Has anyone used a website called thetelly.net to get British TV?

[chocchipcookie]

Is it any good and what is the picture quality like? I'm in the US.

[OverRated]

Tis all on Netflix (except the Rugby and Grand Designs

The telly.net does look good though...

[OverRated]

Except that I don't understand what you pay & what you get. It's all very confusing [dunce emoticon]

[ninedragons]

We use uknova.com. It only uploads stuff that is not going to be released on DVD (Grand Designs is ok, Spooks is not). To the best of my research it is completely legal. They only allow a set number of members at any given time so you will have to keep trying to join up until someone happens to drop out - I think it took us about a week of trying every day.

It's free but you'll need a pretty hefty broadband allowance (are plans are capped in the US? don't know). You just click on the programme you want and it generally downloads either straight away or overnight. Then you burn it onto DVD and watch it as normal.

You can also get a Slingbox. You'll need someone to plug it into their broadband socket at their place in the UK, and then you can watch UK television wherever you are in the world. I think it's real-time transmission.

[chocchipcookie]

What I like about the telly.net is that you get all the freeview channels and news. It's the picture quality I'm concerned about. What is the picture like on uknova, nine dragons?
Yep, I'm going to do the netflix two weeks trial, overrated and see what they have.
I was over in the UK last week and watched a really fabulous Ken Loach Channel 4 drama - I have no idea if they make that kind of one off drama into a DVD. So I am suffering withdrawal even though I don't have time to watch much at the moment. I'm thinking more about Thanksgiving/Chrsitmas/New Year.
I find BBC America patchy - lots of sci-fi which I don't like (though American hubby is now hooked on Dr. Who and Torchwood so it works for him). He also really loves Graham Norton...

[ninedragons]

The quality is perfect - just as good as broadcast TV.

[chocchipcookie]

Yes, they recommend using with a VCR.

[chocchipcookie]

I got an excellent all regions DVD from Amazon (which had reviews of all the all-regions). It was about $99.00 and plays US and UK brilliantly.

[ninedragons]

Yeah, the time difference is a pain. We're getting ours as a truly inspired breastfeeding present from the in-laws. I'm GMT +8 hours, which will mean middle-of-the-night feeds will fall smack in British prime time.

[chocchipcookie]

Lucky you! I'm in the US and I bought a collection of One Foot In The Grave and Prime Suspect to get me through the night feeds but ended up watching the Anna Nicole Smith case on Court TV... Now we're sleeping through the night but I would develop insomnia for live Brit TV.

[VickyA]

I thought if the slingbox is connected to a Sky+ box, you can control it remotely from wherever you are, so you could set stuff to record and then access your recordings and watch it at the right time for you. Not an expert, but that's what I understand from this slingmedia
Now, if someone'll volunteer to look after our cats and put my hubby's mind at rest, we might just be able to make use of this gadget on our on-off-on-oh for god's sake- Australia move...

[chocchipcookie]

Thanks, I'll have a look at that. Any idea of the pic quality?

[VickyA]

I think it depends on the speed of your internet connection at both ends - there's some techy-info here avforums thread about speeds. I guess you'd also need an uncapped broadband allowance - I'm not sure how hefty it would be, but would suppose pretty hefty, to get decent pic quality...
Hope this helps!

[ninedragons]

er, it may not be such a crash-hot idea for Australia. Someone will jump in and correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the only way to get uncapped broadband in Australia is to buy a very expensive corporate plan. Domestic broadband is rubbish - my husband pointed out that my parents' monthly allowance would be exceeded in 10 seconds in South Korea.

[sandyw1]

I am a "member" of thetelly.net and have beem for 3 or 4 months. When I first ran across it I was VERY sceptical. (I got transferred with hubby to Dubai.) Their demo didn't work well, my internet connection wasn't that great either. But after a few email with their support team, I decided to take the plunge and am now addicted to it. To me the cost is worth it. A "nerd" friend down the road told me about how I could get some of this for free but after how he (proudly) described the process - I don't have the time, technical skills nor desire to go searching. I just sit back and watch. And I get to catch up with my programmes on hubbys laptop when travelling like now. (He's in the shower!)
He's glad I did it, cause he watches Match of the Day; I watch Eastenders and other stuff.
Sandy

[chocchipcookie]

Thanks so much for posting, Sandy, I think you are the first person who has actually got it. What is the picture quality?

[sandyw1]

Hi chocchipcookie
It's been consistently great. I would say VHS quality or better which is FINE by me!!! Ours is plugged into a plasma screen and it is brilliant! We use their recorder and occasionally the picture gets "slow", maybe once every two weeks; I just use their webn site and turn the power on and off and it's back to normal. I've turned a few friends on to it. No idea how many have it but I doubt I am the first. As a member I have access to the private forum and there are several people hanging out there. Hubby was originally, well, not for it. Now he's pretending it was his idea!
Sandy

[chocchipcookie]

Thanks! I think I am going to get it this month. Will let you know how it goes.