BT Multicast Preview Channel URL

DSwan

Evening all,

It’s been a while since I’ve had BT TV but I’m looking at coming back for the Now multicast integration. 

Since last time I’ve upgraded my network setup, so before I pull the trigger or start playing with settings, I want to check multicast is working correctly. 

The BT multicast preview channel url knocking around online looks to have changed and I can’t find any details of the current one.

The last one was;

rtp://234.81.130.4:5802

Does anyone know (or mind snooping through Wireshark) what the current url is?

Thanks so much,

D

DSwan

Anyone?

Stevef_fr8ys

A google search produces nothing except your same query on the BT forum, which will probably be the best place to receive an answer as its BT specific, not necessarily YouView specific.

As for Now integration, some here feel it is a USP with a high lock in cost.

DSwan

Yup, it absolutely is. 

Now market themselves as a month-to-month service - the deal with BT turns that on it’s head. Yes, you can swap packages every 30 days, but there isn’t a lot of options switch too. I think I’d rather have them charge a nominal fee for using the YouView box than the current options. 

I think the fact there hasn’t been an update of the test multicast url shows the drop off of interest in YouView as a whole, (hence hedging bets by posting the question in both places).

I think I’m just going to pick up one of the mini boxes on eBay and find the link myself.

Roy

DSwan said:

Yup, it absolutely is. 

Now market themselves as a month-to-month service - the deal with BT turns that on it’s head. Yes, you can swap packages every 30 days, but there isn’t a lot of options switch too. I think I’d rather have them charge a nominal fee for using the YouView box than the current options. 

I think the fact there hasn’t been an update of the test multicast url shows the drop off of interest in YouView as a whole, (hence hedging bets by posting the question in both places).

I think I’m just going to pick up one of the mini boxes on eBay and find the link myself.

@DSwan

The key point is that nobody need pay full price for Now direct from Now; as soon as you have paid the first month, you start the cancellation process, get an automatic retention offer at a discounted rate, and exit without cancelling.

And quite apart from that, Now are always making offers for direct users, especially on Sport, so the nominal £33 can fall to £20 or even lower.

So the high lock-in cost that @Stevef_fr8ys mentions is not just a lack of flexibility, it’s a financial cost also.

As for the multicast URL, the internet seems to be full of people tying themselves in knots over something that ought to work completely transparently, and does, for tens of thousands of BT TV users. 

But you have a home network so complicated that you are worried that the multicast won’t get through, or will go down lots of pathways it shouldn’t, and clag things up?

No way do BT want the idea getting out that this is something that ordinary users will ever have to get involved with.

As regards any drop-off of interest in YouView, this needs to be contrasted with BT just having introduced a whole new flagship YouView box.

And also with YouView use being so seamless that users often don’t think to mention the box. I wish I had a quid for everyone who used to tip up on the Now Community and say they couldn’t get Now Entertainment ‘on their TV’, and where you had to tease out the YouView box in the equation which was where the issue actually was.

kodikid

Re flagship youview box.

Can't be many flagship products where the supplier actually appears to be embarrassed by said product and never mentions it or refers to it.
Look at the manual or anywhere else and it's as if youview doesn't exist. 

Really get the feeling with BT using youview it's despite of and not because of.

redchiz

BT's USP is that you can record NOW TV channels if you subscribe via them. And you pay through the nose for it. 

kodikid

redchiz said:

BT's USP is that you can record NOW TV channels if you subscribe via them. And you pay through the nose for it. 

That's why I just don't get the point of Sky glass...as the recordable aspect has been removed. 
Surely a decent 4k set and a roku stick is not only way way cheaper but probably just as good... maybe better. 

redchiz

@kodikid Not if you want all the Sky channels, NOW is limited to an extent on the Entertainment side.