I must say that while I am impressed with many features and services of KyLinTV, I am also frustrated by their inability to improve the performance of their video. Nearly any video including a lot of motion or activity will drop many many many frames and jitter, jump and skip A LOT!
Watching for instance, a dancing with stars show, action movies or sports becomes quite annoying. It is almost a strobe effect it is so bad. I am not sure if it is on the encoding or decoding side but KyLinTV really needs to work this out. I would rather have "blockiness" (is that a word) than dropping frames and jumping around. Many shows just lose their effect when the smoothness is gone.
25 December 2006
22 December 2006
Video-On-Demand Review
Well, I have been viewing a lot of Video On Demand (VOD) with KyLinTV the past couple of days and it really looks great. I must admit that it seems worth the value ($.10-$1.50 US).
Resume Feature
I also really like the convenience of the "Resume" feature. I wish the TV Shows had that same feature. It is a real pain when you are watching a movie on one of the live TV channels and then suddenly either because of Internet issues, power outages or you need to leave and return later that you must restart the show from the beginning. That is where the VOD is really nice, you can stop and resume within 30 days!
Quality
If you have watched the "Live TV Shows," on KyLinTV, there is a noticeable difference in quality. The VOD is much higher quality! Smoother, better video/audio sync and less artifacts than appear in the "TV Programs".
Price
The price is very reasonable. This is especially true when compared to "Pay-Per-View" found on other networks. The prices range from $.10-$1.50 US Dollars per VOD. $.10 is for a special lasting less than 10 minutes, $.50-$.60 for a TV show and $1.00-$1.50 for movies and special shows lasting 60+ minutes. KyLinTV also offers a package which allows unlimited VOD viewing $420.00 US. If you interested in a TV Drama series you can view the first episode of most for free! While this is a great way to hook you into watching that series, it is also a great way to find new shows you are interested in watching. I think allowing you to watch that first episode for free is a great move on the part of KyLinTV.
Programming Selection
WOW! That best describes the selection. There are A LOT of choices, sports, movies, TVshows, specials, etc. The TV shows (drama) are really great! You can find the show you like by browsing KyLinTV's large library of Chinese language programming and then you can choose which episode from the entire series you want to watch. This is a great way to catch-up on missed episodes or just start back at the beginning and watch the progression of the show.
As mentioned earlier, the first episode in each series is usually free so you have nothing to lose by watching just to sample VOD or to see if the show actually sucks or not ;)
Conclusion
I would certainly recommend this feature if you are interested in catching up on your favorite dramas or just watching movies without going to the store or ordering DVDs from overseas.
I will actually be upgrading my subscription soon to the unlimited package.
Resume Feature
I also really like the convenience of the "Resume" feature. I wish the TV Shows had that same feature. It is a real pain when you are watching a movie on one of the live TV channels and then suddenly either because of Internet issues, power outages or you need to leave and return later that you must restart the show from the beginning. That is where the VOD is really nice, you can stop and resume within 30 days!
Quality
If you have watched the "Live TV Shows," on KyLinTV, there is a noticeable difference in quality. The VOD is much higher quality! Smoother, better video/audio sync and less artifacts than appear in the "TV Programs".
Price
The price is very reasonable. This is especially true when compared to "Pay-Per-View" found on other networks. The prices range from $.10-$1.50 US Dollars per VOD. $.10 is for a special lasting less than 10 minutes, $.50-$.60 for a TV show and $1.00-$1.50 for movies and special shows lasting 60+ minutes. KyLinTV also offers a package which allows unlimited VOD viewing $420.00 US. If you interested in a TV Drama series you can view the first episode of most for free! While this is a great way to hook you into watching that series, it is also a great way to find new shows you are interested in watching. I think allowing you to watch that first episode for free is a great move on the part of KyLinTV.
Programming Selection
WOW! That best describes the selection. There are A LOT of choices, sports, movies, TVshows, specials, etc. The TV shows (drama) are really great! You can find the show you like by browsing KyLinTV's large library of Chinese language programming and then you can choose which episode from the entire series you want to watch. This is a great way to catch-up on missed episodes or just start back at the beginning and watch the progression of the show.
As mentioned earlier, the first episode in each series is usually free so you have nothing to lose by watching just to sample VOD or to see if the show actually sucks or not ;)
Conclusion
I would certainly recommend this feature if you are interested in catching up on your favorite dramas or just watching movies without going to the store or ordering DVDs from overseas.
I will actually be upgrading my subscription soon to the unlimited package.
Subtitle Info
We watch movies in a multi-lingual environment and it would be great to know if the shows and movies (especially on-demand) had subtitles and in what language before watching. Maybe the folks over at KyLinTV will add that sometime soon :) Just a little request...
Low Bandwidth Testing?
A new channel appeared recently, Testing. It appears to be a "test channel for lower bandwidth." I wonder what this is all about? What does KyLinTV qualify as "lower bandwidth?" I would like to see them perfect the higher bandwidth first ;)
Interesting New Web Site Introduction
In case nobody else noticed KyLinTV just launched a new frontpage to their website describing their new holiday lineup.
http://kylintv.com
http://kylintv.com
New Channels - Nice Move KyLinTV!
