Sadly, Foxtel’s decision to swap the channel numbers of its HD channels and SD channels won’t have the same classy entertainment value as classic Foxtel show Wife Swap, but it will be more convenient for HD lovers.
The Pay TV company has today swapped the channel numbers of its 21 HD channels to place more emphasis on the high definition offerings. So where Fox8 used to run at Channel 108 and the HD version ran at 208, they are now running in reverse.
The swap essentially makes it easier for HD customers to find the higher quality broadcast as they cycle through channels, rather than having to go out of their way to find HD broadcasts.
The change will only effect iQHD customers though, so standard SD customers need not worry that they won’t be able to access the Lifestyle Channel in a hurry. Huzzah!
John
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 11:47 AMThey should just get rid of the SD channels on the HD box altogether. Why, as an HD subscriber with an HD box and an HD TV, would I want to watch the SD version of any channel?
Anonymouse
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 2:51 PMIt might have something to do with how they deliver the multi-view channels (EPL Viewers Choice is all in SD)
Yogalaties
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 6:51 PMYou would want an SD channel when you have the HD box and then they charge you extra for the pleasure of watching the SD channels in HD. That’s why I still only watch those channels in SD because I cannot bring myself to pay extra to see content I already have access to in HD.
Jay
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 11:55 AMThere needs to be more HD channels I am not happy with the current selection. I was on digital and called up to complain and the best offer they could do was free IQHD but I lost all the sport channels. Not feeling the value here…
Entilzha
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 12:03 PMTell you what if Foxtel didn’t charge a $200 + “Upgrade” fee (Still the same damn COAX point) I MIGHT consider HD. but considering there isn’t really that much true 1080 content on Foxtel anyway I’ll stick with componant connection.
Spanky
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 1:25 PMI just updated the other day online via account management screen for a one off payment of around $30 (IQ to IQ2)
Greg
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 1:47 PMThe upgrade fee is to cover (some of) the cost of the hardware. Nothing to do with the delivery method.
That’s like saying why should I pay more for my all-you-can-eat ADSL2+ than ADSL1, it’s the same phone line!
Same delivery method, different level of service.
Loren W (@mr_internet)
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 12:24 PMAs an early adopter I paid $500 for ‘use’ of the box.
Why does Foxtel not have the free to air stations on it.
Between my apple tv, & downloads, and free to air,I am watching foxtel rarely and now cancelling, but hate to lose it on the other hand.
‘
Commander Sheppard
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 12:53 PMHA, just cancelled my FOXTEL, too little programmes I want to watch, at a rip off price! 110 bucks a month for 99% crap! I don’t see why any one has Foxtel! unless you are sports nut!
GeO
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 1:05 PMI dont think there is any 1080 HD on foxtel at all. They don’t like to go into details but I’m pretty sure their HD is simply 720.
Agree with most comments, I’m paying but seeing less value. There needs to be a radical move to HD, at no extra price, just to keep customers going.
It would also be nice if they spread some attention on long term clients. All these deals to drag new people in, but surely word of mouth from happy clients would be even more powerful.
Greg
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 1:46 PMIncorrect. Most HD channels are 1080i and a few are 720p (ESPN HD is an example).
Don
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 2:21 PM1080i, but low bit rate!
Better go get the internet feeds or IPTV.
Dan Miller
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 1:35 PMHad Foxtel IQ2 but got rid of it. Paying $130 for TV is a joke. I tried their xbox 360 offering but yet again I got rid of it. For what you pay and what they give you is just crap. To much old show, ad’s and reruns.
anth
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 1:44 PMFOXTEL is a joke all together yes i love the selection of channels but there is no such thing as value for having foxtel it is WAY !!! over priced ias an example i love the movie channels to have just them and standard package IQ ir costs around $87 if you spend $20 extra you get platinum and i dont want to pay that much for just basic plus movies its bullshit and lets not talk about installation and if u want HD and iQ 2 really disappointed, lift your game foxtel you have enough money as it is so why charge us so much for quality tv entertainment
Anonymouse
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 2:54 PMSo much Foxtel hate. I don’t understand why, though. If you like the programs they show, and are willing to pay for them, then you do. If you don’t, then you unsubscribe.
