IPTV Taiwan Interactive Television

Life Technology
1

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20071026PD201.html

Has anyone heard about this new service offered through Chunghwa? I called a tech support guy at Chunghwa earlier and asked him about this technology.

Apparently its IPTV, Internet Television. Basically its a way to watch television on your TV over an ADSL line. You get a decoder box, and a remote control. They have 22 channels both local and some international. I did not ask for a list of channels. The service also includes VOD, video on demand, kind of like a pay-per-view service. Apparently its cheaper than renting a DVD. The price is 89ntd/month. In some districts they are having special promotions.

The drawback to this technology is that it is only available for one TV and apparently there is no software you can use to watch it on your computer, unless you have a TV card that is. Also the box is supposed to be plugged directly into the ADSL modem not behind a router if you have one. I wonder if this is hackable in some way so you can use it on any computer attached to your router?

Anyone have any experience with this yet?

2

Yep, it is within the MOD system. Check out http://mod.cht.com.tw/MOD/Web/index.php. The list of channels includes TV5 (French), a mixed foreign news channel (sometimes they show AlJazeera, then swith to DW, then Businessweek TV, others), Australian TV, a Golf Channel, and if you are into that stuff, two soccer channels. :astonished:

There is a basic tariff - 89nts for like 16 channels -mostly local- then you get a special Golden Package -24 channels- bit better, like 6 movie channels, 2 Western. It was on sale until January 1st, but you may still get a good price.

They have a cute “Taiwan classics” channel, where they play old Taiwanese movies. I also like a “Baby’s first TV”, not for the concept, but for the soft background music and nice landscapes they show.

The VOD may be cheaper than renting the DVD but the real advantage is the crystal clear quality and the fact that you do not have to go outside and rent the stuff from a crowded place but just see it as you wish. It can be rewinded, stopped, paused just like a DVD, and you are not clogging Internet traffic/disk space by downloading something you may see only once -like Spiderman 3, yikes! :raspberry:

The movies available are quite varied, from real oldies -Citizen Kane, anyone? The Wizard of Oz, Victor Victoria, to newer -300, Happy Feet, Spiderman 3, etc. Some go for 20nts, some 40, others up tp 60 or 70 nts.

They also have TV series, but mostly Korean and Japanese.

So far, I am quite satisfied. I was one of the “lab rats”, so I paid no connection fee or anything, and they even gave me some discount vouchers. I only regret not setting it up with the bigger TV, for the movies’s sake.

Do not ask me about hacking or anything complicated. No idea. :stuck_out_tongue:

3

So what’s the difference between this and regular MOD? I have MOD already, but I rarely watch it as the resolution isn’t very good.

4

More channels, more content, about 20-60 nts more depending on what you want.

IPTV ITTV is on the second TV screen menu.

Dunno about the image, but you should ask them to fix it for you. The image I get is neat, and my TV is not that new nor big, so they should be able to make it better.

5

My TV’s rather big, though, so that’s probably why. Still, it looks even lower resolution than regular TV. (When is Taiwan going to get HD channels anyway? Seems like everyplace has it already)

6

22 ? That’s a bit pathetic. Virgin Media (for example) does 140+ channels, plus broadband, phone and films on demand down one wire. A lot of it in Hi-Def, most TV here looks like VCDs.

Even terrestrial free TV is 30+ widescreen channels.

7

Well, when they started, there were only like 8 channels or so. Actually, the MOD is just a platform, so other companies can go in and add to the programming. That is why TITTV has its own menu on the screen.

You choose what you want to see and pay for what you want/get. Example: six “A pien” channels for 60 nts extra. And so on…

8

I had a meeting with the owners/reps. They are very interested in having content and are willing to create a channel for someone who will provide content. So, that’s something to keep in mind.

9

I posted about MOD on my blog ages ago, but I wasn’t impressed with the offerings for TITV. It’s just more of the same: second tier channels, showing second tier programming for the most part.

There’s the odd gem, but this ain’t SkY.TV. Rumors are that more deals are in the offing, but who knows when.

I don’t know whether it’s competition or poor planning or fear that keeps the service so poor quality… but really I don’t get the pricing structure at all.

You pay a fee to get
phone line (basic fee)
hinet (fees)
DSL rental line fees
MOD basic service
Premium channels fees

But my post details the other problems, none of which have really been resolved in the two years that we’ve had the service. I would NOT purchase this again.

But then again, we don’t have any chance to have satellite TV here right now.

Kenneth

10

hi!
I’ve heard that there are two companies which allow you watch satellite over internet (over 200 channels from south africa (eg. super sports 1-8), from thailand and philipiness with english programming (the same like at the Tavern). One is company based in Taipei www.sat2me.com which streams to pubs and residents in Taiwan and Japan, Hong-Kong. Guaranted bandwidth for upload, with payment per month depends on programming and speed. Also they help in development of streaming equipment for some bigger companies. Another is some home based 1-person company somewhere in the middle of Taiwan, with a bit lower price(not much), but from this what I’ve heard service is not to good. Both also install satellites dishes.
I guess that both total watching is cheaper with better programming, then Hinet. And of course you can watch it 24 hours and when you travel. Just connect you computer to TV or watch on computer screen.

Regards,
Hans

11

[quote=“khan”]hi!
I’ve heard that there are two companies which allow you watch satellite over internet (over 200 channels from south africa (eg. super sports 1-8), from thailand and philipiness with English programming (the same like at the Tavern). One is company based in Taipei www.sat2me.com which streams to pubs and residents in Taiwan and Japan, Hong-Kong. Guaranted bandwidth for upload, with payment per month depends on programming and speed. Also they help in development of streaming equipment for some bigger companies. Another is some home based 1-person company somewhere in the middle of Taiwan, with a bit lower price(not much), but from this what I’ve heard service is not to good. Both also install satellites dishes.
I guess that both total watching is cheaper with better programming, then Hinet. And of course you can watch it 24 hours and when you travel. Just connect you computer to TV or watch on computer screen.

Regards,
Hans[/quote]

Agreed :slight_smile: Bandwidth guaranted, good services, good after-sales services, good prices for good quality :slight_smile:

12

But what about the porn?

13

Dr Mc. Coy asked:

Twelve different channels, only one Western. :raspberry:

On a serious note, I was happy to have access to DW as international news during the election. Still biased, but it still was a welcome relief from CNN.

Now, if we could get better international programming, as in pay per view TV series, that’ll be great. Instead of renting, let’s say, Jericho, having it downloaded on Hinet, then not having to worry about storage space. If they have this already for Japanese and Korean TV series, why can’t they add a few Western?