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The €5 a Month RTE TG4 only Sky Sub

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    #62
    Widescreen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭Widescreen


    gtg60 wrote: »
    Different strokes for different folks, there are a lot of people who would rather spend €60 a year to have the PVR functionality on a single box they already own than fork out €500+ (9 years subs!!) for the 2 Humax's and possibly an aerial too.

    Agreed-and there is also the nagging doubt that the odd freesat channel will be reincrypted etc- at least paying a few quid a month to sky for all the irish channels and uk ones plus sky plus is a great deal.

    I mean we all pay the ESB monthly, we don't buy our own power stations do we.

    I mean what is €10? would you rather have a couple pints of beer or pay sky for all that functionality-sounds good to me if they offered it!


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    #63
    MBSnr
    Registered Users Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭MBSnr


    rlogue wrote: »
    The Picture Quality for the Irish channels is poor on Sky because the channels are throttled at 544 x 576 resolution. If the channels were broadcast at 720 x 576 and RTE used a decent encoder such as the one used for Luxe TV/Luxury Life TV the PQ would be a lot better and they would not need to waste bandwidth on an unnecessarily high bit rate.

    Re the picture quality. I find the blacks far more blocky on RTE1 DTT than Sky.....

    I'd tend to agree with gtg60 - I've a Mvision box for DTT and multi sat. The wife can't use it - hence why we still have Sky. Perhaps things will change when Saorview PVR boxes become more mainstream (and I can get the Humax HDR - maybe even the new one if it's out sometime later..) But then for the average viewer without adding additional boxes under the TV, the Sky €5 a month option seems a good option (as long as it can still record with Sky+ functionality).


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    #64
    Widescreen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭Widescreen


    rlogue wrote: »
    The Picture Quality for the Irish channels is poor on Sky because the channels are throttled at 544 x 576 resolution. If the channels were broadcast at 720 x 576 and RTE used a decent encoder such as the one used for Luxe TV/Luxury Life TV the PQ would be a lot better and they would not need to waste bandwidth on an unnecessarily high bit rate.

    How good do you want it? There is nothing that spoils the average persons enjoyment of the irish channels on Sky. I have a ftv card which means I can watch the likes of channell 4hd, five hd, I rarely even use that box. if I am sitting comfortably and a match comes on channel 5hd and I have to get up off my seat, I will just watch it in sD without even missing the quality. You can over analyse all this stuff. We are just begging to be ripped off by the TV providers!


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    #65
    rlogue
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,035 ✭✭✭rlogue


    How good do I want it? Standard Definition would be a start.


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    #66
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭OldRio


    Widescreen wrote: »
    Agreed-and there is also the nagging doubt that the odd freesat channel will be reincrypted etc- at least paying a few quid a month to sky for all the irish channels and uk ones plus sky plus is a great deal.

    I mean we all pay the ESB monthly, we don't buy our own power stations do we.

    I mean what is €10? would you rather have a couple pints of beer or pay sky for all that functionality-sounds good to me if they offered it!

    I'm not sure what point your making regarding ESB and power stations and paying Sky to watch RTE.
    As for the 500euro it would cost???
    You can buy a combo box for less than 200euro. With recording abilities.
    You can buy a freeview box with mpeg4 for less than 50euro.
    Universal remotes are as cheap as chips.
    Sorry but I would rather invest my 10euro in buying not renting.


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    #67
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    rlogue wrote: »
    How good do I want it? Standard Definition would be a start.

    Tell Sky how you love the way the Mountains of Mourne Sweep to the Sea and give them your N.I. Post code. :)

    Happy New Year and may the New Goverment pay for RTE International


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    #68
    Widescreen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭Widescreen


    OldRio wrote: »
    I'm not sure what point your making regarding ESB and power stations and paying Sky to watch RTE.
    As for the 500euro it would cost???
    You can buy a combo box for less than 200euro. With recording abilities.
    You can buy a freeview box with mpeg4 for less than 50euro.
    Universal remotes are as cheap as chips.
    Sorry but I would rather invest my 10euro in buying not renting.

