UPC Digital+ HD [Merged]

Ranicand · 25-06-2009 12:57AM #1

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

GerardKeating · 25-06-2009 06:48AM

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 · 25-06-2009 09:02AM

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 · 25-06-2009 10:05AM

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 · 25-06-2009 02:31PM

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 · 25-06-2009 02:47PM

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 · 26-06-2009 07:03PM

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 · 26-06-2009 10:35PM

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 · 28-06-2009 06:32PM

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 · 28-06-2009 06:40PM

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 · 28-06-2009 09:20PM

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 · 28-06-2009 10:37PM

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 · 29-06-2009 12:15AM

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 · 29-06-2009 07:48AM

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 · 01-07-2009 05:00PM

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 · 01-07-2009 05:03PM

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 · 01-07-2009 05:16PM

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 · 01-07-2009 05:24PM

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

Alun · 01-07-2009 06:03PM

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 · 01-07-2009 07:11PM

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 · 01-07-2009 07:46PM

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 · 01-07-2009 07:48PM

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 · 02-07-2009 09:02AM

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 · 02-07-2009 09:05AM

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 · 02-07-2009 08:21PM

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 · 02-07-2009 08:48PM

I didn't know there was a newer DVR.

That HD box looks really nice.

tallaghtfornia · 02-07-2009 09:32PM

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 · 02-07-2009 09:37PM

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 · 02-07-2009 09:41PM

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 · 03-07-2009 05:40AM

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

steprime · 03-07-2009 12:06PM

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

UPC Digital+ HD [Merged]

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