How does interactive television work for providers? That's right, the signal first goes to the set-top box, which still needs to be connected to the Internet and properly configured to display a decent picture on the screen. What does the Rostelecom Online subsidiary offer?
You need to place the compact box in the slot of a modern TV, and that’s it! You will enjoy digital broadcasting and all the other delights - rewinding and stopping the live broadcast, recording and settings for archiving the recording made on the company’s server. Comfortable? Certainly. So let's reveal all the secrets of a smart box called Telecard Online.
Contents of the article
- 1 What is the new online broadcasting format?
- 2 More information about setting up the module
- 3 How to activate the service?
- 4 Common problems and solutions
- 5 What does the provider offer?
What is the new online broadcasting format?
The telecommunications company operates in the Moscow region, that is, the coverage area extends to Moscow and the immediate Moscow region. But this does not in any way impair the viewing experience, a picture of the same quality will be broadcast both in the center of the capital and on the most remote outskirts, the signal strength does not decrease at all.The company offers Muscovites to use digital broadcasting in a new way - through a special television module OnLime TeleCARD. Most modern television receivers are already equipped with a CI/CI+ connector. As a rule, along the front of the case there is a small recess just for connecting unique compact equipment according to the HDTV standard (high-frequency digital television).
After installing the module in the slot, the user will be able to independently adjust the display of the desired broadcast channels, and the signal will arrive via a regular television cable.
Some channels are broadcast in the original language, so advanced users will be able to view scientific and technical materials in a foreign language.
The signal is not compressed, and this factor affects the quality of the received picture - it is exactly the same as that sent by the service provider.
More information about setting up the module
You can purchase original equipment on the company’s website online at doping prices. But it is also freely available in many stores selling electronic goods. They will ask Online for only 3 thousand rubles for it, which is almost half the price than buying special satellite equipment with a tuner separately.And now it’s time for a story about how to set up an Online Telecard. Follow our instructions and you will definitely succeed:
In the city of Moscow, the famous Internet provider Rostelecom operates under the name Online. However, the company not only supplies the Internet, but also excellent, high-quality, multi-channel digital television Online, and there are both separate TV packages and joint “Internet + TV” packages, which makes the client’s choice easier and life more comfortable.
Why do you need to set up Online channels?
The fact is that channels are not connected automatically. These are not features of Online - this is how all modern TVs work.
How to set up Online TV channels
In order to start setting up Onlime TV channels, you first need to connect one of the digital television packages from Onlime and install the OnLime TeleCARD satellite television set on the TV.
Select the channel package you are interested in on the website, enter your data, leave a request and wait for the operator to call.
After you receive the necessary equipment (Online Telecard for regular digital TV or a kit for interactive TV), it will need to be correctly installed on your TV.
When you are sure that the equipment is installed correctly, you need to activate the selected package (on the website or by calling support).
After successful activation, you can proceed to setting up channels.
To configure, select “Menu” on the remote control. The main menu will appear on the screen. Next, select “Auto Search”. Another menu will open in which you should select “Cable TV”. A tab will open in which you need to select “Other operators”. In the menu that opens, select “Cable TV preset” - “Full”. Find your search options and enter
“Digital only.” After that, start the search. If you do not check this box, then the TV will also find analogue channels. By default, channels will be automatically updated. If you don't want this, you can uncheck the box.
After a while, the TV will display all found channels on the screen. Now, using the remote control, you can select the desired cable channel: scroll digital channels up and down or enter the channel number using numbers.
You can also search for channels manually. To do this, select “Manual channel tuning” in the menu. Next, select “Program” and assign a personal number to the channel by dialing it in numbers. Then select a color system based on which one you support.
Next, select a sound system from the options presented. If the channel is found, it can be saved in the appropriate item. This way you can find all the channels you need. Manual search takes longer than automatic search, but it can be used. if a couple of new channels have appeared on the tariff, then there is simply no point in going through everything again automatically.
You can give your channels your own names and rename them. You can create channel groups. All this is done through the Menu. In the menu you need to select “Settings” - “Edit channels” - “All channels”. Channel groups are managed through “Menu” - “Settings” - “Edit channels” - “Channel lists”.
