Early digital TV

[MattyHusted]

i have fond memories of early sky digital we got it in 98 and it blew my 10 year old mind away the amount of channels and how sleek it all was compared to the analogue

[MatijaTelevizija]

i have fond memories of early sky digital we got it in 98 and it blew my 10 year old mind away the amount of channels and how sleek it all was compared to the analogue

Shockingly , you were around the same age as me in 1998 and reacted the same way and our names are both basically Matthew ( although mine is the Slovenian version ) ?

[nwtv2003]

I started a similar thread about this some time ago at the old place: https://tvforum.uk/mediatech/digital-tv-45508

In our house we were already cabled through NYNEX, which changed into Cable & Wireless before being purchased by NTL. Digital Cable arrived in our area in 1999, but my parents weren’t convinced to switch to digital until the end of 2000, when the costs were similar to analogue. Quite fortunately the swap to digital was simple, all the engineer needed to do was to add a filter to the cable wire and then put in the new box before setting it up properly.

Once switched, we were on the legacy of the Cable & Wireless system which had big plans when launched. They were going to pioneer interactive services, really go to town with NVOD and have the best of the channels available to Sky and On Digital. When NTL bought the service it started to fall behind. NTL took a while to add a number of new channels, they put them in the wrong order out of sequence on the EPG. It took them several years to implement fully interactive TV, by which time the novelty of Two Way TV had died. It’s only use was for multi screen on BBCi.

NTL was well and truly terrible as a TV provider, it’s only saving grace was broadband internet. Cable only got better under Virgin Media, mostly thanks to TiVO. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to experience it for several years now as we live in an area where VM has no interest in cabling.

On Digital was pretty nifty, a family friend had this, and it was pretty impressive by late 1990’s standards. The concept behind it was good, but it was never going to be a success when you could pay the same amount for Sky Digital.

[MatijaTelevizija]

I started a similar thread about this some time ago at the old place: https://tvforum.uk/mediatech/digital-tv-45508

In our house we were already cabled through NYNEX, which changed into Cable & Wireless before being purchased by NTL. Digital Cable arrived in our area in 1999, but my parents weren’t convinced to switch to digital until the end of 2000, when the costs were similar to analogue. Quite fortunately the swap to digital was simple, all the engineer needed to do was to add a filter to the cable wire and then put in the new box before setting it up properly.

Once switched, we were on the legacy of the Cable & Wireless system which had big plans when launched. They were going to pioneer interactive services, really go to town with NVOD and have the best of the channels available to Sky and On Digital. When NTL bought the service it started to fall behind. NTL took a while to add a number of new channels, they put them in the wrong order out of sequence on the EPG. It took them several years to implement fully interactive TV, by which time the novelty of Two Way TV had died. It’s only use was for multi screen on BBCi.

NTL was well and truly terrible as a TV provider, it’s only saving grace was broadband internet. Cable only got better under Virgin Media, mostly thanks to TiVO. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to experience it for several years now as we live in an area where VM has no interest in cabling.

On Digital was pretty nifty, a family friend had this, and it was pretty impressive by late 1990’s standards. The concept behind it was good, but it was never going to be a success when you could pay the same amount for Sky Digital.

Ah I knew that thread existed but couldn’t find it ?

[James Martin]

I never found the interface that bad on the pre-TIVO kit. I also liked the way catchup TV was done totally within the VM ecosystem, whereas now to catch up on a BBC show you have to go through iPlayer.

[MatijaTelevizija]

I never found the interface that bad on the pre-TIVO kit. I also liked the way catchup TV was done totally within the VM ecosystem, whereas now to catch up on a BBC show you have to go through iPlayer.

I think the BBC limited their on-demand to their own services because of rights though ( and just wanting to make their own services )

[Ste]

I never found the interface that bad on the pre-TIVO kit. I also liked the way catchup TV was done totally within the VM ecosystem, whereas now to catch up on a BBC show you have to go through iPlayer.

I think the BBC limited their on-demand to their own services because of rights though ( and just wanting to make their own services )

Although they still are part of the Sky OnDemand system on a Sky+ box (not sure about Sky Q).

[Inspector Sands]

Yesterday was the final day of analogue television and the NTSC broadcast standard in the US.

If you don't know why, full explanation in the thread under this tweet....

https://twitter.com/CarissaHolohan/statu...89924?s=19

[valley]

Yesterday was the final day of analogue television and the NTSC broadcast standard in the US.

If you don't know why, full explanation in the thread under this tweet....

https://twitter.com/CarissaHolohan/statu...89924?s=19

Caveat: every US state other than Alaska. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-78A1.pdf

[MatijaTelevizija]

( Slightly off-topic) Does Sky still support the old 1998-2006 digiboxes ? ( by Digibox I mean any type of Sky box not the original ones without HDD recording ) And , if so , why ?

[MatijaTelevizija]

Sorry for double post but here’s a news report on Sky Digital launch from September 1998 https://youtu.be/IGve0qbm314

I seem to also remember two people near me having Sky Digital just before the official launch , to my confusion. But most of the channels couldn’t be received , including BBC Choice which had definitely literally just launched then ? Why would they have this ?

I also know like seven people ( including me ) that got Sky+HD at 2006 launch then got rid of it ( not just the package but the actual box ) later ? What’s up with that too ?

[i.h]

On Digital was pretty nifty, a family friend had this, and it was pretty impressive by late 1990’s standards. The concept behind it was good, but it was never going to be a success when you could pay the same amount for Sky Digital.

