Tiscali TV Questions - Surely it effects my BB bandwidth?

[bradavon78]

I've e-mailed the following to Home Choice but as yet I've had zero replies to my e-mails (why bother to provide an e-mail address?) and can find zero ways to contact Tiscali about this without calling their Support line.

Anyway can someone answer the following questions for me please:

1. As Tiscali TV is sent through the broadband line surely it will have some (if a little) effect on PC Internet usage? Particularly when downloading from the web. I wouldn’t want my Internet usage to be effected just so I can watch TV.

2. I understand Tiscali Broadband comes with an initial 12 month contract, does this also apply to the non-Free Tiscali TV services or can I cancel them after 1 month if I so wish?

3. What if anything does the Free Tiscali TV service offer me over Freeview? I live in a strong Freeview signal area and the majority of the free channels look to also be on Freeview.

4. Does the included set top box have a wireless port built into it so I can use my existing wireless router or does it only have an Ethernet port?

5. The following link explains you need the latest Windows Media Player installed, please explain how Tiscali TV works to need Windows Media Player in the first place? Doesn’t it just sent the signal to your TV or is it more similar to Windows Media Center (whereby the box is a PC at heart) and therefore requires users install software on it, OR is this referring to watching Tiscali TV on your “actual” PC?

The link is: http://www.tiscali.co.uk/broadband/tv/help.html

Thanks

[garthus]

Hi bradavon78,

I can answer some of your questions:

1. As Tiscali TV is sent through the broadband line surely it will have some (if a little) effect on PC Internet usage? Particularly when downloading from the web. I wouldn’t want my Internet usage to be effected just so I can watch TV.

Im sure this will depend on your actual line speed but I notice no real difference - I regularly download large files and get my full 200kb/s when it is available

2. I understand Tiscali Broadband comes with an initial 12 month contract, does this also apply to the non-Free Tiscali TV services or can I cancel them after 1 month if I so wish?

Not sure here what you mean - you are able to change your package down or up to whatever level you desire.

3. What if anything does the Free Tiscali TV service offer me over Freeview? I live in a strong Freeview signal area and the majority of the free channels look to also be on Freeview.

I find the main reason for having the free channels are the Free On Demand channels (depends on teh month but usually something like a season of Family guy on demand, plus some drama and others)

Plus the Channel 4 On demand among others.

4. Does the included set top box have a wireless port built into it so I can use my existing wireless router or does it only have an Ethernet port?

They dont have wireless included - you need to use a cable/dsl router (without modem) and it will work straight off.

5. The following link explains you need the latest Windows Media Player installed, please explain how Tiscali TV works to need Windows Media Player in the first place? Doesn’t it just sent the signal to your TV or is it more similar to Windows Media Center (whereby the box is a PC at heart) and therefore requires users install software on it, OR is this referring to watching Tiscali TV on your “actual” PC?

I think this referres to their website content.

HTH,

Garthus

[bradavon78]

I can answer some of your questions
Thank you.

Im sure this will depend on your actual line speed but I notice no real difference - I regularly download large files and get my full 200kb/s when it is available.
That sounds good. I'd go for the 8Mb package but seeing as you're on 2Mb I guess it should be okay then.

Not sure here what you mean - you are able to change your package down or up to whatever level you desire.
I mean the Broadband comes with a 12 month contract, does the Tiscali TV too? I don't want to be stuck paying £10 a month (for the Mega Pack) if I don't like the service.

Any ideas?

I find the main reason for having the free channels are the Free On Demand channels (depends on teh month but usually something like a season of Family guy on demand, plus some drama and others). Plus the Channel 4 On demand among others.
Got you, thanks. Those do sound nice.

They dont have wireless included - you need to use a cable/dsl router (without modem) and it will work straight off.
It sounds like it's Ethernet only then. What do you mean without modem? A Wireless ADSL Router for example has a modem built into it. I guess for me it depends how close my router will end up being to my TV. It seems an oversight though as most people's TV is nowhere near their router/pc.

I think this referres to their website content.
Thanks for clearing that up. I reckon you're right.

[garthus]

I mean the Broadband comes with a 12 month contract, does the Tiscali TV too? I don't want to be stuck paying £10 a month (for the Mega Pack) if I don't like the service.

Any ideas?

I THink you can change the pack at any time, so if you don't like the mega pack you can change down - the contract is for 12 months service - not 12 months on a particular band.

It sounds like it's Ethernet only then. What do you mean without modem? A Wireless ADSL Router for example has a modem built into it. I guess for me it depends how close my router will end up being to my TV. It seems an oversight though as most people's TV is nowhere near their router/pc.

Essentially there are two types of wireless router the ADSL/Modem ones which have the modem in and Cable/ADSL router without a modem. Homechoice has all the right stuff in the box so you dont want one with its own modem - the nice thing is they are cheaper to buy without a modem, only problem being that if you already have one with modem you need a new one.

Hope this helps :)

Garthus

[bradavon78]

Thanks. It sounds like you can go down to just having Broadband and no Home Choice then. If that's the case there is no harm trying it and if I don't like it I can get rid of the Home Choice box and go back to just Broadband via an ADSL Router.

Do you know if you "own" the box like Sky?

only problem being that if you already have one with modem you need a new one.
I'd be surprised if you cannot just disable the modem in it.

So the box is also used to connect you to the Web then?

Thanks again. You've been very helpful.

[garthus]

Thanks. It sounds like you can go down to just having Broadband and no Home Choice then.

Just to confirm - as I read it, I think you have to have the box - where the internet is coming but you dont have to get any extra channels.

Effectively this is what I am doing - I get the 14.99 pack with no extra TV which is the lowest pack I think.

[bradavon78]

Thanks again.

As the lowest pack is free you can just take the box out and replace it with an ADSL Router. Tiscali works fine with an ADSL Router, provided you manually add in he username/password and DNS addresses.

I think I'll give Tiscali TV a go then. I plan to subscribe to Tiscali's £20 Anytime Telephone + 8Mb BB anyway.