Foxtel General Discussion

[Andrew]

I thought I'd start a thread for those of us who are Foxtel subscribers to post our thoughts and whatnot on the service and the latest lineups. Obviously, not all Foxtel discussion has to take place in this thread since we've got the NBA schedule and discussion thread over in NBA Talk and any show specific discussion is worthy of its own thread.

Anyway, I'd be interested to know what anyone else thinks about the current lineups on Foxtel. I for one think the current Comedy Channel lineup is about the weakest it's been since I got Foxtel back in September 2004. Obviously some shows get shuffled around between the channels and everything is given a chance in the better timeslots but the Comedy Channel's current primetime lineup isn't very appealing apart from a couple of shows.

It's not that they've gotten rid of a whole lot of shows I like, but the lineup they had even up to around six months ago (possibly a bit before that) was great for me if I felt like coming home from work and just watching TV for a couple of hours, especially when it came to flipping around during the ad breaks.

Still, can't say I'm inclined to get rid of it. As long as I can afford it, it stays for the NBA coverage and the fact that repeats on Foxtel are still usually superior to the wasteland of Reality TV that free-to-air has become.

[The X]

question about your Foxtel use....do you suspend your Foxtel account for 3 months every NBA off-season? I do, it costs only $5 per month (better than paying like $57 per month with nothing I want to watch)....I usually suspend it right after NBA Draft (so early/mid July to early/mid October)....

apart from sports channels (I have mostly for NBA, NCAA & A League), I tend to watch a lot of Fox8, Arena, TV1, that sort of stuff....I don't have comedy channels....I might actually re-subscribe to some of History channels & ones like that as they're usually a good watch & a good diversion....

one thing I don't have but I want to get is Foxtel IQ, so I can record the college games whilst I'm at work as they don't replay them like NBA games....unfortunately, I just can't justify the additional cost....

so yeah, this off-season I have to decide whether to add channels to Foxtel, upgrade to IQ or just get rid of it completely....

[Dan's Brain]

I probably have a rotation of a maximum of 5 or 6 channels: (Fox Sports 1-3, ESPN, Comedy Channel, Fox 8, Arena (occasionally), Fox Classics and the Sci-Fi Channel), so i cant really comment on it as a whole, but some more specific thoughts:

Fox Sports channels: For NBA games, AFL (when Essendon plays only - once a fortnight or 3 weeks)
ESPN: NBA games, and i'll channel surf to the NFL when it's on.
Comedy Channel: it's ok. I'm over the "now-later-even later-much later" gags. Time to move on. It's probably my most watched channel. I never miss early evening south park. Even though most of the time i'm sitting through my 7th or 8th viewings of most episodes. I like the short film festival (i entered a film this year)
Fox 8: Animation Domination = I'm glad to be working during the day now, because some of the daytime crap you seen on Fox 8 is abominable.
Arena: I'm watching less and less actually. A lot of my favourite Arena shows moved channels.
Fox Classics: For sitcoms like the Drew Carey Show and Spin City, and some of the movies as well are still great.
Sci-Fi Channel: Batman Returns was on the other day, which is probably why i thought of the Sci-Fi Channel. It doesnt get much of a run.

I will also occasionally watch Spongebob and some of the other Nick shows when i'm feeling nostalgic.

I also once spent 45 minutes watching the Weather Channel.

[J@3]

The Comedy Channel pisses me off, there's too much garbage on it, unfunny Australian sketch shows, old English shows etc. The only positives are the South Park/Beavis and Butthead/South Park afternoons and Kenny vs Spenny at night. I mostly watch CI, UKTV, Fox8, Comedy, Arena, Lifestyle sometimes, Fox Sports 1/2/3, ESPN... I get virtually every channel except the movie ones, one day I'll reduce my plan.

[Andrew]

question about your Foxtel use....do you suspend your Foxtel account for 3 months every NBA off-season? I do, it costs only $5 per month (better than paying like $57 per month with nothing I want to watch)....I usually suspend it right after NBA Draft (so early/mid July to early/mid October)....

I've yet to suspend it during those months, but only because there's other things I like to watch. The NBA was my main reason for getting it in the first place but there's other shows I enjoy so as I said, as long as I can afford it, it'll be on.

I'm over the "now-later-even later-much later" gags.

Tell me about it, though honestly I don't think they've ever had any bumpers/promos that were all that funny. They really should just leave the comedy to the shows themselves.

[Dan's Brain]

Something else that shits me

Is the new ringtone animal, the motherfucking pink rabbit. I throw the remote around whenever it comes on to the screen.

[Andrew]

I don't think there's been a ringtone ad that wasn't extremely annoying. I dd notice an ad the other day for the mobile version of NBA Live 08. The quality of the game aside, I can't imagine any basketball game would be particularly suitable for a mobile phone.

