IPTV -- so far, 90 % f**ked

When you beta test something, obviously there us a curve of testers ranging from those whose experience is excellent to those whose experience is a catastrophe. At this stage of the game, perhaps those who uncover a clusterfuck may well be of more value than those, for whom all goes as expected. In my case I believe whatever is wrong, in the sense of bizarrely fucked up is individual to my connection.

I have Lattelecom's test mode IPTV hooked up on their new DSL modem connected to a Ruckus wireless IPTV setup (too much trouble dragging Ethernet cables through my kitchen and across the hall, so Lattelecom lent me their test equipment). After trial and error and some help from Lattelecom, I got the Ruckus connection to work and the IPTV menus actually showed up on my screen. But then

so here is the GOOD FUCKING NEWS...

the only thing that worked was video on demand. I actually started watching one of the test films and it looked great, 16:9 image, just like playing a DVD and I could wind it back and forth, stop it just like a DVD or video. If this works and looks this good for everyone, it will be a killer app for Lattelecom's IPTV. You can forget buying even a cheapo LVL 25 DVD player made by yaks on some Chinese steppe. Excellent -- at least the one time I tried it and didn't watch the whole movie because it was late -- I only disconnect the normal WiFi and do these experiments when everyone else has gone to bed and no one wants to watch "regular" TV.

AND THE F**KED UP PART...

Check this video.



I shot this on my Nokia N-80, ghastly quality. The problem is most likely with my particular DSL connection. The multicast simply doesn't work. Kind Kristine of Lattelecom said to wait and the picture might pop up. It hasn't over the past 30 minutes, so it never will.

Nice try. Maybe it will get fixed, maybe not...
I certainly hope it works for most customers when this is commercially launched at the end of the month or whenever.
What upsets me most is that my DSL internet works only via a direct ethernet to my desktop computer. I plug the same m-f**king cable into a DLink DI-524 and even though I get onto thw WiFi network, I got no internet connection. The IP-non-TV runs nicely over the Ruckus gadgets. This is as f**ked up as it gets...