Foxtel - is it worth it?

[Shadow Wave]

Hey guys and yes, i've been sucked into that damn EOFY Foxtel Sale.

pretty much just wanting some opinions on what people think of the service/costs etc..

would I be nuts to stick with the 'starter package'?

What channels would I want etc?

Pretty much I mainly work nights with my job and I miss out on the majority of good tv shows, I download my fav shows etc, but when I just want to chill out, all im stuck with is the lame midday movie thats on etc.

would love to hear any opinions you have about it
Cheers!
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[mikezilla2]

hell no - to sum it up its quite costly even on just the basic package if your a sport fan then there might be something in it for you but beyond that id just do what im planning to do and get a 2nd connection ( cheap) for streaming content i get the fact that you want to chill out and it has its values - simpsons , etc sport - and dr phil at 3 30 if your in to that kind of thing iv only got the basic pack non IQ and films are cheaper to rent in a word , was going to get IQ on the free upgrade but a number of things changed that ie not my choice.
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[mrcool37]

mmmm, $378 for 12 months sounds tempting, but still it's not really worth doing IMO, depends on what you want to watch really.

If I were in the same situation I'd just invest the amount of money into more download quota and get more tv shows that are relevant to you that way. We have Austar at home and it's barely watched at all, but it is necessary for us as there's no other way to watch the weekend NRL games and the rugby/cricket matches, plus the odd wrestling show.

I still find myself at most times whenever I do decide to watch it that I'm just channel surfing through the same old replays anyway. There is absolutely nothing on during the day unless there's a live sporting event, and even then no fox sports channels are in the starter pack.

So I reckon consider it if you love watching nature/wildlife shows, or if you love watching old replays of Simpsons, Scrubs, Seinfeld/Frasier/Nanny, South Park, Simpsons, Family Guy, Late night talk shows, Simpsons, Wrestling, and even more Simpsons on a daily basis, that's all that's ever on. Everything that is decent, like Fox Sports, movie channels, you all have to pay extra for.

And that Go! channel is basically a best of Comedy Central/Fox 8/TV1 anyway (without the talk shows)

[Shadow Wave]

Thanks for replys guys

hmm, so repeats are quite a problem are they?

Mainly im just wanting to be able to see some of those prime time tv shows on during the day, thats really about it. Are there actually decent shows other the simpsons on during the day? especially on weekends?

Honestly I wouldn't be interested in the sport side of it (although basketball sounds quite tempting)

I have plenty of DL quota, but thats the problem it is a bit of effort to download them, convert them, put on a usb stick etc... you know im kinda wanting a way to just at the spur of the moment have something enjoyable to watch on tv.

Would you guys say it could be worth the experience, whether its good or bad? I'll probably go halves with my parents on this, so im prepared to pay the $36 a month or whatever it is.

hmmm
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[Tanya]

National Geographic and Discovery are included in basic, and they're freaking awesome.

Just be aware that you probably won't end up sticking to the basic package once you get it. When I got it a few years back, they gave you platinum for the first month. I had all intentions of dropping down to basic, but that didn't last.

Foxtel would be awesome if you could pick exactly which channels interested you, instead of having to go with the whole package. That's how they get you, though.

Edit: Regarding wanting to watch shows during the day - the EOFYS deal you're talking about has IQ with it, right? You just set that baby up to record stuff for you and you can watch it whenever. It's a lovely thing to have. I never used to make it home in time for Colbert or The Daily Show, so I had a standing order to record it whenever it was on. Worked a treat.
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[LeonJ]

I couldn't live with foxtel. I am a sports junkie though and for this reason alone it is worth it (AFL all games available).

I have 2x IQ2s in the house (one upstairs and down) and they are awesome devices. The recording functionality is fantastic and you can watch all your normal TV channels through it as well in HD. Series link is another cool feature which I use all the time. Record an entire season of a show without even having to think. You can even go online now and select shows you want to send them directly to your set top box.

I really like the on demand HD movies as well. It's the same price as hiring a video and it's in HD and just ready to go.

