155 replies to this topic

[sydneyranger]

For those on Foxtel lite, this is the reply that i got from Foxtel re:new sattelite

Thank you for your recent email to FOXTEL customer service.



Once the changes are complete, most LITE services such as yourself will receive most of the services currently unavailable due to the infrastructure.



As this will differ from building to building, if you could please confirm the address of the site, and I will be able to investigate the affect on your service and confirm this for you.







For all your FAQs, billing information, troubleshooting, tips and more visit www.foxtel.com.au/support/default.htm



Hope this helps

[tiina]

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. We live in Sydney:  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (address edited by mods). This is a medium density dwelling.

Riina

[Smacca]

tiina, on Oct 12 2009, 08:09 PM, said:

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. We live in Sydney:  xx/xxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx. This is a medium density dwelling.

Riina

Riina;
He doesn't actually work for Foxtel - he is simply quoting an email they sent to him. You'll need to contact Foxtel yourself, privately, not in an open public forum, where the public can see where you live.

Edited by Smacca, 12 October 2009 - 10:00 PM.

[davmel]

sydneyranger, on Oct 12 2009, 06:27 PM, said:

Once the changes are complete, most LITE services such as yourself will receive most of the services currently unavailable due to the infrastructure.

Given the way testing has progressed on the D3 sat, almost all the non-FTA channels that are on vertical transponders of C1 are being duplicated on horizontal transponders on D3. So Foxtel lite users should get everything except for FTA re-transmissions once officially launched.

[thredders]

davmel, on Oct 12 2009, 11:24 PM, said:

Given the way testing has progressed on the D3 sat, almost all the non-FTA channels that are on vertical transponders of C1 are being duplicated on horizontal transponders on D3. So Foxtel lite users should get everything except for FTA re-transmissions once officially launched.

so, essentially i should be able to use IQ ona  single cable from the dish and not have issues with recordning and viewing channels that used to be on different polarities.  Am I correct in my assumption?

[davmel]

thredders, on Oct 12 2009, 11:38 PM, said:

so, essentially i should be able to use IQ ona  single cable from the dish and not have issues with recordning and viewing channels that used to be on different polarities.  Am I correct in my assumption?

The plain IQ/IQ1 has two tuners permanently wired to each input so you would need to get a standard splitter to split a single cable into the two inputs and everything except for FTA should work ok after everything has been officially migrated.
The IQ2 has an internal multiswitch so you wouldn't need an external splitter to get the same effect from a single cable feed.

[thredders]

davmel, on Oct 13 2009, 12:42 AM, said:

The plain IQ/IQ1 has two tuners permanently wired to each input so you would need to get a standard splitter to split a single cable into the two inputs and everything except for FTA should work ok after everything has been officially migrated.
The IQ2 has an internal multiswitch so you wouldn't need an external splitter to get the same effect from a single cable feed.

wel that sounds positive, I'll have to enquire and find out more.

Tks

[youngstar]

Many thanks for the info sydneyranger & devmel - fingers crossed ! Will lodge an enquiry & see how we go.

[sydneyranger]

youngstar, on Oct 13 2009, 11:05 AM, said:

Many thanks for the info sydneyranger & devmel - fingers crossed ! Will lodge an enquiry & see how we go.

Got this in an email from Foxtel today
Thank you for your recent email to FOXTEL customer service.



I have checked our system and the kind of building you are in and it looks like you will receive many new channels over the next few months. As well as many new FOXTEL NEXT GENERATION channels you will receive, there will be some current services that will become available to you. Information is not confirmed, but at this stage it looks like you will gain access to FOXTEL Box Office movies, Active services such as Sports and News Active, and some channels such as BBC Knowledge and CNBC. These channels are not guaranteed at this stage, but all changes are scheduled to occur by the end of November.



The reason that some services and channels are unavailable to you is due to your building not being wired for the full FOXTEL service. This wiring is organised and maintained by your Body Corporate, if you would like to request your building be rewired to include all FOXTEL services, you should take this request to your Body Corporate. They can organise to have your building retro-fitted for the FOXTEL services.



I hope this has answered your questions. For all your FAQs, billing information, troubleshooting, tips and more visit www.foxtel.com.au/support/default.htm



Yours sincerely

Fingers crossed still, but things looking up !!

[Dr. Smythe]

Just posted this in the new D3 Satellite thread... http://www.dtvforum....showtopic=82993
Relevant here too it would seem!

Quote

For any apartment dwellers out there on 'Lite' services, I've been in touch with Foxtel already, and unfortunately as a Foxtel 'Extra Lite' client, I will still be unable to access HD content... apparently there are two variants to the Foxtel Lite infrastructure, and my building is in the poorer category. Shame, as I was planning to go the whole hog the day this was made available  

Hopefully all the new channels (though not in HD) will still be available... everything is moving to the one polarity now, right?

Doc.

[youngstar]

This was the reply I just received from Foxtel - very dissapointing as I am pretty sure I get channels 180 and 183 although I would never watch them !  

