Hands-on-Review: Bell FIBE IPTVMarket News Here's HowWritten by Christiane PersaudDecember 21, 2010Toronto, Ontario As an avid TV viewer, I was thoroughly excited to try out Bell's new FIBE IPTV service, the first provider IPTV service to be available in eastern Canada (Telus' Optik TV service is available in select areas of Western Canada and MTS Allstream's Ultimate TV service in Manitoba.) Is it worth switching over from traditional cable TV, or even satellite TV? For which kind of customers/locations is Bell FIBE IPTV ideal? And how well does it actually work? You'll find answers to all of those questions here. Summary The Pluses:

● Intuitive and quick menu system● Great picture quality and reliability with channels, on-demand content● Affordable packages● Subtle niceties, like faded content playing in background while you access menus;

thumbnail preview of channel in guide; movie covers displayed in on-demand menu● Great organization of recorded content● Can access and manage recordings through multiple receivers; only need one main

PVR● Can set to record 5, 10, 15 minutes overtime● Buttons for 30-second forward skip; 7 second backtrack● Future potential for Remote PVR, social networking integration, and others

The Minuses:

● Only available in select cities until 2011 and beyond● No early warning of limited storage space; percentage bar showing what's left● Can't record two HD shows and watch a third (but can watch SD)● Doesn't sense when a show is delayed and record over

Who Can Get Bell FIBE IPTV? First, it's worth noting that Bell's FIBE IPTV service is not yet widely available: only customers in select pockets of Toronto, ON and Montreal, QC can sign on. Additional areas will be rolled out next year; but some spots (Pickering, ON about 40 minutes east of downtown Toronto, for example) won't be able to get their hands on the service until 2012. The easiest way to find out if you can get Bell FIBE IPTV is to visit http://fibetv.bell.ca/en/signup/ and enter your home address.

Nevertheless IPTV, which delivers TV content using an Internet Protocol (IP) network through Microsoft Mediaroom technology, arguably represents the future of TV. Kevin Krull, (former) President of Residential Services, says he expects to make FIBE IPTV accessible to five-million households by 2015. How Does it Work?FIBE acts similarly to Bell's satellite TV service, or even traditional cable TV services. Connect the HD PVR, plus a series of HD receivers if you have more than one room in the home with a TV, and start watching. But you'll also need an Internet modem (provided with setup). And the set-top box connects to your traditional phone line, not to a cable line or satellite dish. This means you're accessing TV channels, movies, pay-per-view, and other on-demand content over an Internet-based network, and using Bell's fibre optic setup. Both standard definition and high definition channels are available. The HD PVR is $250 (or $20/mo. to rent it) and each additional HD receiver is $100, or $5/mo. rental.

The FIBE set up includes a main HD PVR (above), plus a Bell modem, connected to Bell's fibre optic network through a traditional phone line. Everything is controlled via a remote control; and additional HD receivers (not shown) can be placed throughout the home, all tapping into the main PVR wirelessly.

Once set-up, everything is organized in an intuitive menu system that can be best described as a cross between your traditional TV GUI and a service like TiVo. But IPTV affords several advantages over traditional TV services; and there are useful subtle differences. For example, while scrolling through the guide, you'll see a thumbnail of what's currently playing on the highlighted channel in the bottom, left corner of the screen, along with a scrolling list of details about the program (like episode summaries, and the date that episode originally aired.) Since the service is Internet-based, users will soon be able to tap into the PVR remotely from a computer or mobile phone via Bell's Remote PVR function that's already available through the Bell TV satellite service.

One of the subtle, but neat, features of FIBE is the ability to see a small thumbnail image of what's playing on a highlighted channel before you actually select it. PVR FunctionsThe Personal Video Recorder (PVR) is a truly intimate device. When used correctly for avid TV watchers, it serves as essentially your own personalized TV guide. Record all of the programs you like, or might be interested in, then sit down and watch them when the time is right for you. There's no more channel surfing, no worrying if "something's on," no worry about missing your favourite show, and the ability to fast forward through commercials and uninteresting bits to watch just what you want in a fraction of the time it would take without one. With the main FIBE PVR, you can record up to 100 hours of HD programming (250 hours of SD); and up to four SD shows at once (two HD while watching a third SD live.) The nice thing is that only one PVR is required for set-up: then, just purchase standard IPTV boxes for other rooms of the home, but still access the PVR functions anywhere to set, manage, or view recorded programming. Even pause a show in one room and pick up watching in another.

