NTL Digital sucks - Page 3

Stuart · 12-09-2004, 14:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyB

In theory (as others have said) the picture quality should be the same, but what I've seen on NTL digital, it's not quite up to Sky picture, two of my friends have recently canceled NTL and getting Sky installed because of the picture & the constant crashing of the software.
The main reason I ditched NTL was of the picture quality compared to my parents Sky, and they didn't keep having to reset the box...

The picture quality depends as much on the quality of the decoder hardware built into the STB as the quality of the signal. If you watch a DVD on a cheap DVD player, then on an expensive DVD player you will see what I mean.

Stuart · 12-09-2004, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpsonsFAN

why was my post quoted then?
-Chris

Er, here is the post I think you are referring to:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtwn

Quote:

Originally Posted by CableForumUser

Thats all you can say, it's just ****, thats it.

First of all I wanted to see the Olympics boxing. But the stupid interactive button hasn't been setup here in Ireland. So I miss the vast majority of fights and fighters I would have liked to see.

Now I want to see two big professional fights, Cotto-Pinto and De La Hoya-Hopkins. They don't have it.

The only remotely useful thing its given a boxing fan, is Tyson-Williams. But that's so well known I can find it on the internet easily. On the other hand, a historic matchup between DLH-Hopkins and they dont show it. Most people are sure it will go the distance so Ive got to download possibly up to 500mb. Cotto-Pinto I probably will not even find a not-slow download.

NTL, besides the extra 100 or so channels including the fantastic interesting but total bull**** EWIN and God channels has been complete ****. All it is is extra channels, no interactive and hardly any of the PPVs Sky Box Office shows. What a waste of ****ing money.

Strange. Usually when you sign up for something, you are signing up, knowing what you are going to get and because you want it. They offer a service, you took it; if you dont like it, take your custom elsewhere

Where was your post quoted?

ian@huth · 12-09-2004, 14:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

AFAIK Sky doesn't dial a premium rate number. In fact, AFAIK, it doesn't dial at all unless downloading software, using interactive or booking PPV. Surely if the box dialled a Premium Rate number for any reason, Sky are required by law to notify you?

Actually, I am fairly certain I read an article on Digital Spy that suggested that the NTL box does log what you watch and send that info back to NTL. Although I am sure one of the NTL bods on here will correct me if I am wrong.

Sky do not download sofware via the telephone connection. If Sky want the box to call home it is done via a freephone number. Sky only uses telephone numbers that you have to pay for after warning you of the charge. There are charges for some of the interactive content on Sky, just as there is on NTL, but the main use of interactive on Sky is for multi screen events such as the Champions League and these are provided free for subscribers to the relevant channels.

My own view on which platform provides the best DTV service is that Sky has always given me a far better picture quality than NTL and that is based on simultaneously having both systems for a couple of years. NTL was always having picture break up, pixallation and freezing which despite many engineering calls and box swaps was never cured. Eventually dropped NTL DTV and replaced that with Sky+ which is television as it should be.

spiderplant · 12-09-2004, 17:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by scastle

Actually, I am fairly certain I read an article on Digital Spy that suggested that the NTL box does log what you watch and send that info back to NTL. Although I am sure one of the NTL bods on here will correct me if I am wrong.

No, it doesn't. There wouldn't be a lot of point, as the box doesn't know who is watching it - or even whether the TV is switched on.

See http://www.barb.co.uk/about.cfm?flag=about if you want to know how viewing figures are obtained.

Stuart · 12-09-2004, 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianathuth

Sky do not download sofware via the telephone connection. If Sky want the box to call home it is done via a freephone number. Sky only uses telephone numbers that you have to pay for after warning you of the charge. There are charges for some of the interactive content on Sky, just as there is on NTL, but the main use of interactive on Sky is for multi screen events such as the Champions League and these are provided free for subscribers to the relevant channels.

My own view on which platform provides the best DTV service is that Sky has always given me a far better picture quality than NTL and that is based on simultaneously having both systems for a couple of years. NTL was always having picture break up, pixallation and freezing which despite many engineering calls and box swaps was never cured. Eventually dropped NTL DTV and replaced that with Sky+ which is television as it should be.

All well and good, but I was making a point that Sky boxes don't call sky unless necessary. When I mentioned interactive (admittedly I should have made this clear) I was referring to the various online games which do cause the box to call sky. I wasn't saying there are no free interactive services on Sky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiderplant

No, it doesn't. There wouldn't be a lot of point, as the box doesn't know who is watching it - or even whether the TV is switched on.

See http://www.barb.co.uk/about.cfm?flag=about if you want to know how viewing figures are obtained.

I did say I could be wrong, or the article I read could be wrong.