I know you can get TiVo and all that jazz but Foxtel while mildly expensive just puts everything together in one nice package. It all works wonderfully. We pay about $120 a month, and that's HD, sports and some other package my Mrs watches all the time.

You do know you can sign up and cancel right if your prepare to pay for the installation? You can get it installed for a month (and if you have a connection in your house already it should be free) and try it out. Give them a call and see what they can do.
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[Scrav]

I had it when I was living with one of my parents. I found it quite sad that even with 50 odd channels, I could still struggle to find things to watch at times. You won't find any of the latest shows on Foxtel. There are some good bits, such as what Tanya mentioned - the documentary channels can be great as you won't see a lot of that via regular tv or other means. Some of the movie channels are good - World Movies was my favourite.

It was a nice to have thing, but I could never justify it now that I live on my own. I could easily allocate the money to it if I wanted, but really, that money is of so much better use elsewhere. I guess it kind of why I also steer clear of expensive mobile plans and Apple products - nice toys, but just toys in the end that I don't really need in my day to day life.

[adam_91vn]

Never again.

Do what mrcool said and get a decent quota. Everything on foxtel is down-loadable.

There is quite a lot of ads and repeats on foxtel now then there used to be also.
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[pom013]

Screw foxtel, for $300 you can get a PVR. I used to be in the same situation and I got myself a digital tuner for my mac and just programed it to record anything decent that might be on. I don't watch much TV but I've never had nothing to watch and you can skip out all the ads!
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Farewell Rocketship!

[wonton]

If I didn't travel around so damn much, I would definitely sign up for Foxtel...If I only could choose four channels to watch for the rest of my life.. CNN, BBC world, Discovery, National Geographic HD would be it. Free to air TV in Australia just doesn't cut it.

[sobriquet835]

I don't have Foxtel, but from what I've found at friends places etc it's all repeats except for a couple shows. Showtime is always first to show Dexter, which is one of my absolute favourite shows (I've just been waiting for it to come out on DVD). I believe it also gets you better access to british comedies, if you're into those.

[Kyle Clarthy]

I know I'm probably just repeating what others have said, but I had Austar once upon a time. It was something I wanted for ages, and when I finally got it, it was fun for a time, but eventually the novelty wears off due to a combination of ads (so many, many ads!) and repeats (like mentioned) and the fact that if you only sign up for the starter pack, a lot of the good stuff is blocked from you. However, it quickly gets very pricey when you start adding extra packs and then you have a problem of not having enough hours in the day to justify spending that much just to watch TV.

An alternative I'd suggest, and which I actually do, is just to buy the DVDs of the series I want to watch. They're usually a lot cheaper. If it's truly something you want to watch, then I think it's a much better alternative, and if you don't like them, there's always others that will probably buy them from you. The problem is that you have to wait a little longer to see shows like Dexter, but really ... there's plenty of other things to keep people occupied in between.

And, of course, you can go down that other route and download like others have mentioned ...

But I think that Foxtel/Austar is not worth it in the long run. Hope this helps, but either way, it's your choice what you do.
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[RXWAG]

If they had a $30 a month for all sport channels including fuel I would be in straight away but not when you have to get a basic pack + this + that.
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Selamat Pagi Bitches...

[XtremeXfactor]

I was addicted to Foxtel from 99 - 2004/5, a lot of the shows back then were great (FOX8 loved Baywatch back then ).

Not much has changed in that time, in the first year we had it.... they started playing Seinfeld on TV1. Ten years later, and it still has the same time slot, and they've done the Seinfeld marathon a few times over the years (most recently as the last weekend).

The programming selection used to be pretty good, and the lack of commercials, when i stopped watching it myself (but my parents still have it running), i was getting sick of the mobile phone ring tone commercials.

Also on the analog to digital transfer, we were promised the same channels + packages, which never eventuated. Also lost the sport package - my mum would rather have all movie channels, yet i can count on one hand in the years since then, how many times she has watched a movie on any of those channels (i know i certainly havn't, as by the time they aired on Foxtel.... i already had the dvd ).

