OT: Telewest Digital
Lee Mellows
Now that I'm finally getting a 16:9 set I ought to get some 16:9 pictures,
and as I'm already with Telewest for phone/analogue/broadband, I might as
well look at them for digi.
So, anyone got any comments on quality, service, etc?
Also, getting any technical info out of them is almost impossible (the
website's not much better than ITV digital's), so -
What's the box like?
RGB/scart out?
Phonos to connect to Hifi?
Is the sound prologic? etc.
And how much of it actually is widescreen (anamorphic)?
Would be much obliged for any comments or info anyone can give me before I
sign anything.
Lee
Guy Dawson
Lee Mellows wrote:
>
> For viewers of Uk.media.dvd I apologise for the cross-posting. :-)
>
> Now that I'm finally getting a 16:9 set I ought to get some 16:9 pictures,
> and as I'm already with Telewest for phone/analogue/broadband, I might as
> well look at them for digi.
We have Telewest phone, active digital TV and a broadband cable modem.
> So, anyone got any comments on quality, service, etc?
Our active digital is fine. It sits in a corner and lets us watch cable
TV. That's about it though. IMHO all the active and two way stuff is too
slow to use. This is very true given that we have a cable modem...
Digital artifacts can be see in the picture from time to time.
> Also, getting any technical info out of them is almost impossible (the
> website's not much better than ITV digital's), so -
> What's the box like?
Boring. A Pace DiTV1000 or DiTV2000 which uses IrDA and so can't be
controlled by VCRs or learning/multi-function remotes. We ended up getting
a TiVo which is a fab piece of kit.
> RGB/scart out?
Yes. They've done a good job of that.
> Phonos to connect to Hifi?
Yes.
> Is the sound prologic? etc.
When broadcast yes.
> And how much of it actually is widescreen (anamorphic)?
New UK stuff is mostly widescreen. Older UK and US material is
mostly 4:3
> Would be much obliged for any comments or info anyone can give me before I
> sign anything.
We're happy with the service...
Guy
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Dawson I.T. Manager Crossflight Ltd
g...@crossflight.co.uk 07973 797819 01753 776104
Chip
news:a36hfp$15skuo$1...@ID-115385.news.dfncis.de...
> For viewers of Uk.media.dvd I apologise for the cross-posting. :-)
>
> Now that I'm finally getting a 16:9 set I ought to get some 16:9 pictures,
> and as I'm already with Telewest for phone/analogue/broadband, I might as
> well look at them for digi.
You'd *think* that made sense...... but it doesn't!
> So, anyone got any comments on quality, service, etc?
> Also, getting any technical info out of them is almost impossible (the
> website's not much better than ITV digital's), so -
> What's the box like?
> RGB/scart out?
> Phonos to connect to Hifi?
> Is the sound prologic? etc.
> And how much of it actually is widescreen (anamorphic)?
>
> Would be much obliged for any comments or info anyone can give me before I
> sign anything.
Read on (LONG!)
I have Telewest phone & broadband and I used to have Telewest analogue,
before switching to digital about 1 year ago. And after 1 year of general
disappointment, I have given up and switched to Sky. (I have kept the
Telewest phone and broadband though.)
The Sky experience is completely, totally, *INFINITELY* better. (Shouting
with CAPS on!). Its fairly common knowledge amongst installers and
financial institutions and others that Telewest make their money out of the
phone and broadband, and that they aren't really interested in TV. Well it
shows! After 1 year of use, Telewest made no attempt whatsoever to upgrade
their service to something more competitive, and it just got further and
further and further behind. So I left, and I have never looked back.
Here is my list of gripes... and the big pluses of my new Sky package... and
why I am delighted I left TW:
1. The stupid Telewest box uses irda (rather than IR) for its remote
control and therefore will not work with any of the common multi-function
remotes (like my Pronto). So I had to have 2 remotes in use at all times,
1 specially for the Telewest box. Very annoying.
2. Related to the above, you can't use "Digisender" or anything like that to
relay pictures around your house, since you can't work the remote. BTW I
bought a Digisender from Argos just after Xmas and its *brilliant*. The
missus and I can now go to bed and watch Sky movies etc in bed. Cool :-)
3. There is no digital teletext on Telewest. This mattered to me as I have
a plasma TV with no TV tuner of its own. So I have no terrestrial teletext.
When you press <text> telewest have been giving you an on-screen message
saying "Coming Soon" for 18 months now. Soon? God help us if they said "A
long time off". Very annoying (again.) May not be a problem for you?
