Free to view tv and other entertainment

[baronbeeza]

As I have got older and grumpier I have moved away from many forms of media. The newspapers have last week's news if you are lucky, much seems to be selected tidbits that the editors seem to believe fit their agenda and are mixed with other opinion pieces and advertising.
The reporters now come across as ill-informed prats that simply don't have the experience or knowledge to realise that we can see through them.
Similarly with TV, little of interest apart from older murder mystery, Brit comedy and the odd documentary.
The rest seems to be once again targeting the perpetually bitter and twisted portion of the population that can't survive the day without something to moan about.

What is there for the rest of us ? The ones that may enjoy a little entertainment along with some information about what is actually going on.

I am of an age when I remember electricity arriving in our rural community. Then TV, black and white and all ghostly.
We then went through the technological advances, many of which I have forgotten.
Transistor radio, cassettes, FM radio, Walkman, VCR, CD, Personal Computer and Internet, Sky TV, DVD, Smart Phones, new generation TV's and of course it goes on..

I don't need to know what some young reporter wants me to believe, newspaper, radio and even TV have lost me.... and judging by subscriptions and viewing numbers that portion of the MSM is in serious decline.
We have new media like blogs, various websites and Twitter but again much is of little interest. At least we can now pick and choose what we want to read/view.

I have recently moved and have had to consider my electricity, phone, TV and Internet options.

Given what I said earlier I knew I had no need for any form of expensive TV packages. I was also aware many have moved away from Sky.

What I didn't realise was that there are many alternatives now, the very reason I am writing here.

I am by no means fully aware of what is available, I am hoping others can chip in with suggestions also.

My Internet is now simply a WiFi modem plugged into the power.
wirelessnation.co.nz/

The white thing beside the laptop.


That is it ! Just plug and play.

With the TV I managed to get a Freeview system going by plugging into one of the aerial leads in the house. I think it is a satellite system from memory. Once again nothing special there though and basically the same old cr*p to view anyway.

At least I had fast Internet though and with the benefit of the powerful WiFi incorporated.

I then spent some dollars on a TV box. ($50 US)
www.ebay.com/itm/X96-Mini-TV-Box-Android-7-1-2-Amlogic-S905W-Quad-Core-WiFi-HD-2G-16G-4K-Player/112563688378?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=412964799386&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649



Once again it is just a small device that is essentially plug and play.

I have only been using the new setup for a few days but boy am I happy.

The picture quality alone is beyond expectations. Even older programmes like Dad's Army on my cheap $20 LCD TV's.
The TV box is new to me but I find it difficult to believe that you can now have this capability with no external wiring beyond a couple of power leads/adaptors.
The X96 is attached to the TV and has a HDMI cable.

The TV now has the WiFi and Internet capability and is easier to move from room to room than many computers.

I have the poor man's system. Little more than $100 all up and about $90 per month for the Internet access.

I am sure many smart TV's have all this and more. The record and playback like the cable TV boxes for example.

I just didn't dream that you could ever have crystal clear TV without any form of aerial or cable. I don't even have a copper landline to the house. No UHF aerial or satellite dish required.

I would be particularly interested in further cheap TV options, the likes of Netflix or sports channels.
I have used Cricinfo for Formula 1 last season and am looking forward to seeing the improvement there. The laptop was acceptable but I am expecting near HD quality this year now.

Internet TV has come a very long way since I considered using a TV tuner card in the Pentium back in Darwin in the late 90's.

*** EDIT ***
Came across this article when looking for a pic. It seem that the caravan community can now access the same fast Internet. It would need a transmitting station somewhere in the vicinity though I believe. My signal comes from a broadcast tower on a hill just 10Km away.

travellingk.com/broadband-caravan-wireless-nation/

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Looking at your modem in the photograph, it would appear you are getting your home phone and internet via the mobile phone system.

Which means you probably have a maximum allowance of 120GB per month.

That is exactly the system I have, and I only use around 40GB most months.

However, if you start signing up to too many online television services, you'll soon burn up that 120GB per month.

Then, it really starts to cost you, so keep a close look on your useage.

I've got ultra-fast fibre in my street (I've even got fibre from the junction box outside my place buried under the lawn, with a large coil of it beneath the front of the house), but I see no need to connect to it just yet; however, if I started signing up to too many bandwidth-hogging online television services, I'd switch from mobile broadband to unlimited ultra-fast fibre in a jiffy. But for now, the mobile broadband serves me just fine.

