Chorus cable versus Sky

omathuna

This is my first post so please be gentle.

I currently have Chorus Cable in Clonmel. I receive 16 channels 3 of which are stereo, RTE1, NET2 and TG4. I have 3 TV's which receive all channels.
The service from Chorus is really bad, with frequent loss of signal. They also dug up the road during the summer to install digital network. But as yet there is still on sign of the set-top box or the better signal. I expect the Chours Digital to be more expensive.

I have just received a bill for next years cable for E193.

I am considering cancelling the subscription and getting a Sky digiox and a RTE areial. This way I can have 3 channels in the Bedroom and Kitchen, and then Sky in the sitting room. I was quoted E75 for the Box installation and E60 for the areial. Then E26 each month to Sky for the family pack.

So do you have any advice on this approach, is it worth the extra money. Is Sky service much better. Or do you have any better ideas.

DMC

Hi there and welcome along!

Your second last question says it all.

Is Sky service much better.

Sky used to have the campaign, "No looking back" and when compared to Chorus, well, there is no comparison.

As regards the deal, aerial and dish, it sounds very reasonable. Just a note that when you do move to Sky, you will loose UTV and Channel 4, but TV3 is available like RTÉ and TG4 on Sky Digital now, so the ITV soaps are still available there.

Sky Digital is the best digital platform in this country, no question.

HTH,

Damien.

spongebob

Chorus TV is dismal but their Broadband Cable offering is among the best and fastest Internet deals in the country and is available in Clonmel. The feedback is good with high service quality and availability.......amazing considering who is running it.

If you chuck em out for TV you may not be able to get the Cable Modem , see Here

Ya could go for SKY and the imminent ESAT 256k DSL see
Here for data

M

omathuna

Thanks for the advice.

I will need to apply for planning permission from my wife to proceed but at least I am going in the right direction.

:rolleyes:

ozpass

Hey Omathuna,

Welcome to the icdg Cable/MMDS/Broadband board.

In the 5 months that I have been a Chorus Digital customer (via MMDS, not cable) I have made 47 'Phone calls and sent 7 faxes to Chorus customer support, sent 6 emails to Chorus and 2 to the ODTR (complaining about Chorus) and come within a whisker of taking legal action against the company (too lazy/complacent to go the 'whole 9 yards').

I can not recommend you deal with this company in any capacity whatsoever.

I'm not a Sky Digital 'evangelist', in fact I loathe Chorus all the more for failing to provide me an adequate alternative to lining Rupert Murdoch's pockets.

For the sake of your sanity, though, sign up for Sky Digital!

P.S. I'm not normally this melodramatic!:p

watty

Esat & Eircom ADSL are much superior and less likely to out of business than NTL or Chorus based broadband.

The Esat ADSL in Limerick is now fine.

MMDS/Cable depends on Chorus/NTL. Both of which have not got a bright future.

If Sky goes bust tomorrow someone else will adminster Cards.
Sky deosn't even run/own the satellites etc. Digital Satellite is a lot more than Sky and does not depend on them. You can even add a second LNB (£25 stg bit on the end of Dish) or move Dish to get European and other Foriegn TV on a Digibox (Over 150 TV and Radio, but practially less than 20 on Digibox or it "forgets" them all)

You can cancel Sky after a year and still own the box/dish, still get 60 radio and plenty of TV.

I get all the Sky channels that don't need a view card on my PC along with 300 other TV & Radio.

I have two digiboxs, one with cheaper "knowledge" pack susbscription and one with no sub.

After 1 month you can change package.
After a year if you cancel it only takes minutes to reactivate PAY channels on anny package you want, for as little as a month.
You still get lots of Radio & TV without SKy Sub.

Get a TV aerial as the "rip off ejets" that Run Irish TV & Sky made Irish TV on Sky be pay only at what ever Sky charges. Irish channels only on Family pack. Not on lower packs , or FTV card as UK are in UK.

RTE et al obviously regard "Digital Satellte" as Pay Cable. It isn't.

It's a national Scandal.

ShaneOC

Originally posted by watty
Get a TV aerial as the "rip off ejets" that Run Irish TV & Sky made Irish TV on Sky be pay only at what ever Sky charges. Irish channels only on Family pack. Not on lower packs , or FTV card as UK are in UK.

RTE et al obviously regard "Digital Satellte" as Pay Cable. It isn't.

