Posted by
dsmckin
18 yrs ago
can anyone recommend the better of the two: cable tv or now tv (broadband)? in light of the supposed arrival of HDTV in HK, which one will be the better choice? given that now tv has more channel options, but is the quality ok? would appreciate any opinions out there on making this decision!
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Definitely NOW TV. We used to subscribe to Cable (3 years ).... but since we moved, Cable TV costs more, and so we switched to NOW TV. Great decision. The quality of the signals are SO much better, plus it's way cheaper than Cable TV. We don't have all the channels from NOW, but recently they offered to us if we wanted all their channels, it would be just $ 380 a month. Presently, we pay about $ 120 a month, 16 channels, but contract of 18 months.
Previously, Cable costs $ 300 HKD a month, with about the same number of channels. Plus, NOW TV has Star World, and Star Movies, that's the best!
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Unless you want the EPL,then NOW is the better value. I,m only on a monthly contract and paying $160 for 8 channels(including star sports and espn). Just a question to others re NOW reception....I have only been subscribing since november and am now on my second 'modem' and third 'converter'.I have now gone just over 2 weeks since I had to get a technician out which is a record but still have problems with the reception 'cutting out'. Anybody else had reception problems?
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ceeh
18 yrs ago
We have been on NOW for over 12 months and have had no problems at all.
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Kwis
18 yrs ago
Definitely NOW. Customer service is MUCH better than Cable TV's. We haven't had any problem with NOW's reception either.
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pzam
18 yrs ago
tottenham1,
We had the exact same problem for a long time. Went through several changes of modems and converters but signal was so choppy it was difficult to watch anything. Problems finally went away when they changed the model of the modem. They used to just replace the modem with another of the same model and signal did not improve at all. There were times that we'd be calling tech support the same day they replaced modems/converters as reception was so bad. Now we are very happy with NOW except for the fact that they don't have USPGA golf anymore.
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what's good about NOW tv is that you can select the channels you want to watch and pay for. Some can get by with just HBO and Star so they pay less monthly.
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cd
18 yrs ago
To Tottenham1,
we have had Now for well over 2 years and are still on the original pieces of equipment, that said the last few days the reception has definately been worse, keeps stopping or looking like a really dirty DVD does when playing. I think its time for a new box. We have just upgraded to their special offer of all channels. Mind you it will probably be a waste of money because when EPL starts I'm sure my husband and son won't let anyone else get a look in!
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hmm
18 yrs ago
Yep. Now definitely... when football comes, cable is basically not going to have anything Now doesn't... and Now has been the much cheaper and more flexible option... of course one could argue that when EPL comes they may have to jack the prices to pay for it!
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To me, the pixelation of NOWTV is easier to notice than CableTV which I consider rather annoying, particularly on the sudden bright scene like camera flashing on red carpet movie stars. However, overall picture quality of NOWTV is better due to S-Video output.
Materialwise, NOWTV is a better choice while you could opt for CableTV for local content and some of its proprietary though it targets more on Chinese speakers.
Regarding HDTV, I though HK will be the first place to get it but Singapore did have both Discovery HD and, if I recall correctly, ESPN HD. Seem like NOWTV has problem with bandwidth which, IMHO, demonstrates via its pixelation problem on current SD program.
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PCCW's network is not uniform in its capacity, which accounts for why some people have better signal/less pixelation in their reception than others.
Singapore does have HDTV already (Nat Geo and Discovery HD, not ESPN), but that is because the government told the cable company they had to start HD service. Customers are paying SG$16 per month extra for the two channels, but the company is not covering its costs.
The problem for cable companies is that HD uses a lot of bandwidth, and the company needs to pay for that bandwidth both downstream to consumers and upstream (more transponder costs on the satellite to receive the programming). It will come, eventually, to NowTV, but only when they think there is a critical mass of people willing to pay for it.
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Thks HKObserver for the correction on NG HD. I think the critical mass is somewhat a chicken and egg problem and the availability of program. While I have no doubt both Discovery HD and Nat Geo will give you a beautiful picture like what people enjoys it in the US, I doubt whether that is attractive enough, particularly if you don't have a sport program which seemed to be a major magnate.
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Agree on the magnet effect of sports programming, and on the chicken-and-egg problem. For now,I don't believe ESPN has started carrying an HD channel on any of their Asian satellites, so nobody in Asia can see it. Discovery and Nat Geo started in Japan (big market, lots of affluent consumers, lots of HD TV sets), but the Japanese tastes in sports programming aren't the same as those in the rest of Asia. So the critical mass for sports isn't there yet.
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Thks HKObserver and sorry for typo on "magnet"
I read somewhere that NOWTV's successful bid over CableTV of Hong Kong on UK's English Premier League was based on its potential to offer HD feeds of that program.
I have little knowledge with HD in Europe but wonder whether they are really big there that it's the major reason for NOW's success.
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I originally had cable and switched to NOW and was happy with it , I just had the Now HD box installed and it has the worst User interface you could imagine , with hardly any HD channels to choose from I am considering demanding a downgrade , I'm even considering whether I need NOW TV at all especially as I now have all the BBC and ITV channels using a UK VPN and BBC IPlayer for a cost of 10USD a month !!!
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