IPTV review from Iskratelecom (and not only)

Good evening!

For some reason, on the hub, a review of only one IPTV provider.
I decided to review my provider - Iskratelecom . At the same time I’ll review the providers: Westcall-SPB, Butovo.com, Gars, Tel, WestCall-MSC.

So, what do all these providers have in common?

View Methods

1) On a TV using a set-top box.
2) On the computer using the ViewRight player.
3) Free on PC using VLC / IP-TV Player.

IPTV via set-top box

If you already have Internet from Iskratelecom and you have a router that supports Bridge, then you are in luck, you will not need any additional equipment, after a call to the company an engineer will come to you to install the console, activate it, and demonstrate the work.

If you do not have a router, you will have to purchase a switch, any uncontrollable one will do, the company offers D-link DES-1005D or ASUS GigaX 1005B.



When connected, the subscriber receives the Sagem iad85hd prefix, in rare cases, Amino 130 or ADB-3800W.

The fastest of them is Sagem. The slowest is ADB (it only works slowly with HD resolution).

It looks simple, quite modern, does not overheat in the process. When watching HD-video does not slow down at all, the menu responds quickly. The remote control does not stand out - it is simple, conveniently in the hand (unlike the Amino !! remote control).





We got the prefix, plugged it in, turn it on:



On the welcome screen (or channel 0) we see screenshots of popular TV channels, links to watching movie trailers.
Press “OK” on the remote control and get to the selected channel:



This is what the interface of the Iskra Middleware looks like. The current and next TV show is shown. The INFO button displays transmission information, the speaker button allows you to switch the soundtrack, if you have a choice, the pause button - you know what it does, and the REC button puts the transmission on record and allows you to watch it later. Servers always write programs, which allows you to turn on recording in the middle of watching a movie, and then watch it from the beginning.

Demonstration of nPVR (put a pause, remove the pause, rewind, go back now):



In the video catalog on demand, HD films prevail, which cannot but rejoice, the average price of a film is 70 rubles. After the purchase, you can watch an unlimited number of times for two days.



Of the additional services, we have weather, news, a reminder of the transfer, sorting of channels:





In the near future, plans to introduce such additional services as Yandex.Traffic, Twitter, Photos, while they are available only for test users, which I just am:

About speed

To use IPTV comfortably, the interface must immediately respond to keystrokes on the remote. I recorded a short video demonstrating the speed of Middleware.

View on computer

Download from the site IP-TV Player, install, launch ...
We are available for free viewing as many as 50 TV channels!



The program hooks up the program guide from the Internet and allows you to pause the channel, caching data to disk. If you don’t have a TV at home and don’t need paid channels like NTV Plus or National Geographic, then this is a great solution!

Of course, you can watch IPTV not only with a computer, but with the help of any device that can receive multicast.
For example, I sometimes watch on my phone under Android using the IPTV application .

Viewing on a computer through ViewRight

Unfortunately, I do not have this program, I will take a screenshot from the site:



Unlike a free player, we have the ability to watch all ~ 140 TV channels and buy VOD (who needs it on the computer? :)).

When I used it, it seemed to me slowed down, the TV channels slowly switched. It’s hard to install (you need to change the security settings in IE, configure the firewall). But it costs a lot of money - 1000 rubles.

Summary

+ A large number of channels, including HD.
+ A decent selection of films in the catalog.
+ nPVR: you can pause the channel, rewind, record the program.
+ Program guide on all channels (almost on all, for example, there is no program on advertising channels).
+ The prefix does not overheat, shows the time :)
+ A large number of free channels.

“You may have to install a switch.”
- Another remote control, inconvenient to use, glad that the sound can be switched from the remote control console.
- One prefix - one TV.

Oh, I forgot to talk about Westcall-SPB, Butovo.com, Garstelecom, Tel, WestCall-MSC. I tell you: they have the same thing, these companies are partners and take TV from Iskra.

The picture at the beginning is part of the profile selection screen.