Question for Telewest HD users/potential users

**Stuart Wright** · 04-04-2006, 10:17 AM

If you had the opportunity to talk directly to the folks in charge of Telewest HD, what questions would you ask?
Also for users of the system, what do you think of the quality? Please give details of the equipment you use and what you have seen in comparison.
Thanks.

neilo · 04-04-2006, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

If you had the opportunity to talk directly to the folks in charge of Telewest HD, what questions would you ask?
Also for users of the system, what do you think of the quality? Please give details of the equipment you use and what you have seen in comparison.
Thanks.

When will we get more HD Movies and programmes
Will we get the World Cup in HD lol
Will they hurry up and fix the HDMI left shift problem
The menus are really slow can they be speeded up ?

meltonboy · 04-04-2006, 10:32 AM

mine would be "when will you answer neilo's questions" as that about sums it up

My only other detail is if we will get the same channels as the sky folks and at the same time. I'm into NFL and they have HD coverage in the states. Sky have said that they will be doing a HD sports channel and i would really like that on TW.

As for quality, my only comparison is new box vs old box on SD (new box IS better PQ generally, much better on some programmes) and SD vs HD on new box (more content req'd to answer this, but "Pride" eg looks awesome). For my kit see below.

**Stuart Wright** · 04-04-2006, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilo

Will they hurry up and fix the HDMI left shift problem

Can you point me to details of that?

SportiveUK · 04-04-2006, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

what questions would you ask?

Well seeing as I am considering it, and based on seeing a friends box in action:

How much additional content (SD & HD) is planned for the Teleport service and what kind of content will this be?
Can you gaurantee picture quality as good as Sky (for both SD & JD)?
Will we get the same choice of HD channels as Sky?
What effect will Richard Branson have on the world on cable TV!?

neilo · 04-04-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

Can you point me to details of that?

Telewest HiDef TvDrive - Launch in Feb?

there is loads about it in there Stuart

gerbilly · 04-04-2006, 11:27 AM

the left shift issue is to be sorted in a download this month.

**Stuart Wright** · 05-04-2006, 6:58 AM

Anyone else? This is your last chance to get a question in.

neilo · 05-04-2006, 7:35 AM

are you meeting them Stuart ?

meltonboy · 05-04-2006, 8:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart Wright

Anyone else? This is your last chance to get a question in.

Hi Stuart

As you will have probably read the left shift issue is to be repaired with the "mid-April" download.

I suspect that (if you are seeing them) you may not get very concrete answers for most of the questions such as HD content on TW-TVD Vs SkyHD, as it may be too ealry.

BUT if you are able to get a confirmed date for this mid-april download, many of us will owe you a pint !

Cheers and all the best

gerbilly · 05-04-2006, 8:51 AM

Will we get DD5.1 sound on any of the movies channels or will this only be for the HD content.

05-04-2006, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SportiveUK[*

Will we get the same choice of HD channels as Sky?

Just my own cyical option, but I can imagine Sky not supplying Sky One HD, etc, as it will then give Sky more USPs. Is Discovery supplied direct to TW, or does it come through Sky? Isn't there supposed to be a Discovery HD channel?

meltonboy · 05-04-2006, 11:38 AM

There have been many postings on this and the general opinion is that sky programmes would have to sell HD channels to TW as they do Sky retail, otherwise there will be monoploy issues, but who knows when.....

KableMan · 05-04-2006, 12:00 PM

Will the current £10-15 subscription cover the future costs of HD content? or will we have to pay additional premiums?

Do they plan on airing the BBC HD as a dedicated Channel? and/or as individual programmes via Teleport?

Do they plan on having any dedicated HD Channels - there's lots in the media/news about Sky's negotiations with content providers but none for Telewest so do they plan using their new "virgin" brand clout to buy in their own content and really start challenging Sky?

We need regular firmware updates and regular information posted online to keep their user community well informed.

Will SD content that has been upscaled be clearly labelled as such before the programme starts? as many people are confusing HD with lower quality upscaled SD.

We need content, content and more content and even more news about likely upcoming content! and more movies in HD too - or is that just more content with bells on?

Have they considered doing a deal with iTunes in the UK to make individual episodes of the big shows available PPV in HD? They could use their bandwidth to allow lagitimate downloads of shows for keeps as well - as iTunes are planning in the UK... it's just an idea.