[baronbeeza]

Thanks. Yeah I had various cable plans with Vodafone in ChCh. The two houses there churned through a little over 100Gb per month each but with a number of occupants. A couple of times we hit 150Gb and yes there were penalty payments. The last few years were effectively Unlimited though.

I think the current plan is capped at the 120Gb as you mention. I have no idea of how much the movies and other viewing will take. I guess I will have to arrange my viewing about it.

I think the reception must be in the mobile broadband range but I have no idea of details.

I am rural, just, as I am less than 2Km from town.
I was worried about the lack of cable in the area but it is pleasing that the current set-up is so effective.
It doesn't seem that long ago that we were dicking around with dial-up systems.

I would also be interested in hearing about the use of TV capture cards in desktop boxes and the recording/playback features.

[ErrolC]

I find a 'normal' TV episode on Netflix is around 1Gb, as a guide (important when that is the daily limit on your free WiFi at the Melbourne hotel work is paying for).

[shorty]

For free access to UK TV programmes go to www.tvmucho

[baronbeeza]

Excellent stuff. Thanks Shorty. I had a look and can get one hour's viewing per day. Seems like an enormous variety on offer there as well. Brilliant.

tvmucho.com/

***EDIT***

The UFB and RBI schemes are really going to have an effect on the communication infrastructure in this country.

www.vodafone.co.nz/broadband/rural/

www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11640228

[baronbeeza]

I see Sky TV has finally received the wake-up call.

The reaction may seem radical to them but it would appear that many of the viewing public are still unimpressed. My father will be 'saving' $25 a month by dropping one of the basic packages, he only ever watches sport on TV.

I enjoyed watching some of the History, doco's and older Brit comedy and cop stuff at his place though. If you still want to watch that then you have to pay the $25 per month back again.
No thanks, I am more than happy with the convenience of the Internet TV options.

[beagle]

God, how do you guys get the time to watch all these different channels etc. Even have to resort to flicking during ads on freeview if having to watch 2-3 different programs at once.
Thought about sky a while back but knew i'd be on it way too much, and lots of stuff on you tube anyway.
my 2 cents.
I'd say sky tv will be quite different in 5 years time.

[obiwan27]

I have Lightbox bundled in with the Spark UFB package, also subscribe to Netflix @ $15 per month. Binned Sky last year. Not missing it at all. Can stream news or On Demand TV to my HDTV using my smartphone. Netflix has Plane Resurrection Season 1 and will no doubt show season 2 when it is ready to go. Also there are two Guy Martin documentaries 'Guy Martin's Spitfire' and Last Flight of the Vulcan Bomber, also available on You Tube.

I'd say Sky TV will be non-existent in 5 years time.

[baronbeeza]

I have discovered plenty to watch just on Youtube. The little X96 is hooked via HDMI to a 50 inch widescreen TV. I have added a few speakers which improved the previous tinny sound immensely.

In lockdown conditions, like stormy weather, I can watch several good HD movies plus normal Internet use and still be about 4GB a day. I have a rural broadband plan which is from a local tower, 10Km away. The plan is for 120 GB a month which is ample.

Most modern computers would have an HDMI source that would feed into any newer TV.
Most here would have Smart TVs anyway but for those that don't there could be an economical option.

My father is sitting at home watching sports repeats on SKY.
I am considering hooking his computer up to the TV, via HDMI lead, because I can see he is going to tire with his Sky or Free-to-air within days.

[tbf25o4]

My smart TV box and netflix recently connected via spark fibre connection is great. Biggest problem is selecting from the huge range available which film to watch!
You Tube is also great with plenty of aviation clips available, although the old sheila is getting bored with my selection of clips!

[htbrst]

Mar 26, 2020 10:57:48 GMT 12 baronbeeza said:

I am considering hooking his computer up to the TV, via HDMI lead, because I can see he is going to tire with his Sky or Free-to-air within days.

Google Chromecasts are great for turning a dumb TV into a smart one, they connect to your TV via the HDMI port and won't require any wires

An added advantage is they can be controlled a phone or tablet as well as the PC and are fairly cheap