autoskip pricing

[Leon K]

Hey Vortical,

Lucky to have grabbed one of the first 1000 Skippas so no subscriptions on that box, but any subsequent purchases will be subject to the pricing at that point in time. The subscriptions for the Skippa are linked to each individual device and are independent of one another.

[qf8]

Leon

Can you please clarify the subscriptions.Is there two subscriptions needed?
1. Icetv EPG
2. Autoskip.
What is the price for each substription per year?
If you purchased in the first 1000 box pre order how long will each of the two subscriptions be free for?

[grahford]

I'm going to admit I'm still confused by the subscription prices.  Everything I've seen looks pretty clear, but at the same time can kind of been seen to be saying something else depending on the scenario, (first 1000, next 500, regular), and where I read the news, (email, forum, website).

As a long time IceTV subscriber I'm used to the idea of paying for regular subscriptions.  I'm just totally confused by where this device fits into your ecosystem after all the 'no annual fees', lifetime vs 5 year, first 1000, next 500, and now autoskip suddenly being a paid service?

If I've bought one of the first 1000 Skippas.  And I look after it so it's still running in 6 years time.  And it's the only device I own connected to IceTV. 
At what point do I need to to get a new icetv subscription? 
At what point do I need to get an autoskip subscription?

edit: Heh.  While I was typing, qf8 asked the same question in a much shorter format :)

[Biznitch]

I was one of the "lucky" ones to pre-order within the first 1,000 SKIPPA units and whilst I am still very much looking forward to receiving my device around the end of July/start of August I was absolutely shocked to hear that the ad-skipping functionality of the SKIPPA for those units purchased from now on will be subscription based after the first year.
The timing of the additional subscription announcement is suspicious which begs the question that perhaps the sales of the unit are not doing as well as was originally forecast and therefore they needed to tack on another fee to make the costs involved in producing the software and hardware for the units more viable.
From a business perspective I completely understand this however from a consumer point of view it comes across as a deceptive. Also I think further proof that IceTV's original intention was not to have the ad-skipping technology as a paid subscription is simply the name of the device, "SKIPPA". It is kind of a hard sell for a device called "SKIPPA" to say after the first 12 months this device actually will not do what the name suggests unless an additional subscription is purchased and maintained yearly.
As I have already invested in the device I hope the SKIPPA is just a late bloomer and will sells like hot cakes once word of the quality and functionality of the unit gets out after August.
Obviously a device with a larger customer base will enable IceTV to provide frequent updates and ongoing support. However in order for this to happen I strongly believe charging customers an annual fee to actually make use of the ad-skipping technology should be scrapped and perhaps should be absorbed into the initial unit cost or IceTV subscription in general.
I sincerely wish IceTV all the best in the sales with their "SKIPPA" which is why I have expressed my concern in this post because I understand if the sales are poor then I fear my experience with the device will also suffer.

[Leon K]

Leon

Can you please clarify the subscriptions.Is there two subscriptions needed?
1. Icetv EPG
2. Autoskip.
What is the price for each substription per year?
If you purchased in the first 1000 box pre order how long will each of the two subscriptions be free for?

For all Skippas sold so far and including up to the first 1,500 units, the regular IceTV Subscription will never expire, not even after 5 years. It is forever.

For the first 1,000 units, the same goes for AutoSkip - it will work forever.

For units 1,001 thru to 1,500 (our 2nd offer released on Friday June 20th) AutoSkip has a 1-year subscription bundled in free. Then it costs $39 per annum. There are also monthly and lifetime subs. Pricing is to be confirmed for these two subs.

Onwards is up to us and like every other vendor, our pricing will change over time.

[csutak40]

Hey Guys,

The Skippa has built in 5 Year / Lifetime subscriptions so you will be able to continue to use all the features of IceTV's smart recording and custom EPG with or without the Auto-Skip subscription.

So, whereas previously we were told that, for the Skippa, "lifetime" means just that, not 5 years "No subscriptions, ever", that too has now been changed?

The Auto-Skip works great, but if you feel you wish to do without it you can disable it on the device and switch back to using only manual chase-play.

So, to be clear.  If I purchase a Skippa when it goes on sale for $599, I  will have to disable one of its core (and highly advertised) functions, unless I cough up  another $39 p/a?
Can you please point me to the part when it was mentioned in the original ad, (or even the current ad, that starts with "NO MORE ADS") that the fabulous "AutoSkip" is an optional extra?

