Gizmodo Australia » iq

You Didn’t Think Those New Foxtel Channels Would Be Free, Did You?

Nick Broughall — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:24:13 +0000

Last month, Foxtel announced that they were launching 30 new channels on the back of the Optus D3 satellite. What they didn’t mention was price. Now they have, and if you were crossing your fingers that they were going to just give you those bonus channels for free, you’re going to be a bit disappointed. Although it’s not all bad…

At a bare minimum, you’re looking at an increase of $2, because the starter package has gone up to $42 (from $40). Platinum subscriptions have added $4 from $106 to $110, while Platinum HD have gone from $131 to $135. The HD add-ons ($10 for HD Sport, $10 for HD Explore and $15 for both) have been consolidated into one package called HD, which is $16.

Aside from that though, all that’s really happened is all the packages have been renamed.

The HD package though, is slightly different for your $16, you get the HD channels that correlate with the other packages you subscribe to. So if you’re on basic, you’ll just get Discovery HD, Fox8 HD and National Geographic HD. If you also subscribe to the Sports channels, you’ll get the HD sports channels as well. Although it would reach a point fairly quickly when you’d just be better off with the Platinum HD package, I’m sure.

Finally, Foxtel have added some new iQ and iQ2 packages. Starting at $72 with an iQ (not iQ2) and ranging up to the $135 HD Platinum pack with an iQ2, each package offers a selection of channel packages and a DVR.

You can check out all the new package details here.

If Only The Umpire Had An iQ…

Nick Broughall — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:17:03 +0000

So apparently during the last Ashes Test match, the umpire made a heap of bad calls. I wouldn’t know, I was sleeping. But apparently one of them was missed by not only the umpire, but also the commentators (which isn’t surprising given how boring the sport actually is). That is, until Foxtel iQ owners picked up on the incorrect decision and letr the commentators know via a flood of emails.

Now, if you’re like me, try not to fall asleep while I describe to you what happened: English bowler Andrew Flintoff bowled to Simon Katich, who hit the ball and was caught. Out. Except iQ viewers, who replayed the scene, saw that Flintoff had actually placed his foot over the line and bowled a no ball. After the emails were received at Fox Sports HQ, the commentators acknowledged the erroneous dismissal, although the umpire, unsurprisingly, did nothing.

So what kind of lesson does this teach our kids? I’m going to stick with the fact that cricket’s a dull, dull sport.

[Fox Sports]

Tip: If You Use IceTV / TiVo / Foxtel iQ’s Series Link To Record Programs On Ten HD, Adjust Them Now

Nick Broughall — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:30:34 +0000

IceTV has a very, very good point on their blog today about planning your scheduled recordings around this week’s introduction of the One HD sports channel. As in, ‘If you don’t change your scheduled recording before March 26, you’ll probably miss the next episode of House in HD’.IceTV details how to change it using their software on their site if you’re struggling with the concept. TiVo and Foxtel users are left to sort it out on their own.

One HD, Network 10’s 24 hour sports channel, officially kicks off on March 26. While it’s not particularly our cup of tea, at least it’s offering (mostly) original content.

[IceTV]

Foxtel Expands Its Online EPG To 14 Days

Nick Broughall — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:30:57 +0000

And the battle for PVR of choice in your living room rages on, growing more and more violent with each passing week. This time, Foxtel has sent a mortar in the shape of an enhanced online EPG into TiVo’s camp. Foxtel have expanded their online EPG to 14 days, meaning you can check out upcoming TV shows and movies up to two weeks in advance. Plus, they’ve added a whole raft of new advanced search functions to help iQ subscribers find more of the shows that they want to watch, and then send the order to record directly to their iQ remotely.

Unfortunately, the TV EPG is still restricted to 7 days in advance, but watching the way this war is really building up, surely it can’t be too long before we see 14 days become the norm for all EPGs…

[Foxtel]

Foxtel Offering Free iQ For 12 Months

Nick Broughall — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:00:34 +0000

Ooh, and the battle between Foxtel and TiVo just keeps getting better. Foxtel have just upped the ante by offering the original iQ PVR for free to new customers for 12 months with no installation fee. That means that if you sign up to Foxtel, you get a free PVR for 12 months, although you’ll need to be paying at least $40 a month for the Foxtel service.

