[peaches]

hello everyone!

i wish to subscribe to cable tv and broad bandrvices.

in one of my previous posts - i have 2 TVs and hence, would like both to receive cable tv.

have a couple of questions (please bear with me):

1) Who is a better provider? My colleagues told me about NOW broadband tv. i went to the website, and saw Netvigator and PCCW.

I am confused..!!! Sorry for being so slow...can someone enlighten? i just want a bundle pack (don't mind signing like 12 months+) with broadband and cable tv that can be routed/split to my 2 TVs.

do the companies also provide me with a phone line?

pls advise? thanks!!!

[discobay]

Dear Ig,
PCCW offers an internet service which they call Netvigator. They also offer broadband tv called NOW broadband tv (delivered through the same telephone point in your wall). PCCW also offer fixed line telephone services (aswell as two mobile phone service under the two brand names PCCW and SUNDAY).
Wharf offers an internet service called iCable and a cable tv service called Cable TV (both delivered through a separate wall connection to your phone connection).
You could just throw all your money at PCCW and get them to sort out your every desire - I did (though I have recently moved the internet side to a cheaper alternative).
Your wish to share your broadband/cable tv between 2 tvs can be accomodated but the two companies mentioned here will not likely help you do this. If the distance between the two tvs is short you can do it yourself with a $30 (?) switch box and cables. If not but they are still within line of sight (straight line ... sorry Ig) you can still do it yourself with a $250 (?) wireless audio video transmitter/receiver pair.

[PDLM]

The fundamental question with the two TVs is whether you want to watch two different channels on them simultaneously. If you do then you will need a second subscription if you take NOW or a second box if you take Cable.

The choice between the two may well be made by which channels you want to watch. With the exception of the English Soccer, it seems that NOW has a much better selection of channels for expats than CableTV (and certainly much better customer support).

Discobay - mobile phone service under the PCCW brand? Really? That can only be a resale of the Sunday service since that is the only mobile network that PCCW owns.

[discobay]

That's right along with their PCCW-branded 3G handsets, PCCW-branded sim cards and PCCW billing system and website - rather like CSL's 1010 and One2Free.

[lowlight]

Here's my recommendation: NOW TV f'n SUCKS. Dont bother getting it.

[PDLM]

Works fine for me - why do you say it sucks?

[lowlight]

1) The channel selection SUCKS
2) The prices SUCK if you want to add channels
3) The quality of the video SUCKS
4) The quality of the audio SUCKS
5) It slows down your internet when watching TV
6) You need an individual box for each TV

Those are just a few I thought of... It's just such a POS, I wish I'd never gotten it.

[PDLM]

And what better technology do you propose? Hong Kong is a very open market - if you have a better idea feel free to set it up, dig up all the roads and make a fortune. Or not.

If what you want is the full selection of US channels for please do us all a favour and go live there. The video is DVD quality. If you have a means of getting better down several kilometres of a pair of twisted copper wires plenty of equipment manufacturers would be delighted to hear from you.

What is wrong with the audio?

Er, you have a limited bandwidth on the twisted pair: you use more for one application then less is available for the other...

And yes, it's a streaming service. Stops people like you stealing the content.

I don't know... kids today... haven't the faintest idea about business or technology...

[lowlight]

And what better technology do you propose? Hong Kong is a very open market - if you have a better idea feel free to set it up, dig up all the roads and make a fortune. Or not.

I'll let you know when I come up with something better. I most certainly could write 6 ways that would make it better.

If what you want is the full selection of US channels for please do us all a favour and go live there.

No thanks. TV sucks there too.

The video is DVD quality.

LOL! Now that is seriously the funniest thing I've heard all month! Keep it up, there's still a couple weeks left

If you have a means of getting better down several kilometres of a pair of twisted copper wires plenty of equipment manufacturers would be delighted to hear from you.

6mbps should be plenty, but it doesn't appear to be. I tried satellite TV in Canada for a few months, and it was even worse IIRC. Honestly, PDTV just sucks. Probably the best way to transmit PDTV is still through the wall cable.

What is wrong with the audio?

Umm.. It's fucking MONO. 'Nuff said.

Er, you have a limited bandwidth on the twisted pair: you use more for one application then less is available for the other...

Again, I am not criticizing the method of NOW. It uses up to 6mbps, which is great! But that's obviously not enough.

And yes, it's a streaming service. Stops people like you stealing the content.

"People like you" ok I am done with you.

I don't know... kids today... haven't the faintest idea about business or technology...

Nice try.

[PDLM]

It sounds like you need to talk to NOW customer support. The video is DVD quality and the sound is stereo (except when they choose to use one side for Chinese and one for English). Maybe you're on some dodgy cables where they're struggling to get the full 6Mbps down it. I was for while... now I have fibre to the building, and the whole thing just flies along. HDTV (25Mbps)-ready as well when they decide to launch that.