Cheers
KableMan

PS. They could really strike gold with this new TVDrive and walk all over Sky if they play it right or they could throw away any lead they might have had being first to market by wimping out on the content and ignoring a growing community of avid viewers who have shiny new HD Ready TV's and nothing to watch on them.

Canucklehead · 05-04-2006, 12:18 PM

My 2 big questions (which have already been mentioned):

What / How many Actual HD Channels are planned (and will there be an extra charge for them?)
Is there any way to speed up the TVDrive box (it seems unreasonably slow to switch channels)

What is actually available on HD (Blue Planet, Pride, etc.) is noticably better than SD content; however for 99% of my viewing I am not using the teleport system. Live HD content and pricing is the key question I've got.

KevinPedrick · 05-04-2006, 1:16 PM

My big question is whether are monthly subs will go up to cover future HD channels which show the same content as standard channels from channel 4, BBC, Sky, etc.

**Stuart Wright** · 05-04-2006, 9:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilo

are you meeting them Stuart ?

Not quite. Check out our next podcast.

neilo · 07-04-2006, 9:49 AM

If its not too late , the blue line down the side of some 4:3 programmes , why , get rid please lol

meltonboy · 07-04-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilo

If its not too late , the blue line down the side of some 4:3 programmes , why , get rid please lol

I saw that for the first time last night on the US Masters golf highlights - urgh

Lets hope that goes in this next update

neilo · 07-04-2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltonboy

I saw that for the first time last night on the US Masters golf highlights - urgh

Lets hope that goes in this next update

its on most of the music channels too

**Stuart Wright** · 10-04-2006, 7:01 AM

Thanks for your input, guys. An interview with Telewest will feature in our 4th podcast released Thursday.

Peter Baker · 10-04-2006, 8:58 AM

I'm about to move from analogue Telewest to digital tvdrive, and have a couple of questions, if not too late.
I've been reading that there are problems with the series facility not always working. Has this been fixed?
Can you use tvdrive with tivo? I love my tivo, and whilst tvdrive should theoretically replace it, if there are bugs with things like the series facility, I'd like to use tivo as backup. I guess it's a question of whether the IR transmitter leads on tivo can work the tvdrive receiver.

Regards
Peter

meltonboy · 10-04-2006, 10:08 AM

This will become much clearer after the mid april download. Currently problems have not been fixed.

You should be able to attach your tivo by the VCR scart output, either to record programmes live or transfer recorded programes from your TV drive. You wont be able to do this with any HD stuff, though.

brandondanger · 10-04-2006, 3:09 PM

any chance of future tvdrive boxes having a hdmi input or even 2 inputs. with dvd players and ps3 etc... all having hdmi capabilities it would be prudent for telewest to open the box up as a hub. might even get more people to sign up as new devices come to light. just a thought...

KevinPedrick · 10-04-2006, 4:05 PM

Telewest don't actually make the box but they could probably have some heavy influence weight for future features.

This whole HDMI switch box is quite an issue, but it was the same when SCART first came along. Hopefully HDMI switch boxes will become affordable some time soon.

PhlangePhace · 10-04-2006, 6:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meltonboy

This will become much clearer after the mid april download. Currently problems have not been fixed.

You should be able to attach your tivo by the VCR scart output, either to record programmes live or transfer recorded programes from your TV drive. You wont be able to do this with any HD stuff, though.

TiVo don't work like that...Tivo is not a replacement for a VCR/recordableDVD.

TiVo daisychains between source and TV.

The original question concerns the ability of TiVo IR blaster to control TVDrive.

I don't know the answer myself, unfortunately. I wasn't aware TiVo was compatible with digital cable until very recently!! I now know that certain cable boxes require a little add-on box to convert the IR commands correctly from the TiVo.
Whether the Scientific Atlanta box (TVDrive) requires this I can't say.

the porter · 10-04-2006, 9:43 PM

hi stuart when exactly is this podcast online and if you get this before you meet telewest could you get something concrete from them regarding world cup in hd on the tv drive cheers

KevinPedrick · 11-04-2006, 8:45 AM

Now the mid-April update is delayed, please ask how long we will be waiting for it!!!