"Surfboard" installed with TelstraClear digital TV connection
A Friend
Telstra Clear as it provides Sky TV down the telephone cable, cheaper
than a dish and for much improved FTA viewing.
Last night while trying to reconnect the DVD player (which the
technician had unplugged to stick the Sky cables into the TV's DVD
slots) we discovered a second unit, additional to the Sky settop box,
that had been installed and was hidden behind the TV cabinet.
It was a Motorola device and had the word "Surfboard" on it.
Nothing in the guff that came with the installation mentions this
device and there is nothing about it on TelstraClear's website. We
turned it off and pulled out its plug, and all the Sky channels and
the phone still work the same.
What is this extra box and what does it do, especially as turning it
off makes no difference we can see to the service?
none
> Nothing in the guff that came with the installation mentions this
> device and there is nothing about it on TelstraClear's website. We
> turned it off and pulled out its plug, and all the Sky channels and
> the phone still work the same.
>
> What is this extra box and what does it do, especially as turning it
> off makes no difference we can see to the service?
I believe it's to provide it with Interblag. For updating software,
schedules, PPV stuff and the like.
Rob S
SB5100 cable modem, into which I plug my router (or computer).
Did you get a package from Telstraclear with TV, phone and internet? If
so, did you get high speed net or dial-up? If you got dial-up, I can't
see any reason for leaving a cable modem. Maybe TC hope you will upgrade
to high speed net.
But I also don't understand why you would unplug it. Is this normal
practice, finding something you don't understand, so you remove it?
--
Rob
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A Friend
> That is a cable modem for TC's high speed internet. I have a Motorola
> SB5100 cable modem, into which I plug my router (or computer).
>
> Did you get a package from Telstraclear with TV, phone and internet?
Not with Internet. We use Slingshot. We only wanted TelstraClear to
get a good television reception on the free-to-air channels.
> But I also don't understand why you would unplug it. Is this normal
> practice, finding something you don't understand, so you remove it?
We didn't ask for it, and unplugging it had no effect on the
television service we required.
We'll ask TelstraClear to remove it, if all it is is a modem box we
don't require.
Earl Grey
electronic programme guide (EPG) information.
If you get a Telstraclear internet connection they will supply another one.
Michael Newbery
Correct. It is also used for ordering Pay Per View movies. That is,
without it plugged in, you can't do that.
It doesn't cost any extra---it is just part o the digital set top box
setup.
Yes, if you *do* order Broadband, you will get another cable modem. You
can't actually reach the Internet through the DTV associated cable modem.
A Friend
> Earl Grey wrote:
> > It is used by your Telstraclear digital cable TV box to download its
> > electronic programme guide (EPG) information.
> Correct. It is also used for ordering Pay Per View movies. That is,
> without it plugged in, you can't do that.
Ah, thank you both. Yes I see there is a programme guide with it,
though why we'd need one I don't know. It's only to watch the 6pm news
and the odd other programme which we can look up much faster in the
paper.
I suppose some people must spend their days watching all those
channels, rather than having a life..... :-)
Earl Grey
Using the EPG isn't compulsory, and carries no obligation to watch more
or less.
David Empson
> Michael Newbery wrote:
>
> > Earl Grey wrote:
>
> > > It is used by your Telstraclear digital cable TV box to download its
> > > electronic programme guide (EPG) information.
>
> > Correct. It is also used for ordering Pay Per View movies. That is,
> > without it plugged in, you can't do that.
>
> Ah, thank you both. Yes I see there is a programme guide with it,
> though why we'd need one I don't know. It's only to watch the 6pm news
> and the odd other programme which we can look up much faster in the
> paper.
The programme guide at the bottom of the screen (e.g. when you change
channels) works without the cable modem, but has limited scope. The
cable modem allows the decoder box to download the full guide (accessed
with the EPG button on the remote), which also gives you multiple days
and a timetable. I'm not sure exactly where the line is drawn, e.g.
whether the "more information" is supplied with the EPG (via cable
modem) or with the digital TV signal.
And I can confirm that you get a second cable modem if you want digital
TV and high-speed Internet.
Incidentally, the older analog decoders used an analog modem to download
their EPG. I'm not sure why the digital cable TV still requires a
TelstraClear telephone line to be installed, except for marketing
reasons.
> I suppose some people must spend their days watching all those
> channels, rather than having a life..... :-)
I got cable TV (last week, along with cable modem and phone) because of
terrible reception of free to air TV via our outside aerial (and
insufficient signal to use rabbit's ears). I can see TV1 again for the
first time in ages. Trying a few more channels to see if there are any
worth keeping, but nothing has grabbed me from occasional random
browsing.
I'll see how long it lasts but if I can fix the outside aerial or when
FreeView arrives I'll probably drop the cable TV again.
--
David Empson
dem...@actrix.gen.nz
Tony
>>>
>> It is used by your Telstraclear digital cable TV box to download its
>> electronic programme guide (EPG) information.
>> If you get a Telstraclear internet connection they will supply another one.
>
> Correct. It is also used for ordering Pay Per View movies. That is,
> without it plugged in, you can't do that.
>
> It doesn't cost any extra---it is just part o the digital set top box
> setup.
>
> Yes, if you *do* order Broadband, you will get another cable modem. You
> can't actually reach the Internet through the DTV associated cable modem.
Michael, I didn't know you were a newsgroup lurker ! Hmm... and with all
those people complaining about TCL's usenet server running out of data
allocation... It appears just the man to get it sorted is lurking
here... Need a hand to fix it ? :-) TW
peterwn
<Firstname.Lastn...@team.the_company_name.co.nz> wrote:
> In article <4607061...@clear.net.nz>, Earl Grey <e...@t.pot> wrote:
>
> Yes, if you *do* order Broadband, you will get another cable modem. You
> can't actually reach the Internet through the DTV associated cable modem.
It is a pity their set top boxes do not have a built in cable modem -
just so much clutter.