4. TW have made no effort to introduce and DD5.1 broadcasts, and they have
no plans so to do. Another step backwards. My new Sky+ box outputs 5.1 and
its really wonderful :-)
5. The EPG on TW is a joke. I didn't realise until I got my Sky box, how
bad it is. For example, it doesn't even show you whats on tomorrow! The
Sky one, by comparison is fast, easy to use and really really useful.
Especially combined with the Sky+ functionality.
6. No Sky Premier Widescreen!!!! And no Widescreen pay per view!
Unbelievable. In this day and age, ALL of their output is 4:3. (Of course
the BBC is sometimes 16:9, but all of the Premier channels and PPV channels,
TW in their infinite wisdom, think should be 4:3) Bye bye TW!
7. No plans for a "Sky+" type of box. Sky+ was one of the reasons I went to
Sky. Having said that, even if TW had announced one, I would have left -
because of 1 to 6 above. But, I have to say the Sky+ box is utterly,
totally, completely wonderful. My Ł1000 D-VHS deck is confined to the
cupboard now! Once you have used Sky+, integrated to the EPG, you will
wonder how you *ever* managed with anything else. To be able to scroll
around the EPG and just hit <R> to programme the recording. So simple -
just brilliant. And not to mention pausing live TV, watching recordings
before you've finished recording them, recording 2 channels at once (Yes, it
*can* do that, if you know how ;-)) Sky+ alone is reason enough to go Sky
rather than TW.
Yes you could do Tivo, and I am sure that's great too. But it has some
drawbacks - its *yet another* box, the picture quality isn't as good (with
Sky+, the recording is *the same* as the original - its a bit for bit copy.)
And you can't pause the whole programme - only 30 mins - with Tivo. Tivo
does do other clever stuff though.
8. Digital out. A small point, but even on material that isn't DD5.1, the
sound from my amp via the Sky's optical out is much better than it was from
the TW's analogue outs.
9. Interactive services. The TW ones are pathetic - a *complete* waste of
time. The Sky ones are better inasmuch as they are only a waste of time.
10. Channel choice. More movies and stuff on Sky.
Convinced?
To be fair, there is *one* good thing about TW compared to Sky. Its very
minor, but I do have to point it out: In the final analysis, and under
*extreme* scrutiny, the picture quality is actually a *tiny* bit better on
TW :-( There really isn't much in it, and at normal (10 ft) viewing
distances, I can't tell the difference on my 42" plasma. The Sky picture is
superb - very nearly DVD quality on a decent broadcast. But it has to be
said the TW picture was just a tiny weeny bit better.
Hope this helps save you before its too late!
Chip
Lee Mellows
Bizarrely, I may still go with Telewest for these reasons -
1. The stupid Telewest box uses irda (rather than IR) for its remote
> control and therefore will not work with any of the common multi-function
> remotes (like my Pronto).
I don't have a Pronto. One more remote isn't going to make much difference
to me, it'll just replace the one for my analogue box.
> 2. Related to the above, you can't use "Digisender" or anything like that
to
> relay pictures around your house,
Only 1 tele!
> 3. There is no digital teletext on Telewest. ... May not be a problem for
you?
>
Not a problem, never use it, got a tuner.
> 4. TW have made no effort to introduce and DD5.1 broadcasts, and they have
> no plans so to do. My new Sky+ box outputs 5.1 and its really
wonderful :-)
This is a problem. However I am suprised to hear Sky are broadcasting 5.1. I
thought everyone was always moaning that they didn't.
> 5. The EPG on TW is a joke.
Hmmm. I buy the Radio Times. :-)
> 6. No Sky Premier Widescreen!!!!
I have a DVD player. Flippant, but true.
> 7. No plans for a "Sky+" type of box.
7. Fair enough, but I may, as you say, get a Tivo. Lived without one so far.
> 8. Digital out. A small point,
8. Not a small point, but one I may have to live with.
> 9. Interactive services. The TW ones are pathetic - a *complete* waste of
> time. The Sky ones are better inasmuch as they are only a waste of time.
9. Well exactly :-)
> 10. Channel choice. More movies and stuff on Sky.
10. Very true, but I don't want the ones I can't have.
> Convinced?
>
Very nearly - you make a good case. Unfortunately, I live in London in a
Leasehold block of flats and I can't put a dish up !!!!! So you see my
choice is really between Telewest cable, ITV digital or not bothering, and I
really only want the main 5 or so channels in W/S, which they are on TW
digi.
>> Hope this helps save you before its too late
Thanks for you efforts! I'm not really being a luddite, just looking for the
best possible solution I can have.
