BT Vision vs. Freeview & Lovefilm

saintjammyswine

I currently have standard Freeview and a subscription to Lovefilm (online & 2 discs) as well as phone & b/band through BT. I was wondering if it is worth upgrading my BT account to include Vision. I know I would get a PVR in the deal but could anyone give advice on whether it would be worth doing this to get the extra features of PVR etc. compared to the cost of it. Also are the films that are included in the package as good as those on Lovefilm if I cancelled that or should I run the two together?

Thanks in advance.

penrhyn

Why would you want to pay for Freeview?
If you want a PVR just buy one.
I'd have a look at YouView.

socmwils23

We have bt vision and netflix in our house. Id say they work as a compliment to each other. We pay £12 for the BTV unlimited which also includes ESPN currently.

The movies and tv series do not really compare to the amount on netflix but we still watch a fair bit through the box. Add in a pvr and Iplayer, Itv player etc built in and for us its a good deal.

Btvision isn't for everyone but it works for us. I would say to use it alongside netflix (can't comment on lovefilm but id imagine they are similar) rather than a replacement for it.

saintjammyswine

Thanks for the comments so far. I used to have Netflix & Lovefilm, both on free trials with cashback but decided Lovefilm had the wider range of films (especially newer ones).

penryhn - how much is a standalone Freeview box with built in PVR? Also, not heard of YouView, is it a Freeviw rival?


Thanks.

penrhyn

YouView box is from £299, is a Freeview HD box with a 500Mb or 1Tb HDD, and integrated catch up services from BBCiplayer/ITV Player/4OD and Demand 5. Plus paid for services like Now TV from Sky. Both BT and Talk Talk are offering YouView, as part of a package deal.

http://www.youview.com/

Humax PVRs are often discounted at Humax direct.

http://humaxdirect.co.uk/prodCat.asp?cat=factory&type=stb

socmwils23

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Thanks for the comments so far. I used to have Netflix & Lovefilm, both on free trials with cashback but decided Lovefilm had the wider range of films (especially newer ones).

If you connect to the US version of netflix (easily done via a simple dns change) then you get 10x better choice than anything either uk site currently offers.

Ectophile

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Thanks for the comments so far. I used to have Netflix & Lovefilm, both on free trials with cashback but decided Lovefilm had the wider range of films (especially newer ones).

penryhn - how much is a standalone Freeview box with built in PVR? Also, not heard of YouView, is it a Freeviw rival?


Thanks.

YouView is Freeview with added bells and whistles. Like the current BT Vision, only better (but you'll have to pay towards the cost of the box).

If you're already a BT Vision customer, look at http://www.youview.bt.com/ for more details.

webawoo

We just bought a new HD TV, and I fancied also having a PVR and ditching the old VCR/DVD recorder

Was going to buy one, but the cheapest 'decent spec' we could find was a HUMAX 500gb one at £150.

I then looked into BT Vision (already have BT Broadband & BT Call Package), and today for just £4 a month they set me up with their basic freeview service Plus their catch up service, and gave me a free Vision Box (ie their version of the PVR) and no connection fee. Was charged £6.95 delivery and had to agree to 12 months

So although i realise I have technically not been given a 'free PVR', over the year this service it will only cost me total of £48, and I will hardly notice the £5 a month going out as opposed to forking out £150 in advance for a HUMAX. Even if I keep it up for 3 years (which I guessed to be the average time I would have kept the HUMAX before wanting to upgrade) I am no worse off and not had to pay up front.

Does this make sense? Or have I made an error in my thinking?

Colin_London

webawoo wrote: »

We just bought a new HD TV, and I fancied also having a PVR and ditching the old VCR/DVD recorder

Was going to buy one, but the cheapest 'decent spec' we could find was a HUMAX 500gb one at £150.

I then looked into BT Vision (already have BT Broadband & BT Call Package), and today for just £4 a month they set me up with their basic freeview service Plus their catch up service, and gave me a free Vision Box (ie their version of the PVR) and no connection fee. Was charged £6.95 delivery and had to agree to 12 months

So although i realise I have technically not been given a 'free PVR', over the year this service it will only cost me total of £48, and I will hardly notice the £5 a month going out as opposed to forking out £150 in advance for a HUMAX. Even if I keep it up for 3 years (which I guessed to be the average time I would have kept the HUMAX before wanting to upgrade) I am no worse off and not had to pay up front.

Does this make sense? Or have I made an error in my thinking?

The only error in thinking you have made is that you have signed up to the old BT Vision box which doesn't have Freeview HD.

If you had waited 1 month you could have had the new Humax Youview box from BT for the same monthly charge, which has Freeview HD reception / recording, and all the main On Demand services with an integrated 'backwards' EPG.

Ooops You're not on your own in doing this however - my father in law has just done the same and is not very happy (should have asked me first!).

webawoo

Just spotted this option - yep you're right

Called them today, and I can still do this I have been told if I want to, as long as

A) I want to wait until the YouView is launched with BT (she said from around 10 October onwards)

and I would not get the 12 months free essentials TV Package, this would be £4 a month (rising to £5 in Jan) and I would have to pay £49.95 connection fee for the YouView

So this route will cost me £50 more - is it worth it?

[Deleted User]

webawoo wrote: »

So this route will cost me £50 more - is it worth it?

Well, if you don't, then you won't be able to receive any of the high definition channels.
So, I'd say it's definitely worth it-especially as you've just invested in a new HDTV!