[firestorm]

I have subscribed BSNL IPTV (myway), launched in Kerala just 3 months back.
Disdvantages
Their options seem to be excellent, but the device is a responds really slow (abt 3 secs delay) while we browse thru the menu.
Another drawback is that only one TV can be connected to the device.
Advantages
Clarity is excellent.
The option ON DEMAND enable us to view programs according to our wish. This includes movies, TV shows.
Customer interactive programs such as railway PNR status, Maps, Karoke etc. are added facilities.

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by firestorm

I have subscribed BSNL IPTV (myway), launched in Kerala just 3 months back.
Disdvantages
Their options seem to be excellent, but the device is a responds really slow (abt 3 secs delay) while we browse thru the menu.
Another drawback is that only one TV can be connected to the device.
Advantages
Clarity is excellent.
The option ON DEMAND enable us to view programs according to our wish. This includes movies, TV shows.
Customer interactive programs such as railway PNR status, Maps, Karoke etc. are added facilities.

Great to find someone else who has subscribed to Myway ! So now I know what I can expect. I should get mine this week (I hope!)

Have you compared it to other DTH Services like Tata Sky, Dish or Airtel? The disadvantages you mention would be common across most DTH services.

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by Ketan

Tata Sky has got least problems with rainy days per my experiance.

Thanks Ketan. Can we connect more than one TV on a single Tata Sky dish??

[harry10]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

Thanks Ketan. Can we connect more than one TV on a single Tata Sky dish??

Yes but you need to buy another set up box or a digilink.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by firestorm

I have subscribed BSNL IPTV (myway), launched in Kerala just 3 months back.
Disdvantages
Their options seem to be excellent, but the device is a responds really slow (abt 3 secs delay) while we browse thru the menu.
.

Good to see this picking up.

Btw, the 3 sec dealay is much better than those BigTV STB

Anyway, keep updating us about the ownership.

[deepclutch]

I will ditch DTH Subscriptions ,If ever BSNL launch IP TV in Major towns in Kerala.Hope They Will.
@mjothi: Not 3 sec delay,It is faster.I am using BIG TV Model-3 STB(Side slot for smart card without SPDIF out) as replacement.It is working Very Good.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

I will ditch DTH Subscriptions ,If ever BSNL launch IP TV in Major towns in Kerala.Hope They Will.
@mjothi: Not 3 sec delay,It is faster.I am using BIG TV Model-3 STB(Side slot for smart card without SPDIF out) as replacement.It is working Very Good.

Oh, why was it repalced? I mean, is it due to some issue or you requested for new STB?

I have the older one, very first one that came with Big TV. Is there an option to change? Ofcourse without extra money

[deepclutch]

^Yes ,mjothi.My Model-2(SPDIF Wala) STB Died with some firmware corruption error(Error Type2 is written on screen).It also pops up "rain signal lost" error without any rain or clouds(due to some h/w or s/w issue).the co-axial cable from dish also was connected properly.

The first Model stb is good.If your stb is good ,don't even change.I have bad experience with the small model(model-2) stb.model-1(first model) and model-3 are good(if not great).

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

If your stb is good ,don't even change.I have bad experience with the small model(model-2) stb.model-1(first model) and model-3 are good(if not great).

Ok. I have no plan to continue my subsription with BigTV. Since I just renewed it for an year, will 99% drop it once it is expired.

Anyway, its a long way for that to come.

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by Glifford

I should get mine this week (I hope!)

Got a call from the installer. He is coming tonight to do it.

That was (relatively) fast. Exactly 1 day less than a week.

Will update post installation.

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by Glifford

Got a call from the installer. He is coming tonight to do it.

Will update post installation.

He didn't come last night (some configuration at the exchange took some time it seems).

He did come today early (08:30) morning tho'. I had moved my ADSL Router +WiFi Modem combo to the hall in preparation.

At first he checked the connection statistics. For all IPTV customers they up the speed to 8MBPS !

But there was a problem! The Signal to Noise Ratio was very low. Somewhere between 6 and 7. (The signal cuts off every time the phone is picked and replaced on the hook) They need at least 15 to get IPTV working.

Considering the kind of wiring, I should be getting at least 30 he said. We opened some of the switch boards to see the connections made by the builder. Eliminated all parallels and took the closest point from the entry. Still it was the same. So fault is with BSNL!

He said he will go back and take the issue up with BSNL. They will rectify it all throughout and increase the S/N ratio. Hopefully then he can get the installation done. So waiting for now. Can take upto a week (knowing BSNL).

Had a look at the STB. Neat looking tiny unit that is also wall mountable! Can nicely hide within the rest of my home theatre setup, without looking too ugly (like other STBs).

So installation didn't happen as yet and I wait for the mercies of BSNL!

[babhishek]

Originally Posted by Glifford

He didn't come last night (some configuration at the exchange took some time it seems).

He did come today early (08:30) morning tho'. I had moved my ADSL Router +WiFi Modem combo to the hall in preparation.

At first he checked the connection statistics. For all IPTV customers they up the speed to 8MBPS !

Is that 8mbps usable for normal browsing as well ?

[santosh.s]

Originally Posted by Glifford

But there was a problem! The Signal to Noise Ratio was very low. Somewhere between 6 and 7.
...........
So installation didn't happen as yet and I wait for the mercies of BSNL!

I was excited to subscribe to BSNL IPTV when it was launched, but it was quite a disappointing experience, complete flop show! My line had similar but much worse noise issue. I did not expect BSNL to rectify it, but was hopeful due to their private partner involved in IPTV service. Wasted a lot of time in following up and trying to solve the problem, but to no avail. Also lost installation cost (700-800 bucks), though no usage charges as such.

