SCTV Digital - any experience?

hefty_langer

Has anyone here signed up with SouthCoast's new digital service? I would be interested to hear experiences of pic quality and reliability.
Their basic package looks very good, Setanta Ireland included... I have ordered this with their "Flexibox" a HDD recorder with dual tuners, and multiroom
all in for €25 a month!
Does anyone have any details for this Flexibox? I have asked southcoast and they didn't have any further details bar the leaflet about their packages
More details here http://www.sctvdigital.com/

corkandproud

I can't make head nor tail of the website, check this page out:

http://www.sctvdigital.com/default2.asp?active_page_id=30

*There are only two
** We give the customer two independent boxes
***This is not possible but there are parental controls available

hefty_langer

I got it in the end, the multiroom is two boxes, not one... I wanted the 'flexibox' but apparently there were some issues with the suppliers, no date for the rollout of them yet.
Overall very happy, pic and sound quality is as good if not better than Sky, little or no downtime in the last 6 months, and a good selection of channels... would recommend them, I see what you mean about the website though!!

corkandproud

What is the share offer about, If I buy a €300 share I get the service for 1cent a month for 6 months.

rymus

crowd of ****ehawks imo.. they took years and years to come out with a digital service and after ofering the sun, moon and stars they cant deliver a decent package. Where's the tv on demand, high speed internet and the other bull**** they tried to sell us all some years back?

Comparing them with sky, the channels, the packages and the hardware is better on sky. Just moved into my new house in Carrigaline, having been with sky for the past few years. Had the opportunity to move to southcoast but tbh it's a no brainer to stay with sky. They're on a major drive at the moment to convert all the analog customers to digital but tbh, I'd say they'll be loosing even more people to sky. There's already a dish mounted on practically every house in the area anyway... Southcoast... BAH!

rymus

hefty_langer wrote:

I wanted the 'flexibox' but apparently there were some issues with the suppliers, no date for the rollout of them yet.

That's even more interesting... You'd think they'd be sweating bullets trying to get these PVR boxes out there given that sky+ is now free for all subscribers. Still more selling what they can't deliver, nothing has changed :rolleyes:

Raskolnikov

rymus wrote:

Southcoast... BAH!

Yea, but don't you remember, they climbed mountains in storms several eons ago, so we could watch Corrie on HTV

rymus

the past is all too quickly forgotten when they start rolling out inferior service

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

hefty_langer wrote:

I got it in the end, the multiroom is two boxes, not one... I wanted the 'flexibox' but apparently there were some issues with the suppliers, no date for the rollout of them yet.
Overall very happy, pic and sound quality is as good if not better than Sky, little or no downtime in the last 6 months, and a good selection of channels... would recommend them, I see what you mean about the website though!!

So you are the only one with, as the OP asked 'any experience' of SCTV, on here, Good because, SCTV seem to be getting a bashing from other users on here, which is a bit unfair if the ranting comes from users who have not got SCTV digital, :rolleyes:, the OP question seems fairly clear. 'SCTV DIGITAL any experience'...

anyway, so you very happy with the services. that interesting because i was also worried about the reliability, your after getting me thinking again about SCTV, because SKY is just getting ridiculously expensive for ould TV channels.
what about in this recent very bad weather...my \sky went down a couple of times when the rain was bucketing it down...how did the SCTV fair with the cloud cover of the past month

hefty_langer

Not even a flicker during the bad weather, I have had to call the customer support once, and it was nice to be speaking with someone down the road rather than calls be routed to a very unhelpful callcenter in Scotland, where they really don't give a toss!

Correct me if I'm wrong but Skys basic package is €27+ and add a second received is another €15 on top... total €42 for basic package

I'm paying €26 p.m for 2 receivers and a better selection of channels IMO

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

hefty_langer wrote:

Not even a flicker during the bad weather, I have had to call the customer support once, and it was nice to be speaking with someone down the road rather than calls be routed to a very unhelpful callcenter in Scotland, where they really don't give a toss!

Correct me if I'm wrong but Skys basic package is €27+ and add a second received is another €15 on top... total €42 for basic package

I'm paying €26 p.m for 2 receivers and a better selection of channels IMO

yes you are correct on pricing, must do a little more research....
anybody else with ACTUIAL experience of SCTV Digital... good and bad.

rymus

hefty_langer wrote:

a better selection of channels IMO

I wouldn't have said so... but each to his own..

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

rymus wrote:

I wouldn't have said so...

i tend to agree, SKY does have more variety

Padraig Mor

hefty_langer wrote:

Not even a flicker during the bad weather, I have had to call the customer support once, and it was nice to be speaking with someone down the road rather than calls be routed to a very unhelpful callcenter in Scotland, where they really don't give a toss!

