Vodafone enters the TV market with launch Internet TV Center, a computer that meets DVB-T tuner, mediacenter and access to online services, including VOD, but not movie rentals.
Vodafone Internet TV is based on a DVB-T tuner manufactured by Wyplay who also sells brand equipment and supplies to other firms, as Conceptronic, Zoltar, etc. The main difference from Vodafone is that the preferred operator has cut costs, regardless of internal hard disk using these models, and lacks any type of storage. You can use timeshifting function, stop and ‘rewind” a live program, we need to connect an external USB memory or disk. The other big change is a new redesigned interface and better performance.
In view of problems users have had Wyplay devices choice and it is not very successful. This is a good hardware, but their software (at least so far) has been neglected by the manufacturer, with numerous errors that are not finished editing, while updates are delayed for months (over a year and several postponements from the last one) without ever published. It is hoped that support from operators such as Vodafone, and RFS, in France, change this situation and the companies devote more resources to refine the product. For the moment the team that provides Vodafone has a new software and it is very intuitive and seems to work better, although the responses to clicks on the remote control still have the same delay characteristic of the previous model, and in the few days that I tested not encounter any unexpected behavior.
Vodafone internet TV Center with DVB-T tuner emission supports up to 1080p high definition and premium channels with a CI slot that is in the back. The introductory offer includes free CAM board for Gol TV and AXN with service until 31 May. You can connect to TV or through HDMI, or by connecting analog composite or component video.
Although it can also act as a recorder, it has two drawbacks: firstly, that the absence of storage forced to have connected a external USB disk, Which has to be at least 16 GB to activate the functions of recording and timeshifting. The recording is done at a rate of 2 GB per hour, so with smaller memory will have allowed for 8 hours of video. In addition, connecting a great capacity disc is a long delay until he acknowledges that reaches several minutes with a disc of 640 GB.
Moreover, the device just a tuner So that you can only record what you’re seeing it, and whether a scheduled recording is activated automatically change the channel. The second function is multimedia conductor; it has the classical functions to photos, music and videos that can be played from one of its two USB ports, or from another computer that is on the local network. To connect to the network has two options: an Ethernet port and a USB WiFi adapter that is included in the box.
At the time in which we connect, the Vodafone Internet TV Center recognized the computers on the network, was Mac or PC, and allowed us to easily access your shared files; it is compatible with uPnP and DLNA. However, suggests the uses of Vodafone Media Manager software on your PC, which is more than a servant Twonky. Through the network connection also allows access to online services that differentiate the product from Vodafone over a tuner market. These services are blocked for use only Vodafone ADSL (Hangs like a cell phone for use only with an operator) and consist of widgets and VOD.
Like we did when we were testing smartphone Samsung H1 with LiMo, we have to trust that over time new applications are developed for this platform, but we are unable to know beforehand which have accepted. In the case of H1, the time has not greatly improved their situation, hopefully not be so with Vodafone Internet TV.
In the TV section of the letter, the offer is not very wide. Aside from trailers, news, and summaries of matches, we only found a cartoon channel, three documentary channels (National Geographic, history and Bio) and three seasons of the Red Eagle Series Spanish TV. The other chains are conspicuous by their absence. Besides that the content are not always adapted to high definition, and it is common that we find an image in 4:3 surrounded by large black frames.
It misses not only that more series, informational, and all sorts of content from all the chains and, above all, the possibility of renting movies as possible, for example, Movistar Videoclub and Apple TV. It is normal that over time will increase but should be several options from the very day of its release, because otherwise the product becomes much interest to increase the supply, especially considering that more and more TVs to integrate similar services without accessories.
It would also welcome to have such a network access through a standard browser that lets you see any content on any page, without having to rely on someone to develop a widget to bear. This would build on the diversity of the Internet, rather than stay in a closed and limited to a few means that do not have to be of interest to all users.
Vodafone Internet TV is offered as an option for users. Vodafone ADSL Max speed (20 Mbps per € 24.9 per month) and Vodafone ADSL (6 mbps per € 19.9 / month). The first scheme is a free service, while in the second should add 5 € / month for TV service, which equals the price of the option of ADSL Max speed, and does not make sense. In both cases we must add 15 € / month line fee. The device itself will cost € 39, but you can get free calling discharged on Vodafone website. Considering its cost, it is a good choice for a mediacenter tuner DTT that can provide additional services so that functions more as an incentive to select the ADSL from Vodafone, which as a device with self-interest.
As mobile phones, the Internet TV Center is promotion team subjects to the stay for 18 months contract. If you cancel the contract before that time you will have to return the equipment, but after that period, the customer may keep it, preserving the mediacenter tuner functions, but losing access to the widgets and VOD, as both require the ADSL, and it is locked to work only on the Vodafone line.
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