I must admit that the programming selection, on demand and growing selection is great with KyLinTV.
It looks like today a couple channels were added:
It looks like today a couple channels were added:
- Guangxi Television (GXTV) - GXTV is a channel that depicts local minorities' different culture and customs.
GXTV was established in 1970, since then it has gained a favorable reputation, distinguished editors, a complete technology system and great program content. Today, GXTV is one of the most powerful media groups in southwest China.
The promoted programs on GXTV are Find Jinhua, Folk Songs Show, Lovely GuangXi and Alliance ASEAN. - The Travel Channel (TravelTV) - Travel TV is a channel that focuses on travel and entertainment. The expert travel information and reputable travel sources help shaped the featured programs.
The Travel TV targets a young working class audience who seek exotic get-a-ways. Travel TV has an audience of over 3 million viewers. The promotional programs on travel TV include Travel World, Travel China, Eating with the Mr. Na, The Braves, Guide Entertainment, Stars Schoolroom, Beautiful Girl and Perfection Perform.
21 December 2006
Full Screen - Are we ever going to have it?
I am sure many have noticed the issue with KyLinTV and the screen size. I certainly noticed it out of the box.
The problem is that the picture coming from the KyLinTV STB (Set Top Box) is not set to a resolution which fills a standard TV screen. Therefore, there are slim black bars on the right and left side of the screen at all times. Really annoying!
Another issue may be with their encoding process (which the first maybe as well, not sure).
I have noticed that with several programs there is a digitized looking static bar at the bottom of the screen. It reminds me of the VHS days when there would be stripes of interference across the screen on certain recordings.
I really hope that these issues can be resolved soon. KyLinTV, I hope that you are out there hearing my calls ;)
The problem is that the picture coming from the KyLinTV STB (Set Top Box) is not set to a resolution which fills a standard TV screen. Therefore, there are slim black bars on the right and left side of the screen at all times. Really annoying!
Another issue may be with their encoding process (which the first maybe as well, not sure).
I have noticed that with several programs there is a digitized looking static bar at the bottom of the screen. It reminds me of the VHS days when there would be stripes of interference across the screen on certain recordings.
I really hope that these issues can be resolved soon. KyLinTV, I hope that you are out there hearing my calls ;)
A Lot of Buffering
It seems that KyLinTV has a problem with bandwidth at certain hours of the day. I have noticed that nearly every day from 18:00-20:00 EST many of the the channels on KyLinTV seem to require constant buffering.
None of my other Internet services including VOIP, other IPTV or any speed test show any problems at all.
I am curious to know if others experience the same issues and if only certain regions face the problem or if it is widespread. Let me know.
None of my other Internet services including VOIP, other IPTV or any speed test show any problems at all.
I am curious to know if others experience the same issues and if only certain regions face the problem or if it is widespread. Let me know.
17 December 2006
Wireless - A Long Way to Go ------->
WEP Only, No WPA...
Freeze, Hang, Restart...
Slow, Slow Speed Limit...
Yep, that just about sums up the wireless capabilities of the KyLinTV set-top box (STB).
After several days of testing both the wired, wireless and a wireless bridge with the KyLinTV STB here are the results:
NO WPA, ONLY WEP
First, the KyLinTV set-top box (STB) only supports WEP and no support for WPA. This is a bit of a problem since WEP isn't exactly secure and my wireless network uses WPA rather than WEP. I am not willing to downgrade my security for the benefit of KyLinTV's choice to use outdated technology. Come on guys, get with it and use WPA!
Remeber, if you just have to try it:
DO NOT USE BUILT-IN WIRELESS OR FREEZE
Second, while using the built-in wireless capabilities of the KyLinTV STB I noticed something very early on during the testing. It SUCKS!!!
Yeah, that is what I said, and I can't stress this enough! The KyLinTV STB freezes every 5-15 minutes while using the built-in wireless interface. The STB then needs to be either restarted by flipping the power switch on the back of the unit or completely unplugging the STB and plugging the power back in.
It is certainly a problem with the wireless since when connected to a wired connection or a wireless bridge the STB never freezes.
So, you need wireless, want WPA and you have an extra $50? Great, you can do what I did and get the Buffalo Technology AirStation Turbo G High Power Wireless Ethernet Converter ( WLI-TX4-G54HP )
.
LIMITS SPEED TO 1.66 Mbps
Third, I established in a previous post the problem with the KyLinTV set-top box (STB) and the built-in speed test. Tried it with wireless and I was never able to break 1.66 Mbps. Increases to the 2.66 Mbps - 2.99 Mbps max average speed I am presented with regardless of my real download bandwidth.
Conclusion:
Do not use the built-in wireless function inside the KyLinTV Set-Top Box.
If you need wireless get the Buffalo Technology AirStation Turbo G High Power Wireless Ethernet Converter ( WLI-TX4-G54HP ) instead. It provides WEP, WPA, 54-108Mbps 802.11G and take the strain off the STB.
Techinical Specs:
Firmware Version 2.1.12
Freeze, Hang, Restart...
