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PART 4: MY REVIEW OF NEXTV

Overview

Note: Since I first wrote this review, NEXTV has made some programming changes. Most notable is the addition of RTL and SAT.1, two commercial TV channels. Those are included in the revised review below (as of March 2010).

I signed up for NEXTV in September 2008. I view German television from the NEXTV service on an irregular basis, so I wanted to wait until I had some long-term experience with NEXTV before writing this review (January 2009; updated June/Dec. 2009 and April 2010).

Technical: My NEXTV receiver is connected to an AT&T high-speed DSL internet "modem" with a normal ethernet cable (included with the NEXTV equipment). My tested DSL download speed is about 5200 kb/s. (You need 1500 kb/s or better; the NEXTV site has a speed-test link.) I am using a normal yellow "video out" composite connection (RCA cable included), although the receiver also has S-video and component (Y, Pb, Pr) jacks, plus a DVI video connector (not HDMI). You need to have the receiver near your TV set or monitor (just like a VCR or DVD player). If your DSL or cable modem is not near your TV, within reach of the ethernet cable, you'll need to have a wireless connection, which could affect the picture. Instructions for LAN wireless set-up are included, but there is no tech support for wireless from NEXTV. (Note: Some ISPs have or are planning to introduce bandwith caps, limiting the amount of data that can be transfered in a given period of time. If you plan on watching a lot of NEXTV, be aware of your ISP's bandwidth policies.)

NEXTV Channels (as of March 2010, new channels in green):
ARD (delayed), ARD (live), ZDF (delayed), ZDF (live), Ki.Ka Kinderkanal (for kids), MDR, NDR, n-tv (news, live broadband), RTL (commercial TV), SAT.1 (commercial TV), and WDR. You also get Al Jazeera English, CBC News World (Canada), Fox News, God TV, Pet Network, and Russia Today, all in English. There are also two German video-on-demand channels (one adult and one family), plus a German "Volksmusik" radio channel. You can add DW-TV (Deutsche Welle) and EuroNews for an extra fee.

Picture Quality: The picture is surprisingly good for streaming video, but not as good as a normal standard-definition (SD) TV picture. If you look closely at the screen, you'll notice the digital-streaming nature of the picture. (One reader termed it "3/4 as good" as a normal TV picture, and that seems about right to me.) However, from a normal viewing distance on my 19-inch LCD monitor, the NEXTV picture looks almost as good as a regular TV picture. The picture’s brightness, contrast, and color are normal. In fast-action scenes or rapid pans, noticeable pixelation (artifacts) may appear. Overall, I would rate the picture quality as "good." Note: Internet problems can cause the video and sound to freeze, break up, or go out completely, but that has been rare in my experience. The picture is not really suitable for a large-screen plasma or LCD screen (40-60 inches), but the receiver can be connected to one.

Audio: The sound quality is excellent. You'll hear what seems to me like normal stereo sound from TV. I have my audio going through an amplifier and good stereo speakers, and the sound is very good.

Positives + + +
For about $30 (USD) a month, you get access to real German TV, live and time-delayed. The recent addition of three private broadcasters (n-tv, RTL, SAT.1) as part of the regular package is a nice plus. The sound is very good; the picture is good. Set-up is easy. The documentation you get is good enough to guide the average person through the process. Included: Receiver, power adapter, remote control (with 2 AA batteries), ethernet cable, and a composite (RCA) audio/video cable. Viewing TV with the NEXTV receiver is almost like viewing normal TV. Especially with the recent addition of RTL and SAT.1, I rate the total experience as "good."

Negatives - - -
Although the menu is only so-so, you can control the channels easily with the remote. But I have learned to really dislike the NEXTV on-screen program guide. The menu is slow to update and often displays the wrong program title. The program information is nothing more than the title of the show, without any details. You'll have to go online with your computer to get any real program information. (The NEXTV website is pitiful! As I write this, it does not show the correct channel lineup, and they never send you info about updates.) You get ARD, ZDF, and three regional public Sender, but I miss my RBB (Berlin), and I'd love to view the Bavarian BR and the other regional TV channels. In Berlin I could get 27 digital channels over the air, many from other parts of Germany (and even Austria and Switzerland!). With NEXTV, I can watch only eleven German channels, two of which are time-shifted duplicates (ARD, ZDF). NEXTV says more channels are coming, but they're not the ones I want, and most of them have been "coming soon" for over a year now.

Bottom Line...
Despite its shortcomings, I consider NEXTV a good value for the money. I enjoy being able to watch "real" German TV. I rate it three out of four stars. If they ever add RBB, I might make that four stars.

- HF

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