44 replies to this topic

[Chui]

Hi all,

Sorry if this had been asked (searched but no hits).

Is there any word on Optus offering HD channels.


Cheers,

Chui

[Kermit100]

This the response I've had from Optus in the last week

'HDTV is currently being considered, however a decision has not yet been made regarding the support of HDTV.'

[Chui]

Thanks for the reply Kermit.

Stock standard reply

[realoptus]

My latest inside info is NO.

[Chui]

Spoke to Optus today whilst complaining about a service outage.

Stated that Optus has no intention of offering HD at the moment.

When I asked what sort of timeframe this covers, the said the forseeable future.

That's that then.

[sportycorty]

It seems that OPTUS doe's not give a sh#t about its cable TV customers. They keep taking our money but don't want to spend any money on the service.

If they keep going this way they won't have any customers.

[Chui]

Yeah, it will likely be one less here (once Super14 season is over )

[Brasil]

Let's face it the only reason to have any cable is sport.  There's only so many reruns of "Hogan's heroes", "Murder she wrote" and "The biggest catch" one can take, and 95 per cent of the channels I wouldn't watch for more than five minutes a month.

If the various sporting codes were smart they'd get together and set up their own joint pay TV network. I'd gladly pay $30-$40 a month for just the sports channels.

[nikoskon]

If Optus were to go HD, does that mean that we would also get dolby digital (AC3) sound coming through as well, because at the moment it aint happening for me.

[realoptus]

sportycorty, on Apr 21 2008, 06:36 PM, said:

It seems that OPTUS doe's not give a sh#t about its cable TV customers. They keep taking our money but don't want to spend any money on the service.

If they keep going this way they won't have any customers.

I work for them. Since Singtel bought Optus they don't give a sh#t about anybody !!!!!! Just making money and using the cheapest crap they can source.

[BribieG]

Used to have optus when I lived in a cabled area until it went up 50% in the late 90s and I told them to bite their bums. I was under the obvously false impression that Optus just rebroadcast Foxtel nowadays so I'm surprised about the HD stance.

[Voyager]

Hi

I'm interested in Foxtel HD. However, questions...:

1. Is it worth changing from Optus to Foxtel to get HD at this stage? Also, I'd really like to get HD, I'm just wondering if it's worth it, as Optus Customer Service has been so good (as per all my experiences). Going to Foxtel (and going back to a Telstra's style) is not very attractive. However, the product is attractive (still waiting on pricing though!)? Any thoughts/comments?

2. If worth a try, what's the best way to disconnect Foxtel from Optus and reconnect to Foxtel to get Foxtel HD+? Need to go through Optus or directly to Foxtel? Any thoughts/experiences?

All suggestions and comments welcome...

Thanks

Edited by Voyager, 05 May 2008 - 10:07 AM.

[GregA]

Voyager, on May 4 2008, 04:17 PM, said:

Is it worth changing from Optus to Foxtel to get HD at this stage?

If you've got a few reasons to change, go ahead.
If you're pretty happy but want High Def, I'd wait and see what happens.

It's fair to say that the industry is changing rapidly.
* ISPs are getting involved in video,
* The FTAs will market/release "Freeview"
* Seven will release TiVo soon for HD PVR and by christmas (they RECKON) the IPTV/PPV will be active.
* Optus may reveal what (if anything) they are doing
* TransACT bought Neighbourhood cable. WIN bought SelecTV. Either may have plans.
* The National Broadband Network will have triple-play TV options (not within 6 months though...)

Which is to say - Foxtel will change their packages and attempt to crush the newcomers. You'll get a better deal around the end of the year (or you'll take a newcomer).

Edited by GregA, 05 June 2008 - 01:08 PM.

[matthewa]

GregA, on Jun 5 2008, 01:05 PM, said:

If you've got a few reasons to change, go ahead.
If you're pretty happy but want High Def, I'd wait and see what happens.

It's fair to say that the industry is changing rapidly.
* ISPs are getting involved in video,
* The FTAs will market/release "Freeview"
* Seven will release TiVo soon for HD PVR and by christmas (they RECKON) the IPTV/PPV will be active.
* Optus may reveal what (if anything) they are doing
* TransACT bought Neighbourhood cable. WIN bought SelecTV. Either may have plans.
* The National Broadband Network will have triple-play TV options (not within 6 months though...)

Which is to say - Foxtel will change their packages and attempt to crush the newcomers. You'll get a better deal around the end of the year (or you'll take a newcomer).

What about ACCC letting optus and foxtel + telstra to share content is there any stipulation that would force optus to keep up competition in offering HD

[GregA]

matthewa, on Jun 10 2008, 07:28 PM, said:

What about ACCC letting optus and foxtel + telstra to share content is there any stipulation that would force optus to keep up competition in offering HD

It's a good question and I don't know. They did stipulate that competition must continue, but they were even arguing on digital vs analog requirements rather than classifying it all as "payTV" (if I remember correctly).... which would tend to point to them saying "why should optus be forced to compete in an area they were never involved in before?".

