IceTv in Voluntary Administarion

[Pursya]

The last line of the article(s) says it all.

The Skippa can not extract the television guide from the broadcast signal and is completely dependent on the IceTV guide, rendering it useless should the company fold

Even if we get the unit, and those who already have a unit, they are nothing but an electronic brick.
A very expensive brick, but a brick any way you look at it.

[juergen]

I haven't thought too much about it, but maybe there's a way to provide an alternative feed to PVRs dependent on IceTV, not just Skippa.

[gibster]

Agreed Ian,

I think its *reasonably* common knowledge that IceTV don't hold any stock themselves, i doubt everyone knows this but i think enough people do to know this is true. They take the order and the item is then dispatched directly from the importer, in this case UEC.

My Skippa was definitely sent to me from Altech, not IceTV. I know they do the same thing with Topfield and other brands too so they obviously leverage a deal with the importer for them to hold onto the stock.

Regardless of where the stock is however, it does not look likely that UEC will ever release the items when they have obviously not been paid for them. Why would they...and with $15k in the bank, its not likely they can ever be paid.

The whole thing is a mess, very sad situation, even worse if the guide goes too.

I'd hope that maybe UEC would contact all the customers that have units waiting and agree to send them out for a fee (cost).

Then, I'm sure someone could probably write new firmware to use the Freeview EPG data embedded in channel stream. Or  maybe IceTV Guide will continue.

I'd just like to get the one I paid for since I doubt I'm ever going to see my money again.

It's be interesting to know where $600,000.00 or so went to if now paying for the Skippas.

gib

[face44]

I never received this email and only found out from a friend at my work that new I had bought a SKIPPA and sent me the link to the news article. Not impressed. But feeling sorry for the employees

[gas667]

Other arrangements may be put in place to save IceTV, instead of finding a buyer for the company.

This line from the SMH article is interesting. At least for the ones who received their Skippas. Does it suggest that Icetv may go back to just the guide? And what then. I gather it will be a different company so we will have to pay for the guide again even though it was included in the price.

Unfortunately it's probably the best possible outcome.

I wonder how long Beyonwiz's $50 trade in offer will last?

[prl]

...
Then, I'm sure someone could probably write new firmware to use the Freeview EPG data embedded in channel stream. Or  maybe IceTV Guide will continue.
...

Hard to work out what you mean by "Freeview EPG".

If you mean the MHEG-5 Freeview EPG that was launched by Freeview, then that has a limited lifetime (finishes November 2017) and is DRM protected, so it can't be accessed without the appropriate keys from Freeview.

The Freeview Plus EPG isn't in the broadcast stream. It will continue, but it also appears to be tied up with DRM.

The EIT EPG data in the broadcast stream is really the only EPG that's freely available, but it lacks some useful metadata that's in the IceTV EPG, like reasonably reliable repeat markup.

[prl]

... I wonder how long Beyonwiz's $50 trade in offer will last?

https://beyonwiz.com.au/product-category/trade-in-deal/

It doesn't say. Just "limited time".

But they require you to return the PVR with its HDD. I suspect that if you have a SKIPPA and want to abandon it for a Beyonwiz you'd do better to pull the HDD out of the SKIPPA and use it in a barebones T2 with a third USB tuner. The T2 takes a 2.5" HDD, like the SKIPPA. The other models take a 3.5" HDD, so you'd need spacers to re-use the SKIPPA HDD in them.

I still think it's a bit too early to take action like that on the assumption that the IceTV EPG won't continue in some form.

[gas667]

I suspect that if you have a SKIPPA and want to abandon it for a Beyonwiz you'd do better to pull the HDD out of the SKIPPA and use it in a barebones T2 with a third USB tuner. The T2 takes a 2.5" HDD, like the SKIPPA. The other models take a 3.5" HDD, so you'd need spacers to re-use the SKIPPA HDD in them.

I still think it's a bit too early to take action like that on the assumption that the IceTV EPG won't continue in some form.

Actually I was thinking of my dead Tivo and 1TB drives are less than $100 but you are right in that the EPG may survive. The Beyonwiz doesn't seem to have series recording either.

Wait a bit and see what happens I suppose. Even though there may have been issues outside of Icetv's control I'm having trouble believing that they weren't responsible for this in some part and wonder what type of trust they will have if they just rebirth the Icetv EPG.

[warkus]

I'm certainly hoping the guide continues that's for sure...

Fingers crossed they sort something out for that at least... Skippa aside, as i don't really care too much about that, its still on test in my office and hasn't been put into mainstream use in the house, but i have several machines i use IceTV on...Really don't want to loose the guide.

[IanL-S]

I'd just like to get the one I paid for since I doubt I'm ever going to see my money again.

If you paid by credit card, ask for a charge back, if you use paypal use its facility for failed delivery.

If you paid by direct debit or debit card(?), then you are out of luck.

Ian

[chuck_2330]

Really very sad. I feel for Dave and all the staff at IceTV. I've subscribed to IceGuide since 2007 and had ordered a Skippa for my wife for her birthday, saying that I had a surprise for her. I'll have to come up with something else now!
Like others, I have initiated a Paypal dispute but have yet to escalate it to a claim. Should I wait or go straight to a claim?
There really is no chance of a buyout?

BTW, I never received an email and only found out about it in an article on SMH.

[prl]

... The Beyonwiz doesn't seem to have series recording either. ...

The DP series doesn't. The T series does, in the form of AutoTimers. They're quite flexible, but the broadcast EPG data is missing some useful features of the IceTV EPG, like reasonably reliable repeat flagging.

I'd still much rather use IceTV on the T series than AutoTimers, though.

[IanL-S]

I'm certainly hoping the guide continues that's for sure...

Fingers crossed they sort something out for that at least... Skippa aside, as i don't really care too much about that, its still on test in my office and hasn't been put into mainstream use in the house, but i have several machines i use IceTV on...Really don't want to loose the guide.

Same here Mark. I have 4 Toppys that use IceTV EPG and IceTV Interactive. I too have not been using the SKIPPA as my main device. I do hope that the IceTV EPG and IceTV Interactive continue in some form.

Ian

[SkippaBeat]

Guess the HDD will fit in my PS4?

[SkippaBeat]

Update:

TPH Insolvency says that the IceTV business continues to exist in its normal state for the time being, apart from the hold of shipping on Skippa boxes. With 10 staff and approximately 16,500 customers, IceTV has a long list of unsecured creditors to pay if it moves into insolvency. “The first steps are to keep the service going whilst we seek expressions of interest in the business. The service will continue as normal for the moment however that is subject to the prospects of finding a buyer in the immediate future.

“All orders for Skippa boxes have currently been put on hold given the uncertain future of the company. There is a hold on all supplies on new boxes and new subscribers. At this stage customers who have an outstanding order for the supply of a Skippa Box and suppliers are being considered as unsecured creditors. All creditors will be treated in accordance with the priorities legislated in the Corporations Act.

“We have not had an opportunity to investigate the basis for the company’s financial position or any specific aspect of it. We will be reporting more fully to creditors on this aspect once we have done our statutory review. The report will be released in approximately 5 weeks.”

Gizmodo has contacted IceTV’s CEO Heinz Herrmann, for comment. [IceTV]