Slow, Slow Speed Limit...
Yep, that just about sums up the wireless capabilities of the KyLinTV set-top box (STB).
After several days of testing both the wired, wireless and a wireless bridge with the KyLinTV STB here are the results:
NO WPA, ONLY WEP
First, the KyLinTV set-top box (STB) only supports WEP and no support for WPA. This is a bit of a problem since WEP isn't exactly secure and my wireless network uses WPA rather than WEP. I am not willing to downgrade my security for the benefit of KyLinTV's choice to use outdated technology. Come on guys, get with it and use WPA!
Remeber, if you just have to try it:
- If you are using character based WEP key you have to enter a s: before the WEP key
- If you are using a HEX Key it needs to be in all capitals
DO NOT USE BUILT-IN WIRELESS OR FREEZE
Second, while using the built-in wireless capabilities of the KyLinTV STB I noticed something very early on during the testing. It SUCKS!!!
Yeah, that is what I said, and I can't stress this enough! The KyLinTV STB freezes every 5-15 minutes while using the built-in wireless interface. The STB then needs to be either restarted by flipping the power switch on the back of the unit or completely unplugging the STB and plugging the power back in.
It is certainly a problem with the wireless since when connected to a wired connection or a wireless bridge the STB never freezes.
So, you need wireless, want WPA and you have an extra $50? Great, you can do what I did and get the Buffalo Technology AirStation Turbo G High Power Wireless Ethernet Converter ( WLI-TX4-G54HP )
.LIMITS SPEED TO 1.66 Mbps
Third, I established in a previous post the problem with the KyLinTV set-top box (STB) and the built-in speed test. Tried it with wireless and I was never able to break 1.66 Mbps. Increases to the 2.66 Mbps - 2.99 Mbps max average speed I am presented with regardless of my real download bandwidth.
Conclusion:
Do not use the built-in wireless function inside the KyLinTV Set-Top Box.
If you need wireless get the Buffalo Technology AirStation Turbo G High Power Wireless Ethernet Converter ( WLI-TX4-G54HP )
instead. It provides WEP, WPA, 54-108Mbps 802.11G and take the strain off the STB.Techinical Specs:
Firmware Version 2.1.12
KyLinTV Speed Test - Are You Joking?
Whoa! I am sure one of the first things everybody does when they get their KyLinTV set-top box is run the speed test function built-in.
From the home screen press the "Test" button 3 times
I am sure you have all been depressed by the results, I know I was! My results are between 2.66 Mbps and 2.99 Mbps. I kept thinking that maybe it was my wireless network. So I plugged directly into my gigabit router. Nope, still in the same range. So, I tested the speed at SpeedTest.net with the following results:
From the home screen press the "Test" button 3 times
I am sure you have all been depressed by the results, I know I was! My results are between 2.66 Mbps and 2.99 Mbps. I kept thinking that maybe it was my wireless network. So I plugged directly into my gigabit router. Nope, still in the same range. So, I tested the speed at SpeedTest.net with the following results:
Video / Audio Sync
Okay, I know that Internet video sometimes lags. I also understand that occassionaly during the encoding process the video and audio don't synch perfectly. But KyLinTV needs to get it together!
I have only had the service a few weeks now but this appears to be major problem. I would venture to say that 90% or more of the time the video and audio on KyLinTV is so out of sync that there is anywhere from a 1-5 second difference. This isn't a problem if you are watching a show where you don't see the person talking ;) but when you actually watch the mouth and hear their voice 1-5 seconds later or vice-versa, it is incredibly annoying!
I would just like to see their encoding process improve at least enough that the video and audio are synchronized.
Anybody else having problems with this?
Just because I know somebody will ask my bandwidth test results are below from SpeedTest.net:
I have only had the service a few weeks now but this appears to be major problem. I would venture to say that 90% or more of the time the video and audio on KyLinTV is so out of sync that there is anywhere from a 1-5 second difference. This isn't a problem if you are watching a show where you don't see the person talking ;) but when you actually watch the mouth and hear their voice 1-5 seconds later or vice-versa, it is incredibly annoying!
I would just like to see their encoding process improve at least enough that the video and audio are synchronized.
Anybody else having problems with this?
Just because I know somebody will ask my bandwidth test results are below from SpeedTest.net:
Introduction
Welcome,
This blog will review and discuss the Chinese language (mostly Mandarin but some Cantonese) IPTV service KyLinTV ( http://www.kylintv.com ).
Please feel free to comment on your experiences with KyLinTV and their services. Please post in English or Mandarin. If you want it translated let me know and I am happy to do that for you as time allows.
Neither myself nor this blog are officially associated with KyLinTV other than being a subscriber.
This blog will review and discuss the Chinese language (mostly Mandarin but some Cantonese) IPTV service KyLinTV ( http://www.kylintv.com ).
Please feel free to comment on your experiences with KyLinTV and their services. Please post in English or Mandarin. If you want it translated let me know and I am happy to do that for you as time allows.
Neither myself nor this blog are officially associated with KyLinTV other than being a subscriber.
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