42 replies to this topic

[jayweb]

Yep, can't say I agree with the Mystar HD being a good product.  I've had it since inception, it is slow and seems to get slower by the day.  I was advised not to keep my hard drive more than 50% full if I want to avoid this, which I have and it does make a difference, but whats the point if you can only record to half of the drive.  You press up on the screen and a 5 or a 7 shows up.  I reset every other day.  Some days I can get FTA channels, some days I get some, and nearly never get SBS HD. I've stopped phoning Austar because I just don't have the time to spend.  When it works it is okay, even good.  Pity it is so buggy and the channel selection is not that of Foxtel.  Very disappointed about FX, some quality shows coming.

[Nick Gipson]

**** you Austar JUST **** YOU!

I was recently in the USA and I got to watch the A&E network, great programming may I say. But imagine my shock when they announce A&E Australia and its only coming to Foxtel!

WHY? WHY? TELL ME ****ING WHY?

I want to take my set box and hurl it out my damn window. I've had enough of Austar rubbing it in our faces that we can't get Foxtel! I hope to GOD Foxtel absorbs Austar when the buy the ****ers out.

[pc9]

Nick Gipson, on 09 February 2012 - 08:24 AM, said:

**** you Austar JUST **** YOU!

I was recently in the USA and I got to watch the A&E network, great programming may I say. But imagine my shock when they announce A&E Australia and its only coming to Foxtel!

WHY? WHY? TELL ME ****ING WHY?

I want to take my set box and hurl it out my damn window. I've had enough of Austar rubbing it in our faces that we can't get Foxtel! I hope to GOD Foxtel absorbs Austar when the buy the ****ers out.

Agree - it really sucks, especially if your're a hd customer.

[Nick Gipson]

I emailed Austar an email 2 days ago asking them why and this is the only part that matters

Quote

As a bit of background to this decision, right now it is very difficult for AUSTAR to make a long term commitment - like adding new channels – because last year FOXTEL made an offer to buy AUSTAR and we are still going through this process.

[Pajero]

So many hiccups in this merger business. Why is that toothless tiger the ACCC making it so hard? How can the merger be anti competitive when you have to have one or the other depending on where you live? Its an absolute joke. Bring it on already.

[pgdownload]

Pajero, on 11 February 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

So many hiccups in this merger business. Why is that toothless tiger the ACCC making it so hard? How can the merger be anti competitive when you have to have one or the other depending on where you live? Its an absolute joke. Bring it on already.

I suspect Austar has never competed with Foxtel because doing so would require it rolling out a duplicate cable network in the cities (just not feasible). However the ACCC has noted that if the NBN becomes widespread then the cost of distribution for Austar becomes tiny and it could compete directly based on its content and service. This is probably very true and if customers we're willing to wait another five years they might benefit a lot from having Austar and Foxtel finally be able to go toe to toe. But its based on a pretty big what if and legally it would seem the ACCC are overreachinig their definition of competition by including such futuristic scenarios.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[DrP]

Why on earth would Austar require cable to compete in Foxtel areas?  Nigh on identical service is available via satellite.  Even Foxtel prefers to install sat rather than cable in premises that don't already have a cable drop installed.

If Austar went 'toe to toe' with Foxtel, Foxtel would steamroll it flat into the ground.  Foxtel has far deeper pockets, has a far healthier balance sheet and has far more subscribers overwhich it can spread marginal expense.

[pgdownload]

DrP, on 11 February 2012 - 02:13 PM, said:

Why on earth would Austar require cable to compete in Foxtel areas?  Nigh on identical service is available via satellite.  Even Foxtel prefers to install sat rather than cable in premises that don't already have a cable drop installed.

Must admit I don't understand why satelite hasn't been used from the get go by PayTV. Just one bird in the sky would pretty much service all of Australia (Cost about $300 million). I'd be interested in any theories / tech reasons.

Quote

If Austar went 'toe to toe' with Foxtel, Foxtel would steamroll it flat into the ground.  Foxtel has far deeper pockets, has a far healthier balance sheet and has far more subscribers overwhich it can spread marginal expense.

