Home Connect Kit

[Bruce Fan]

Hi Gang - what is point of the Home Connect Kit Bell has on it's website as a tv accessory.

I'm having BellTV installed in a few weeks (once my 30 days notice with Rogers is done) and have been trying to figure out if I need one.

It sounds like you need it for on demand and if you want to use the remote pvr function but I've heard/read you don't need it for the remote pvr app. I've been with Rogers for 7 years and have maybe used the on demand 5 times so that isn't important to me but the remote pvr app is.

Thoughts/recos?

Thx

[dirtroad]

For On-Demand you need to be connected to a phone line, net or talk to Bell directly.
That unit is used for running your home network through the electrical plugs in your home, similar to the units they sell for phonelines through home wiring. It is not required.
Do you have Cat5 or phone line near where you are having it set up?
Pinza an installer and regular on this forum has reported being able to program his PVR without a net connection at all to unit and suspects it is through the satellite stream.

[Bruce Fan]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I don't have Ethernet cable near where my two PVRs will be but I do have phone jacks.

If things I set via the remote pvr app are sent to the pvr via the downstream how am I able to view what has been recorded and delete recordings if necessary? How does the pvr send that info to my mobile device/app - via the phone line? I doubt that.

That's why I'm thinking the home connect kit attached to my router and plugged into my electrical system will allow me bidirectional communication with the pvrs and my mobile device/app.

Thx!

[dirtroad]

Bruce Fan, I may have misuderstood what you are wanting to do, but Bell has a Mobile TV App. But right now, and until the 9252 comes out, (if ever). You can only program your PVR as discussed in Remote PVR.
Unless others have something else to add.

[Bruce Fan]

Well, according to the Bell website highlighting the remote pvr service it clearly says you can delete stored programs. This makes sense and is similar to the Rogers version that recently launched for iPhone (a year behind Bell).

Anybody else have experience with this?

[Princie1]

Originally Posted by Bruce Fan

Well, according to the Bell website highlighting the remote pvr service it clearly says you can delete stored programs.

Yes, if your receiver is connected to a Broadband Internet connection, you can see a list of the recordings on it and either Resume Watching, Watch From Beginning or Delete Recording. Very useful actually if you have a DVD Recorder or other device that you record to from your PVR and want to transfer off some shows or movies while out for a night.

For some reason, mine is leting me also see some but not all of the recordings that are on my EHD even though it is not supposed to.

[taxtwit]

Originally Posted by Bruce Fan

Well, according to the Bell website highlighting the remote pvr service it clearly says you can delete stored programs. This makes sense and is similar to the Rogers version that recently launched for iPhone (a year behind Bell).

Anybody else have experience with this?

Connecting your Bell PVR to the internet via (for e.g.) Home Connect is primarily to facilitate use of the Bell remote smart phone app. With said app, you can review the stored contents of the PVR, delete recorded programs, set recording timers remotely, etc. The app itself references "Sling" which leads me to speculate it may also allow for remote viewing from that PVR in due course.

Connecting your PVR to the internet also allows you to order PPV programming via your remote, although you can also do this by plugging your PVR to your telephone line or even by phoning Bell or through "your account" on the Bell website, even if your PVR/STBs are not plugged into either a phone line or the internet.

[ScaryBob]

For some reason, mine is leting me also see some but not all of the recordings that are on my EHD even though it is not supposed to.

I could always see EHD programming. It was indistinguishable from programming on the main drive. That was with CAT5 connected and configured. However, I stopped using the Remote PVR application due to slow response and errors that corrupted the timers list.

The app itself references "Sling" which leads me to speculate it may also allow for remote viewing from that PVR in due course.

Dishnet has "sling" features on their PVRs. The 722 (aka upgraded 9242) requires an adapter and the 922 (aka 9252) has it built in. Bell often does not adopt all of Dish TV's products and features so we may never see "sling enabled" Bell PVRs in Canada.