[Cro]

It really depends what you want. I love my sports, currently watching the NBA finals live. I'd hate to live without it. I also need it for the NBA, EPL, XGames etc.. I don't really use it to watch tv shows, but that's beacause I don't check what's on.

If you want to know what's on during the day check the guide and see if there is any thing you would watch?

I'd recomend Fuel TV just so you can watch Attack of the Show. <3
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[mikezilla2]

shadow your best bet would be to ether stream it to your tv thro ether a PVR or HTTPC or one of those mini computer/media centers via payed for straming of some sort or stockpile some downloads and feed it trho a few 1tb HDDs to a old PC or media center - there are many ways you can auto mate all this you just need to read up on it - over clockers would be a good place to start as would both of the AV forums , give it a shot
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[Shadow Wave]

Thanks agian,

Well i love getting mixed opinions lol

A lot of you have said though 'it was great when I first got it...'

I think it might be a 'you've gotta at least try it once' moment..

maybe, still leaning towards signing up...

The streaming idea's are great, but its a lot of effort etc. Just want to press the on button and watch stuff.

When I want to watch a particular show, i'll hit the internet or buy the dvd etc.

edit: I just looked at the tv guide... it still interests me lol
but theres a show called 'Donkey Kong Country'??!?!?
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[A13x]

Yeah, Donkey Kong Country is a 3d animated series starring Donkey, Diddy, Cranky, and numerous Kremlings, my sister did me some tapes of it when I was younger from her Foxtel.
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<3

[Fly]

We had it before all the HD and IQ nonsense came into it, first and foremost do watch what technician you get to install it in your house, we got a fatty who couldn't fit under the house to wire it who then tried to pawn off 2 wireless phone adapters at cost to replace the job he'd have had to do if he weren't a lardarse. First impression do count of a service.

Our bill the sky rocketed after the "grace" period, we kept the basic. Free month of platinum was "no thanks, just basic thanks" and the costs still jumped 75% from the start of our contract to when we canceled it. We added nothing, we purchased nothing and yet each month our bill just went up, and up and up. They may have changed their practices since then, but frankly I do not trust a Telstra subsidiary as far as I can throw them, and judging by their workforce in the area, I'd need a catapult.

[Schultzy]

It all depends on what you like to watch really. I think if you like sport then you can't go without.

For mine it's worth $20 a month to get the AFL live on a Friday night (living in QLD) and another $50 getting the NRL live on Sat/Sun/Mon, so I can't complain at all... Another thing I like is being able to turn it on at most times of the day and there is at least something half decent on...

And you can't go past the doco's also!

[Sin Ogaris]

In terms of repeats here's a little story...

I don't have it, but my parents do. If I visit them for the weekend I need to consciously make sure I don't watch too much tv on the first day as then I'll have nothing to watch on the second day. They quite literally air the exact same shows at the exact same times on the exact same channels.

Oh and the ads can go die in a fire, you're PAYING for this, why the **** are there ads?

Personally I'd suggest ignoring Foxtel and increasing your broadband plan so you can download more shows, Foxtel ain't worth it.

As a disclaimer, I don't watch sport (other than UFC, which is on One), so that's a bit of a clincher. Also if oyu can get Digital TV, Go + ABC2 is pretty much all you need above and beyond the free-to-air anyway.

[Shadow Wave]

well thanks guys appreciate the responses a lot!

Looks like considering I just bought a car that I'll be putting this idea on the back burner probably, unless I can con someone into fitting the full bill... but yeah I'm not too fussed anymore

cheers!
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[cosmoh]

Foxtel is good, but god damn does it make you lazy. It's the ultimate devicce of procrastination. I only really watch the sport, and doco channels. As others have said, there are a lot of repeats, I must have seen every episode of friends three times or more, not that thats a bad thing, I love 90's sitcoms.

But for me the best thing about foxtel is easily Boomerang, it's all the old cartoons that I used to watch when I was a younger. New cartoons just don't cut it for me, they lack the wackyness of the old ones which make cartoons what they are.

[THEMAN]

I love cooking shows and reno shows. LOL. thought about getting foxtel to watch these. but resisted.


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[Fly]