They’ve also introduced an incentive for potential iQ2 subscribers, which includes their four HD channels for free for seven months when you sign up for the iQ2.

There are apparently some special deals going for existing digital subscribers who want to upgrade to iQ in a multi-room capacity as well, but it depends on plans and is a bit confusing, so you’re best bet is to call 131999 to get the low-down on what they can offer.

[Foxtel]

Foxtel HD+ Official Launch Date: June 22, 2008

Nick Broughall — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:48:53 +0000

Even though we’ve known about the pricing for a little while now, and Ty from CNet was even lucky enough to get an early model for review, the HD+ service from Foxtel gets its official launch on Sunday June 22.

15,000 Foxtel subscribers have already been upgraded to the new service, according to the press release that just landed in our inbox. That’s a pretty big number for a service that hasn’t officially launched yet.

We’ll be testing out the new service in the weeks to come, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, press release junkies can read this one below the fold:

Brando Sets its Sights on Your IQ with Brain Twist Pyramid Puzzle

Gizmodo US Edition — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:10:00 +0000

It may be way too early on Monday morning to get you pondering the inner workings of your IQ and EQ, but nevertheless here’s this new gizmo from our favourites Brando. It’s a puzzle supposedly designed to improve both of those measures of intelligence, working in a sort-of, but not quite, Rubik’s Cube kind of way. The idea is that as you twist and wiggle the the cone-like wings of the puzzle, trying to match up the colours on each face, you’re working on your right brain (with spatial reasoning and mental imagery) and your left brain (strong nonverbal logic). Both halves of my brain are currently stalled and needing a coffee, but then maybe a spin with this toy would perk me up just as well. Available now for US$14.90. [Brando]

MyStar Lets Austar Subscribers Join In On The PVR Fun

Nick Broughall — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:34:10 +0000

You may think that weve gone a little Foxtel crazy over the past few days, and you’d probably be right, but that doesn’t mean that we’ve forgotten the regional peeps who use Austar instead. Okay, we did forget, until we were kindly pointed in the direction of Austar’s MyStar service by reader David. Then we remembered all about you regional folk.

Available now to ~~all good~~ most Austar subscribers, MyStar is a 160GB PVR box like the original iQ. Except with one huge boon – it has a free-to-air tuner built in which lets you record, watch and even browse the EPG for channel 7. In fact it has two FTA tuners and two satellite tuners, letting you do the whole record two things while watching something else thing.

You get support for Dolby Digital surround sound, closed captioning and component connections on the back, although sadly no HDMI. But it is only an SD box, so quit your complaining.

It costs $49.95 to install (and it needs to be professionally installed), with an ongoing monthly subscription fee of $14.95. And in case you can’t tell from the above picture, its one chunky looking box. But true beauty is on the inside, right? Right?

[Austar MyStar - Thanks David!]

Foxtel Wants An iQ For Every Subscriber

Nick Broughall — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 23:18:49 +0000

One of the interesting things mentioned at the Foxtel HD+ launch last week was that Foxtel hope to put an iQ box into every subscribers home later this year.

When I asked for clarification, I was informed that later on in 2008, Foxtel will be launching another iQ box, which will essentially be a slightly higher-specced version of their current offering (maybe with an HDMI output and a bigger hard drive – or maybe not). It will also have a more appealing price structure to try and entice more people over to the joys of their PVR (as opposed to the $15 per month it costs at the moment).

There’s no more information available than that, but if they do offer an iQ box that doesn’t require a $15 per month subscription fee, I am so there.

[Foxtel]

Foxtel’s HD Channels Dissected, Guts Thrown Around Room

Nick Broughall — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:46:08 +0000

After yesterday’s unveiling of Foxtel’s HD+ service, I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at the channel menu. Some of you were disappointed by the selection of only four dedicated HD channels. In reality there’s a little bit more on offer than just four channels, and a plan to roll out even more channels next year. Hit the jump for a closer analysis of the HD offerings.

