UPC Digital+ HD [Merged]

Ranicand

Does anybody have any idea when UPC will roll out their HD service?

GerardKeating

Ranicand wrote: »

Does anybody have any idea when UPC will roll out their HD service?

Not this year, they only rolls out series link the other after promising it for the past year, so on that basis, HD is not any time soon now.

bk

GerardKeating wrote: »

Not this year, they only rolls out series link the other after promising it for the past year, so on that basis, HD is not any time soon now.

I believe we will have it soon, probably this year.

randomer

bk wrote: »

I believe we will have it soon, probably this year.

Do you have any basis for your belief, or is it just hope?

beneton

FWIW

I quizzed a recent UPC agent and the line provided was that UPC had insufficient HD content to offer to justify a service roll-out. He said that SKY was playing hardball and that they were either demanding extortionate fees for UPC to carry SKY HD content or that they were unwilling to supply certain HD channels at all. It certainly sounds plausible.

bk

randomer wrote: »

Do you have any basis for your belief, or is it just hope?

Well a member of UPC staff has posted here that they have the HD boxes in the office and they are testing it at the moment and that it would be here soon.

That same person has been correct in the past (DVR, series link, etc.) so I would tend to believe him.

beneton wrote:

I quizzed a recent UPC agent and the line provided was that UPC had insufficient HD content to offer to justify a service roll-out. He said that SKY was playing hardball and that they were either demanding extortionate fees for UPC to carry SKY HD content or that they were unwilling to supply certain HD channels at all. It certainly sounds plausible.

I wouldn't be one bit surprised, Sky probably want to keep the HD channels to themselves as it is a major bonus for their service. It is noticeable that Virgin in the UK only carry BBC HD and no Sky HD channels.

It is possible that UPC could launch without Sky HD channels, just BBC, C4, ITV HD and the HD doc channels (maybe SciFi and FX HD also). I agree that isn't probably what most people want, most people are looking for sports and movies in HD.

Moriarty

Things may be changing on that front however, if recent ofcom rulings are anything to go by: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jun/26/ofcom-warns-bskyb-over-pricing (not specifically HD-related, rather towards wholesale pay-tv access).

Then again, if sky decide to put up a fight specifically for the irish market, I wouldn't hold my breath (or plan a pension) around when comreg may decide to concern themselves with the issue.

paulm17781

Just to add to what BK said, the same UPC person told me there are a few HD boxes around at the moment, still in test but due out this year. His info is always reliable.

paulm17781

paulm17781 wrote: »

Just to add to what BK said, the same UPC person told me there are a few HD boxes around at the moment, still in test but due out this year. His info is always reliable.

Thinking about it, he may have told me that HD is live on the network but only for tests at present.

GerardKeating

paulm17781 wrote: »

Thinking about it, he may have told me that HD is live on the network but only for tests at present.

There is a list on the always acurate Wikipedia, of chanells on the List of channels on UPC Ireland which mentions some trial HD output.

AtaStrumf

I just received a new card for the digital box the other day. In the letter they talk about improved security and services so I wonder does that have anything to do with HD or what is it about?

dunworth1

AtaStrumf wrote: »

I just received a new card for the digital box the other day. In the letter they talk about improved security and services so I wonder does that have anything to do with HD or what is it about?

i doubt its about hd as you would need a new box

i hope they are on about on-demand and interactive services

bk

Interestingly that list of UPC channels mentions 4 Sky HD channels, ok so they are the not very exciting Sky Arts and Real Lives channels, but maybe it indicated some hope of Sky One HD and sports and movies might end up on UPC.

CableMan

bk wrote: »

Well a member of UPC staff has posted here that they have the HD boxes in the office and they are testing it at the moment and that it would be here soon.

UPC has launched HD boxes (non DVR and DVR) already 18 months ago in almost all it's other regions, like Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and Poland.

UPC seems to use exactly the same boxes (and software) over all of their countries, which also makes sense as this gives them a more efficient economic scale.

I would also imagine that they do most of their testing centrally (same reason) and that for Ireland they just do some local verifications.

So in short: I agree that the main reason why these boxes are not around have to do with other reasons than box availability, most likely content or available bandwidth.

C

steprime

I got a new UPC PVR installed on saturday and I was told that UPC are currently testing HD boxes and that HD will be available in july (costing €10 a month)

On a sidenote - i`ve never seen the box I got installed before - it`s a black model with a sleek long black remote and looks a helluva lot better than the old silver versions....anyone else have this new box - i`m already tired of seeing the gathering data message.....

randomer

steprime wrote: »

I got a new UPC PVR installed on saturday and I was told that UPC are currently testing HD boxes and that HD will be available in july (costing €10 a month)

On a sidenote - i`ve never seen the box I got installed before - it`s a black model with a sleek long black remote and looks a helluva lot better than the old silver versions....anyone else have this new box - i`m already tired of seeing the gathering data message.....

