Any one here testing the NTL S/A Tv drive

[gadge]

Originally Posted by RS100

So people testing this how are you finding it,

there dosent seem to be many people saying maybe they are under secret.

[Jules]

I would have thought that the testers would not be allowed to talk about it

[gadge]

Originally Posted by Jules

I would have thought that the testers would not be allowed to talk about it

a lad at our work tested for ntl when they launched their digi service wouldnt let us down his house or anything said he had to sign a form or something for privacy couldnt even take photos of it.how true it was i dont know.

[Jules]

Doesn't surprise me as they would have loads of people ringing up saying Joe Bloggs down the road is testing xyz and I want to test it as well or when is it coming to my area etc they also don't want competitors getting wind of what they are doing I guess

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 £5.00 per month.

Lost me there
You have to keep your old box plus pay £5 per month?
Sounds promising the technology you mention if it is reliable, sadly I have many scars from NTL technology

[jem]

You have to keep your old box plus pay £5 per month?

Well you don't have to. The current belief is that if you want the new box (and you are an existing customer), there will be a one off charge of £75. Or you can opt to keep your old box which NTL will move somewhere else in your house and have the Tvrive box for an additional £5 per month - which on the face of it seems to be a better deal. Presumably you would take out a new twelve month contract and after a year cancel the second (old) box and have only paid £60 instead of £75. I'm guessing that NTL assume that most people will forget and not bother cancelling 'as it's only £5'.

Does seem a bit unfair that new customers can get the box without paying the £75 but that's just how many businesses work.

Of course it might be possible to get them to waive the fee if you threaten to leave but I would expect them to 'call your bluff' at least in the early days when demand will be high. If you are prepared to wait until the initial rush has died down, then it might be easier to get them to waive it but I wouldn't be too hopeful.

[RS100]

It would be nice is some new member of the forum post's up some pic's of the receiver & menu's etc

[Tristan]

Originally Posted by RS100

It would be nice is some new member of the forum post's up some pic's of the receiver & menu's etc

There are already plenty of pictures of the box available online, it's exactly the same as the Telewest one!

Likewise, I would expect the software to have changed very little by the time it's released. I'm sure you can find "picture's" of the Telewest "menu's" somewhere...

[Rapid Dr3am]

TVDrive is great, I love it. It had it's teething issues but the recent code downloads have resolved most of them. I work the late shift at the NSC so I don't get to watch much TV. I record all my programs and watch them the next day.

Is there any reason for a customer to keep the older box that the tv drive will replace? I guess what I am asking is if you have the brand new tv drive box what is the use of keeping the old one? apart from saving NTL the problem of getting rid of it but also charging you £5 per month for the pleasure

" Note: 14/04/06 - At this time, you can only record two programmes at the same time. You can, however, watch a third in "Delay TV" mode. The functionality to record a third programme will be added at a later date."

Has the above been adressed yet ?

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

Is there any reason for a customer to keep the older box that the tv drive will replace? I guess what I am asking is if you have the brand new tv drive box what is the use of keeping the old one? apart from saving NTL the problem of getting rid of it but also charging you £5 per month for the pleasure

" Note: 14/04/06 - At this time, you can only record two programmes at the same time. You can, however, watch a third in "Delay TV" mode. The functionality to record a third programme will be added at a later date."

Has the above been adressed yet ?

Well some people will still want a box in another room.

I am not sure. The box can record 2 channels and you can watch a 3rd actual channel. Maybe I shall try it out.

[mrm1]

Just enquired when it will be available in the Swindon area and told in a month or so. I must admit, the CS I spoke to sounded very surprised that I knew about the product!

[Lone Star]

Originally Posted by jem

Well you don't have to. The current belief is that if you want the new box (and you are an existing customer), there will be a one off charge of £75. Or you can opt to keep your old box which NTL will move somewhere else in your house and have the Tvrive box for an additional £5 per month - which on the face of it seems to be a better deal. Presumably you would take out a new twelve month contract and after a year cancel the second (old) box and have only paid £60 instead of £75. I'm guessing that NTL assume that most people will forget and not bother cancelling 'as it's only £5'.

Does seem a bit unfair that new customers can get the box without paying the £75 but that's just how many businesses work.

Of course it might be possible to get them to waive the fee if you threaten to leave but I would expect them to 'call your bluff' at least in the early days when demand will be high. If you are prepared to wait until the initial rush has died down, then it might be easier to get them to waive it but I wouldn't be too hopeful.

So if you already have two boxes, presumably your best option is to tell ntl to remove one, then follow up with a request to install a TVD and move the replaced box to where you originally had the 2nd box anyway.

That way you avoid the £75 installation fee, pay £10 per month for the TVD and £5 per month for the 2nd box, but save the £15 per month you currently pay for the 2nd box, thus effectively getting the entire upgrade free!

Of course ntl have to make two visits rather than one, but c'est la vie.

[welwynrose]

Originally Posted by Lone Star

So if you already have two boxes, presumably your best option is to tell ntl to remove one, then follow up with a request to install a TVD and move the replaced box to where you originally had the 2nd box anyway.

That way you avoid the £75 installation fee, pay £10 per month for the TVD and £5 per month for the 2nd box, but save the £15 per month you currently pay for the 2nd box, thus effectively getting the entire upgrade free!

Of course ntl have to make two visits rather than one, but c'est la vie.

that's what I was thinking seeing as I also currently have two boxes

[sollp]

Originally Posted by arcamalpha2004

Lost me there
You have to keep your old box plus pay £5 per month?
Sounds promising the technology you mention if it is reliable, sadly I have many scars from NTL technology

If you want to keep your original STB you will pay £5.00 a month for this, and doing this will also prevent you from paying a £75.00 installation fee for the TV drive. If you don't keep your original STB you will pay £75.00 installation fee for the TV drive.