Sentanta Sports ITVN Reviews

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am looking for some reviews of Sentanta sports on ITVN.

If you just got ITVN to watch Sentanta Sports please check in and let us know your feelings about it.

I look forward to your reviews!

 

[jokeworm]

Am installing tomorrow (Fed-Ex willing) - will post back here with setup/install review and channel quality w/pics etc ... stay tuned

 

[twd3lr]

Got my box today and installed it with little difficulty, but did have to call ITVN to find out that I had to turn off the box, turn it back on, and set up a PIN for access! This was part of the latest software patch, so it was not documented.

As for the channel, so far, so good. I have a very good broadband connection so I was able to max out the bitrate on the box. The PQ is pretty good considering that I am watching an SD signal on a 34" HDTV. I would say it's a little softer than an SD channel on DISH, such as Fox Soccer Channel. However, I am really digging Setanta and their presentation of the EPL games (saw a bit of today's Tottenham-Sheff Utd. game and a replay of the ManU-Fulham game). I am looking forward to catching tomorrow's replay of ManU's game, so I'll have a full 90 to take in the channel.

The audio is very good quality--Dolby Pro Logic using the digital coax output. The sound is noticeably better than what FSC provides.

I do hope that the PQ will improve over time, though.

My setup is AT&T Elite DSL service with a 50' ethernet cable running from my D-Link router to the ITVN box in the living room, which is connected via component cables and digital coax to my Toshiba 34" HDTV CRT and a Pioneer 5.1 surround system. The next step is to run the ethernet cable under the house.

Thanks for spreading the word about ITVN and Setanta; I'd be sad to miss out on so many excellent games this season.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Great review, do you have access to any of the other services on that receiver or only Setanta?

 

[jokeworm]

Well - its here ...

Took out of box ... connected to router (Linksys wrt54g) ... to tv via s-video ... plugged in - everything connected/synched right away - 1st thing i had to do was update the box to latest software .. then reboot (press power on remote) ... when box came back up.. launched the setanta stream - started playing right away .. at low quality (default .. 3-400 Kbps?).

Bumped up to middle quality stream (700Kbps?)and had small buffer problems - increased to high speed stream (1100Kbps?) and so far constant buffers and a couple of times am kicked out back to menu.

Setup Port Forwarding on my router for port 554 ... (Hoping that's what i had read in the forums) Checked speed tests from speakeasy showed 11500 kb/s download speed .. and 968 kb/s upload speed .. so the bandwidth is certainly there ...

Still buffering ... decided to call tech support to see if they can walk me through troubleshooting to get higher quality streams online ...

Called tech support .. answered on the first ring (after navigating through the menu) by an English speaking rep .. which is always nice

Ryan (the tech) asked me to configure my router for port triggering.

(I had thought I had already done this - but realised that I had actually setup port forwarding - not port triggering - Doh ! )

Setup port triggering for port 554 ... recycled modem - then router - then ITVN box ... launched setanta sports and noticed buffering count was MUCH faster on the lower speed .. increased speed to maximum and am now streaming nicely at 1100Kbps with no buffer at all in the past 5 mins.

Quality to me looks to be pretty much as good as Fox Soccer Channel on the still studio shots on my older 53" projection Sony TV ... I would say slightly lower quality than Fox Soccer Channel when watching fast moving action (tested on my 27" LCD computer monitor and looked much better quality.)

Count me as a big thumbs up for quality and service so far.

Anyone considering making the jump ... if you have a half decent Internet connection ... and if you don't want to wait for Dish to pull their finger out or signup for globecast or directv ... I would say go for it - you get a 30 day trial to test it out ... if it does not work - send it back ... what have you got to loose ?

Will post pics to compare quality if there is demand ?

(Have not checked any of the other services yet ... will post back if/when I do)

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am happy to hear these reports. I have been a big fan of ITVN since I first got XTV about a year ago. While they have some issues with programming over the year the quality and technology always amazed me.

I did not want to write a review of it here because I did not want to sound like a huge ad for ITVN, I am just AMAZED by the technology and how good it really looks, I have said it before and will say it again, this is the future of television!

 

[twd3lr]

Great review, do you have access to any of the other services on that receiver or only Setanta?

I only have Setanta, Scott.