It's a national Scandal.

It is highly unlikely that RTÉ will ever have a FTV system like that operated by the BBC in the UK. RTÉ are in enough financial trouble without having to splash out on a service for a very small number of people.

It cost RTÉ nothing to go on Sky. The fact that the channels are only available on the family pack (or higher) is a bit unrealistic - they should be available on all packages. You should take this issue up with Sky as it is they who decide what package RTÉ gets included in.

watty

Agreed.
Without a massive sacking in RTE and change in Gov. Policy nothing will change. Irish TV will become Pay only.

I have contacted OTDR: They are "concerned", but will do nothing without specific complaints in writing.

I have contacted RTE, susbstance of Phone and Email replies:

1) "We think this is a brilliant deal for the Irish viewer, but pricing is up to Sky" (Brilliant for RTE accountants, no-one else).
2) We can make no comment about TV3
3) "If people want more than is on their Aerial, they will buy Sky Family pack anyway."
4)What about those with poor or no Irish TV reception? "Everyone has perfect TV coverage except TV3 viewers. TV3 hasn't spent enough like we have."

Any Clonmel sufferers here?

RTE never takes reception reports seriously anyway.
(Unless the transmitter is actaully gone off air!)


I have contacted Sky:
Very hard to get a reponse.
1) Pricing is up to RTE (!)
2) We can't say why it needs at least the Family Pack.
3) What Satellite Claims that Irish TV is part of "Value Pack" and higher: "No it isn't. You need the Family pack"
4) Why is Irish TV only part of Family Pack and Higher? "You'll have to discuss that with RTE.

No party would tell me the details of the "deal".
RTE claimed it was free carriage but woulds elaborate no further.

Originally posted by watty

No party would tell me the details of the "deal".
RTE claimed it was free carriage but woulds elaborate no further.

This was discussed in depth on the ICDG satelite board when RTÉ first came on Sky.
While probably not even the freedom of information act would get you a copy of the deal between RTÉ and Sky, one thing is clear.
RTÉ paid not one penny to Sky to be on the Irish EPG whereas ITV paid millions.
RTÉ acquiesced to being on the Family pack only as they were Way too cash strapped to pay Sky for a FTV solution.
It was their only option as they had to get onto the Sky platform, to stop, the fall off in viewership , they were suffering due to people(200k at the time) being too lazy to switch back to analog once they were watching a Sky channel.
mm

watty

Originally posted by Man
This was discussed in depth on the ICDG satelite board when RTÉ first came on Sky.
While probably not even the freedom of information act would get you a copy of the deal between RTÉ and Sky, one thing is clear.
RTÉ paid not one penny to Sky to be on the Irish EPG whereas ITV paid millions.
RTÉ acquiesced to being on the Family pack only as they were Way too cash strapped to pay Sky for a FTV solution.
It was their only option as they had to get onto the Sky platform, to stop, the fall off in viewership , they were suffering due to people(200k at the time) being too lazy to switch back to analog once they were watching a Sky channel.
mm

Hmmm.
Wonder what RTE will do when 100,000 people too lazy to swap FTV card with ROI card... Or don't bother with ROI sub at all?

Are we up to 500,000 boxes yet?
(Bearing in mind Digiboxes that Sky doesn't even know are in Ireland.. I expect most 2nd Digiboxes etc)

Unless RTE improves content (And I don't mean spending more money on Imports and Sport), viewership will continue to slide.

dmeehan

when are rte gonna have digital text
it cant be that hard, they already have all the content they from their website.

or how about some interactive sports coverage. it would be a major "one up on the other" for either tv3/rte if they were the "first" to get interactive sports coverage

Leesider

Speaking of text - when will Teletext be available on ITV1 on Sky?
Will it ever happen?

DMC

Originally posted by Leesider
Speaking of text - when will Teletext be available on ITV1 on Sky?
Will it ever happen?

dmeehan first, its highly unlikely that RTÉ will offer interactive content or digital text on Sky Digital. Their agreement with the BCI won't allow for this.

Teletext is a different franchise on Channel 3, and it is a must carry on analogue transmissions on ITV. Its not that way on DSAT, DTT or DCable. Teletext is a stand-alone channel on DTT (9)
Teletext Holidays are an interactive channel on Sky Digital.

Ancillary services on p600 are all you are going to get on ITV on DSAT, teletext wise.