[Andrew]

I caught "Is it Real?" on the National Geographic channel yesterday, the topic of that particular episode being ghosts. I might give that one a look more often.

[Andrew]

I'm sick of the AFL promos they've been running. "I'm a pie with sauce!" has officially lost all meaning.

[Dan's Brain]

"I'm a pie with sauce!" has officially lost all meaning.

You wouldnt think that would be possible.

A couple of weeks ago, i saw snippets of a show on bio called Dead Famous, where they go around to all these places that dead celebrities "supposedly" went to during their lives.

I saw the Elvis episode, and they were at this random brewery in Memphis, which was completely rundown, and long since forgotten. And these ghost hunters were trying to talk to Elvis. They were hearing noises and getting generally creeped out, but they honestly believed that Elvis was there. Asking, if he was there, to give them a sign. Cue: loud crashing noise.

They also recorded this audio, which the naked ear supposedly can't hear. (They tried to explain it scientifically, i was lost) But they played it back, amplifying these inaudible "sound waves", and there was this ghostly voice saying "get help". They tried to sell the viewers on the idea that Elvis had spoken those words.

But the truly frightening thing about it was that the ghostly voice sounded eerily like one of the ghost hunters.

Damn near wet my pants.

[Andrew]

The power of suggestion, perhaps. They demonstrated that on the Hauntings episode of "Is it real?". The ghost hunters left a tape recorder in a supposedly haunted room and at some point in the recording there's a weird bit of static which at first sounds like nothing. Then it was played again after the narrator suggested the static could be interpreted as a ghostly voice saying "Help me", and on that second play through it did sound as though someone was saying "Help me". Then the narrator demonstrated how powerful suggestion could be by saying it could be someone saying "Fluffy" and on the third play through, that's what it sounded like.

[Andrew]

Anyone planning on getting Foxtel HD anytime soon? I'm mildly interested but like the IQ, I can't justify the cost at the moment.

[Dan's Brain]

Haha. Just noticed that you mentioned NBA Live 08 mobile a couple of months ago. I did actually get it.

It's actually very similar to Lakers vs Celtics, just with more teams, updated rosters and the ability to play a season.

As for Foxtel HD, I doubt it. Foxtel is as good as it needs to be for me at the moment.

My watching patterns will decrease rapidly after June 27th, and i also cant justify the additional expense. I do have IQ though, and I really, really like it.

[Andrew]

If ESPN HD's lineup was significantly different, ie contained a fair share of NBA on ESPN Classic, I'd be more tempted.

[The X]

If ESPN HD's lineup was significantly different, ie contained a fair share of NBA on ESPN Classic, I'd be more tempted.

true, I'd love the ESPN Classic channel....when I was in States, I watched more of that than the regular NBA & college games....was wierd to see that Kirk Hinrich seemed like a better player as a freshman at Kansas than he does now for Chicago....offensively that is, his shot seemed a lot silkier back then....

as for HD, like Andrew, I can't justify the cost, particularly with rising costs & inflation on everything else....

atm I have a love/hate relationship with Foxtel....I really have enjoyed the playoff coverage of the Conference Finals & NBA Finals, so I'm as always torn....

[Jackal]

Not totally related, but had no place to put it...

I'm glad I just "get" my games the day after to be honest, I tried the Playoffs on Dutch tv last year...but all they did was use ABC's coverage (plus commentry) and just put two Dutch guys' voice over's on them. I'm pretty sure one of the guys fell asleep during one game too. It just went quiet for a while...and the other guy started laughing non-stop...

Games show around 4-5 a.m. so it was the most logical explanation.

I <3 torrents + english commentators.

[Andrew]

atm I have a love/hate relationship with Foxtel....I really have enjoyed the playoff coverage of the Conference Finals & NBA Finals, so I'm as always torn....

Picking up both Conference Finals was the best thing they've done NBA-wise since going to four games per week in the regular season. I tend to think that the NBA coverage is always worth it as I'd rather some games than no games, plus I'm probably more enthusiastic about the other stuff on offer than you are.

[Dan's Brain]

Compared to the playoff "coverage" that we had last year as well...

[Andrew]

Yeah, that was extremely disappointing so this year is a huge improvement. I'm not too thrilled with some of the primetime blocks on the entertainment channels right now though.

[Andrew]

FOX8 is countering the Olympics with an animation marathon spanning the entire event, featuring The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, Futurama and King of the Hill. Looks like the other channels are sticking to their regular lineups for the most part.

[shadowgrin]

Fuck the Olympics, you got it made for now Andrew.

[Andrew]

No doubt, though I'll probably still catch some of the Olympics including whatever measly coverage of the basketball they throw our way.