    I want functionality so that my wife can feel as though she is controlling the tv. she can come in after a hard day put her feet up and tape and watch what she wants without needing to call me everytime. Sky plus does that.

    Going from Av 1 - av 2 and even hdmi screws her up and she is a smart lady but this subject i assume is the same for a lot of people. Even though it is set up with defaults etc. if i come home some night and say i got a combi box and when you want to tape rte you have to do this and when u want to tape this you do that and when you want to watch Sky news you have to do that ! think she would just say -can you help me with this love? well worth a tenner or even fifteen a month i think

    I don't think its a good idea buying all these decoders for 500 a pop etc. I am just using a bog standard pace sky plus box and if it kept going long term that would do me. Technology is changing to fast to make big outlays.


    Its just my opionion


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    #69
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭OldRio


    I respect what your saying. I'm all for a peaceful life with "she who must be obeyed";)
    I bought one of these universal remotes and to be honest it makes things very easy.
    You wouldn't have to shell out 500euro.


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    #70
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    Break down the cost of what you think it would cost from scratch...


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    #71
    Cantona's Collars
    Registered Users Posts: 33,709 ✭✭✭✭Cantona's Collars


    I agree with Widescreen-the vast majority of the population would gladly pay €5 a month to have RTE etc and the Sky+ functionality.They already have the equipment so no additional outlay-ask anyone in this financial climate which would they prefer,have their Sky sub reduced from a minimum of €23 a month to €5 a month and keep the recording or fork out €500 for new equipment that they're unfamiliar with and in many cases unwilling to learn how to use (trust me, a huge amount can barely use a Sky box and that's childs play).

    I have found that a certain number of posters have a hatred of Sky and use every opportunity to attack them.While an ideal world would have free tv for everyone the reality is different.Pay tv offers a simple solution for people-pay for what you want to watch,FTA is all well and good but what if the offerings they have hold no interest for viewers.I for example have zero interest in soaps or reality shows urging me to pick up a phone and vote for some idiot(pay tv by another name:rolleyes:).

    I know that using multi sat systems or motorised dishes a huge amount is available but Mr+Mrs Joe Soap just want simple solutions that are easy to use and Sky/UPC offer these solutions so a fiver a month is nothing.Even Freeview from the UK offers a vast amount of channels compared to the Irish offering. If Irish DTT offered a similar amount of content then Sky would have some competition which I can't see Real Digital offering.


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    #72
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭OldRio


    "I for example have zero interest in soaps or reality shows urging me to pick up a phone and vote for some idiot(pay tv by another namerolleyes.gif)."

    Agreed, I also have no interest in paying for something I do not want.

    "A fiver a month is nothing" Well I don't agree. Nothing a month is better.


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    #73
    Widescreen
    Registered Users Posts: 1,098 ✭✭✭Widescreen


    Just as a follow up on making things simple. My current set up is a Std sky plus box with 2 mixes and skysports for the moment. Also a 2nd sky box with FTV card located on another shelf in the same unit. they are operated by magic eye in all other rooms.

    When we want to watch a match I have to tell the missus and then hide the main sky plus remote and explain to her if she just uses the black sky remote their are loads of channels etc on the FTV box! I think the fact she cannot tape on that box doesn't impress her!

    So basically in our case anyway,simplicity is everything.


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    #74
    BostonB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,056 ✭✭✭✭BostonB


    I don't think these forums are representative of the masses.

    Also I don't think its the range of channels on Freeview thats the main attraction.But that it has the most popular mainstream channels, and very easy to setup/use.


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    #75
    Cantona's Collars
    Registered Users Posts: 33,709 ✭✭✭✭Cantona's Collars


    OldRio wrote: »

    "A fiver a month is nothing" Well I don't agree. Nothing a month is better.

    €500 Setup is a hell of a lot more than nothing-try explaining the value and money saved over the years while asking for that sum up front from a person.They'd gladly go for the €5 a month option.These forums do not represent the real world at times.A hobbyist would pay for this equipment whereas joe public couldn't care less and sees a fiver a month as good value.We won't mention just how sh1te RTE programming actually is.


