Is NTL analogue MMDS really going away?

gerryo

NTL are warning about analogue MMDS switchoff on March 29th, does anybody know if this is true, or is it just part of a marketing drive to get more digital MMDS customers?

Gerryo

PK - the king

As far as I know, their licence to broadcast channels over MMDS in the analogue format runs out. Apparently, they have to completely switch everybody over to digital service, or otherwise ComReg will land them a hefty fine.

Mini

yep, analogue will be gone on march 29th - ntl should be in contact with you to install the new digital system in to the house for you. free as far as i am aware. Give ntl sales rep a ring and arrange an appointment to be installed with the service.

watty

Analog MMDS is technically terrible. Never should have been allowed. Much better ways AT THE TIME. Inherently the Analog MMDS is a flawed system. Digital MMDs can be as good as Sky, *IF* your dish is aligned correctly and you have a good enough signal.


Both Chorus and NTL analog MMDS are overdue to close.

Closure of Analog MMDS:

1) No rotten noisy pictures

2) 120 channels possible on Digital MMDS

3) Better quality / less freezing on Digital MMDS

4) Scarce NTL / Chorus technical resources concentrated on making one potentially decent system work instead of two incompatible systems.

gerryo

I agree Analog MMDs is technically deficient, however (in NTL's case), the replacement of the Analog decoder box with a digital box has the following drawbacks.

1. A second NTL digital decoder costs the same as the first (NTL's reasoning "the
boxes cost us more, so we have to charge more".

Fair enough if they were being sold, but they are rented. Charging the same for the second connection = loss of customer goodwill = customers make do with one box, or get FTA (or FTV) or $ky -> loss of revenue for NTL.

2. Digital decoder does not have RF output, so you cannot connect a second TV without a modulator or VCR or some form of sender = more cost to customers to get back to the same functionality as before.

3. Digital pictures are noise free (pretty much) but sometimes the lack of detail is noticable. This is something that might get less annoying with time.

4. Sometimes, when the picture degrades slightly, it is transmitted "in the clear" = possible to simultaneously view/record more than one channel from one decoder. This will never be possible with a digital decoder, which can only decode at most one channel.

I suspect (from reading boards.ie) NTL's analog MMDS quality was better than Chorus's offering, at least I rarely had cause to complain about NTL picture quality, just the lack of a picture from time to time

Gerryo

watty

1) You can buy your own satellite receivers, but Sky do offer a discount subscription on a second viewing card, if phone lines connected, otherwise a second card is same price (otherwise your mate could get a cheap NTL/Sky sub). Satellite, unlike NTL has many free channels and you don't need to pay anything. NTLs pricing, without a checking mechanism like Sky has, is to be expected.

2) Get a video sender that has a receiver with an RF out.

Lidl did one at 50 Eur. Great for stuff with no RF.

(or if distant TV has SCART, just a basic video sender).

You can use multiple receivers with one video sender. See Argos catalog.

All video senders have A, B, C and D channels and are pretty much compatible even across brands.

3) Yes *POORLY* converted sources are inferior to best analog. Most of my Digital Satellite channels are as good as Analog, BBC better than RTE analog and some (esp shopping channels and some international news channels much worse). This is down to how NTL use Digital, rather than absolutely inherent. If grassy fields *ALWAYS* look like snooker tables complain to NTL!

4) Because of limitations on Jerrold boxes the absolute basic channels on Chorus MMDS were clear. At one time 5 channels here clear. You didn't infact need *ANY* NTL/Chorus gear to receive clear MMDS channels. Since this was not tapping into a cable, nor decoding without payment, it really was FTA (free to air)!

Chorus (and to Extent NTL) both on Cable and MMDS analog of course made this a "feature" vs Sky.. "Watch different channels in different rooms at the same time". Even if analog remained, this is doomed. They would be scrambling/encrypting everything eventually or piracy of cable is encouraged causing interference and loss of program to legitimate viewers due to badly done taps.


NTL and Chorus could have offered a high quality Digital service with "Interactive" and 4 UK channels BEFORE Sky had *ANY* digital customers. They saw it as a Capital Investment cash bleed, instead of an opertunity to compete, and now are forced into it by Comreg and Sky is approaching 400,000 subscribers.