Each channel can have its own settings:
- soundtrack. Not available for all channels. Selecting the broadcast language;
- subtitles. Display audio in text format;
- parental control. Block certain channels and access them only with a PIN code.
You can also find out complete information about each channel.
The list of OnLime channels will depend on the connected TV package. Please note that channel settings may vary slightly between different TVs. Read your TV's user manual carefully to set the channels correctly.
Back in my student days, my classmate showed me the possibilities of the then hot new product - NTV+ satellite television. Since then, digital television and the richness of its programs have attracted me very much, but I have never been able to combine desires and opportunities.
I considered different options, looked for a suitable provider, but all of them required either the installation of a satellite dish aimed strictly at a certain place in the sky, or the installation of a decoder box of unknown origin. All these devices required a separate outlet, cable laying throughout the apartment, connection to the TV, and were controlled from yet another (how many?) remote control.
The local operator's “Internet television” seemed close to ideal, a thin trickle of which was connected via an Ethernet cable to an alternatively firmware ASUS O!Play media player, but the quality of the transmission, however, like everything free, left much to be desired.
A new story began with the writing of a number of articles about modern televisions for the website portal. While studying the capabilities of the latest models, a built-in DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) receiver and a C.I. interface were discovered in the designs. (Common Interface). The latter must be installed with a conditional access module (CAM - Conditional Access Module) and a subscriber card.
We study the materiel
The DVB digital television signal is usually transmitted by satellite (DVB-S), terrestrial antenna (DVB-T) or cable (DVB-C).
The receiver of this signal can be a separate device, or it can be built into the TV body (as in our case).
Some channels are open and can be watched freely, but for additional, most interesting programs, the provider takes money from viewers. To make free browsing more difficult, the operator encrypts the data stream by providing registered subscribers with a suitable decoding device.
In the TVs we are considering, the C.I. interface is a connector compatible with PCMCIA devices (at one time, many such devices were developed for laptops). The CAM module, the same encrypted digital stream decoder, is plugged into this socket.
Additionally, a plastic smart card is inserted into the CAM module slot, like a card reader, which stores encryption keys in a protected memory, as well as identifiers linking it to the subscriber’s personal account and service subscriptions.
So, it seems that we have everything necessary to receive a digital television signal. One question remains: where to get this signal without mounting a satellite dish on the wall of the house?
Quite unexpectedly, the answer turned out to be very close - in the standard antenna wire coming into the apartment from the distribution panel. The operator National Cable Networks, also known under the OnLime brand, has already sent a digital signal to your home. Don't believe me? Let's check it together.
Opening up new opportunities
Comment. For the following experiments to be successful, your home must be within OnLime coverage and your TV must support digital decoding. In any case, the availability of connection, as well as compatible TV models, must be checked with the OnLime support service.
Toshiba 22DV733R. Preparing for new discoveries
First, let's check the Toshiba 22DV733R monoblock, which we wrote about in the article "TV for my son."
Using the ATV/DTV button, we activate the digital tuner (DTV - Digital TV - “Digital Television”) and configure the initial parameters for the search, as shown in the top photo. Our provider broadcasts at frequencies starting from 340 MHz, so to speed up the search it makes sense to set the initial scanning frequency. When everything is ready, select the “Start” menu item.
Toshiba 22DV733R. In search of digital signals
If the counter of found digital channels grows, and by the time the TV is finished, it finds more than a hundred of them, this means that we are close to success. We call up the program schedule using the GUIDE button on the control panel and see if the “NKS Info” channel is in the list (pictured below).
If such a transmission is detected, the prerequisites for connecting to OnLime television are met. But you can’t watch the programs yet, since they are encrypted, which the TV will continuously inform you about. Only Channel One is not encoded, which you can already watch in digital quality (the difference is noticeable to the naked eye).
Now let’s prepare the Toshiba 22EL833R TV, which we described in the article “TV for the kitchen.”
Toshiba 22EL833R. Preparing for the search
The more modern Toshiba 22EL833R TV asks fewer questions, so after turning on the digital tuner, we simply set the starting frequency so that the device searches for programs faster, and then press OK on the remote control.
Toshiba 22EL833R. Search is more informative
Scanning in this receiver looks more interesting - it does not hide anything and immediately shows the name of the found channel and its affiliation with the OnLime provider.