BBC HD
Because the BBC has such a wide variety of programming, you can expect BBC HD to be just as eclectic in its selection. Some of the programs you can look forward to watching include comedies and dramas like Bleak House, Robin Hood, Torchwood, Hotel Babylon, Lead Balloon and Sensitive Skin. Plus you’ll get awesome documentaries like Planet Earth, Galapagos, Hannibal, Supervolcano and Who do you think you are? (If you haven’t seen Planet Earth in HD, you should go out, buy a Blu-ray player and the Blu-ray disc and watch it today – it’s spectacular). Finally, there will also be musical shows and operas, like The Proms, Glyndebourne, Aida and Tosca.

While not every thing there sounds completely enjoyable, it offers a pretty good variety. And with the BBC hoping to produce all its primetime programs in HD by 2010, the amount of content is only going to grow in the next few years.

Fox Sports HD
Last year, Channel 10 showed their key AFL matches and the Rugby World Cup in HD. If you didn’t get to experience it, you were missing out – HD is pretty much made for sport. Fox Sports HD is going to join the other four Fox Sports Channels as a dedicated station, showcasing a selection of Australian and international sports.

The press release says local coverage will include the “AFL, NRL, Rugby Union Internationals, Socceroos matches, The Hyundai A-league and the Ford Ranger Cup”. At the launch, they also mentioned the Super 14 in that list.

On top of that, look for international HD coverage of sports like tennis, cricket, golf and motorsports including NASCAR. Local sports panel shows NRL on FOX, Total Football and Inside Rugby will also be filmed in HD.

I’m not entirely sure whether Fox Sports HD will be filming their own coverage in 1080i, although it would seem logical, considering half of those are currently only filmed in SD. I’ve put the question to Foxtel and am currently waiting for a response.

ESPN HD
Continuing the sports theme, we’ll also get ESPN HD which will show a massive array of US international sports. Think Indy Car racing, NBA, baseball, American Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, Horse racing, X Games plus news and entertainment. Oh, and Poker – the toughest sport of them all.

ESPN HD will generally be transmit at 720p – Foxtel HD+ will broadcast in the standard the program was filmed at, and most US sports is filmed in 720p.

Discovery HD and National Geographic HD
These two channels get grouped together because, well, they’ll be broadcast as a single documentary channel. At least initially – once that D3 satellite goes online next year, expect them to branch off into two separate entities.

Content-wise, the mega documentary channel is fairly self-explanatory. You can expect to see lots of documentaries.

Foxtel Box Office HD
The new iQ2 box that’s a necessary part of the HD+ package lets Foxtel improve their Box Office / On Demand offerings into one super service. Box Office HD will offer a selection of 1080i HD movies with 5.1 surround sound that can be watched instantaneously.

It works exactly the same as On Demand does in the current iQ box – movies will be pushed to the iQ2’s hard drive via a built-in 4th tuner, so that when you press play, the movie starts immediately. It also offers full DVD functionality – you can pause, rewind and fast forward through the film.

Purchased movies are available for a full 48 hours and the service is on offer for all iQ2 subscribers.

The Future
As mentioned earlier, Foxtel are planning on expanding content when the D3 satellite goes online in May next year. The most obvious moves would be to separate the National Geographic and Discovery HD channels, plus add more standard entertainment HD channels – think Fox8 HD, Arena HD, TV1 HD and so on.

The fact that they’ve only launched with four HD channels may turn some people off subscribing initially, but it isn’t necessarily a bad move. Remember, HD is still in its infancy in Australia – it was only November/December last year that channels 7 and 10 launched their own HD channels, which still spend a lot of time showing the same content as the SD channel. Channel 9 is still fart-arsing around with their HD offering, and despite the fact HD panels are selling more and more, most people still only have CRTs in their lounge rooms, making HD irrelevant to them.

The good news is that with everybody moving towards an HD future, content is going to become more readily available. This move from Foxtel is just the start.