Using the on-screen keyboard and the remote's up/down, side/side buttons, you can search for any TV show, movie, network, etc. to see what's on, when, and set recordings accordingly, or tune in to the live broadcast. I instantly fell in love with the user interface of FIBE IPTV which, as noted, is reminiscent of the TiVo service. Scroll through live TV channels (it'll take some time getting used to the new channels; especially if you subscribe to one of the more robust packages; primetime HD channels start around the 1200s in Toronto), or simply use the on-screen keyboard to punch in the name of the program or movie you want to find; a method I found much easier. You can choose to watch that show live, or record it; or even record all new episodes of the series. One feature I appreciate is the chance to record 5, 10, 15 or more minutes over for those programs you know tend to surpass the specified time, like live sporting events or awards shows. Unfortunately, however, the system does not sense when a show was delayed, for a Presidential address, for example, and continue recording to catch it. For example, I missed several episodes of 60 Minutes and The Amazing Race because of football games that unexpectedly went into overtime. I did find a few limitations when setting the PVR to record "first-run only." If you select a second airing of a new episode, for example, the system will refuse to record it. The easy solution is to record all episodes to ensure you don't miss an important one. The great thing about this is that if a show moves from its regular time slot one week, the PVR will still locate the new episode and record it. While the system is supposed to show detailed information about shows up to two weeks in advance, accessed by pressing the fast forward and rewind buttons when in guide mode, detailed information isn't available for all programming.

The Experience At the beginning of my experience in mid-September, a few programs were freezing up (depending on the channel). But that issue seems to have subsided since; and it was never enough to really impede the viewing experience. (In fact, I've experienced more troubles in terms of dodgy service from my existing cable TV service!) Picture quality has been stellar, with clear, natural tones in everything from primetime TV shows, to on-demand flicks, and animated fare.

FIBE includes robust search options, such as the ability to find everything that a specific actor is in over the next while, or that a certain director is involved with. In the above case, a search for "Tim Allen" shows that you'll find him in the popular sitcom Home Improvement and in a Christmas movie this week. The FIBE IPTV user interface is made to not only be extremely intuitive, but also to be very quick, and to really utilize the power of the Web. Type in a search term (TV show name, or even actor) using an on-screen alphabetical keyboard (with an auto-complete function) on the left, then select the applicable result to the right, and view the information, or even immediately set a recording. The full cast list of a particular show or movie can be viewed; select an individual actor, and see what other movies or shows he might be in that week. I found that the full cast information wasn't always available for shows, but this information will probably become more widely available as the service is up and running for a good length of time. Searching through menus and scrolling through results was quicker and more responsive than I've seen with any other TV service. This will be especially important for the avid channel surfer; but even for those who want to quickly peruse through a selection of available flicks on-demand and not have to wait those terrible few seconds for each page to load.

When you're ready to play back recorded content is when the intuitive nature of the system really shines through. I had FIBE set up in my house just in time before I headed off to CEDIA EXPO, an industry trade show, in Atlanta, GA for a week, followed by a week of vacation time in Florida. Being the avid TV viewer that I am, and given that CEDIA coincidentally coincides with premiere week for some of the hottest primetime shows, I was ready to put the PVR to good use. I returned to a total of 48 recordings. Each was divided by the program name, with a number in parenthesis to the right of each indicating how many episodes of that show was recorded. Click on the show, and you'll see information about each episode, along with the date it was recorded. As I was catching up on shows, I watched the numbers increase for programs I had yet to get to. I quickly realized that I could let them continue to built up, wait until the end of a run, then view an entire season of a show at once. After all, the ample hard drive makes this possible. By the end of the week after my return, I had completely forgotten when each show was on and simply watched what I felt like when I came home. If you want to double check that your favourite shows are set to record, switch over to scheduled recordings to see a list of what's on tap to record over the next few days. One drawback: I wish there was an early notification (perhaps even by mobile phone!) to advise when the PVR is filling up. Exclamation marks appear beside programs advising that they'll be deleted soon if you don't free up space. But if you don't watch TV for a few days, and have tons of scheduled recordings, you might miss this altogether and lose some important content. One simple feature I found quite useful (and that's also available through Bell's satellite TV service) is a 30-second skip button that allows for jumping through commercial breaks with four or five quick button presses. A quick rewind button also flips back seven seconds at a time. The traditional rewind and fast forward buttons work quite seamlessly as well: when viewing anon-demand show through my traditional cable service, rewinding or fast forwarding will only go so fast; and the rate appears to be just two times real time.

