Set Top Box question?????

[Inventor]

Foxtel IQ set top box

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I have a foxtel iq box that i own ($300 Later) but i no longer can afford the monthly charges, nor do i want to put up with adds & repeats. I was told quote; "maybe you may be able to flash the firmware to a non foxtel version and use it for something else?

go ask the guys over at Austech - Powered by vBulletin they have a satellite section over there and they have some very clever people frequenting the forums. "

I would like to use the unit to watch free to air TV & record etc.

Is this possible??

Maybe i should use my foxtel dish to get satellite Tv, any info would be great.

[checkitout]

Foxtel IQ set top box

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I have a foxtel iq box that i own ($300 Later) but i no longer can afford the monthly charges,

Hey Buddy -

What a co-incidence I was walking through my local shopping centre today and was bowled over by a Foxtel man tring to sell me this. I told the bugger I do not like Foxtel, and then I told him I use Optus Vision because it is cheaper (that made him cranky) however he continued to try and convince me to get an IQ box.

I was going to post in this forum today if getting one of these is worth it .. or a rip off.

BTW did you pay $300 to pay out the IQ box from a contract or what..

Did you cancel your Foxtel monthly service...

[allstarnz]

even though you pay the $300, the box still remains property of Foxtel as far as I understand, so is of no use for anything else. That's why I pay the monthly rental with my MySkyHDi box, no problems with a massive outlay (which is NZ$500 or so).

If you don't like the service, then unfortunately I'd suspect you'll have to cut your losses and move on.

[mtv]

even though you pay the $300, the box still remains property of Foxtel as far as I understand

Correct... the box is still the property of Foxtel... if you paid out a contract, all you did was adhere to the contract penalty for early termination and that you will now have no service and no on-going monthly fees, however, you do NOT own any of the Foxtel installation (eg: dish, LNB, cabling, decoder and smartcard).

[vk6hgr]

however, you do NOT own any of the Foxtel installation (eg: dish, LNB, cabling, decoder and smartcard).

Not quite true. The dish, LNB and cabling are yours after they're installed. 'tis in the contract.

[bambbbam]

Doesn't ownership depend on whether it is a self-install?

[crypto7]

From the current austar terms..
"9.2 Return of Equipment
Upon termination of this agreement for any reason, you are
required to return any Equipment (except the satellite dish,
dish mount and infrastructure cabling) in good repair to a
location advised by us within 7 days of termination or as
otherwise advised by us. If you fail to return the Equipment,
we may take legal proceedings to recover the Equipment or
charge you the Equipment replacement fee specified in the
Pricing Guide."

So for austar, I could not see any other comment about the dish, so will assume it now belongs to me. Its clear that if you DONT return the stb, but DO pay the replacement fee, then you now own the box.


from foxtel terms

There is no charge for the use of the Equipment
we own or Infrastructure
We or Telstra own the Equipment (other than the iQ Multiview)
and (unless you live in regional north Western Australia and have arranged and paid for the installation of the Infrastructure yourself) the Infrastructure (except for the satellite dish and the cabling from the satellite dish to the wall plate at your Address, which you own once we have installed it at your Address) or have a right to use it and give it to you to use. You have no property or ownership rights in the Equipment we own or Infrastructure unless this Agreement says otherwise. You must advise anyone that attempts to remove the Equipment we own or Infrastructure that does not belong to you.

and....

What happens if you don’t return the Equipment
If you do not return the Equipment which you are required to return to us, we will charge you an unrecovered equipment fee as set out in the Pricing Guide.
When the Equipment is received, we will remove the unrecovered equipment fee from your account and give you a receipt. You should retain this receipt for 12 months and, if we ask for it, provide it to us as proof that you returned the Equipment, otherwise we may charge you the unrecovered equipment fee as set out in the Pricing Guide

... to me foxtel reads that you will pay a unrecovered equipment fee but still expected to return the equipment.

[z80]

Good luck trying to do anything with an IQ1 or IQ2.

They are card-married and have to be reflashed...with firmware nowhere to be found.

[agarol]

Good luck trying to do anything with an IQ1 or IQ2.

They are card-married and have to be reflashed...with firmware nowhere to be found.

Well, not quite true.
You can install a jtag and change the box number so it will work with another card, and of course there is ONE image available - updates are being constantly sent on one of the PIDs. Not that is of any practical use of course

But I agree, there is no real use for the box.
ag

[Frank Drebin]

shame really because the new IQ and IQ2 boxes are pretty good with regard to features.

On another note, I did a small comparison with my Octagon 918 and a new IQ1 box. Picture quality through HDMI for the Octagon won hands down on a Pioneer plasma. SD through the octagon shat all over the IQ1 - HD i couldn't test obviously as the IQ1 would not display the channels.

[jmc96]

Good luck trying to do anything with an IQ1 or IQ2.

They are card-married and have to be reflashed...with firmware nowhere to be found.

Is the orange card married to the IQ2 box? The blue card will work in the Mediastar but not the orange.