Finally gave up on the only IPTV available in Bangalore and not only surrendered it, but also switched to Airtel even for phone/broadband. Their line is too good, right now it connects at 2.5Mbps with S/N ration of 30+ and attenuation of just 5-6 dB. Don't know how it will be for 8Mbps+ connection, hopefully good enough. Now I am very curious for Airtel IPTV to be launched here, as compared to existing cable/DTH options.

BTW, 8Mbps bandwidth will be shared between IPTV and BB traffic (maximum possible BB bandwidth is dependent on how much is available after excluding IPTV bandwidth, but actual download speed is also limited by BB plan you are subscribed to).

[mithun]

Originally Posted by firestorm

I have subscribed BSNL IPTV (myway), launched in Kerala just 3 months back.
Disdvantages
Their options seem to be excellent, but the device is a responds really slow (abt 3 secs delay) while we browse thru the menu.
Another drawback is that only one TV can be connected to the device.
Advantages
Clarity is excellent.
The option ON DEMAND enable us to view programs according to our wish. This includes movies, TV shows.
Customer interactive programs such as railway PNR status, Maps, Karoke etc. are added facilities.

What's the cost in Kerala ? Please update with more details !

[Glifford]

Originally Posted by babhishek

Is that 8mbps usable for normal browsing as well ?

I hope! But that also means my quota will get over faster!

Originally Posted by santosh.s

I was excited to subscribe to BSNL IPTV when it was launched, but it was quite a disappointing experience, complete flop show! My line had similar but much worse noise issue. I did not expect BSNL to rectify it, but was hopeful due to their private partner involved in IPTV service. Wasted a lot of time in following up and trying to solve the problem, but to no avail. Also lost installation cost (700-800 bucks), though no usage charges as such.

Well I too had a similar experience, but fortunately I ended up just waiting. For over a year now since I registered. But there's a difference. The earlier private company to use BSNL's copper infrastructure was IOL Broadband Ltd.. When I registered (May 2008), they quoted a severe shortage of STBs and said it will take 3 weeks odd. Now 1.5 years later, no one has turned up. In fact their office was some 50m from my house, but they still couldn't wire me up.

This time around, it is a different vendor. MyWay, of the Smart TV Group. They are significantly better in many respects and respond quite well. Let's hope I have a better experience than you did!

Originally Posted by santosh.s

Finally gave up on the only IPTV available in Bangalore and not only surrendered it, but also switched to Airtel even for phone/broadband. Their line is too good, right now it connects at 2.5Mbps with S/N ration of 30+ and attenuation of just 5-6 dB. Don't know how it will be for 8Mbps+ connection, hopefully good enough.

My figures are exactly opposite. S/N of 6, attenuation of 30+

Airtel is definitely better in many aspects. But I feel having a BSNL land line at home was mandatory. At least one! A BSNL bill is nothing short of a legal document for address proof stuff. And even now there are several toll free numbers you cannot call from anywhere else (10 digit ones).


Finally this is a biggie. Recently with the amount of telemarketing calls I am getting, I never bother to return a call from a land line number starting with 4 (Airtel) or 6 (Tata-Indicom) or even 3 (Reliance) and on a rare occasion I have missed genuine calls from friends/colleagues! I always call back numbers starting with 2 (BSNL).

BSNL has been terrible in the past, but they are improving fast. A friend of mine applied for a line on Thursday and they had the instrument delivered and wired on Friday! If not for a wiring issue in his building, it would have been working that day itself.

Originally Posted by santosh.s

Now I am very curious for Airtel IPTV to be launched here, as compared to existing cable/DTH options.

Dad of a friend of mine used Airtel IPTV on his BB connection in the NCR. Was free when Beta.

The BETA is over, they're now charging him 400 per month for all channels. Included in this is replay TV, where you can view select programs from select channels anytime during a week (i.e. you go to the menu, select Star World, scroll around till you find last Wednesday's How I Met Your Mother, click play and it starts streaming from their server's hard drive. You can pause and rewind as well). You don't need to program the thing beforehand but then you can't watch every channel and every show like that - only selected ones.

Plus the UI in Airtel IPTV is slow and images can be slightly blocky/pixellated.

He is now looking for TS+

Originally Posted by santosh.s

BTW, 8Mbps bandwidth will be shared between IPTV and BB traffic (maximum possible BB bandwidth is dependent on how much is available after excluding IPTV bandwidth, but actual download speed is also limited by BB plan you are subscribed to).

When I had asked this question to IOL, They had told me that there is dedicated bandwidth (some 424 kbps) on a separate port for IPTV. Will not affect browsing. Will have to see how true this is anyway!

Originally Posted by mithun

What's the cost in Kerala ? Please update with more details !

Should be the same all over the country. Premium is only for MTNL (Delhi/NCR & Bombay)

Check: MyWay Packages Pricing and
MyWay- Promotion Offers

1500 Installation (refundable) if STB in rental mode.
2000 (Non Refundable) if you buy the STB (Universal Remote Free)

First three months Super Value Pack @ 280 Free.

Originally Posted by Glifford

Considering the kind of wiring, I should be getting at least 30 he said. We opened some of the switch boards to see the connections made by the builder. Eliminated all parallels and took the closest point from the entry. Still it was the same. So fault is with BSNL!

So installation didn't happen as yet and I wait for the mercies of BSNL!

While still waiting, spent a better half of the weekend (and today too) rewiring the telephone line! Was fun.

• Opened all joints.
• Moved point of entry to the place where I want the STB.
• Soldered all joints.
• Used the ADSL Filter/Splitter to pass the feed back from the point of entry to all parallel lines (for voice) across the house.

Since I used a single ADSL Filter that was supplied with my Netgear Modem, I have immediately seen benefits. I replaced the cheap after market ones (from SP Road). This means no hushing sound on all lines and caller ID works on all parallel lines!

So the wait continues!