Foxtel and Austar have a fixed cost commodity (i.e their content). If they both had equal access to the entire Oz market then they'd be much more evenly matched IMO. The ACCC would no doubt keep an eye on Foxtel if it tried to steamroll its only competition.

Regards

Peter GiIlepsie

[DrP]

I suggest you take a look at the parts of their balance sheets that are public.  Foxtel is in a far healthier position than Austar is.  Austar and Foxtel might have 'fixed costs' but they are are not identical per viewer.  Simply exposing Austar to Foxtel would, IMO, in the long term cause the demise of Austar even if Foxtel did not react to Austar as a competitor.  Foxtel has a demonstrably better product - better lineup of programming (Austar subscribers invariably wait months for new channels - which may never arrive - while Foxtel viewers have access), better set top boxes, more extensive subscriber facilities etc.  ACCC wouldn't be able to prevent Foxtel steamrolling Austar flat, unless the Australian competition rules were re-written.

The reasons Foxtel rolled out cable are there if you care to take the time to find them.  Those reasons do not compel nor even make it necessary for Austar to roll out a cable network if ACCC decided to void the agreement between Austar and Foxtel regarding service areas.  Your suspicions are baseless.

Edited by DrP, 12 February 2012 - 05:01 AM.

[Darthdury]

Nick Gipson, on 11 February 2012 - 08:10 AM, said:

I emailed Austar an email 2 days ago asking them why and this is the only part that matters

One of the annoying things is that we see the adds for A&E and FX...just to tease!

[fairybread]

I guess all the whinging can stop now then.

[doodlefeatures]

Aren't there some HD doco and MTV channels that Austar still don't show?

[duke]

doodlefeatures, on 27 February 2012 - 09:06 AM, said:

Aren't there some HD doco and MTV channels that Austar still don't show?

http://www.foxtel.co...els/default.htm

[DrP]

Yes, but don't tell that fairy, otherwise it will ruin his troll attempt completely.

[Bobbsy]

Out of curiosity Fairybread, why is it perceived as whinging  to point out that Austar customers get a raw deal compared to Foxtel customers?

And, yes, there are definitely some HD channels on Foxtel that I'd love to see on Austar.  I suspect that things like NatGeo and Discovery have some stuff that would be stunning in HD--but until something changes in the duopoly I'll never find out.

Last point:  If I was an Austar shareholder, I'd be fuming at the way management handled the FX and A&E debacle.  If they'd sorted it all out a few weeks earlier, Austar could have avoided a ton of negative publicity and months of "not available to Austar customers" captions.  As things happened, these two new channels are perceived by most as a grudging "catch up" rather than an appreciated bonus.

[fairybread]

DrP, on 27 February 2012 - 02:15 PM, said:

Yes, but don't tell that fairy, otherwise it will ruin his troll attempt completely.

How can I be the troll when I'm the one spruiking the positive side.

[fairybread]

Bobbsy, on 27 February 2012 - 03:00 PM, said:

Out of curiosity Fairybread, why is it perceived as whinging to point out that Austar customers get a raw deal compared to Foxtel customers? And, yes, there are definitely some HD channels on Foxtel that I'd love to see on Austar. I suspect that things like NatGeo and Discovery have some stuff that would be stunning in HD--but until something changes in the duopoly I'll never find out. Last point: If I was an Austar shareholder, I'd be fuming at the way management handled the FX and A&E debacle. If they'd sorted it all out a few weeks earlier, Austar could have avoided a ton of negative publicity and months of "not available to Austar customers" captions. As things happened, these two new channels are perceived by most as a grudging "catch up" rather than an appreciated bonus.

1 or 2 posts is pointing out. Multpile posts...

Hey, like you guys I like my TV viewing to be just perfect (its why I hunted down a site like this). But as I said earlier in the thread, so far, I'm pretty happy with Austar so can't understand all the crap that is heaped upon them. So OK we don't get a few of the channels - but is it really the end of the world? If you have a look at the FoxTel area there seems to be people complaining about them too, so maybe FoxTel isn't the panecea that some think.

You are probably right Austar could have handled it (the FX and A&E issue) better, but its all good now on that front...isn't it?

[DrP]

What is a troll