2636 replies to this topic

[Oz_Arab]

I'm currently working for Foxtel to deal with Customer Satisfaction and not too many people seem interested in the new HD Foxtel package which wll be $15 extra for Sport/Docu/Movie channels to be in HD (plus on the new Premium iQ box you get more storage space etc)

You obviously need an HD accepted TV but do you think thats a good deal? Views?

[ozasis]

Any greater than 720p and I'd go for it, but any less (576p) and I'd not.

[JimmyXR6T04]

i'm not sure really... i already pay nearly $130 per month.. I reckon current customers with foxtel IQ and platinum should get it free  

[Fordys]

When you say 15.00 extra is the 15.00 extra on top of what we are paying with an IQ box now?
If it isnt and it works out as only 5.00 (IQ is currently 10.00) then yes I would be interested but not an extra 15.00 over the IQ box.. Dont forget foxtel are increasing their prices next month as well..

[melektaus]

Oz_Arab, on Nov 25 2007, 03:20 AM, said:

I'm currently working for Foxtel to deal with Customer Satisfaction and not too many people seem interested in the new HD Foxtel package which wll be $15 extra for Sport/Docu/Movie channels to be in HD (plus on the new Premium iQ box you get more storage space etc)

You obviously need an HD accepted TV but do you think thats a good deal? Views?

I paid $399 upfront for the IQ (I believe) and have the Platinum package and so don't pay the monthly fee for the IQ. To be honest last month I was going to cancel but heard the rumblings about Foxtel going HD and, seeing as I just got a 1080p Plasma, decided to hold off till the HD deal hits and see how it looks. Currently, I pay 101.95, but I think it goes up to $105.95 next month.

If they expect me to pay $15 extra for HD a month, well, it will be goodbye to Foxtel.
I would consider doing the same as my original IQ, above, pay some upfront cost, get the HD IQ and use it for free, but it depends on exactly what channels are delivered in HD. If it's Fox 8 they can forget it.

It had also better be a minimum of 720p.

[oldrocker]

I have been with Foxtel a very long time and recently I have been considering dropping back to basic plus sport.
Only 'old habits die hard' has been stopping me.

I have put up with a truly lousy picture quality on my HD plasma for what seems an age. Because of the lousy PQ I have tended to watch more and more FTA.

If Foxtel does broadcast a decent quality HD service I will probably hang on for a while yet however it won't be at any price.
Pay TV is becoming a luxury in Australia and at $1500 a year there might be better value for money in other areas.

Finally, those of us who subscribe to Foxtel's HD service will only be getting a handful of channels for a premium price. Having viewed HD content it is very difficult to then watch other channels with a substandard PQ.

I will decide if and when a HD package is offered by Foxtel.

[MattWinter]

$15 a month would be a fair fee for foxtel hd, on top of a normal subscription - as long as we aren't asked to pay $15 for the IQ and then a further $15 for HD...

For me the biggest factor is the fact that we aren't getting the FTA networks (only abc/sbs in Adelaide) broadcast through foxtel, I consider it a waste of money to be spending $15 a month for recording and HD on foxtel, when I can't view/record FTA channels. If I could get all FTA channels on foxtel, I could get rid of my old set top box, and only need the foxtel box, but I can't see that happening any time soon.

Also, I think the price of foxtel generally needs to go down - especially the "Get Started" package, you could charge, say $20 a month, and just have a few of the major foxtel channels as well as FTA channels - then people could pick and choose what they wanted to add on. Come to think of it, I think if you were to decrease the minimum subscription fee even further - maybe to $15 a month, you would very quickly see 60-70% of Australians with foxtel - not only would that raise advertising revenue, but it would suddenly mean that pay-tv is not seen as a luxury, but as the 'normal' thing to have.

Edited by MattWinter, 25 November 2007 - 02:36 PM.

[doodlefeatures]

I think it's a fair price, although it'll depend on what they are actually going to show in HD, if they're showing the footy in HD I'll definitely get it.
I assume it's $15 more than what it costs now for the IQ, ie $113 (or whatever it is now for platinum with IQ) plus $15 = roughly $130 per month?

[JimmyXR6T04]

it'll make it close to $145 per month for me    i have a normal foxtel box in the bedroom and IQ in the lounge room... I can't see myself paying that much, but i'll wait and see.. might drop a few channels.. but platinum is so handy!

[SDL]

What will be in transmitted in HD, what will be upscaled, what source programs will they use, what is the HD format 576p, 720i, 720p, ?, what will the bitrate be like (I read a lot of US companies started their HD channels and lowered the bitrate making the picture though 720p still poor quality, what will they charge for 2 boxes, what is the all up cost of a HD box with Platinum package?

Sure I would love to get more HD content but won't jump in till I see what it is they really offer as I read some people in the US got burnt thinking they would get better quality and it just didn't happen.