I watched tonight's replay of the Man Utd-Charlton game and was very pleased. The PQ isn't quite up to snuff, but again, I expect that to get better over time. I'm just glad that I am not experiencing any of the buffering problems that other folks seem to be having.

Oh, and this is the odd part of all of this. Normally I do not stretch SD programming, but for Setanta I have found the experience more enjoyable when I change the picture size to "Full" on my Toshiba HDTV; that is the same setting that is recommend for 16:9 sources. Anyone have any similar experiences or ideas as to what is going on with this?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for recording options for ITVN? I'm bummed that I will miss a lot of weekday games.

 

[nlk10010]

I am looking for some reviews of Sentanta sports on ITVN.

If you just got ITVN to watch Sentanta Sports please check in and let us know your feelings about it.

I look forward to your reviews!

I've been using it, I believe, for two weeks tomorrow.

If I didn't want Setanta so much, I probably would have sent it back already.

But that's just me. If you have a high-speed Internet connection (which I do) AND that connection has the right properties (which apparently mine doesn't), you can stream at 1000kbps and it's not bad (especially compared to, say, GolTV on E*). If you have a lower speed connection or a high-speed with the wrong properties then the most you'll get is 750kbps. Not quite watchable for me.

ITVN Tech support tries to help but really some things are out of their control and some things are out of the users' control as well.

I would suggest to anyone that wants Setanta to try it (as long as you get the 30-day money-back) and see for themselves. Don't assume because you have a great hi-speed connection it will work for you, try it out. It's definitely worth it, because without ITVN those of us on E* who want Setanta would have only two options: (D* and Globecast) neither of which for many of us will be viable.

=NLK=

 

[spozzie]

Setanta on ITVN

Hi

good to read the reviews as I am interested in getting the ITVN setup but I wanted to make sure that it was the same feed as Directv and not the reduced Setanta Broadband service.

Can someone confirm?

 

[charper1]

I have no 1st hand info with Setanta but............

FAQ

Q: Will ITVN be offering Setatanta USA or Setanta Broadband?
# posted by Lew : 9:52 PM

A: its setanta usa

 

[jokeworm]

yup - its the same as the D* feed ... however Setanta extra is not yet available via ITVN.

 

[spozzie]

Thanks

Cheers for the prompt replies and I will get the ITVN package thru the link.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hi

good to read the reviews as I am interested in getting the ITVN setup but I wanted to make sure that it was the same feed as Directv and not the reduced Setanta Broadband service.

Can someone confirm?

Same feed as DirecTV.

 

[ethen]

Hooked Up Service Yesterday

Signed up through the link the other day. Recieved the box yesterday. I too was able to hook it up with no problems.

I have had no buffering issue's as of yet. Picture can be a little rough when there is a fast paced action. I am runnung at the top speed through a cable modem. I am hooked up with the Basic wiring. I plan on trying the component wires this weekend to see if it helps with the picture.

Overall I am satisfied with being able to get Setanta.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have had no buffering issue's as of yet. Picture can be a little rough when there is a fast paced action.

I think they are pulling the feed from Globecast on IA5, as I have noticed the same before however it was being sent that way over the satellite!

That one may not be a ITVN issue, but then again it could be, I don't know how they are receiving it.

And I have heard some buzz that they are working on getting the Setanta Extra channel. Don't know more then that though.

 

[RedAce]

Even though i do not have ITVN,,, I do have overseaTV and i have found that by using S cable the picture quality did improve. Even tough it's not HD i am still very happy with it and feel that in time that they will be able to improve the PQ.

But all in all it's really pretty good and so far am am very happy wit it.

 

[Sythe]

Ok so here goes, a quick review of the ITVN product.

I placed my order with the ITVN website on August 25th and received it today, September 7th. I'm not impressed with the time it took to get to me, especially because they took my order on the 25th yet they didnt ship the package until August 29th - 4 days before they shipped the product!!!

So for shipping, ITVN get a low score.

Now for the actual product:

The package itself: It has everything you would expect to find in a basic dvd player package: remote, RCA cables, stb, power pack and also it has an ethernet package. One item that it did not have, was a set of batteries, even though the ITVN website says that batteries are included.

