NTL Digital - A few questions

icdg

Hi all,

As readers of the ICDG web site will know, I have ordered NTL Digital and next Saturday it is due to be installed.

I'd like to ask the readers a few questions about the service:

1) What is the current version of the EPG software in Ireland? (Should be v5.30 - NTL ex-CableTel areas, but I have my suspicousions it could be an earlier version. If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about, take a look at the screenshots either on ICDG or DigitalSpy). How stable is the software?

2) How is the digibox connected to the TV/VCR? SCART, RF or both? And will the installer connect it to my VCR rather than the TV if I ask him?

3) How long does the install generally take to complete? (I will be taking NTL up on their extra points for free installation offer - it finished today - and will be having the digibox installed on the extra point).

4) Are you able to disconnect the digibox (from the mains) at night, or are you told to leave it connected for updates etc?

5) How easy is it to move the digibox to another cable point? Does it require having an engineer out again to move it?

6) Is the installation fee added to your next bill?

I promise a full review of NTL Digital on ICDG shortly after the installation has occoured and I have time to play with the service!

John R

1. The software is v5.26. It is similar to the newer NI screenshots on your website, but pink, very pink. IMO the blue/green is much nicer to look at. The software is not too bad, there aren't the strange glitches you get with a sky box, instead it just freezes completely every so often (I wonder if it uses microsoft software). It is not a big problem though, rebooting is pretty quick; about 30 seconds from power-on to fully working.

2. The box has 2 scart connectons and an rf out, the box I was given has no rf pass-through though so connecting the rf modulator requires combining the box output with the analogue cable feed.

3. My installation took about 1 hour, mainly because the installer replaced the cable from the roof split box into the house but also because he was an idiot.

4. I wasn't really told anything, like I said he was an idiot. If I didn't already know how digital tv worked I wouldn't have had much of an idea. He hooked up the scart connection without telling me anything about the rf link for connecting to other rooms. Until I examined the box I didn't know there was one, and I had to trawl DigitalSpy to find how to tune the modulator to a suitable channel.

5. It is no problem moving the box to any point in the house as long as the signal is good enough. The cable-in is an F connector so you might need to change those around.

6. It was several bills before any of the charges were added to my bill, then it appeared as a big lump sum.

AFAIK the extra points for free offer is only for installation, you will still have to pay rental on them (something like €7 a month each). I don't see the point myself, <sorry, couldn't resist it> One feed with a good amplifier and fully shielded f-connector splitters gives me as good quality on 6 tvs as connecting the cable directly into 1 tv does, without extra holes drilled in the exterior walls.

icdg

Thanks for the reply - I really should have looked at the NTL Digital promo on Link, it would have told me it was 5.20 at least - you've confirmed. Great that you can move it to any point in the house, I will be having it installed on a second point but would like to be able to move it to the main point when watching Front Row. The free installation on the extra point was supposed to expire at the end of April, then the end of June, now it is the end of July...they'll probably run with this offer for ever, it is their main branding point for the service. The rental is admitadly very small (only about EUR 3) , but given NTL Digital's problems with weak signal strenght, I would rather pay it to get a better signal.

Anyway...18 hours to go until my engineer is supposed to show! Will report on Sunday if he does...or not....

Finally, re: RF pass-through, NTL's newer box does not have analogue pass-through, offically because NTL plan to turn off the UK analogue channels soon, and on NTL Digital in the UK, only Channels 1-5 are passed through. Unoffically, its to keep costs down.

Brian OD

Finally, re: RF pass-through, NTL's newer box does not have analogue pass-through, offically because NTL plan to turn off the UK analogue channels soon, and on NTL Digital in the UK, only Channels 1-5 are passed through. Unoffically, its to keep costs down.

Surely RTÉ, TV3 and TG4 ahould be passed-through here in the same way as the UK's terrestrials are there???

In other words, I think it is a case of cost-cutting and not anything in relation to channels.

JTMan

Originally posted by John R

AFAIK the extra points for free offer is only for installation, you will still have to pay rental on them (something like €7 a month each).

Not that bad. It is about €2 a month rental for each extra point.

icdg

Originally posted by Brian OD


Surely RTÉ, TV3 and TG4 ahould be passed-through here in the same way as the UK's terrestrials are there???

In other words, I think it is a case of cost-cutting and not anything in relation to channels.

Yes, cost cutting is the major part of it, though I should explain that in the UK, only Channels 1-5 can be picked up by a TV without an analogue decoder. UK TVs cannot access the VHF band where the cable channels are broadcast, even if they could they could only pick up some of them. Channels 1-5 are broadcast on UHF and can be picked up. On the other hand, in the ROI, the Pace Di4001 can pass through the entire analogue channels, the Pace Di4010 cannot.

In any case (and in mine - I have a Di4010), the installer should install an aerial splitter to allow your TV access the analogue channels.