When we are convinced that the television receivers are working, it’s time to become an OnLime subscriber. To do this, you need to acquire a CAM decoder module and an access card, and then register them with the provider’s subscriber service. The ready-made kit can be purchased at hardware stores, communication stores, or ordered online.
Note. If your TV does not have a built-in DVB-C tuner, programs from OnLime can be watched using an external receiver provided by the provider.
OnLime TeleCARD access kit
Packaging of the OnLime TeleCARD kit
This thin box was brought to us by courier. The bright dust jacket contains a standard polyethylene DVD box, the spring clamps of which contain: a CAM module, a smart access card, instructions with a subscription agreement form and a warranty card.
Each module and card has unique serial numbers used to bind the subscriber. For convenience, the numbers are duplicated in the instructions - we will need them when registering in the provider’s systems.
Contents of the OnLime TeleCARD box
Let's take out the CAM module, carefully insert the card into the slot of the card reader, and then the entire assembled structure into the C.I. slot. TV. For safety reasons, we strongly recommend that the device be de-energized during installation. Below is a close-up photo of the kit.
CAM module and access card
The module fits into the slot on one specific side only, so do not use excessive force when installing it. In our Toshiba 22DV733R receiver, the decoder was facing the wall. Here's what it looks like assembled:
Decoder and card in TV
Turn on the TV and switch to DTV mode. If everything works, within a few minutes five more federal channels will be available for viewing. We contact the support service to register the kit in the system (communication with the operator will take some time). After the provider sends a card activation request to the system, it will take about an hour for all encrypted channels to become available.
About digital television OnLime
The history of television in our country goes back more than 70 years, and this technology can already be called “ancient”. Therefore, I never would have thought that I would write an article about television, and even in the present tense. But everything is changing, and now there is a reason to talk about the merits of modern, now digital, OnLime television.
The first advantage is ease of connection. If you have a modern TV (we talked about the requirements above), then a user of any qualification can independently connect to digital television. There is no need to call a team of craftsmen, lay cables, align antennas, install splitters, etc. All components are already in stock, and the standard antenna cable is installed.
Thanks to the use of built-in decoders, no additional external devices, connecting wires, or separate power are needed. Television control is conveniently carried out using a standard remote control. For example, for a small kitchen, where there is simply no room for external appliances, such a scheme is practically the only acceptable one.
Up to three TVs can be easily connected to one standard apartment cable. You just need to buy another OnLime TeleCARD kit for each of them and activate the Multiroom service through the support service. An additional fee for each connected device will be charged from the same personal account of the subscriber.
Electronic program guide
Digital broadcasting provides viewers with additional services: an electronic program guide (pictured), a TV guide for the week, and additional information about the program shown in a pop-up window. For a number of channels, for example the Discovery group, you can select the audio language - Russian or English.
The quality of the transmitted image is excellent: the image does not contain any noise or interference characteristic of receiving radio signals. Even regular channels are transmitted in a resolution of 720x576 pixels and look noticeably better than analogue ones, and programs in high definition resolution (HD 1920x1080) look absolutely incredible.
It is useless to argue about tastes, but it is the huge number of programs that complement the network of federal channels that makes it possible to find entertainment for the most demanding viewers.
For example, the author of the article does not like football, but is passionate about music and hockey. Please, there is a selection: three MTV channels, two VH1 channels, classical music from MEZZO and KHL TV (channel of the Continental Hockey League). If asked, I would, of course, add more music (Bridge TV, MCM TOP, NRJ, RTL 102.5), but what is available is also good.
There are special channels with movies (15 pieces), cartoons (7 pieces), and educational channels (the same Discovery or Animal Planet). My mother-in-law found a special channel for herself - “Usadba TV”, which talks about the arrangement of a dacha farm, and my son discovered the programs of the “Hunting and Fishing” channel.
conclusions
Perhaps the ideal solution for accessing the richest possibilities of digital television has been found. At the same time, if you have a modern TV, before opening a window to a new world, perhaps there is only one step left - purchasing a subscriber kit (CAM module and smart card).
