Paul&Nic

Ok, just wanna check I have this correct.

Depending on where you live determines who will supply your area for digital TV, as in Foxtel or Austar.

Foxtel is ok, Austar is crap ?!

I am in an 'Austar' area (so the lady told me) and I HAVE to have Austar, and CANNOT get Foxtel no matter what I wanted!

Does this sound about right?

Cheers ...

jad n rich

I think austel and foxtel show the same sort of stuff, doesnt really matter after about 6 months of it, most of it repeats all over again, some stuff has been shown at least 4 rounds. Plus you get ads on pay TV now too, cant get my head around paying for TV and getting ads but you do. Forget TV take up surfing instead

Sass73

You living in the sticks then?
Foxtel gets the cities and Austar gets all the rest and yep Austar is crap but its better than nothing. We spent our first 6 months in the sticks and TV hadn't quite reached the area yet. Could only get TV stations if you had Austar and it cost something like $1500 to get it installed.
2 days after we moved, they put up the transmitters!

wmoore

Austar shows pretty much the same stuff as Foxtel.

As for which you get - it's the same in the UK. In some places you'll get NTL and in others Telewest. There's no choice to be made. It's all to do with who got the franchise to lay the cables or something.

We've got Foxtel satellite BTW so if you really want Foxtel over Austar, see if you can get that.

Paul&Nic

I was looking at the Austar site and you can get free connection if you take on a 2 yr contract, but if we stick to the year we can pay $99 for the install. I've already been stung with a 2 yr contract with Bigpond ... ... so am dubious of em all really, but we have a crap picture and not sure if its the area or the ariel, we're recently into this place and a rental.

I'm just trying to find out about the UK equivalent to Freeview, with the set top box you buy and pick up the freebies.

As I say, our ariel is pants, but can 'hopefully' be put right ?!?

That would prob give us enough as no one seems to be watching much TV over here anyway ...

How THAT'S changed! ...lol, but for the better ...

wmoore

There isn't one as such. You can buy a digi-box to watch ABC, 7, 9, 10 & SBS on but apart from ABC2 and SBS News, that's all you get.

Paul&Nic

Hi Wayne, ok so maybe a basic package from Austar for $46 pm is the best bet.

I don't want movies, and altho in the UK the kids HAD TO HAVE the music channels, now they're FAR too busy to be worrying about TV ...lol, but you get a few I think.

wmoore

I only really got the Foxtel in for the footy - Premier League on Fox Sports 1 and AFL on Fox Footy - and I haven't been disappointed with that There aren't as many music channels as Sky but enough to keep you going.

moneypenny20

Paul we have Austar and it shows the same things as Foxtel. They are always running special offers. We had free installation and only locked in for 6 months, they were also offering to put in a second connection for free but we didn't have a second tv and couldn't be bothered to buy one

My girls have no problem finding channels they want to watch whether music or anything else.

The only problem we have had is when there is a torrential downpour we lose Austar but not the free channels but it has only happened briefly twice since February and we are now coming to the end of the storm season anyway.

When I looked into it, the only difference I could find was that Austar seem to do more special start up offers than Foxtel - presumably they want the business

Paul&Nic

Cheers for that Penny.

It appears the only offer their offering that is of any use at the mo is free installation, BUT you gotta sign up for 2 years. As I said I've signed a 2 yr contract with Bigpond which I'm not happy about, but don't want any more long contracts!

If we go for the 1 yr contract we can pay $99 for the install, and will prob go with that.

I might phone them and see if there's anything 'in the pipeline' as it doesn't seem to be a priority getting the TV sorted, but it'll have to be done one day.

Trevglas

OK, you,re living on the other side of the motorway then! As has been mentioned AUstar and Foxtel are virtually identical, the only differences are

1. A different picture on the listings mag cover

2. With Foxtel you need to have your set-top box connected to the phone so you can order movies and vote. Austar dont do this (OK this is crap, and I dont know anyone who uses this, but Foxtel insist on it)

3. Foxtel comes via satellite or cable whereas Austar is only via satellite.

4. Foxtel, via cable only, also retransmit free-to-air stations. This is an important point on the GC, as some areas have shocking free-to air reception. We are in Helensvale, have a 20 foot mast on the roof for the TV ariel, mast-top amplifiers etc etc, and still get a cr4p pic. THis is the reason I switched from Austar to Foxtel (because our house has a foxtel cable feed as well as a satellite dish).

The reason you are in an Austar area is purely political: its to protect your consumer choice. AT least this is what I was told when I first moved to the GC (on your side of the motorway) and tried change the address on our Foxtel account. To protect MY consumer choice I had to cancel my Foxtel account and pay a $200 penalty

fraser

Unless you're into sport I wouldn't get it, there's sod all on.

What is with the contracts here all 2 years and my ISP is saying that when I move not only do I have to pay for a reconnection which is fair enough but I have to sign a new 2 year contract.

So I'm forced to do so, otherwise I'll have to pay to get out of the old one

moneypenny20

If they say two years, say no. We did and our phone with iinet and tv with Austar are both for 6 months. Everything is negotiable.

brisnick

If you shop around, there are always ways out of signing up for these contracts. I don't have a contract for anything, and I'm paying the same - or in some cases less - than if i did have a contract.

Actually, Pay TV is the one thing I haven't managed to do yet, but I'm working on it for the start of the new football season.