Pre-Youview
Access
Access to the channels and the Video on Demand is via a self branded set-top box that is connected to the customer's Television set, rather than via the customer's computer. The latest set-top box features an Aerial socket and a DVB-T receiver to allow the customer to receive additional channels via the Freeview platform as well as the channels received over IPTV, subject to Freeview coverage and quality of reception. A wireless router for internet access that connects to the set-top box is now also provided as standard.
TalkTalk+
TalkTalk offers 'TalkTalk+' (formerly Tiscali+), a 160 GB hard-drive Digital Video Recorder, which holds an approximate total of 50 hours of television and also acts as a replacement for the standard set-top box. The TalkTalk+ box has two DVB-T tuners and one IPTV tuner. This means the customer can simultaneously record up to three separate channels, provided that two of the channels are being received via Freeview and the third via IPTV. As the box has only one IPTV tuner, it is only possible to record or watch one IPTV channel at a time. TalkTalk+ is available subject to a one-off payment and a twelve-month contract or contract renewal.
Service area
TalkTalk TV was initially only available in parts of London, Surrey and Hertfordshire. Since September 2007 areas such as Central and Northern England were TalkTalk TV enabled. Around 680 Telephone Exchanges are now Tiscali LLU enabled, mostly in London, Manchester, the Midlands and Yorkshire and a spattering throughout the rest of the country. In 2007 TalkTalk stated it aimed to reach near-national coverage in the future, with 10 million homes by the end of 2008.
TV Services
The majority of standard UK channels (more than 60) are available, such as BBC One and BBC Two, as well as Premium channels such as Sky Movies and National Geographic Channel, depending on the selected package and corresponding price paid per month.
A wide selection of Video On Demand is also available, depending on the selected package. All customers have access to a channel-specific 'catch up' service which allows customers to view a selection of programmes up to seven days after they were initially broadcast, with on-screen controls available to play/pause or skip through the programme. Channels with the catch up service are: BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, FX, ITV, ITV2, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC Channel, Channel 5 and CBeebies. All catch up programmes available can also be accessed from channel 989.
On 13 February 2007, HBO announced its new VOD service was to become available on Tiscali TV.
British Sky Broadcasting announced that it was to supply Tiscali TV with its 'Basic TV Package of channels: Sky1, Sky2, Sky Arts, Sky News and Sky Sports News.
These channels became available in the Tiscali TV variety pack on Tuesday 28 August 2007.
The current TalkTalk TV packages are:
- Variety Pack
- Entertainment Xtra Mix:
- Music Mix:
- Kids Mix:
- Bollywood and South Asian TV Subscription:
- Picturebox Movies
- Disney Cinemagic Subscription
- Sky Movies Subscription
- Sky Sports Subscription
- ESPN Subscription
- Chelsea TV Subscription
- Adult Pack
Read more about this topic: Talk Talk TV