Chorus Digital - PVR

106GTi

I recently upgraded from Chorus Analogue to Chorus Digital ( Aerial on the roof and not Cable )

When I was on Analogue I used to have a splitter on the cable and run another cable to my PC with a Hauppauge PVR350 card so that I could record to my computer hard drive - much like the new hard drive video recorders that are available now.

Unfortunately this setup does not seem to work with the Chorus Digital service.

Anyone running a simlar setup ? ideas on how to get it working ?

thanks

bk

You have two options:

1) Downgrade back to analogue
2) Get a second digital subscription.

This is why chorus sucks compared to NTL. With NTL digital you still get to keep the analogue servce, not so for Chorus.

gerryo

106GTi is talking about Digital MMDS, not cable, so a second digital subscription won't fix this problem.

Sounds like this new digitial MMDS box does not have RF out.
You'll need a modulator connected to the box SCART socket to get back the same functionality as the old analogue box.

Or else get an old VCR & connect the MMDS box SCART to the VCR SCART (or it might have BNC/phone sockets) & set it to AV input or record from external source. Then run a cable from the VCR RF out to the Hauggauge card RF in.

However, you'd get better quality by connecting the MMDS box directly to the Hauppauge if it has analog inputs.

Digital MMDS is one area where customers lose out badly compared to cable.
You need a second MMDS box to watch/record a programme on a different channel. At least with digital cable, you still have the old analogue channels.

How come MMDS customers don't have extra channels that are delayed by 1 hour, eg. BBC+1 or CH+1, so they can at least have the opportunity to watch a programme they missed because they were watching something else.

Is it just cost?

Or perhaps a broadcast right issue?

bk

gerryo wrote:

106GTi is talking about Digital MMDS, not cable, so a second digital subscription won't fix this problem.

You are right I missed that.

gerryo wrote:

Digital MMDS is one area where customers lose out badly compared to cable.
You need a second MMDS box to watch/record a programme on a different channel. At least with digital cable, you still have the old analogue channels.

Not with Chorus cable in Cork, in Cork even analogue is encrypted and you need to get a second box/subscription to access multiple channels. It is one of the many reasons why Chorus is so crap and NTL is so good in comparison.

gerryo wrote:

How come MMDS customers don't have extra channels that are delayed by 1 hour, eg. BBC+1 or CH+1, so they can at least have the opportunity to watch a programme they missed because they were watching something else.

Is it just cost?

Or perhaps a broadcast right issue?

It is down to the capacity available on the MMDS frequencies. There simply isn't as much space as on cable.

gerryo

Encrypting analog cable for the basic channels (as in non movies/sport), well that's a new low!

How is this supposed to work for the average household, do they expect people to buy 2 or 3 extra boxes just to keep parents + kids happy & not fighting over the remote?

I know they can still get off air reception in other rooms if they have an aerial, but surely the whole point of analog cable is it provides 16 or so basic channels all viewable at the same time.

Wth digital cable, well you need a box to decode, so you need more boxes if you want to view/record more than one channel at the same time.

I thought MMDS had a few hundred channels available, where's the limit?

Freddie59

gerryo wrote:

Encrypting analog cable for the basic channels (as in non movies/sport), well that's a new low!

How is this supposed to work for the average household, do they expect people to buy 2 or 3 extra boxes just to keep parents + kids happy & not fighting over the remote?

I know they can still get off air reception in other rooms if they have an aerial, but surely the whole point of analog cable is it provides 16 or so basic channels all viewable at the same time.

Wth digital cable, well you need a box to decode, so you need more boxes if you want to view/record more than one channel at the same time.

I thought MMDS had a few hundred channels available, where's the limit?

Chorus have been doing that in Cork (even on analogue) since 1985, due to widespread piracy, although I believe that the boxes were subsequently compromised.:)

bk

gerryo wrote:

How is this supposed to work for the average household, do they expect people to buy 2 or 3 extra boxes just to keep parents + kids happy & not fighting over the remote?

Yes they do, it is one of the many reasons why everyone in Cork hates Chorus and why most people are leaving for Sky.

Chorus Digital only gives you 60 channels, compared to 150 on Sky, it has very bad picture quality compared to Sky and has no PVR, all for €28, the exact same price as Sky. Who in their right mind would go for Chorus.

At least with NTL Digital, you get about 120 channels and you still get the analogue for other TV's. VCR's, etc. in your house. This is why NTL has such a relatively low churn rate (it doesn't lose many customers to Sky).

paulm17781

bk wrote:

Chorus Digital only gives you 60 channels, compared to 150 on Sky.

Is there only 150 channels on sky? I thought it was about 400!

bk

paulm17781 wrote:

Is there only 150 channels on sky? I thought it was about 400!

Wow I'm making loads of mistakes today, I actually think there are over 500, but then most of them are crap.

roykeane16

anyone know when chorus are turning off the anaolog system?

roykeane16

would love2 get sky but looks like im stuck with chorus 4a while

Fabarm Guy

BK,
Where did you get your Information about everyone in Cork hating Chorus, did they all contact you individually or is it just a broad brush stroke based on experience?

bk

Fabarm Guy wrote:

BK,
Where did you get your Information about everyone in Cork hating Chorus, did they all contact you individually or is it just a broad brush stroke based on experience?

I'm from Cork (live in Dublin now), every single person I know in Cork absolutely hates the company. Seriously I'm not kidding, I have yet to meet a single citizen of the independent peoples republic of Cork who actually has something good to say about them.

Seriously I'm not overexagerating, your obviously not from Cork, because Chorus has been a running joke in Cork for many many years.

An average Chorus experience is literally days or even weeks without any TV service, snowy picture and audio when it does work. Don't even bother ringing CS, you will be kept on the phone for ages and they haven't got a clue, don't care and are completely inept.

Also, unlike NTL, the analogue TV service is encrypted so that means you need to get an extra "black box" (shudder!!!) and subscription for each TV/VCR.

Their digital service has only 60 channels and costs the same as a Sky Digital Family Pack (about 500 channels with brilliant picture and sound quality).

In comparison NTL is superb, I can't believe how good a service I get from them. Here is an example:

6 months back I called NTL sales to get BB. First I got straight through, the sales person was very friendly, professional and see really knew her stuff, I spent lots of time on the phone and asked lots of questions (including Linux stuff) and she patiently answered all my questions. Then the real surprise she offered me the analogue TV servcie free for 12 months when I signed up for BB. I couldn't believe how good this service was.

1 month ago I contacted Chorus to get cable for my sisters new house in Cork, first I was waiting on the phone for ages, then when I got through, the CS couldn't get me off the phone fast enough and I only asked two questions, how much and is it availalbe, yet I felt like she couldn't care less and just wanted me off the phone. Forget about the fact that they might get a new customer. Needless to say my sister got Sky Digital who again did everything they could to get here custom and where very professional.

My only fear is that when Chorus and NTL merge, NTL will become more like Chorus, ther are rumours that the NTL call centre would be closed and they would use Chorus, that would be a big mistake.

mimix

So pretty much based on a bad experience then...

I have had Chorus since they started.

I have had two faults both of which were fixed the next day (No charge, all part of the service).

As for the call center, from what I have read of NTL's Service and my experience with chorus, I am quite happy.

paulm17781

I only know one person from Cork and she hates Chorus. In my survey 100% of respondants said they hated Chorus.

Mossy Monk

i had the MMDS service a while back and it was horrible. went without channels for a few days over christmas one year. some joke

bk

mimix wrote:

As for the call center, from what I have read of NTL's Service and my experience with chorus, I am quite happy.

Well I have had a great deal of real experience of both, NTL call centre is far, far superior.