Whatever happened to Saorview Connect ?

Shan Doras

Will there be future boxes ? They seemed to lose interest very quickly

The Cush

I think people lost interest. I never got one.

A STB designed by committee and didn't give people what they wanted. It would be interesting to see how much money they spent developing it.

The focus is now on the player and IP for the future

c2r

I've said it before somewhere, maybe not here, but doing some sort of deal with the BBC to reuse the iplayer technologies and just piggy backing off of that seems to me like the best way forward - it'd then be compatible with all sorts of TVs and boxes and firesticks. RTE player is so clumsy and incompatible in comparison. I've got it on the firestick, but it isn't straightforward to install it.

Shan Doras

Yeah i think people were hoping that the connect box would have an integrated saorview and Uk free to air EPG but saorview seemed to have always been reluctant, to even promote the availability of Uk free to air channels in Ireland via free to air satellite, indeed during the digital switch over campaign, most talking heads in the media on the topic seemed to think free to air satellite meant "dodgy boxes" or obscure Arabic channels

Gerry Wicklow

You cant expect RTÉ to promote the competition even if every dog on the street knows it's there.

😉

decor58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122652188#Comment_122652188

TThe Saorview connect box software was based on the Metaphor software used by Freesat, epg, recommendations, players, excluding VM. That software would have been licensed, at what cost and sales figures would have to justify the cost.

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As regards the iplayer, is it Sky or Eir have a restricted version of the iplayer, with their commercial strength, they couldn't get the player, plus to use the player, in the UK, you need to register your tv license number. There is also the rights issue, imagine VM if could call up Graham Norton on the iplayer after they have licenced the programme to broadcast here.

bennyx_o

As regards the iplayer, is it Sky or Eir have a restricted version of the iplayer, with their commercial strength, they couldn't get the player, plus to use the player, in the UK, you need to register your tv license number. There is also the rights issue, imagine VM if could call up Graham Norton on the iplayer after they have licenced the programme to broadcast here.

Sky have a cut down iPlayer on SkyQ boxes at least. Never had to enter or register a tv licence number to view iPlayer though

decor58

Oh, any time I've tried, this notice comes up.

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fman

It's generous to call it even a cut down version on sky Q. It's more a small selection of BBC shows available to download. They are mostly catch-up from the previous week and very far from exhaustive.

FRIENDO

Saorview Connect was good when it worked.

Recording Saorview Channels with serial link was good and being able to watch another channel while recording.

The satellite FTA channels were a mess, yes the programme guide was fast but only showed now and next.

If you tried to edit the satellite channels it was all good until a channel changed frequency or you wanted to add a new channel and the list became a total mess.

The internet function of RTE and TG4 Player were hit and miss.

However my connect box has now failed as it just keeps rebooting, so I've retired it to the press.