At the end of the article, we will mention the cost and tariffs. The OnLime TeleCARD kit itself is sold on the provider’s website for 2.5 thousand rubles (250 rubles of which will be credited to your personal account upon activation). The subscription fee for a basic package of 95 channels, including two HD programs, is 250 rubles per month. The mentioned “Multiroom” service will add 100 rubles to the monthly fee for each TV.
The age of analogue television is becoming a thing of the past, and more and more users are giving preference to new digital technologies. With their help, you can view a large number of different channels in high quality image and sound. Digital (as well as interactive) TV opens up access to new features, such as recording your favorite shows, pausing, setting restrictions and much more. Digital broadcasting can be paid or free.
To connect paid services, you will need to contact one of the providers available in the region. Rostelecom is considered one of the most popular operators among the population. Its structure includes 79 branches and one representative office. In Moscow, digital TV services are provided by a brand called OnLime. In addition to television, the company offers Internet connection and home telephone services.
Digital TV OnLime provides users with access to a number of tariff plans that differ in price category and number of TV channels. In addition, additional services are offered that can be activated separately from the selected package. The main IPTV TV tariff plans from this provider include the following:
- The “Starter” package includes 157 of the most popular and in-demand channels with various topics. Here the user will find content in different genres and directions. Payment per month will be 320 rubles.
- “Kino VIP” is a premium package that combines films of various genres and styles. In addition to access to 123 TV channels, the subscriber will have the opportunity to watch their favorite films through the VIP Play online cinema. Monthly payment – 379 rubles.
- The “Optimal” tariff includes 189 TV channels. This includes all the content from the Starter package, and also offers additional sports, children's and music programs. The monthly cost is 450 rubles.
- The “Advanced” package includes 222 channels, collected specifically for the most sophisticated viewers. In addition to the programs included in the “Optimal” tariff, additional channels with films and educational programs are available. The monthly cost is 580 rubles.
- Tariff “Maximum”, the cost of which is 1800 rubles per month. The user gets access to 266 channels on a wide variety of topics, including the “Adult”, “Amedia”, “MATCH!” packages. Premier." Most of the content is available in HD quality.
In addition to packages with TV channels, the provider offers an Internet connection service. Regardless of the chosen OnLime TV + Internet tariff, the user gets access to the most popular TV channels in high quality and unlimited traffic. The most popular package offered by the provider is “2 in 1 Express 100”.
Internet access is performed at a speed of 100 Mbit, 157 channels + 5 additional options are available to the user. The cost of the service is 549 rubles per month. For faster internet, you can choose the “2 in 1 Express 200” tariff. It differs from the previous one with an Internet speed of 200 Mbit and a monthly payment of 599 rubles. Also available are packages called “Family 200”, “Everything 200”, “2 in 1 Gaming 500” and “Experience Everywhere 200”.
Setting up OnLime TV channels
There are several ways to activate television from the OnLime TV provider. To gain access to IPTV TV, you will need special equipment in the form of a set-top box. The connection can also be made using a PLC adapter or OnLime TeleCard.
Users who decide to become subscribers of a popular metropolitan provider can order activation of the service by making a phone call to the company's representative office or by creating an application on the telecom operator's website. After selecting the package you are interested in, you will need to leave your contact information, and after a while one of the company’s operators will contact the subscriber.
After concluding the contract, the user will be provided with the necessary equipment and a technician will be sent to his address to complete the connection. Once the service is activated, you will need to configure the channels.
An easier way is to select automatic search. Using the remote control, you need to start the “Menu” mode and find the “Auto search” command. In the window that opens, you need to select the “Cable TV” tab, and then alternately the “Cable TV preset” and “Full” commands.
In the search options, it is recommended to check the “Digital only” tab. Otherwise, the TV receiver will search for all available analogue TV channels.
Connection and installation of OnLime TeleCard
The main advantage of OnLime TeleCard is that to connect digital TV there is no need to purchase additional equipment and lay cables throughout the apartment. To make settings and select channels, you need the TV remote control. Using this card provides the user with the opportunity to view 212 channels in high quality, of which 27 are available in HD format.
The main condition for connecting interactive TV Online is the presence of a CI+ slot in the user’s TV. The cost of OnLime TeleCard is 3,000 rubles; upon concluding an agreement with the provider, the device can be obtained on favorable terms, paying 95 rubles per month.
The provider often runs various promotions and offers bonus programs for new subscribers.