The "competition" in the Australian payTV industry is a farce. At the very least we should separate Foxtel from the distribution.
ie: have "Foxtel - available via Telstra, Optus, or Austar"

Better still, separate Foxtel from the distribution, then split Foxtel such that there are 4 media companies providing PayTV channels.

[reubot]

GregA, on Jun 15 2008, 11:07 PM, said:

Better still, separate Foxtel from the distribution, then split Foxtel such that there are 4 media companies providing PayTV channels.

This is probably the better idea - one of the problems with pay TV in Australia is that the Foxtel/Austar group either own most of the content available or have exclusive contracts for it, making it hard to competitors to enter the market.

[Jamie88]

Optus better get HD in soon, the quality on the old CRT tv was good, now with the LCD's its pathetic!

[penguincentral]

Brasil, on Apr 23 2008, 05:38 PM, said:

Let's face it the only reason to have any cable is sport.  There's only so many reruns of "Hogan's heroes", "Murder she wrote" and "The biggest catch" one can take, and 95 per cent of the channels I wouldn't watch for more than five minutes a month.

If the various sporting codes were smart they'd get together and set up their own joint pay TV network. I'd gladly pay $30-$40 a month for just the sports channels.

I like your thinking...

Voyager, on May 4 2008, 04:17 PM, said:

Hi

I'm interested in Foxtel HD. However, questions...:

1. Is it worth changing from Optus to Foxtel to get HD at this stage? Also, I'd really like to get HD, I'm just wondering if it's worth it, as Optus Customer Service has been so good (as per all my experiences). Going to Foxtel (and going back to a Telstra's style) is not very attractive. However, the product is attractive (still waiting on pricing though!)? Any thoughts/comments?

2. If worth a try, what's the best way to disconnect Foxtel from Optus and reconnect to Foxtel to get Foxtel HD+? Need to go through Optus or directly to Foxtel? Any thoughts/experiences?

All suggestions and comments welcome...

Thanks

One question, how are you supposed to get foxtel if you are in an optus coverage area?

[SharP]

penguincentral, on Jun 16 2008, 06:16 PM, said:

I like your thinking...



One question, how are you supposed to get foxtel if you are in an optus coverage area?

why couldn't you? you can get foxtel from foxtel or from telstra when you are in a optus cabled area.

in fact you can even have two tvs next to each other in the same house and same room one connected to foxtel from optus cable and other one to foxtel from telstra cable

[matthewa]

SharP, on Jun 18 2008, 01:05 PM, said:

why couldn't you? you can get foxtel from foxtel or from telstra when you are in a optus cabled area.

in fact you can even have two tvs next to each other in the same house and same room one connected to foxtel from optus cable and other one to foxtel from telstra cable

Unfortunately for me I was speaking to Foxtel and they said I would have to get Satellite as they don't have cable in my area. Don't really want to move off Cable Optus to Foxtel so I can get HD as I would like to get the FTA which isn't avaialble via Satellite, but if Optus don't pull their finger out I will cutover once the offer from Foxtel is more attractive.

Anyone haerd if they are going to get involved in HD or is it still looking like they are going to let pay tv die a slow death. Why can't they make their cabe available to foxtel if they are not interested in improving their service, maybe they could sell their user base and exit the business

[sportycorty]

matthewa, on Sep 23 2008, 10:56 PM, said:

Unfortunately for me I was speaking to Foxtel and they said I would have to get Satellite as they don't have cable in my area. Don't really want to move off Cable Optus to Foxtel so I can get HD as I would like to get the FTA which isn't avaialble via Satellite, but if Optus don't pull their finger out I will cutover once the offer from Foxtel is more attractive.

Anyone haerd if they are going to get involved in HD or is it still looking like they are going to let pay tv die a slow death. Why can't they make their cabe available to foxtel if they are not interested in improving their service, maybe they could sell their user base and exit the business

I'm in the same boat as you. I don't really want to go off Optus cable onto Foxtel satellite either. I heard foxtel are launching a new satellite soon and will be able to add free to air channels on satellite subscription then. If nothing has changed with Optus TV by then I will jump over to Foxtel.

[Jamie88]

I spoke to optus the other day about this

Optus will eventually offer HD however they dont see a point at the moment apparently its still under trial with foxtel.
Itl take years before theres a decent amound of HD channels making it pretty worthless until then.
Apparently foxtel is signing alot of new contracts with tv channels to supply HD video

[matthewa]

Jamie88, on Oct 14 2008, 11:51 AM, said:

I spoke to optus the other day about this

Optus will eventually offer HD however they dont see a point at the moment apparently its still under trial with foxtel.
Itl take years before theres a decent amound of HD channels making it pretty worthless until then.
Apparently foxtel is signing alot of new contracts with tv channels to supply HD video

Has anyone been speaking to Optus lately about if they have any plans?

[sohai]

No Optus has no plans now or in the near future to bring the service to HD, Optus is still deciding whether to keep the DTV product or get rid of it all together as Optus are still keeping DISC accounts open to keep DTV customer quota with Foxtel.

[anthj]

I am going to make the switch to Foxtel, Optus is scheduled to be cancelled. If Optus would just say they were going to get HD stuff or make IQ available I would stay with them as I don't really want a satellite.