[Leon K]

Hi csutak40,

Please note that the Skippas advertised are both Pre-Order specials.

As per my post above - The Skippa that has been advertised, ie. the first 1,000, has come with eternal subscriptions. Both IceTV and AutoSkip.

The presently advertised Skippa, ie. units 1,001-1,500 comes with an eternal IceTV sub and a 1-year bundled AutoSkip sub.

Regarding any future offers, as noted, we are like every other vendor, and our pricing is subject to change over time.

So, whereas previously we were told that, for the Skippa, "lifetime" means just that, not 5 years "No subscriptions, ever", that too has now been changed?

No it hasn't changed - I have updated my previous post, this post is now current.

[qf8]

Thanks Leon

Its all very clear now. :)

[Rat]

Wow.......that didn't go well. ...

I really can't see many people paying $599 for a PVR and then paying an annual subscription fee to skip ads. They seem to not be listening to all the posts were people are underwhelmed by auto ad skipping and consider it a non essential feature.

The general public might think differently, but I doubt it.

Anyway it does show that they are confident that the feature works well. So I hope people do pick it up so that I can continue to enjoy it for free.

Bring on the bug reporting threads :)

[snuke]

As per my post above - The Skippa that has been advertised, ie. the first 1,000, has come with eternal subscriptions. Both IceTV and AutoSkip.

No, no it wasn't and this is what is off putting to everyone. The first lot of emails, press details and your website mentioned NOTHING of a sub fee for AutoSkip. Not once did it mention that the first 1,000 had an eternal sub to AutoSkip. A Sub to AutoSkip has never ben mentioned until the email and website update for this second round of 500 units. Please do not make such mis-leading comments, they are outright wrong.

Regarding any future offers, as noted, we are like every other vendor, and our pricing is subject to change over time.

It is your right to change pricing over time, but so far ICE TV has mis-lead consumers as to what to expect the cost of owning this unit is. I believe this is what is commonly referred to as false advertising. Not advertising a fee is the same as advertising the wrong fee. This is the type of crap that gets some consumers so pissy they file complaints with the ACCC. ICE need to rectify this and clarify the fee structure very clearly on their site to stop mis-leading consumers about what the cost of ownership is.

[csutak40]

As per my post above - The Skippa that has been advertised, ie. the first 1,000, has come with eternal subscriptions. Both IceTV and AutoSkip.

Sorry Leon, but I still say that it should have been mentioned from the  get-go that the AutoSkip will be an optional extra.  The only "subscription" ever mentioned until now was the IceTV subscription

And I still have to reiterate, that I don't see  how a product called "Skippa", that is being advertised (even now) as "No more ads" and "SKIPPA is the first TV recorder in Australia to feature AUTOMATIC ad-skip technology" can then turn around and (belatedly) add a small-print that all of that is optional extra.

In fact, looking at your current ad, the subscription still isn't mentioned, except for the mention of it on the pre-order bit "One year auto-skip included, value $39"   It then goes on to list all the features, the first of which is the AutoSkip, no mention of it being an optional extra.

It is like going to a steakhouse, reading the menu, where they gush about how they have the best steak in town, ordering steak and chips and receiving a plate of chips, no steak. When complaining, get told that it is an optional extra, unless it was pre-ordered.  Having another look at the menu, getting out the magnifying glass, we discover that it does say that at the bottom of the menu in tiny print, however no one mentioned that when we were ordering our steak.

Would you think that was fair trading on part of the steak house?

[Rat]

No it's not like the steak analogy as there was no fine print. I get the feeling they didn't tell us earlier as they are making it up as they go, same goes for the RRP of the unit.

[qf8]

I dont think there is anything misleading.
If you have orded a unit under the first 1000 group youll get everything you paid for.
The offer for the next 500 units is clear.
You are only whinging now because you thought you would play it safe and wait.
Well No risk equals No reward.
If i were you id stop whinging and place an order before the price rises again.

[IanL-S]

Another thing to remember is that the Skippa will be as good as other PVRs for playback as it has customisable manual skip and, presumably fast-forward and fast-rewind.

To me the AutoSkipping is not of all that much importance.

Ian

[Rat]

For those who missed out I predict that Skippa with be on Special for $500 not long after general release and we have all the bugs worked out.

One thing I can't help but think about the auto ad skip is I hope it doesn't become too popular. If it does then the TV stations will probably fight back with scrolling ticker ads during the show and picture in picture ads during the show. Not that it would really bother me as I hardly watch any commercial station rubbish already.