Not sure that it was the same. I had it (when it was still ON digital) and the nice thing was that it had the most desirable channels and it was still cheaper than Sky (especially on the prepaid deal). We had Sky too, but not in my room. Of course Sky didn't come out with multiroom until shortly after ITV Digital collapsed and then I got that.

That Nokia box was ridiculously slow - how generous of Carlton and Granada to give them away! My brother got it too, again prepaid, and the Pace box was so much better. Still got the Monkey somewhere, a gift for carrying on after the prepaid deal.

I also didn't have the famed reception issues - despite living in a rural area, my parents' place has perfect LOS to a main transmitter that just happens to be in the other direction to the road

[WillPS]

I also know like seven people ( including me ) that got Sky+HD at 2006 launch then got rid of it ( not just the package but the actual box ) later ? What’s up with that too ?

You want us to guess why you and your mates got rid of Sky+HD after having it from launch? Can't you just tell us?

On Digital was pretty nifty, a family friend had this, and it was pretty impressive by late 1990’s standards. The concept behind it was good, but it was never going to be a success when you could pay the same amount for Sky Digital.

Not sure that it was the same. I had it (when it was still ON digital) and the nice thing was that it had the most desirable channels and it was still cheaper than Sky (especially on the prepaid deal). We had Sky too, but not in my room. Of course Sky didn't come out with multiroom until shortly after ITV Digital collapsed and then I got that.

That Nokia box was ridiculously slow - how generous of Carlton and Granada to give them away! My brother got it too, again prepaid, and the Pace box was so much better. Still got the Monkey somewhere, a gift for carrying on after the prepaid deal.

I also didn't have the famed reception issues - despite living in a rural area, my parents' place has perfect LOS to a main transmitter that just happens to be in the other direction to the road

The lottery with STBs was a feature of early digital TV.

With ON/ITV Digital the Pioneer box was supposedly the one to get in later years, but I seem to recall that one only being available with prepaid boxes purchased from branches of the John Lewis partnership. There is also a rare Sony STB - I don't know if that was just desirable because of the brand or if it was actually any faster.

We had a Philips box which was somewhere mid-field IIRC.

NTL, Telewest and later VM have constantly swapped between issuing machines from Pace, Samsung, Scientific Atlanta/Cisco, depending on what the engineer happened to have in their van. Samsung boxes always tended to be better, everything else being equal. I've no idea who manufactures the current 'V6' box?

Sky similarly varied between the very bottom end Grundig and Amstrad products to the desirable Samsung and Sony boxes, until they effectively went in-house by taking over Amstrad.

[MatijaTelevizija]

I also know like seven people ( including me ) that got Sky+HD at 2006 launch then got rid of it ( not just the package but the actual box ) later ? What’s up with that too ?

You want us to guess why you and your mates got rid of Sky+HD after having it from launch? Can't you just tell us?

That one was a rhetorical question

Sky similarly varied between the very bottom end Grundig and Amstrad products to the desirable Samsung and Sony boxes, until they effectively went in-house by taking over Amstrad.

I seem to remember that Sky retired one of the types of Digibox because of a change in broadcast standard ?

[i.h]

I also know like seven people ( including me ) that got Sky+HD at 2006 launch then got rid of it ( not just the package but the actual box ) later ? What’s up with that too ?

You want us to guess why you and your mates got rid of Sky+HD after having it from launch? Can't you just tell us?

On Digital was pretty nifty, a family friend had this, and it was pretty impressive by late 1990’s standards. The concept behind it was good, but it was never going to be a success when you could pay the same amount for Sky Digital.

Not sure that it was the same. I had it (when it was still ON digital) and the nice thing was that it had the most desirable channels and it was still cheaper than Sky (especially on the prepaid deal). We had Sky too, but not in my room. Of course Sky didn't come out with multiroom until shortly after ITV Digital collapsed and then I got that.

That Nokia box was ridiculously slow - how generous of Carlton and Granada to give them away! My brother got it too, again prepaid, and the Pace box was so much better. Still got the Monkey somewhere, a gift for carrying on after the prepaid deal.

I also didn't have the famed reception issues - despite living in a rural area, my parents' place has perfect LOS to a main transmitter that just happens to be in the other direction to the road

The lottery with STBs was a feature of early digital TV.

With ON/ITV Digital the Pioneer box was supposedly the one to get in later years, but I seem to recall that one only being available with prepaid boxes purchased from branches of the John Lewis partnership. There is also a rare Sony STB - I don't know if that was just desirable because of the brand or if it was actually any faster.

We had a Philips box which was somewhere mid-field IIRC.

NTL, Telewest and later VM have constantly swapped between issuing machines from Pace, Samsung, Scientific Atlanta/Cisco, depending on what the engineer happened to have in their van. Samsung boxes always tended to be better, everything else being equal. I've no idea who manufactures the current 'V6' box?

Sky similarly varied between the very bottom end Grundig and Amstrad products to the desirable Samsung and Sony boxes, until they effectively went in-house by taking over Amstrad.

Believe the Sony Sky Digibox was also similarly rare - a relative did have one, though. Notable for how thin it was (bested only by the Pace Minibox, though it had fewer features like no RGB output). It was amusing that Amstrad went from the brand to avoid to actually pretty good after Sky took over, though it wasn't much longer before there wasn't a choice anyway.

I suspect the retired digibox mentioned is the Thomson HD box - already notorious for power supply unreliability (we re-capped ours) but finally put out to pasture once Sky moved to a new Linux based platform that it would not be receiving, so Sky offered to swap out the boxes of any affected subscribers. I don't think they've ever done that with SD boxes? (I wonder how many SD box *subscribers* there are?)