Thank you for your recent email to FOXTEL customer service.

There are actually a few different type of restrictions when looking at Multi-Dwelling Unit connections. The 'Lite' service refers to those which cannot receive the Vertical polarity of channels. While we are shifting channels to the Horizontal polarity, the ability to have iQ functionality as well as channels is restricted by the type of cabling. It is possible to have both polarities without iQ functionality running from one set of cabling.

I have looked at the information we have on your building, and it appears this is the case in your situation. You should be able to receive both polarities of channels, but as they are being shared through one feed from the satellite dish you will be unable to use the iQ features.

The best way to confirm if your cabling can support both polarities is to check channels 180 (ACC, Australian Christian Channel) and 182 (NITV, National Indigenous TV). If you are receiving these then you are receiving the Vertical polarity and the only way for an iQ to work in this setup would be to have the building upgraded with a second, independent run of cabling. You should still be able to receive the new channels and those moved onto the Horizontal polarity however.

I hope this information helps.

Since I think the chances of the Body Corporate ever paying for extra cabling to be run are next to zero, my only option is to wait for the rollout of the National Broadband Network to run an optic cable to our complex !  

[tiina]

tiina, on Oct 12 2009, 09:09 PM, said:

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. We live in Sydney:  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX This is a medium density dwelling.

Riina

Hi, What an idiot I am..... thought this was from Foxtel... was reading it on my phone. Could the moderator delete this or block out my address?

[grb]

youngstar, on Oct 15 2009, 11:36 AM, said:

This was the reply I just received from Foxtel - very dissapointing as I am pretty sure I get channels 180 and 183 although I would never watch them !  

Thank you for your recent email to FOXTEL customer service.

There are actually a few different type of restrictions when looking at Multi-Dwelling Unit connections. The 'Lite' service refers to those which cannot receive the Vertical polarity of channels. While we are shifting channels to the Horizontal polarity, the ability to have iQ functionality as well as channels is restricted by the type of cabling. It is possible to have both polarities without iQ functionality running from one set of cabling.

I have looked at the information we have on your building, and it appears this is the case in your situation. You should be able to receive both polarities of channels, but as they are being shared through one feed from the satellite dish you will be unable to use the iQ features.

The best way to confirm if your cabling can support both polarities is to check channels 180 (ACC, Australian Christian Channel) and 182 (NITV, National Indigenous TV). If you are receiving these then you are receiving the Vertical polarity and the only way for an iQ to work in this setup would be to have the building upgraded with a second, independent run of cabling. You should still be able to receive the new channels and those moved onto the Horizontal polarity however.

you can get IQ functionality with only a single LNB feed and a splitter, however, you cannot watch/record two channels on different polarities at the same time.

given that most channels are on horizontal this is not a huge issue.

I'm guessing the issue will be convincing Foxtel to provide you with an IQ box considering they know you only have a single LNB feed.

[youngstar]

grb, on Oct 15 2009, 01:00 PM, said:

you can get IQ functionality with only a single LNB feed and a splitter, however, you cannot watch/record two channels on different polarities at the same time.

given that most channels are on horizontal this is not a huge issue.

I'm guessing the issue will be convincing Foxtel to provide you with an IQ box considering they know you only have a single LNB feed.

Cheers - why do you think it will "be an issue convincing Foxtel to give me an IQ box" ? Is it not more revenue for them ? ($10 a month)

PS. Sorry but what does LNB stand for ? I am assuming it is the "technical term" for the 1 feed from the satellite ?

Thanks,
youngstar

[loony]

youngstar, on Oct 15 2009, 01:56 PM, said:

Cheers - why do you think it will "be an issue convincing Foxtel to give me an IQ box" ? Is it not more revenue for them ? ($10 a month)

PS. Sorry but what does LNB stand for ? I am assuming it is the "technical term" for the 1 feed from the satellite ?

Thanks,
youngstar

The LNB is the device which picks up the signal reflected back up from your dish. (Think of it as an antenna)
Or very simply the thing mounted on the arm which points to the middle of your satellite dish
You can see it in this http://www.groundcon...ellite_dish.jpg

A dual LNB means their are two receivers built into the LNB and also two cables running from it.

In your case your buildings satellite dish is fitted with a dual LNB however the splitter which takes the feed from the dish and sends it to each unit does not provide you with a seperate horizontal and vertical connection.

[Dr. Smythe]

youngstar, on Oct 15 2009, 01:56 PM, said:

Cheers - why do you think it will "be an issue convincing Foxtel to give me an IQ box" ? Is it not more revenue for them ? ($10 a month)

PS. Sorry but what does LNB stand for ? I am assuming it is the "technical term" for the 1 feed from the satellite ?

Thanks,
youngstar

Chances are probably 100% - unless you get a noob at the sales centre that doesn't know you can.  I am on the poorer cousin to the infrastructure that your building has and I am on IQ. They refer to it as 'IQ Lite'. The only restrictions will be as noted above on Horizontal/Vertical at the same time (though in my case, I can only get Horizontal, so not an issue), and most likely you also wouldn't get the OnDemand feature. Recording one channel while watching another, pause/rewind Live TV and all the other recording and playback features are the same for mine.