Recordings are displayed by show rather than date, along with the number of episodes recorded of each program in parenthesis to the right of the title. For example, I have seven episodes of Modern Family recorded, and three of 60 Minutes. At the time this photo was taken, I had two episodes of Survivor: Nicaragua recorded, plus a third currently in process.

You can set individual shows to record, indicated with the single red dot, or an entire series, differentiated via three overlapping dots. Once the latter is selected, every new episode of the show will be recorded, regardless of the date and time it's on. You can also record 5, 10, or 15 minutes overtime for those programs that you know tend to run over.

We've already seen similar capabilities in services like TiVo, but there are a few added niceties in the FIBE experience that help to set the service apart. For example, while you're surfing around menus, the channel you're currently on continues to play in a faded out background. In the on-demand menu, a thumbnail cover and/or information about a film isn't only shown once it's selected: a library of DVD covers pop up from the get-go, versus a line-list of titles; much like you might see on a dedicated movie server. Additionally, there are quick-access buttons that recommend the "hot" shows and movies for those looking to get acquainted with new programming.

Not only is the on-demand menu quick to load and easy to navigate; it also displays a preview of the DVD cover without you having to click into the flick to get further details. ContentIn all, there are 100 HD channels, all offered along their standard definition counterparts at no additional charge. There are also 70 international channels in the line, and 20 "theme packs," plus more than 1,000 hours of on-demand content. Pricing starts from $27/mo. for basic service, which includes time-shifting capabilities; to $102/mo. for basic service, time shifting, 15 theme packs, and one premium move pack. Arguably the most enticing option includes the basic service plus time-shifting and seven theme packs for $62/mo. Bell is currently advertising one month of free service for new subscribers. Note, however, that you need to buy Internet access separately: you can't use the same connection to surf the ‘Net on your computer or latch onto WiFi via your smartphone.

Internet & BandwidthWhile technically you can log on to the Internet with the same modem provided by Bell for the IPTV service, this will require a separate subscription that can be bundled with the FIBE IPTV service. Combined packages start at $65.90/mo., which includes download speeds up to 6 Mbps, and 25 GB of usage.

Multiple episodes of a recorded show can be accessed under one link, in order of appearance, and including details of the episode, and when it was recorded, and when it originally aired.

The good news here is that your IPTV service does not count toward bandwidth, so you can watch all you want and not worry about surpassing the limit. For those who are avid TV watchers and Web surfers like me, the all-encompassing largest package Bell offers, which includes the premium $102/mo. FIBE IPTV package (basic SD and HD channels, time-shifting, 15 theme packs, and one premium movie pack) plus 75 GB of Internet surfing at up to 16 Mbps, would run approximately $153/mo. Future ServicesBell has plans for some enticing add-on features to FIBE.For example, you'll eventually be able to tap into a social networking profile, like Facebook or Twitter, or access a popular app, like The Weather Network or Flickr, and view information, updates, photos, etc. on the left hand side or bottom of the screen while continuing to watch TV in the main portion to the right. There will also be the ability to view a mobile phone call log on the bottom of the screen, much like a stock ticker; and even listen to mobile phone voice messages through the TV's speakers. Another feature that kids might not like so much is the ability for parents to map a cell phone's location and display it right on the TV.

You can view a detailed menu of what programs are set to record over the next week, by day or by a line list of programs. Who Should Get IPTV?While Krull is quick to confirm that IPTV will be supplementing Bell's satellite TV service, not replacing it, he declared at the Toronto launch in September that he feels IPTV is "the platform of the future of TV." He even called IPTV the latest major innovation in the evolution of TV, following right there after black and white, colour, and high-definition, and usurping 3D for the coveted spot."The IP foundation that this service is built on is what makes me the most excited," he enthused. "And it's part of the future of what we will do." ConclusionAccording to Krull, Bell expects to make its FIBE IPTV service accessible to five-million households by 2015. To date, the FIBE service is accessible to up to 500,000 households in Toronto and Montreal. Thus far, a company spokesperson tells me, the "vast majority" of subscribers have said they'd recommend the service to a friend or family member. The most popular reasons cited include "superior picture quality" the "whole-home PVR," and "simple navigation." I couldn't have said it better myself. I happily and confidently add myself to the list of people who would highly recommend FIBE IPTV. I've been using it for three months and counting, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. So much so, in fact, that I chose Bell FIBE IPTV as one of my top five Gear of the Year picks for the holiday issue of our sister magazine here's how! For original article, visit http://www.marketnews.ca/content/index/page?pid=8272