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    #76
    lawhec
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭lawhec


    Folks, as myself and maxg has pointed out, if you're in the UK and you wish to use a Sky+ or Sky+HD receiver with its PVR functions, you are charged £10 per month (at the current exchange rate, close to €12) for the privilege for recording FTA & Encrypted channels available with Freesat From Sky (off the top of my head, this includes a "clean" version of Channel 5, Fiver & Five USA with +1 variants, Sky Three and Viva, along with the HD variants of Channel 4 and 5 with a HD receiver). I know no-one who does so, because to be frank, the outlay for such a subscription over 12-24 months would be about equal or cheaper to other available PVR solutions. 12 months will get you a very good Freeview+ receiver, or even less for a budget one. 24 months will get you one capable for Freeview+HD or Freesat+HD, the only one missing for both is Five HD and Channel 4 for the latter. You'd also get a 12 month guarantee thrown in as well, unlike your current Sky receiver which if you've stopped subscribing will likely be out of warranty.

    The offer of RTÉ1 & 2, TV3 & TG4 for €5 a month is being made to some customers in the Republic as a small, unpublicised, random retention deal where they are looking (or threatening) to cancel their subscription. The reasoning behind this deal is simple enough - keep these customers tethered into watching the terrestrials via Sky branded equipment (similar to Freesat from Sky in the UK) so if they wish to go back to viewing through publicised packages they can quite easily do so, with the €5 going towards the cost of covering transponder rental, encryption, viewing card, administration etc. It would be unlikely Sky could offer such an offer any lower than €5 per month as the four Irish terrestrials are subscription channels whose transmission on the platform is paid for by Sky, rather than the case for the UK where all SD versions are at least FTA (except Fiver & Five USA).

    The idea that Sky would make an offer of the four Irish terrestrial stations available with PVR recording facilities for €5 a month while UK viewers would pay more than double that for their own Freesat from Sky-rough-equivalent is pie in the sky stuff. It also makes no sense from Sky's POV in trying to maintain significant ARPU's if a significant amount of customers are only paying €5 a month in a market they quite heavily saturate already, as opposed to the €23 a month minimum subscription they currently charge to have Sky+ PVR facilities available for subscribers.

    While I agree that Sky basically withholding PVR facilities on receivers that you own is wrong (even for manually set programmes), that's the way it is set up at the moment. Looking around, I don't see an Irish equivalent to the £10 per month fee made available to UK Sky+ FTV users, but since additional services like the HD subscription pack for UK customers is £10 per month extra and €15 for customers in the Republic, €15 per month would be the most likely cost in theory for an equivalent service for Sky's PVR facilities with both RTÉ channels, TV3 and TG4 thrown in. Maybe €10-12 at a push. If Sky decide to do such an offer as a retention offer, the idea of it being €5 per month/€60 per year is just fantasy, and there's little pressure for Sky to do it at that price due to a lack of competition.


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    #77
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,527 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    Why would someone pay sky to receive RTE when Saorview is available to 95% of the population with better PQ and more choice, and for free. €100 buys a Walker box, or €50 should buy a suitable STB by mid year. A simple aerial will work for 60% of locations, but a suitable UHF aerial should not cost more than €100. The old €ky box will get FTA UK channels which accounts for 95% of what people view.

    When funds are available the €ky box can be swapped for a basic Freesat box or a more elaborate one for more money.

    A small investment now will be into positive saving within a few months. This assumes that the subscriber does not have a MPEG4 TV already, when the only investment is the call to $ky, which can be made on a freephone number.

    Why do people pay for what they can get for free?


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    #78
    Manc-Red
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭Manc-Red


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    Why would someone pay sky to receive RTE when Saorview is available to 95% of the population with better PQ and more choice, and for free. €100 buys a Walker box, or €50 should buy a suitable STB by mid year. A simple aerial will work for 60% of locations, but a suitable UHF aerial should not cost more than €100. The old €ky box will get FTA UK channels which accounts for 95% of what people view.

    When funds are available the €ky box can be swapped for a basic Freesat box or a more elaborate one for more money.