Correct me if I'm wrong but Skys basic package is €27+ and add a second received is another €15 on top... total €42 for basic package

I'm paying €26 p.m for 2 receivers and a better selection of channels IMO

Is Sky's basic package not €21.50? That's what I'm paying.

TheDriver

Ye could of course get satellite (or use your existing sky dish) to get free channels only and throw up an aerial and booster from Dwyers (30euro all in) and you can forget about subscription. I get Irish, BBC1 to 4, ITV 1 to 4, film 4, loads of music, loads of news channels all for free. Just another thing to think about lads! Remember sky a year is about 250 euro.

Big Tone

Don't see how they can survive up against Sky, Chorus, forthcoming terrestial digital freeview platform etc......

hogeybear

I got it back at christmas. Entertainment pack. Two boxes for €26. No problems. I agree with other fella though. Sky has more variety. But all the same they have a good blend of channels. Who watches two thirds of the stuff on sky anyway? Picture quality is great. I just bought three shares in the company aswell. I know have 18 months of the service for 18 cents and shares in a local business that I think will only go on the up and up!

Remus you must work for sky or something. Stop bashing something you have no clue about. When I was with sky i had nothing but trouble. I had trouble with my remote after a couple of days with SCTV and someone drove to my house and dropped one off for me!! You wouldnt see sky or chorus do that!!

One more thing. Setanta sports extra package is only €12 with sctv and €18 with sky. €21.50 pack with sky doesnt give you much choice of tv either. its not blended with all types of programs. If you want to watch something other than news channels you have to get the whole package!! What's that? €30-€35? and another €15 for another box? I rang em today and FLexibox is available from october.

It's a no brainer for me anyway.

hefty_langer

are there any details of the share deal online?

hogeybear

Not that I know of. I was contacted by a salesperson at home because i was a PAYING analogue subscriber for years. It's pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. I got my analogue payment for this year refunded too. an extra 80 euro off, which is nice. If you sign up for digital you dont have to pay that anymore either. and you dont have to pay for installation or deposit up to €100. Dividends get paid out too. not yet but hopefully.

Freddie59

hogeybear wrote:

I had trouble with my remote after a couple of days with SCTV and someone drove to my house and dropped one off for me!! You wouldnt see sky or chorus do that!!

I'm sure Sky and Chorus would have done that in the early days as well. Just like these two, SCTV will probably be no different when they rack up numbers. There sub base is probably tiny at the minute (anyone know how many people have their digital?)....so dropping out a remote wouldn't really be a problem....

Freddie59

Raskolnikov wrote:

Yea, but don't you remember, they climbed mountains in storms several eons ago, so we could watch Corrie on HTV

:rolleyes:

watty

hogeybear wrote:

I got it back at christmas. Entertainment pack. Two boxes for €26. No problems. I agree with other fella though. Sky has more variety. But all the same they have a good blend of channels. Who watches two thirds of the stuff on sky anyway? Picture quality is great. I just bought three shares in the company aswell. I know have 18 months of the service for 18 cents and shares in a local business that I think will only go on the up and up!

Remus you must work for sky or something. Stop bashing something you have no clue about. When I was with sky i had nothing but trouble. I had trouble with my remote after a couple of days with SCTV and someone drove to my house and dropped one off for me!! You wouldnt see sky or chorus do that!!

One more thing. Setanta sports extra package is only €12 with sctv and €18 with sky. €21.50 pack with sky doesnt give you much choice of tv either. its not blended with all types of programs. If you want to watch something other than news channels you have to get the whole package!! What's that? €30-€35? and another €15 for another box? I rang em today and FLexibox is available from october.

It's a no brainer for me anyway.

You must work for SCTV. There is a choice of any 2 packs out of six packs for Sky and it is much better quality if installed properly as SCTV can only take their feeds from aerials or Satellite.

The Free Satellite channel selection is nearly as good as SCTV.

SCTV is using spectrum that belongs to satellite as a secondary user and got it without a proper tender process. They could lose their licence easily.

This services is a poor imitation of Satellite TV and misuse of Satellite TV technology terrestrially.

They should be boycotted until they deploy proper terrestrial technology and an honestly priced selection.

rymus

watty wrote:

They should be boycotted until they deploy proper terrestrial technology and an honestly priced selection.

Finally some sense!

hogeybear

Ok. I have no idea what any of that means. Obviously I'm not up on my Satellite/cable jargon and tech as you. For anyone who who wants it in plain simple english: SCTV has good reception(as good as sky), Is good value, And their customer service is a hell of alot better than the competition. (Completely based on opinion and experience and not hearsay) As for the line up being similar to free satellite I suppose you are right. Isn't choruses the same though? I reckon 90% of the channels are the same with both companies but there is no way in hell I'm choosing Chorus. I'm sure most people have had problems with them and know what I mean. Personally I got sick of listening to Bach or whoever looped for three quarters of an hour before getting cut off and starting all over again.