[alphamale]

Oz_Arab, on Nov 25 2007, 04:20 AM, said:

I'm currently working for Foxtel to deal with Customer Satisfaction and not too many people seem interested in the new HD Foxtel package which wll be $15 extra for Sport/Docu/Movie channels to be in HD (plus on the new Premium iQ box you get more storage space etc)

You obviously need an HD accepted TV but do you think thats a good deal? Views?

I think $15 on top of what I pay now is acceptable as long as the picture quality is actually HD picture quality (not heavily compressed like Foxtel have done with some of their current content) and there's no long term contract (so we can evaluate it's worth) and no installation fee for current IQ subscribers.

[Polymer]

SDL, on Nov 25 2007, 03:37 PM, said:

What will be in transmitted in HD, what will be upscaled, what source programs will they use, what is the HD format 576p, 720i, 720p, ?, what will the bitrate be like (I read a lot of US companies started their HD channels and lowered the bitrate making the picture though 720p still poor quality, what will they charge for 2 boxes, what is the all up cost of a HD box with Platinum package?

Sure I would love to get more HD content but won't jump in till I see what it is they really offer as I read some people in the US got burnt thinking they would get better quality and it just didn't happen.

Which cable providers (there are only a few large ones in the US) burned their US customers?  One of the largest cable providers in the US does not even charge extra for HD.  From what I've seen it's either NO charge or a small upcharge (5 dollars). Some channels  have a small upcharge to get them in HD and some do not.  It basically ends up averaging around 5 dollars total to upgrade to HD (I think only Charter is the exception to this and they're probably the smallest of the bigger cable providers).

15 dollars is ridiculous unless they plan on having a LOT of extra HD content...the fact is, there just isn't that much that isn't already FTA in AUS so to actually try and charge 15 dollars for something they should be doing anyways is ridiculous.  If they plan on charging an extra 15 dollars to add HD capabilities, I'll be glad when some competition enters the AUS market so there's a good alternative to Foxtel.

How about carrying some extra channels like the Golf channel which would be big in AUS....How about just offering non-heavily compressed SD content...

[SDL]

Polymer, on Nov 25 2007, 04:17 PM, said:

Which cable providers (there are only a few large ones in the US) burned their US customers?  One of the largest cable providers in the US does not even charge extra for HD.  From what I've seen it's either NO charge or a small upcharge (5 dollars). Some channels  have a small upcharge to get them in HD and some do not.  It basically ends up averaging around 5 dollars total to upgrade to HD (I think only Charter is the exception to this and they're probably the smallest of the bigger cable providers).

15 dollars is ridiculous unless they plan on having a LOT of extra HD content...the fact is, there just isn't that much that isn't already FTA in AUS so to actually try and charge 15 dollars for something they should be doing anyways is ridiculous.  If they plan on charging an extra 15 dollars to add HD capabilities, I'll be glad when some competition enters the AUS market so there's a good alternative to Foxtel.

How about carrying some extra channels like the Golf channel which would be big in AUS....How about just offering non-heavily compressed SD content...

I will try to find the article, in fact in it some users were taking a lawsuit (only in America huh!) against the provider to determine what HD actually meant as they felt ripped off at the lower bitrates.

[HomerJ]

Oz_Arab, on Nov 25 2007, 04:20 AM, said:

I'm currently working for Foxtel to deal with Customer Satisfaction and not too many people seem interested in the new HD Foxtel package which wll be $15 extra for Sport/Docu/Movie channels to be in HD (plus on the new Premium iQ box you get more storage space etc)

You obviously need an HD accepted TV but do you think thats a good deal? Views?

Before I give an opinion I'd like to see what we're getting in HD.  What are the HD channels?  Are they HD 24/7?  Is it 1080i?  What sound formats?

There was a rumour of 8 channels.  Does this include the 5 FTA channels (i.e. Foxtel is providing only 3 - 1 Sport, 2 Doco and 1 Mpvie channel?

[xxxxxx]

oldrocker, on Nov 25 2007, 11:38 AM, said:

I have been with Foxtel a very long time and recently I have been considering dropping back to basic plus sport.
Only 'old habits die hard' has been stopping me.

I have put up with a truly lousy picture quality on my HD plasma for what seems an age. Because of the lousy PQ I have tended to watch more and more FTA.

If Foxtel does broadcast a decent quality HD service I will probably hang on for a while yet however it won't be at any price.
Pay TV is becoming a luxury in Australia and at $1500 a year there might be better value for money in other areas.

Finally, those of us who subscribe to Foxtel's HD service will only be getting a handful of channels for a premium price. Having viewed HD content it is very difficult to then watch other channels with a substandard PQ.

I will decide if and when a HD package is offered by Foxtel.

Well I'm along the same lines as you old rocker but i find myself watching more FTA not for PQ but for some more
variety and the new seasons shows they have been showing. Like about half of them. I'm wondering what the FTA's are going to offer as havent seen many ads saying exactly what they will be doing.