Lee
Chip
> Thanks for your long and considered reply, Chip.
> Bizarrely, I may still go with Telewest for these reasons -
>
> 1. The stupid Telewest box uses irda (rather than IR) for its remote
> > control and therefore will not work with any of the common
multi-function
> > remotes (like my Pronto).
>
> I don't have a Pronto. One more remote isn't going to make much difference
> to me, it'll just replace the one for my analogue box.
Yes but you'll still need 2 remotes - 1 for your TW box and 1 for your TV.
With Sky+ you only need 1 as it will work both devices. Not the end of the
world though.
> > 2. Related to the above, you can't use "Digisender" or anything like
that
> to
> > relay pictures around your house,
>
> Only 1 tele!
Fair enough
> > 3. There is no digital teletext on Telewest. ... May not be a problem
for
> you?
> >
>
> Not a problem, never use it, got a tuner.
Fair enough
> > 4. TW have made no effort to introduce and DD5.1 broadcasts, and they
have
> > no plans so to do. My new Sky+ box outputs 5.1 and its really
> wonderful :-)
>
> This is a problem. However I am suprised to hear Sky are broadcasting 5.1.
I
> thought everyone was always moaning that they didn't.
Well they do. And the Beeb are about to start 5.1 transmissions so their
output will be 5.1 on Sky too :-)
> > 5. The EPG on TW is a joke.
>
> Hmmm. I buy the Radio Times. :-)
Until you have experience the joys of programming a video by just scrolling
to the programme you want, you wouldn't understand ;-)
> > 6. No Sky Premier Widescreen!!!!
>
> I have a DVD player. Flippant, but true.
Why bother with a TV service at all? Also flippant! But seriously, there's
a lot of good stuff on Sky Premier 1, 2 3 etc. I have Fight Club on DVD and
Fight Club in 5.1 widescreen recorded onto Sky+. You can hardly tell the
difference :-)
> > 7. No plans for a "Sky+" type of box.
>
> 7. Fair enough, but I may, as you say, get a Tivo. Lived without one so
far.
But you haven't "lived", without one. Seriously, factor either Sky+ or Tivo
into your immediate plans. If you don't like it, I will give you
£1,000,000. (Actually some parts of this paragraph may be false.)
> > 8. Digital out. A small point,
>
> 8. Not a small point, but one I may have to live with.
Still, a small point, I think. Nothing to lose sleep over.
> > 9. Interactive services. The TW ones are pathetic - a *complete* waste
of
> > time. The Sky ones are better inasmuch as they are only a waste of
time.
>
> 9. Well exactly :-)
>
OK, agreed.
> > 10. Channel choice. More movies and stuff on Sky.
>
> 10. Very true, but I don't want the ones I can't have.
What like the 6 or 7 extra movie channels? I would have thought they were
worth it?
> > Convinced?
> >
>
> Very nearly - you make a good case. Unfortunately, I live in London in a
> Leasehold block of flats and I can't put a dish up !!!!! So you see my
> choice is really between Telewest cable, ITV digital or not bothering, and
I
> really only want the main 5 or so channels in W/S, which they are on TW
> digi.
Ah, I see. So you are a bit stuck then. But hang on, what 5 or so channels
are w/s on TW? If you mean BBC1,2 and ITV3&4 and 5, then are you sure??? I
can't remember. And also, what matters - Coronation Street in w/s, or
"Gladiator"? I'd rather have the latter! (Actually, Corrie *isn't* in w/s
anyway - bad choice!)
> >> Hope this helps save you before its too late
>
> Thanks for you efforts! I'm not really being a luddite, just looking for
the
> best possible solution I can have.
Fair enough. But I'd rather go ITV digital than TW! At least ITVD are
*trying* to be competitive!
Chip.
Lee Mellows
> But hang on, what 5 or so channels are w/s on TW? If you mean BBC1,2
and ITV3&4 and 5, then are you sure??? I can't remember. And also, what
matters - Coronation Street in w/s, or
> "Gladiator"? I'd rather have the latter!
Actually I have Gladiator on DVD :-)
But Yes, The BBC channels (inc. Choice, Knowledge etc.) and ITV and CH4 & E4
are all W/s on TW to the same extent as they are on Sky.
And I really don't want all the movie/sports channels, I've still got around
half my 200 or so DVD's to get through yet, and a 2yr old child to absorb a
most of the day. And they cost more money.
> Fair enough. But I'd rather go ITV digital than TW! At least ITVD are
> *trying* to be competitive!
Looking into it.
Lee