Cheers,
Doc.

[youngstar]

Thanks Doc & Loony - all seems to suggest that a basic IQ should be possible in my situation.

Problem is trying to convince Foxtel !    

[davmel]

Not terribly good news for Foxtel Lite customers. The following channels have appeared and are now active on a vertical transponder of D3:

Discovery +2
FOOD +2
Hits +2
SCIFI +2
Turbo MAX +2
YOU +2

[DrP]

I'd be more interested in where the non+2 variants appear.  Foxtel may well have made the choice that the +2 editions are 'low value' and can be put on vertical to allow 'more popular' channels to be placed on horizontal.  Of course, as you have been only too keen to point out elsewhere, until the flag drops and the service is declared 'live' all is in flux so what is seen now may not be the final configuration.

[loony]

davmel, on Oct 22 2009, 06:27 PM, said:

Not terribly good news for Foxtel Lite customers. The following channels have appeared and are now active on a vertical transponder of D3:

Discovery +2
FOOD +2
Hits +2
SCIFI +2
Turbo MAX +2
YOU +2

I would think having +2 on vertical would be good for lite customers.

That way they still have access to the original channel so miss out on less content.

It beats having a new content channel on vertical.

[davmel]

loony, on Oct 22 2009, 07:37 PM, said:

I would think having +2 on vertical would be good for lite customers.

It's still a bit odd having it on vertical unless it's a termporary thing since other horizontal tranponders are still spare, unless the plan is to use those spare ones for more HD transponders.

[Dr. Smythe]

loony, on Oct 22 2009, 07:37 PM, said:

I would think having +2 on vertical would be good for lite customers.

That way they still have access to the original channel so miss out on less content.

It beats having a new content channel on vertical.

I agree loony - for mine, I'd be happy to see most of the +2 channels go, and just use the iQ to manage what I might miss.
Even if there is a scheduling conflict that day/night, we all know it will no doubt be on again within a day or two anyway!

Cheers,
Doc.

[BamBBBam]

Dr. Smythe, on Oct 22 2009, 05:32 PM, said:

I'd be happy to see most of the +2 channels go\

typical eastern states viewer. The +2 channels are a godsend for us in the West. Or do you think that we should miss the premiere shows that run at 4.30 in the arvo here?

[Dr. Smythe]

BamBBBam, on Oct 23 2009, 09:54 AM, said:

typical eastern states viewer. The +2 channels are a godsend for us in the West. Or do you think that we should miss the premiere shows that run at 4.30 in the arvo here?

Wasn't even thinking about time zones in saying that ... (which I guess is 'typically eastern' of me)

Doc.

[brizziekiwi]

davmel, on Oct 22 2009, 05:27 PM, said:

Not terribly good news for Foxtel Lite customers. The following channels have appeared and are now active on a vertical transponder of D3:

Discovery +2
FOOD +2
Hits +2
SCIFI +2
Turbo MAX +2
YOU +2

As I understand it from Foxtel, the channels davmel listed above are the only channels that "Foxtel Satellite Lite" users will not be able to receive.  ("Foxtel Satellite Extra Lite" users will be different however).

I live in an apartment building (MDU) and have had Foxtel Lite for a number of years.  

A couple of weeks ago I called Foxtel to find out about getting IQ2 and the new HD channels on Nov 15th.  The very helpful guy at Foxtel told me that we would be able to get IQ2 and HD channels as our building's wiring makes us a "Satellite Lite" user.  If our wiring wasn't as good, we would have been a "Satellite Extra Lite" user and would not have been able to get IQ2 or HD channels.  

I asked him if he could tell me exactly what we would be able to receive with the new satellite and he told me that we should be able to get everything that we can't get now (e.g. some active stuff, FBO, etc.), and the new channels except for a few +2 channels which he listed and I wrote down somewhere (but can't find).  From memory the list of +2 channels he said we wouldn't be able to get sounds exactly the same as the channels that davmel listed above as being on the vertical transponder - which is good because it looks as though the Foxtel guy might have known what he was talking about.  

With that good news, I booked in an IQ2 installation which was completed a few days later.  The installer said that they had only been told the day before that Foxtel were starting IQ2 installations in MDUs and that ours was the first one he had done.

A couple of days before the IQ2 was installed, I noticed that TV1+2 and FOX8+2 had disappeared.  The installer said (as has also since been posted in other threads) that we needed Foxtel to put a new LNB on the dish to get the new frequencies that the new sat transmits on as those channels have been moved to the new sat.  I haven't got around to calling them yet, but today I noticed that Discovery Travel & Disney Playhouse have also gone so must now be on the new sat too (don't know when this happened), so I'll have to get on the phone before too many more channels are moved.

Love the new IQ2, and can't wait for HD!

Cheers
Dave.