NTL Digital questions

David C

Got a few questions about NTL digital here in Ireland...

1: Are BBC 1, 2, UTV or Channel 4 in full widescreen like they are on Sky Digital?

2: Is there ordinary teletext on all of the UK terrestrials?

3: Does the "Red button" interactive service work on ITN News as advertised on screen for ntl customers?

4: Have they found a replacement for Rapture yet?

5: Is there any interactive stuff/ digital text?

6: Does Front Row work in Dublin?

Jessica

oh david c - so many questions for a newbie - so i will try to answer them all and start in the best possible way at number 1 - how considerate is that of me !


number 1: not too sure on this one - but i think yes - perhaps try calling ntl customer services just to double check.

number 2: there is not teletext on the digital channels - your teletext will come through on your stations as normal - through the television not through your digital set top box.

number 3: According to an ntl interactivity will not be available in ireland until possibly the end of the year. so - no it doesn't work.

number 4: no there is no replacement for rapture at the moment - just a sad lonely blank channel.

number 5: same answer as number 3 i am afraid to say.

number 6: yes - front row is available in dublin


Hope i answered everything that you needed to know - as i said if you need to know any more you are better of to ring ntl customer services - they will be able to give you abit more information than i can at the moment!

all in all i would have to recommend ntl digital - i have it at home and it is great service - would not be without it

Gavin W

Originally posted by David C


1: Are BBC 1, 2, UTV or Channel 4 in full widescreen like they are on Sky Digital?

No, the only channel I've seen on NTL Digital which (mostly) broadcasts in widescreen is E4.

Mountjoy Mugger

Also, watch out for sporadic pauses in transmissions on digital, eg. tonight, LA Confidential kept cutting out like a faulty DVD, I had to switch over to analogue. Digi box freeze ups. No text is proposed as far as my installer was aware. None is available on even the home channels.

It truely is a terrible pile of poo.

I don't know what possessed me to get it. - apart from CNN, more documentary channels and the fact that I can't hang a dish in my apartment block!

chernobyl

Originally posted by Mountjoy Mugger

I don't know what possessed me to get it. - apart from CNN,

Mount a Squarial dish indoors and get FOX News for free, you will get an eye opening experience.

JTMan

Some more Newbie Questions... I am thinking about getting NTL Digital.

1. The last time I called NTL (a long time ago) about a fault in the
reception in one of the stations they sent an engineer out. He refused to work on the fault because we have about 6 TV's all hooked up to the 1 connection without paying for additional connections (inside the same house). Will the Digital Installer care that we have so many TV's hooked up?

2. Is it easy to move the Digital box from 1 TV to another. Is it as easy as moving a VCR?

3. Is everyone getting this freeze ups problem?


I know SKY has a lot better content but NTL is much more affordable ...

Gavin W

Originally posted by Fungus
Some more Newbie Questions... I am thinking about getting NTL Digital.

1. The last time I called NTL (a long time ago) about a fault in the
reception in one of the stations they sent an engineer out. He refused to work on the fault because we have about 6 TV's all hooked up to the 1 connection without paying for additional connections (inside the same house). Will the Digital Installer care that we have so many TV's hooked up?

He shouldn't. Well the guy who installed ours wasn't bothered by the fact that we have four TVs running off the one connection.

2. Is it easy to move the Digital box from 1 TV to another. Is it as easy as moving a VCR?

No, the box has the cable securely "bolted" (for want of a better word) into the back and I'm not sure how it could be removed. It's not like moving a VCR where you can just unplug the cable and take it elsewhere.

3. Is everyone getting this freeze ups problem?

It seems like it Though personally I think it's been better since just after Christmas. I still get occasions when I get a lot of freeze-ups in a short space of time, but at other times it might be fine for an hour or two. Still bloody annoying though...

I know SKY has a lot better content but NTL is much more affordable ...

Thats the only reason I have it!

Gavin

Washout

how long does it take NTL to sort out the phone ordering for Front row movies. I sent in my form and fone bill last friday and i ring the number 1800 354 354 ebnter my fone number and it says its not in their records? reason i ask is on monday morning the royal rumble is on and well call me sad but id like to order it

Jessica

in relation to the question about those extra tvs - speaking to a friend of mine from blackrock who had extra tv points not installed by ntl and they were disconnected as the rep on the other end of the phone said they were illegal and nothing could be done to maintain those points as they were put in illegally in the first place!! who knew! - shame!

as for freezing - yes there is some freezing but can not say that it has interruptted my viewing that much -annoying at times but not that much- and la confidential - you deserved for that too be spoiled on you

no the digital box from ntl does not permit you to much it around like a video as the signal is only coming in on the one line, according to ntl person again,

And washout as for the problem with the phone number - exact problem as you - v annoying when you come in late from work - but with this i rang ntl and the rep explained what had happened and the fault was fixed within two days try giving them a call and see if they can fix it for you!

yet again helping in my own little way!

Dr99

I'm also thinking about getting NTL digital but I have one Q,
To quote Jessica

number 2: there is not teletext on the digital channels - your teletext will come through on your stations as normal - through the television not through your digital set top box.

are you saying that you can still receive the analogue channels on your TV/VCR at the same time as the Digital channels? I ask because I have a TV with a "Picture in Picture" feature and I don't think it will work without an analogue signal!

Cheers,
Mark.

Washout

Yes you still hvae your analogue connections....what they do is the split the supply into two...one goes into your digital box and the other stays where it normally is...wheter it be your TV or VCR.

David C

Are you sure that ntl are relaying BBC's 14:9 analogue nicam Divis transmission onto their go digital service aswell?

http://troll.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=29010&highlight=digital+bbc2

The message I just found seems to say they are relaying the Sky Digital feed. Theres no point in upgrading in my opinion to godigital if they aren't taking this Sky 16:9 widescreen feed. Otherwise the audio bandwidth would be just the same as analouge too 32khz, as opposed to a crisp 44.1khz on Sky (or is it 48khz). No benefits!

Someone might be able to confirm as BBC 2 NI Digital often has different progs than BBC 2 Northern Ireland analogue.

Mountjoy Mugger

Whatever it is - it ain't in Widescreen. I'm watching the highlights of the African Nations Football right now - on NTL Digital, it's 14:9 on NTL analogue it's filling the screen nicely in widescreen.

Go Digital has problems with Widescreen. Tis a well known fact among subscribers - even some of their engineers admit to it.

David C

According to this : http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/displayarticle.php?id=4850

V5.3 of ntls stb software will fix a widescreen glitch..
What version do you have?

Does E4 switch properly?