    A small investment now will be into positive saving within a few months. This assumes that the subscriber does not have a MPEG4 TV already, when the only investment is the call to $ky, which can be made on a freephone number.

    Why do people pay for what they can get for free?

    I paid 100 euro for a Saorview box - that was not free, I pay my tv licence - this is not free.

    Saorview is a better quality of service than Sky for the same channels.

    Be under no illusion though, an investment of some type is needed to get these 'free channels'.


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    #79
    Minstrel27
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,818 ✭✭✭Minstrel27


    Manc-Red wrote: »
    I paid 100 euro for a Saorview box - that was not free, I pay my tv licence - this is not free.

    The tv licence is required regardless of having Saorview or not so it shouldn't be included in the total cost of watching DTT.


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    #80
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    €8 for USB DTT stick or €30 for dual tuner USB stick
    or
    €450ish for a 42" HDTV with Irish DTT.
    or
    £45 for a "Freeview HD" set-box.

    Use Sky box for the Freesat channels.


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    #81
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Manc-Red wrote: »
    I paid 100 euro for a Saorview box - that was not free, I pay my tv licence - this is not free.

    Saorview is a better quality of service than Sky for the same channels.

    Be under no illusion though, an investment of some type is needed to get these 'free channels'.

    A purchase that may last a long while is better value than "rental". Five to twenty years is possible. There are still a few pre-1939 TVs running and many 1930 radios. My laptop is still better than a new Netbook and is nearly 9 years old.
    My Spectrum analyser was last calibrated by HP in 1980. It's a HP141. Usable from 100kHz to 47GHz

    Sky is not a charity.

    You pay TV licence if you have pay TV.

    Some investment needed to avoid payTV. But the savings are there over the medium term and also often more flexibility and less "surprises" from changes in T&C.

    I got Sky Digital originally (when it 1st launched in Ireland) as then a years sub was a reasonable way to buy a box and I had a UK address so after the year I still had BBC/ITV. Since Five and C4 joined BBC and ITV, the last reason for over 1/3rd of PayTV people to have a sub is gone.


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    #82
    ojoecon
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭ojoecon


    Hi I use to be a Sky sub about 15 months ago but I rang them and said i was going to cancel sky as it was too dear to keep the package incl sports the guy done all he could to get me stay he even offered my package at a reduced rate for a futher year ie from 65 euros to 40 incl sports for a year if i stayed with sky it just shows what they can do when pushed


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    #83
    Manc-Red
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭Manc-Red


    watty wrote: »
    A purchase that may last a long while is better value than "rental". Five to twenty years is possible. There are still a few pre-1939 TVs running and many 1930 radios. My laptop is still better than a new Netbook and is nearly 9 years old.
    My Spectrum analyser was last calibrated by HP in 1980. It's a HP141. Usable from 100kHz to 47GHz

    Sky is not a charity.

    You pay TV licence if you have pay TV.

    Some investment needed to avoid payTV. But the savings are there over the medium term and also often more flexibility and less "surprises" from changes in T&C.

    I got Sky Digital originally (when it 1st launched in Ireland) as then a years sub was a reasonable way to buy a box and I had a UK address so after the year I still had BBC/ITV. Since Five and C4 joined BBC and ITV, the last reason for over 1/3rd of PayTV people to have a sub is gone.
    My point is that Saorview is not free - far from it.

    Quality is worth the investment though. Incidentally I own my Sky Box & use it for the free UK channels.

    Anybody thinks that Saorview is free - (although much better than Sky for the Irish channels) - are very much mistaken.

    There is no way Sky would get 5 euro off me when I'd rather pay for a new tv or pay for a Saorview box & get the HD (or upscalled atm) channels which Sky don't.

    I'd advise anyone to go the Saorview route, as the quality is far superior to Sky.

    But it will mean buying a box or buying a new tv.


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    #84
    Manc-Red
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭Manc-Red


    Minstrel27 wrote: »
    The tv licence is required regardless of having Saorview or not so it shouldn't be included in the total cost of watching DTT.

    Just making the point that these so called free services are not free.