Who told you that the HD Boxes would be available in July? And did they say July 2009?

I would get it immediately if they became available. I really don't like the current DVR box. What is the make and model of the box that you got installed?

steprime

Was told by the guys installing it - so I will take the info with a pinch of salt

i`ll check the exact make and model when i get home later and post the details. Looks good when I hook it up to my DVR/DVD recorder and hook it up to my tv by HDMI.......but would still prefer HD though

paulm17781

Sounds to me like you got the HD DVR! Do you have any pictures?

Alun

Very interesting ... I await the photos eagerly!

As an aside, I did a frequency scan today from the diagnostics menu (Menu, press 1 7 8 9 and hit Page Down a few times) and noticed an extra Transport Stream. There were only 13 before, but now there appears to be a nr. 15 (no nr. 14 for some reason, it leaves a gap in the list there). Maybe that's the HD test TS?

Even if you don't have HD, just having a direct digital output via HDMI should result in a better picture than going through two needless Digital-Analogue and Analogue-Digital conversions via RGB. Maybe I can persuade an axe to fall through the top of my DVR, errm, accidentally

DingDong

paulm17781 wrote: »

Sounds to me like you got the HD DVR! Do you have any pictures?

It not a HD DVR he got, it more that likely the new smaller DVR can't remember the model number off hand. The new remote look very similar to what you get with a Samsung tv.

Rosser

If it's this then we're in business

http://www.upc.hu/images/content/home/press_philips_hd_dvr.jpg

however if it's this then it's just a different box

http://www.telecomwereld.nl/pic/news/554/upcmbox.jpg

Alun

Rosser wrote: »

If it's this then we're in business

http://www.upc.hu/images/content/home/press_philips_hd_dvr.jpg

however if it's this then it's just a different box

http://www.upc.hu/images/content/home/press_philips_hd_dvr.jpg

Those are the same images

steprime

its deffo not a HD box - there`s no component or HDMI connection

The model number is DCI221 made by Thomson
As previously mentioned on the board - it`s probably just a smaller version of the Standard def DVR box

The guys installing it who told me about HD stated that I would need the new box for HD....

steprime

sorry for the confusion

i`ll check the exact make and model when i get home later and post the details. Looks good when I hook it up to my DVR/DVD recorder and hook it up to my tv by HDMI.......but would still prefer HD though

I meant to state that my DVR/DVD recorder is hooked up to the TV via HDMI not the the UPC box - I just pass the signal to the DVR/DVD recorder from the UPC box via scart....

Dardania

Alun wrote: »

As an aside, I did a frequency scan today from the diagnostics menu (Menu, press 1 7 8 9 and hit Page Down a few times) and noticed an extra Transport Stream.

Very cool - can I use this menu to check if broadband is available to me? The first page says the EuroDOCSIS cable modem interface is OK, but on the EuroDOCSIS down-stream, even through there's a SNR & frequency, there;s no lock signal or synchronisation...

paulm17781

I didn't know there was a newer DVR.

That HD box looks really nice.

tallaghtfornia

The model number is DCI221 made by Thomson

I have searched all over for an image of that new box have you got a link to one or maybe a photo ?

Thx a mil

Dardania

tallaghtfornia wrote: »

I have searched all over for an image of that new box have you got a link to one or maybe a photo ?

Thx a mil

is it the bottom one here?: http://www.upc.ie/service/?cid=124&aid=94

tallaghtfornia

I got a new UPC PVR installed on saturday and I was told that UPC are currently testing HD boxes and that HD will be available in july (costing €10 a month)

On a sidenote - i`ve never seen the box I got installed before - it`s a black model with a sleek long black remote and looks a helluva lot better than the old silver versions....anyone else have this new box - i`m already tired of seeing the gathering data message.....

Sorry I was Looking for the model number for the above box

But thanks anyways

ciaran76

Does anyone know will the HD unit also be a DVR?

steprime

Rosser wrote: »

If it's this then we're in business

http://www.upc.hu/images/content/home/press_philips_hd_dvr.jpg

however if it's this then it's just a different box

http://www.telecomwereld.nl/pic/news/554/upcmbox.jpg

The box I now have is the second one - not a HD box, and I have a better remote than the one pictured

Nearly one week so far and not that impressed by the performance of the box

1. experienced lypsync problems with a recording last night
2. every time I hit a number on the remote( eg. when I press the 4 when trying to change to channel 408) the screen goes blank until I complete the full channel number
3. Everytime I enter the tv guide, I get the -gathering information message and it then takes a few seconds to display the guide

lostinNaas

tallaghtfornia wrote: »

Sorry I was Looking for the model number for the above box

But thanks anyways

I can send you a picture of the DVR box we had installed a couple of weeks ago if you PM an email address (i don't know how to load a picture here).
It is not HD - at least there is no HDMI port. Can't see any model number.