Setup was simple. Put that wire there, and put that one there. It couldnt be easier to do, very simple.

The remote: This is possibly the worst remote ever made in history. There is about a 2 second delay from when you push power to when the stb actually powers up. Until you know this, you will probably turn the stb on and off and on and off with your power button pushing!!! But seriously, the remote sucks ass.

I purchased the Setanta Sports package, for $14.95 a month, pretty much on blind faith as, if you take the time to really look at their website, they dont actually show you schedules anywhere.

I can confirm that the $15 package that ITVN offer, is offered by Setanta themselves via their website (but you need to output your pc to a tv to watch it on a tv) for $11.99 (The setanta Broadband channel has lots of recorded games that you can stream on demand - this product from ITVN doesnt have that, I think the feed is Setanta USA). I have a 51" widescreen tv, and when I was watching the Setanta channel, I had a significant amount of pixelation. I discovered I was on the lowest setting. I increased the video quality to the maximum, and I'm afraid to report that the image quality still sucks. It's not as bad as it was, but it is certainly not very good, not the "dvd quality" that was being touted. I connected my ITVN stb to my tv via component cables, for maximum quality available, and I have a 6meg internet connection capable of downloading at 720KB/sec.

Next up, I tried out the adult package. It is obvious that the ITVN people are definately competent here. Sign up to the $30/month package was so simple it was almost scary. Enter the last 4 digits of the credit card you used to sign up with, and boom! your done!

This time, the video quality WAS much better, and was certainly comparable to a dvd. So the question I'm left asking is... wtf is wrong with the setanta stream?! I tried the pornholio thing, but it said I couldnt view it, even though i was under the understanding that the $30/month subscription fee allowed me access to everything, except the ppv stuff.

My summary:

Good stuff:

easy to setup
easy to upgrade
provides content otherwise unavailable to me
good selection of porn
Porn streams were good quality.

Bad stuff:

Slow as hell shipping
unbelievably crappy remote
Setanta sports stream is $4 more than Directv, Globecast, Setanta Broadband
Setanta stream was not very good.

Conclusion:

I am going to keep it, because I really want the sports programming, but I am not as happy as I might be.... others may not be willing to keep an over-priced product such as this. I'm really quite dissapointed with the picture quality.

 

[jokeworm]

Just to clarify from the above post - the feed that you get is NOT the one that is available on the setanta website ... the website offers setanta broadband - this is NOT the broadband - but the full Setanta Sports Channel that is available on the other satellite services.

I agree about the remote though - it is probably the worst remote ever made. I can press a button and go and make a cup of tea before it registers on the box.


Full schedule for setanta can be found on the setanta website.

Strange you see so much pixelation though - have you tried an s-viedo connection - a few people have said they get a better image using s-video .. its certainly not dvd quality though .. i never remember anyone ever saying, touting or promising anything even approaching near dvd quality though ... where did you see that ? They stream!1100Kbps maximum - you are never going to get anywhere close to dvd quality at that speed.

The fast moving live action does not lead itself well to the lower bandwidth streaming - but in all honesty - on my 51" TV it is almost impossible to notice much difference between fsc on Dish and setanta on ITVN.

They are only going to get better - as Internet connections get faster and bandwidth gets cheaper - the streams can only get faster/better .. I'm just happy i no longer have to spend a fortune or wait around waiting for someone else to provide the programming that i want NOW .. ITVN provided a service that i could not get elsewhere - or that would cost me several hundred dollars to get elsewhere ... and that's gotta be worth something

Do try s-video though ...

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

This time, the video quality WAS much better, and was certainly comparable to a dvd. So the question I'm left asking is... wtf is wrong with the setanta stream?!

I think that the feed they are getting is from Globecast. as I have looked at them side by side, and even the pixelation problem I saw on Globecast was also seen on ITVN a few second later.

Also as of this month the price for Setanta is the same as DirecTV (direcTV is raising the price)

 

[shonil]

ITVN does not work for me

I am on a campus internet service. We have 100 mbps connection, however,
once I boot ITVN and go to launch it says "web page unavailable."

it recongnized my internet and network. I connected directly into my wall outlet without a router. Does this mean I am being blocked or can I get round this?

please helo me, this is the only chance I have to watch the premiership.