    Don't see this working for Sky, but it must mean that they are slightly worried about Saorview & the the upcoming Saorsat.


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    #85
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Or "Real Digital TV"? Supposed to launch in Jan 2011 (now?).


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    #86
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Manc-Red wrote: »
    Just making the point that these so called free services are not free.

    Don't see this working for Sky, but it must mean that they are slightly worried about Saorview & the the upcoming Saorsat.

    Fair enough. Though they do not require an ongoing subscription. They are Free To Air and not payTV.
    Though compared with cost for my parents to go from B&W 625 to Colour, I think going to HDTV is cheaper.

    Of course "early" adopters of poor quality LCDs (many grossly inferior picture to CRT and only so called HD Ready) have got stung.

    I advise anyone that bought a TV within last two years that can prove purchase (Credit card, cheque or receipt) to talk to retailer. Politely but firmly. They SHOULD have been suppling compatible models. The CEDA had spec over two years ago.

    http://www.techtir.ie/blog/cinocat4/no-dtt-get-money-back

    Many Retailers ARE refunding or replacing with little quibble because they WERE chancing their arm. Argos, Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and M&S have all exchanged/Refunded outside their "normal" period.

    The "watty" household held out using PC CRT to view 1920x1080 16:9 on 19" (1600x 1200 4:3, we have 4 such screens) and HD Ready 22" PC monitor etc and occasional borrowed projectors and did not update main TV (28" 4:3 CRT with true 16:9 mode now 7 years old) till last week. €450 for LG 42LD450 HDTV with apparently fully compatible with DTT.

    Tested various Plasma & LCD screens with DTT & Satellite in work 2005 to 2008.

    The 42" LG takes hardly more space in living room than the 28" 4:3 CRT did.


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    #87
    Manc-Red
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,329 ✭✭✭Manc-Red


    watty wrote: »
    Or "Real Digital TV"? Supposed to launch in Jan 2011 (now?).

    Sorry Watty not with you?


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    #88
    watty
    Registered Users Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    http://www.techtir.ie/node/1003464
    http://www.techtir.ie/blog/loguey/is-saorsat-innovation-or-blocking
    http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=45956539
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=69206058


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    #89
    obliviousgrudge
    Registered Users Posts: 703 ✭✭✭obliviousgrudge


    Not sure about this, if you threaten to cancel Setanta they will offer it to you for 5€ a month, just be sure to ring back and ''cancel'' before the 3 months is up or they'll charge you the full whack.

    We've been doing this since last year


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    #90
    STB
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭STB


    zerks wrote: »
    €500 Setup is a hell of a lot more than nothing-try explaining the value and money saved over the years while asking for that sum up front from a person.They'd gladly go for the €5 a month option.These forums do not represent the real world at times.A hobbyist would pay for this equipment whereas joe public couldn't care less and sees a fiver a month as good value.We won't mention just how sh1te RTE programming actually is.

    Why pay Sky 5 euro at all for what is free to air. It is Sky trying to keep lazy people staying with them. Slaves to the Sky box.

    I dont know where you are getting €500 from. Most people with a new LCD will not need a box for a start. For those that dont a combo box works for both sat and dtt combined. Its €160. Again this would suit most viewing habits. The simply smash the sky box to bits and connect the new box to their existing dish and add an aerial.

    Sky will do anything to retain a control on people through their proprietary boxes. Most people dont know what is free. If they did Sky would be making more wild offers to keep them on basic subs alone. People need to cut the ties if they wish to get away from Sky.


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    #91
    Cantona's Collars
    Registered Users Posts: 33,709 ✭✭✭✭Cantona's Collars


    As you stated STB people are lazy-if they have equipment they don't want hassle and expense in buying new stuff so to them €5 a month is reasonable plus they have something familiar.In my neck of the woods a lot of people still pay UPC €25 a month for 14 channels :eek: and sky is a ripoff at €5.?

    A friend of mine got a new tv which is DTT compatible-he rang me about it confused,when I explained he simply didn't care as he had Sky which is a microcosm of the general population-he simply bought a new tv and didn't know or care about saorview.


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