Cupart

GerardKeating wrote: »

There is a list on the always acurate Wikipedia, of chanells on the List of channels on UPC Ireland which mentions some trial HD output.

You gotta be kidding right?

The HD channel listing is off by far, as there are only three HD test streams : Eurosport HD, Discovery HD and NGTV HD.

There are often channels added onto the Wikipedia list that never has been (or will be) availble on UPC Ireland.

Bodan

Cupart wrote: »

You gotta be kidding right?

There are often channels added onto the Wikipedia list that never has been (or will be) availble on UPC Ireland.

i have every channel thats there bar the HD one' s . It's a pretty good list.

cdb

I really really hope UPC are planning to launch HD with that HD mediabox above....

Please, please, please UPC - I promise I'll stop moaning and whingeing about their customer service (for a while at least)

Cupart

Bodan wrote: »

i have every channel thats there bar the HD one' s . It's a pretty good list.

How can it be a pretty good list when someone had entered Good Food (UKTV Food) on channel 503 when this clearly never had been there (It was removed later)? The HD channels listed are not correct either (far from it)!

IMHO Wikipedia should be used with caution... It's full of misleading info, but that said, it can be used as a guideline and is still enjoyable reading

tallaghtfornia

Got a mag from UPC the other day think it was called Fusions it said that they were going to introduce HD TV later on this year.

Would say they will introduce this after the encryption changeover! Hopefuly they will and will do a better deal for me then SKY do!!

phoenix2181

doubt it will happen anytime soon, even when it's released we'll get the excuse it'll will only be available in certain areas

for example
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/news.nv?storyid=single8370
"Coan said that UPC intends to roll out its high-definition (HD) service before the end of the year." (21/5/07)

http://www.enn.ie/story/show/10123799
"There is also a HD variant of the DVR in the works and Kelehan said the firm is targeting a release sometime in 2008."

cdb

For what its worth, I spoke to an engineer from UPC who called to the house a few days ago and asked about HD tv. He said they are currently trialling HD and testing the signal in a number of locations. All going well he expects the service to be available towards the end of this year.

Letchy_06

I work for CPW and i was told today by upc if ur in a dual play or triple play area HD will be available from august 1st

Mossy Monk

Letchy_06 wrote: »

I work for CPW and i was told today by upc if ur in a dual play or triple play area HD will be available from august 1st

15 days eh. No announcement from UPC or anything. Not to doubt you but I will believe that when it happens.

Letchy_06

to be honest i dont tink it will go live either meself ! ..... they reckon it will cost €2.50 extra for the service

dunworth1

Letchy_06 wrote: »

to be honest i dont tink it will go live either meself ! ..... they reckon it will cost €2.50 extra for the service

if its really that cheap i think sky might be losing a few customers

Letchy_06

thats what they are hoping for :cool:...

they are even launching new bb tarifs

dunworth1

Letchy_06 wrote: »

they are even launching new bb tarifs

any idea on what they are

Letchy_06

i think i was asleep for that slide of the meeting .....
Oh the download limits are rising

jocko4

I just had a UPC Digital+ box installed today & it was different to the two box pictures in the two links above - it's black with a shiny front pannel and a row of buttons along the bottom left, card slot on the bottom right - I'll take a photo & post it here.

It's not HD but is neat & fast - anybody else got one of these? There's no manual download for it on UPC - it's not like any pictured there - does anybody know the model - it's not on the box

Stevek101

jocko4 wrote: »

I just had a UPC Digital+ box installed today & it was different to the two box pictures in the two links above - it's black with a shiny front pannel and a row of buttons along the bottom left, card slot on the bottom right - I'll take a photo & post it here.

It's not HD but is neat & fast - anybody else got one of these? There's no manual download for it on UPC - it's not like any pictured there - does anybody know the model - it's not on the box

Sounds like I have that one. Black with the new remote! Its a Thomson, that's all I know;)

jocko4

How do you know it's a Thomson model - I don't see any ID anywhere on the box?

Here's a pic

Rosser

jocko4 wrote: »

How do you know it's a Thomson model - I don't see any ID anywhere on the box?

Here's a pic

No offence but it's not exactly easy on the eye, my son would have the smart card out every five seconds!

jocko4

Looks better "in the flesh" than in the photo - I know what you mean about the kids though (I don't have that problem)