Interactive - Page 2

28-06-2003, 17:16

Quote:

Originally posted by Tristan
Right. NTL offer a far better interactive service than Sky -- that is, being able to send info both ways. With NTL, this is almost always free, as opposed to being a premium rate phone call on Sky.

As to Jamie's comment about NTL listening to what their customers want, they know very well that people want e-TV. Unfortunately for them, only half the network supports it. Now I'm sure they're leaning on the programmers as much as possible to get Langley CR3 done, but in the mean time, what are they to do?

Yeah, we exCWCers, exVideotroners don't have the benefit of enhanced/interactive TV. Very impressed with Freeview interactive though on Wimbledon, very good, doesn't present a problem to Freeview so why is it problem for ntl? Freeview is free whilst ntl take the money and run to the bank.

Stuart · 28-06-2003, 18:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Gogogo
Yeah, we exCWCers, exVideotroners don't have the benefit of enhanced/interactive TV. Very impressed with Freeview interactive though on Wimbledon, very good, doesn't present a problem to Freeview so why is it problem for ntl? Freeview is free whilst ntl take the money and run to the bank.

Freeview don't have to maintain a cable network that, in places, is in a sh*t condition.

They also don't have a network that uses various different technologies and platforms for DTV.

NTL are trying to bring Enhanced TV (I hate the term Interactive, as I don't think even Sky offer truly interactive TV) to all their users, but before they do that, they need to change the network so that all areas are operating with at least compatible software (even if it isn't the same software).

All the NTL interactive stuff is based on a product called Liberate.

They need to use at least Liberate 1.2 for the multi-screen stuff to work, and CR3 is the only software they have that is based on Liberate 1.2. The original NTL software (and CR1 and CR2) are based on an older version of Liberate.

ppolo99 · 30-06-2003, 18:29

ntl: is so interactive...... i mean to reset the STB, alls you do is press the red button...............its so clever :p

Tod · 01-07-2003, 17:22

NTL have been promising enhanced TV sinse the world cup. They have squirmed, lied and fed us with bull about it "coming soon" for a long time now.

As a customer I really don't care about their cableing problems, I just want to be able to subscribe to a service that suits my needs as a viewer. NTL have been promising and telling me "soon" for a long time - I am fed up with them fobbing me off. We have been told it should be before the year out - but whats the betting that this goes on well into next year?! Every other time someone at NTL says I will be getting enhanced viewing it has been untrue.

Whats more annoying is that the present level of software for original NTL customers does offer enhanced viewing, it's just NTL loose a bit of control - so politics over customer welfare - what a surprise!

Tristan · 01-07-2003, 17:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Tod
Whats more annoying is that the present level of software for original NTL customers does offer enhanced viewing, it's just NTL loose a bit of control - so politics over customer welfare - what a surprise!

I'm not quite sure where this comes from.

Under Liberate 1.1, use of the tv: protocol is limited to NTL and trusted thrid parties, that's true. But this isn't all that's required for e-TV.

Liberate 1.1 can't do screen overlays nearly as well as 1.2, and most importantly of all, doesn't use data carousels like 1.2 does.

In short, while it might technically be possible to make an application using 1.1 which can change the stream being viewed, it would be nowhere near as good as the Liberate 1.2 version. For example, the 5-screen selection window for Wimbledon is a definite no-go. And that's if you realised it was there at all -- it's not possible to overlay a red-button prompt with Liberate 1.1 (or at least NTL's implementation of it).

poolking · 01-07-2003, 17:39

Its down to ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£ÃƒÆ’Ã† â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£s in the end, if NTL don't have the money to invest in decent interactive services there is nothing that can be done at the moment.

In hindsight maybe NTL shouldn't have been greedy and bought up franchises without thinking whether the different platforms are comaptible with each other and whether they'll have enough money left over, as we all now know they well over extended themselves.