As for Sky, I agree that the channel line up is better. Simple. We don't all make our tv decisions based on that though. Well I don't anyway.

Cue smart response from the all knowing.........:rolleyes:

rymus

hogeybear wrote:

We don't all make our tv decisions based on that though. Well I don't anyway.

Ah yes... The eternal dilemma. Go with a morally corrupt company and enjoy quality TV or go with the local mom & pop operation that have superb customer service and be stuck with an overpriced, poor selection of channels.

I'll go for morally corrupt yet wonderfully entertaining every time.

Also, comparing SCTV's packages and prices to Sky doesn't represent SCTV being good value for money. I would have thought anyone would be able to spot that!?! I'm not all knowing, and I wouldn't consider this to be a 'smart' response

craichoe

watty wrote:

You must work for SCTV. There is a choice of any 2 packs out of six packs for Sky and it is much better quality if installed properly as SCTV can only take their feeds from aerials or Satellite.

The Free Satellite channel selection is nearly as good as SCTV.

SCTV is using spectrum that belongs to satellite as a secondary user and got it without a proper tender process. They could lose their licence easily.

This services is a poor imitation of Satellite TV and misuse of Satellite TV technology terrestrially.

They should be boycotted until they deploy proper terrestrial technology and an honestly priced selection.

SCTV have been around a good while now.
TBH if their making an effective use of DVB-S then why not ? Tendering huge amount of money for Wireless Licenses is a load of sh*t anyway.

Sky is the devil in my books, i wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole, i know of 2 people that are still being billed for subscriptions they no longer have, after numberous e-mails, registered letters and calls.

Another couple of people i know had issues with the Set top boxes within the year and Sky advised it would be 150 euros to repair/replace. After threatening to discontinue service they fixed it for free but advised they'd have to sign into an additional years contract.

Long story short, they cut sky off and got chorus

hogeybear

rymus wrote:

Ah yes... The eternal dilemma. Go with a morally corrupt company and enjoy quality TV or go with the local mom & pop operation that have superb customer service and be stuck with an overpriced, poor selection of channels.

I'll go for morally corrupt yet wonderfully entertaining every time.

Also, comparing SCTV's packages and prices to Sky doesn't represent SCTV being good value for money. I would have thought anyone would be able to spot that!?! I'm not all knowing, and I wouldn't consider this to be a 'smart' response

You're right. Maybe comparing the packages isn't the same. How about additional services though? I can have 5 rooms with sctv's entertainment pack for €41 all independant of each other. Two rooms with Sky is €45! And i need a telephone line!

Would you consider Chorus a mom and pop operation too? I know they have bad customer service and everything but they have the same amount of channels for €33. (more expensive than sctv's €26) So I'm just making the point that SCTV is a viable option. Sky will always have more channels. To disagree would be retarded. But I am happy with what I have, and I'm happy not to have bad customer service and the peace at home when the kids want cartoons, my wife wants soaps and I want to watch whatever I feel like! I didn't mean that you were the all knowing one either.... the guy above ya!! By the way I looked at the comreg website and found that SCTV is the only Company in Ireland to have a licence for satellite transmissions on their bandwidth so all the crap about losing their licence sounds like sour grapes to me. Why would the government issue a licence to a public company that is doing something Illegal? Ridiculous.

conax

Hello everybody,
I have been following these threads for some time now and have decided to throw my two cent worth into the can. First of all I have Sky Plus, Sky multiroom, Chorus and Chorus multiroom and now have the addition of SCTV digital but not the SCTV multiroom (wife was bad enough that I added another set top box to heat the room) anyway, getting away from the channel choice vs cost between the different systems for the moment. I would like to point out to prospective subscribers that the SCTV system does not have a fully working and limited EPG.
When selecting a channel to watch, the current programme will “ most “ of the time be displayed along with its start and finish time but you cannot see what is on next and there is no information available on the programme content. Furthermore as is often the case when channel browsing the EGP often only updates when you have stopped on a channel, for example when channel hopping, on the EPG title banner you may see “ The X Files” you stop to settle down and watch The X files and after a few seconds the picture freezes goes black a box appears notifying you its “updating” and hey presto after a few seconds of this you find out The X Files was the last programme on, and now its “Gardeners World”. This updating process, if the TV volume is high or connected to a surround sound system has the characteristic MPEG “Chirp” which would have even the most battle hardened special forces general diving for cover. Often however the title banner just displays “ No Information”
I can only assume that there is a software compatibility issue between the metadata stream from Sky and the SCTV system. I would also have liked to assumed that as SCTV is predominant in rural areas where its largest competitor would be Sky, a working EPG system would have taken priority prior to release. So if you’re an EPG junkie this is reason 1 to avoid SCTV. I am not anti SCTV it has redeeming qualities, but there are all for the wrong reason .
Well that’s my two cent worth, I think I still have some change left though.