A common complaint is not enough shows, but how many TV shows are there? They can’t compete with the network stations to purchase the showing of new shows from the US, and are left with the scraps. It is only once the commercial FTA networks are finished with it that they are able to put it on their schedule.
Dan Miller
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 3:02 PMThink you will find it’s the other way around. Foxtel have shows that have not been shown on FTA at all. FTA relay on advertising as there income. Foxtel relay on monthly fees and advertising. So in theory Foxtel would have more money to buy shows.
Anonymouse
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 3:50 PMYeah, but they have to pay for 80+ however many channels they have of broadcasting, as opposed to the networks having to only support 2 channels.
Mick
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 3:30 PMI have FoxtelHD with the Sports Pack and absolutely love it. Recently compared HD tennis on Free-to-Air against HD tennis on FoxSports and the difference was astounding. U.S. sports on FoxtelHD are amazing and can’t be beaten. Yes the price is high, but when you love Sports, and can schedule/watch TV whenever you want, it is well worth it.
They are upping their game in regards to bringing U.S. content quicker, whereas before I was downloading alot of content, I am now willing to wait a few weeks for it to come onto Foxtel.
Anthony
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 4:36 PMThe picture quality on SD is absolutely appalling. I contacted Foxtel and the only solution is “Pay $150 to upgrade to the IQ2″ and that’s not acceptable, can’t afford that. So I rang this morning to cancel. I’m an authorised account person and the response was “Only the account holder can cancel”. I’ve previously upgraded, so Foxtel allows authorised people to cost the account holder more money but not to cost them less money? I explained to Foxtel that the account holder can’t contact them until around March (that’s 100% impossible, not just very difficult for them) yet that doesn’t matter. So come March the account holder will ring up to cancel and also demand a refund of the $110 a month that we’ve paid since I’ve requested cancellation and Foxtel ignored.
Anthony
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 11:38 AMI have confirmed that with the ACCC. Since Foxtel have been informed of the poor quality issue and they’re unable to resolve it without charging us additional fees, they must provide a refund of anything we’ve been charged after that until they are able to cancel our account.
Todd
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 5:47 PMFoxtel had to send another satellite into orbit to get your had content to you so suck it up! And that’s why you have limited content. Cable customers don’t count as no one cares about them.
Todd
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 5:49 PMHD. Stupid iPhone
littleblackduck
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 8:38 PMFor me the channel change is a train wreck – I have an IQ2 – channel changes appear to be more like a semi random scramble at this point – about to try a forced update to see if gets any better.
littleblackduck
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 8:56 PMOk – there is some slim method to the madness – but for those of us that actually enjoy the HD channels it is now like trying to find a needle in a haystack (because of the limited HD channel choices). The optimist in me hopes that it is a prelude to expanded HD content. A key start would be all the free to air channels updated to HD.
Dan
Thursday, December 1, 2011 at 9:11 PMFoxtel needs to make all channels 1080P HD and offer almost identical channels to America’s Directv or Time Warner Cable (NFL & MLB network, G4, or even US free to air like CBS, NBC, ABC, ABC Family etc) and keep the same pricing. Much better TV viewing if they do implement it
David Shears
Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 6:36 PMThere is a really simple firmware fix that they could apply to sort out this entire issue. Let users set the channel order rather than having fixed channel numbers. I could easily push about half the channels to the end of the queue that way I don’t have to spend 5minutes flipping through channels I don’t what/have just to get to discovery.
And before you interject, yes I have channel favourites setup so that I can skip blocks of channels, but its not the most elegant solution. It would take me 20min to setup the channel list the way I want and then I would never have to think about it again.
Lets hope the new STB that comes out next year will get it right.
JT....
Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 5:34 PMI’m with you on that mate. Bloody annoying to channel surf when half the channels state “You must subscribe to view this channel”.
I use have favorites two but you can only flick through them sequentially. It would be handy to be able to list the favorites list the TV Guide.
JT....
Tuesday, January 3, 2012 at 5:41 PMI’ve just gotten iQHD to watch the EPL. First game I watched wow that’s a bloody good picture however the next game is on Viewers Choice which is not HD and boy you sure notice the difference. Going from HD to SD is painful.
Seeing as most of the games I will want to watch will be on Viewers Choice in SD and also can’t be recorded I’ve decided it’s definitely not worth $80 a month.