

Liberate Technologies, a formerly high-flying maker of software for set-top boxes, announced late Friday that it has filed for reorganization under U.S. bankruptcy laws. Liberate plans to file for a voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization in U.S. District Court in order to resolve some of its liabilities and strengthen its financial position, the company said. Liberate currently has $222.3 million in cash and short-term investments, and $21.7 million in current liabilities.

"The management team has been working on a turnaround of Liberate for about a year now. But we still have significant obligations and exposure we're trying to get out from under," said Greg Wood, Liberate's chief financial officer.

The company has, for example, $46 million in lease obligations through 2010 for a vacant building in San Carlos, Calif. But through bankruptcy laws, Liberate would have to pay only 12 months worth of rent, or 15 percent of the remaining balance on the lease.

"We also inherited dozens of contracts when we invested in the company that are not consistent with our current direction," Wood said. During the past year, a new management team stepped into place, with the company's second-largest investor, David Lockwood, filling the chief executive post. Wood was also part of that new team. The company is transforming itself into a software vendor for digital cable systems.

Liberate traces its pedigree to database giant Oracle. In the mid-1990s, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison created NCI to promote his vision of low-cost, networked PCs.

NCI was later split into two companies: Liberate to pursue interactive TV projects; and New Internet Computer, now closed, to push networked PCs.

The bankruptcy protection filing is the latest setback for the company, which has undergone an investigation into its accounting practices by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; the above-mentioned management shake-up, relating to the SEC investigation; and a work force reduction of roughly 30 percent.

Liberate anticipates emerging from bankruptcy protection within four to six months, the company said.

[mdean]

Originally Posted by dellwear

Just look how far advanced Sky's platform is compared with NTLs!

You have got to be joking

EPG that switches off the tv sound and picture
the channels cannot be customised via a proper favourites structure
infested with the pesky red dot !

You are joking Skys platform is more advanced at trying to rip off its customers (including all the mugs buying sky+)

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by mdean

You have got to be joking

EPG that switches off the tv sound and picture
the channels cannot be customised via a proper favourites structure
infested with the pesky red dot !

You are joking Skys platform is more advanced at trying to rip off its customers (including all the mugs buying sky+)

Another expected pop at Sky by someone who hasn't got an EPG that sees more than 3 days. I actually only use the EPG to program in what I have selected to watch having first used DigiGuide to see what's on the go. Much quicker setting up recordings than a VCR. The EPG is used again when playing back recordings, again very quick and easy. Why not try Sky+ and then see what you think.

You need a favourites structure to try to find channels on NTLs haphazard numbering of them. At least with Sky there is some logic to the numbering.

Don't worry, the pesky red dot will be infesting NTL before long, it's "coming soon" and then see how your phone bill shoots up when you press it. Pressing the red button on my Sky box has never cost me a penny and it's been used a fair bit.

If buying Sky+ makes you a mug then I am very happy to be one.

[pedg]

As a Tivo owner what I would really like is for NTL to do a deal with the Tivo people to get a dual tuner PVR with tivo. By using the network to update the listings (as my tivo can do via tivonet and my NTL broadband connection) you remove the cost of providing dial up lines for the data. Obviously the economics would have to work out right but now people have accepted sky+ the way they never did with tivo (unless the actually tried it) I think there is a market for it (well me anyway).

[cjmillsnun]

Originally Posted by ianathuth

Don't worry, the pesky red dot will be infesting NTL before long, it's "coming soon" and then see how your phone bill shoots up when you press it. Pressing the red button on my Sky box has never cost me a penny and it's been used a fair bit.

Ian, I fail to see how using a STB that has no connection to the phone line will aftect my phone bill in any way!

It may affect my cable tv bill in the same way that ordering a front row movie does, but I can assure you my telephone bill will remain unchanged.

I also suspect that If you are going to be charged, you will be advised, just like when sky advises you about a phone call it has to make with its modem to a premium rate number (eg voting on Big brother)

Also "coming soon"... AKA Don't hold your breath

Anyway both your post and mine are

[GrahamD]

It's a pity you can't just pipe the digital video through the network port and record it on a PC, like the Hauppauge Dec 2000 and 3000 boxes (USB in that case). Used with Digiguide (scheduling), DVD re-writer and maybe DIVX encoder, this would be the ultimate solution to me.

[poolking]

So how much more would STBs with hard drives cost NTL if they were to use the DVR capabilities of liberate?