Sly tv new feature where box is connected to broadband??

[Mysteriousguy]

Hi Guys,

Just rang sky to upgrade my receiver box to HD for free.
The customer agent asked if my wireless box was upstairs or downstairs. Having said upstairs, he asked if i can move it downstairs, as they have introduced a new feature where the sky box has to have a connection to the router so that I can have access to the sky catalogue, similar to Iplayer (also be able to watch movies and sports).

Anyone else have this? The set-up seems as if one was having a C/S set-up.
Will this cause a problem with C/S for ppl who have it?
Cheers

[unadkat]

I cant see why it would cause any issues with the C/S side @ all.

However what sky have introduced is new to me and this is the first time I have heard of this

[TheCoder]

Originally Posted by unadkat

However what sky have introduced is new to me and this is the first time I have heard of this

They've been working on providing VOD content via internet for a while now. It allows them to compete (sort of) with VM's VOD service (which is shortly due for a massive overhaul)

[unadkat]

Originally Posted by TheCoder

They've been working on providing VOD content via internet for a while now. It allows them to compete (sort of) with VM's VOD service (which is shortly due for a massive overhaul)

just out of curiousity... How much bandwidth would be needed for VOD content? from what I understand is that the reason Vm are roling out 50MB connection was because of the VOD content itself. Unless am mistaken.

the reason I ask this is because I would assume if they are going to be doing VOD content, Then i would assume that they will be broadcasting this in HD rather then SD and also this would mean that users / customers would need a certain connection speed.

And as we know that ADSL does not give a guaranteed connection / speed. I.e when they say that up to 20MB usually means that your not guaranteed that speed and depends on your line and how far you are from the exchange.

Unless this is same as C/S on sat and bandwidth is not a issue.

[TheBadger]

I've got BT Infinity and since I've had it my download speed has been consistently >30 Mbps. I would assume that as BT are rolling this out countrywide Sky will have access eventually via LLU.

[Rick]

I would expect that this is what the ethernet ports are on the HD Recievers. If thats the case I would use a wired connection between router and reciever. Wireless can slow down a connection quite abit with a weak signal.

[tiger56]

Originally Posted by unadkat

just out of curiousity... How much bandwidth would be needed for VOD content? from what I understand is that the reason Vm are roling out 50MB connection was because of the VOD content itself. Unless am mistaken.

the reason I ask this is because I would assume if they are going to be doing VOD content, Then i would assume that they will be broadcasting this in HD rather then SD and also this would mean that users / customers would need a certain connection speed.

And as we know that ADSL does not give a guaranteed connection / speed. I.e when they say that up to 20MB usually means that your not guaranteed that speed and depends on your line and how far you are from the exchange.

Unless this is same as C/S on sat and bandwidth is not a issue.

didn't think it matters how far you are from the exchange you are as i dont think vm have exchanges?

[Rick]

Originally Posted by tiger56

didn't think it matters how far you are from the exchange you are as i dont think vm have exchanges?

Originally Posted by unadkat

And as we know that ADSL does not give a guaranteed connection / speed. I.e when they say that up to 20MB usually means that your not guaranteed that speed and depends on your line and how far you are from the exchange.

He's talking about ADSL with exchanges m8, not VM

[cupid stunt]

Sounds to me that sly wanna use broadband instead of your phoneline for uploading your weekly watched programmes to TNS in Alperton.

It must be cheaper for them, also if the sly sub doesn't have a BT phone line ???

C.S.

[TheCoder]

Originally Posted by unadkat

just out of curiousity... How much bandwidth would be needed for VOD content? from what I understand is that the reason Vm are roling out 50MB connection was because of the VOD content itself. Unless am mistaken.

Not really that much tbh if you bear in mind that a full Mpeg datastream carrying a channel only consumes around 2-4Mbit/sec (depending on quality) and even a HD channel needs only around 7-10Mbit/sec on cable (less on Sat due to it using a more advanced compression codec).

For VOD content i'd guesstimate they will likely use a 10Mbit/sec QOS profile on the actual boxes. Very few of the cable modems built into the boxes are actually capable of anything more than 10-15Mbit/sec anyway. A 10Meg profile will likely work for both cable and ADSL although Sky will probably be streaming onto a HDD for later viewing rather than trying to do it in realtime (a bit like how BT boxes do it). More of an NVOD rather than true VOD.

The 50Meg cable service has little or nothing to do with VOD. VOD will probably continue to run on the old DOCSIS1 system (the modems aren't internet connected - they can only transfer data within VM's intranet so pointless trying to clone the MACs before anyone asks). The recently announced increases in upload may actually be more relevant to the vod system.