From the CNet article.
The good:
- Excellent sound and vision, esp. in HD
- Exhaustive list of outputs
- Easy to use
- Stylish
- More functionality to come
- Most cable customers get all HD FTA channels
- HD on demand
The bad:
- Only five exclusive HD channels at launch
- Pricier than iQ
- Can get noisy
- Some initial bugs left to iron out
The bottomline:
The Foxtel iQ2 is one of the best upgrades currently available for people who’ve invested in a HD panel, and it will only get better.
Editors’ rating:
Users’ rating:
6.7/10
Connectivity is one of the strongest points about the new iQ2, with an unparalleled number of ports for features present and future. One of the most "exciting", if we can call it that, is the provision of an eSATA port (front-mounted, unfortunately) and two USB. What this means is that not only will you be able to theoretically expand the amount of on-board storage without opening your case, but Foxtel has strongly hinted that you’ll be able to move recordings onto other devices. We tested the two ports and unfortunately they’re not recognised by the Foxtel unit yet.
The Foxtel iQ2 features a 320GB hard drive for program storage, four tuners (of which only three are currently in use), and plenty of connectivity options including HDMI (version 1.2), component, SCART, and both forms of digital optical.
While unused at present, Foxtel says it plans to utilise the on-board Ethernet port to deliver "low bit rate, low contention video" (library movies and TV series) sometime in the future. What they mean is you will be able to download On Demand content via the internet — at present it fits down the same, slow pipe. For users of Bigpond this would likely not count towards your monthly download quota. We can’t vouch for customers on other ISPs, though.
Despite featuring twice the storage capacity of the original iQ, the greater storage needs of HD means it can only store half the amount of HD programming — or about 30 hours total. Some of the hard drive is also given over to storing On Demand movies, so the provision of expandability in the future will be a bonus.
As we revealed last month, Foxtel has announced the iQ2 pricing: it’s AU$200 for the install, plus AU$10 for the box per month, and then the five channels are even more again. The average package will add between AU$20 and AU$25 a month to your existing package. On Demand movies will be available at launch for AU$6.95 each. Up-to-date pricing is currently available here.
Performance
Initial testing on an LG Scarlet 42-inch was very positive. When fed an HDMI signal from the iQ2, both standard-definition channels and the handful of high-definition channels, looked fantastic. But it’s the few dedicated channels that are the stars here, and watching documentaries in full-HD with 5.1 sound is revelatory. A documentary on deep-sea creatures was given an eerie menace thanks to the creepy underwater sounds emanating from the rear channels.While the experience is similar to what has gone before, the interface has had a brush-up, and is now a friendly Foxtel orange and white. Navigating menus is also a straightforward affair, and there are some powerful options available from the Setup — including the ability to adjust the audio delay to compensate for lip-synch issues on some TVs.
Conclusion
If you already own iQ and have a high-def tuner inside your television set, you may find very little to convince you to upgrade to HD. On the other hand, we see that On Demand is a glimpse of the future and feel that video shop owners should start considering selling antique furniture or something instead.If you have a flat-panel TV, and want the best "quality" broadcast material available then unquestionably this is Foxtel’s HD+. To paraphrase Springsteen, there may be only five channels and nothing (much) on, but the potential is enormous. We can’t wait.
