MTSTV Multiview Channels - Olympics and "MyPicks"

[Dr.Dave]

I noticed MTS Ultimate TV just added the Multiview feature for the Olympics (Picture-In-Picture).

Channel 2010 Winter Sports Picks
Channel 2010 Winter Sports Picks Multicultural

Go to http://www.mts.ca/ultimatetv/ and click on "What's New" for details.

It looks like all the Olympic channels except for ATN (Asian TV) may be free until March 15, 2010.

I noticed it in my guide and checked to see if they had announced anything.

[tobe]

VERY cool!....thanks Dr!

[CoryB]

CTV, OMNI, TSN and APTN are already included with all MTS basic channel packages (ie classic or ultimate).

From the What's New section on the website it seems only the French language channels are included for free. If you do not already subscribe to the English language channels (Sportsnet and OLN) you would need to subscribe to the Sports Fan group (counts as two themes). Also keep in mind if you want the HD versions of the channels you will need to add in HD Sports if you do not already have it.

From the reports I have seen this should be sufficent for you to see all the Olympics you could want.

The only other tv channel with live Olypmics coverage is ATN which has the rights for coverage in several Asian languages. If you are interested in coverage in a language other than English or French I suggest you look into the coverage offered for yourself.

[SomeRandomGuy]

cool little channel, very similar to what AT&T launched earlier this year.

[Dr.Dave]

Correction to post #1:
Channel 2011 Winter Sports Picks Multicultural - sloppy with copy and paste

I don't subscribe to the Sports Fans theme, but I get all the Olympic channels except for ATN. I don't get any of the other Sports Fans channels like Speed or The Score.

Originally Posted by SomeRandomGuy

cool little channel, very similar to what AT&T launched earlier this year.

Multiview is a standard feature of Mediaroom. Still it's nice to have AT&T iron out the wrinkles.

[CoryB]

I had a chance to check tonight and all SD channels for the Olympics (ie Sportsnet, OLN and the French language channels) are available free even if you are not a regular subscriber.

The HD counterparts though are not free.

[Dr.Dave]

Got a letter from MTS announcing Winter Sports Picks feature, Galaxie Access channel and "Coming Soon - Call Display on MTS Ultimate TV".

The letter says the following channels will be free (until March 15 I think.)
171-173 all Rogers Sportsnets
176 Outdoor Life Network
141 CTV News Channel

Link provided: www.mts.ca/ultimatetv/newfeatures

Not in the letter, but on the website:
Channel 40 for a free preview on RDS from January 26th to March 2nd.
Channel 414 for a free preview of RIS from January 26th to March 2nd.
Channel 415 for a free preview of V from January 26th to March 2nd.

Unfortunately, if you don't subscribe to RDS it won't work with "Channel 2010 Winter Sports Picks Multicultural" since the preview is on 40 instead of its regular channel number. RIS & V channel work fine.

I used this feature and like it. One nice little extra is that you can highlight one of the Picture-In-Picture windows and press the record button to record that channel in the background without disrupting what you are watching in the main window.

[Mozza]

Uhh... multi-view? Explain?

[Dr.Dave]

Click the links and all will be explained.

[Mozza]

Checked it out - that link didn't go to the explanation.

Now here's something I'd like an explanation on - why did MTS use the SD channels for this? What a useless choice.

[fmr]

Bandwidth issue I suppose.

[Dr.Dave]

Originally Posted by Mozza

Checked it out - that link didn't go to the explanation.

Now here's something I'd like an explanation on - why did MTS use the SD channels for this? What a useless choice.

You had to actually click on the links on the MTS page to see the pretty pictures and detailed instructions where it says
"Learn more on How To Access and How To Record."

Sorry you didn't like it. My guess is they didn't use HD for simplicity and bandwidth. Most people watching the Olympics probably don't have HD and in particular, don't have the HD Sports theme. So it wouldn't work unless you had all the HD channels. At least this way it works. I don't know if there's a better way to do it in the future.

[SomeRandomGuy]

Originally Posted by Mozza

Checked it out - that link didn't go to the explanation.

Now here's something I'd like an explanation on - why did MTS use the SD channels for this? What a useless choice.

I thought the same thing, so I started looking at what I could find on Uverse thinking if AT&T could do it. From the youtube links and other information, it appears that Uverse only has SD channels as well (or at least that is all they seem to show).

I would have to agree with fmr that there is likely a bandwidth limitation.

[Mozza]

It just seems that after pushing Ultimate TV with HD for so long, to use this feature with SD channels seems off.

I just set up a Favourites list with my own Olympic channels instead. Much better.

[mediaroomrocks]

mediaroom which MTS use as well as AT&T and now Telus has a limit of one HD stream and one HD pip. SD allows for a SD with Audio and up to 6 SD pips on the screen.