I signed up for TIVO info but have had zip from them.

If Foxtel is doing all this to compete with FTA/TIVO then they seem to know more than the average punter. I'll gladly drop Foxtel for TIVO and the FTA's if they come through with something half decent.

[Matt R]

These are my thoughts:

Yes I do agree that it has to be 720p minimum, but I think that access to HD quality content on foxtel shouldn't be an add-on and have to come with a PVR.  Rather, it should come standard for a HD foxtel stb that isn't a PVR for all new customers and those who wish to upgrade.  I do have a HDTV myself, and I would like to see Foxtel in HD (particularly Sport, Docos etc.), but it has to be affordable.  It was very hard for me to convince my family to switch to digital because of the large costs, but luckily some call girl offered us digital for the same price...

Do us all a favour and make HD Foxtel standard

Thank you.

[ols]

Matt R, on Nov 25 2007, 06:35 PM, said:

but luckily some call girl offered us digital for the same price...

      

[Hosko]

$15 for the new set top box and HD sounds like a fair price.

How much extra is the IQ at the moment? I think its $15 and $10 for platinum. Does that mean that the HD service is the same price as the IQ or is it $15 more then the IQ.

[MattWinter]

Hosko, on Nov 25 2007, 08:31 PM, said:

$15 for the new set top box and HD sounds like a fair price.

How much extra is the IQ at the moment? I think its $15 and $10 for platinum. Does that mean that the HD service is the same price as the IQ or is it $15 more then the IQ.

Well in the UK, you pay the same extra fee whether you have HD (with sky+ features) or just sky+, which seems smart

[cyril]

Quote

Well in the UK, you pay the same extra fee whether you have HD (with sky+ features) or just sky+, which seems smart

Ahhh, no I think thats not right (but happy to be corrected) but I understand on SkyUK there now is no longer a fee for having Sky+ (iQ) over a standard STB, however there is a 10quid fee to see the HD channels.

This link shows the pricing. Also note that if you sign up for the minimum term a nonPVR box comes free, the other boxs cost a bit, dont forget in UK you own the box even if it came free with the contract, same arrangement as mobiles and cellphone contracts.

The boxs are here.

Cyril

Edited by cyril, 26 November 2007 - 04:41 AM.

[Hosko]

I still think my point is fair though, people at the moment are willing to spend $15 a month for a PVR they would be willing to spend $15 for a hybrid PVR and HD

[MattWinter]

cyril, on Nov 26 2007, 04:03 AM, said:

Ahhh, no I think thats not right (but happy to be corrected) but I understand on SkyUK there now is no longer a fee for having Sky+ (iQ) over a standard STB, however there is a 10quid fee to see the HD channels.

This link shows the pricing. Also note that if you sign up for the minimum term a nonPVR box comes free, the other boxs cost a bit, dont forget in UK you own the box even if it came free with the contract, same arrangement as mobiles and cellphone contracts.

The boxs are here.

Cyril

Yes you are right, I must have read it wrongly when I was checking it all out a couple of weeks ago.

I would say that ideally you wouldn't pay anything per month for HD or the IQ, just a higher setup fee - that would make a lot of sense to me.

[robertr]

The cost in UK for the HD box is an extra 10 pounds per month which equates to roughly $24 AUD , I cant see Foxtel only charging $15.00 extra PM.

Also to buy outright ( on a defacto basis) it equates to roughly $900 AUD that is before installation which will probably be an extra $100.00.

Expect a minimum of $25-30 per month for the box.

[Oz_Arab]

NEW INFORMATION

-- Foxtel are looking to charge $199 for a Set Up Fee Plus $15 per month Charge for HD TV but this may change

-- The package will include 2 HD Sport Channels and 2 HD Documentary Channels plus Movies on Demand (Its $10 per month for EITHER Sport OR Docu)

FOR CURRENT iQ CUSTOMERS

-- The payment format will change. Customers can pay a 1 off Fee of $50 and then only pay $5 per month for their iQ Box Subscription

[MattWinter]

Oz_Arab, on Nov 26 2007, 10:57 AM, said:

NEW INFORMATION

-- Foxtel are looking to charge $199 for a Set Up Fee Plus $15 per month Charge for HD TV but this may change

-- The package will include 2 HD Sport Channels and 2 HD Documentary Channels plus Movies on Demand (Its $10 per month for EITHER Sport OR Docu)

FOR CURRENT iQ CUSTOMERS

-- The payment format will change. Customers can pay a 1 off Fee of $50 and then only pay $5 per month for their iQ Box Subscription

So that $15 a month is added to the normal subscription, and includes the recording capability as well as HD?

Please clarify the second point - are you saying that the HD sport channels (for example) aren't included in the normal sports package, so in reality if you want the HD sport channels you have to pay the $15 a month as well as $10 extra for the HD sports channel subscription? Because that's pretty stupid...

Can people who are not current IQ subscribers take advantage of the new payment format for the IQ?