RCA/MSN TV 2 Internet and Media Player

Rating:
Summary: Buyer beware!
Review: They are NOT going to transfer your existing MSNTV subscription if you paid by check, rather than credit card. I cannot as yet rate the product, only the service. Zero stars on that one.

Rating:
Summary: MSNTV2 technical support incompetent, product flawed
Review: Bought this unit solely for the reason that MicroSuck orphaned the original WebTV/WebTV Plus/MSNTV system. Capabilites, when compared to the original WebTV, are extremely limited. And the unit crashes often, especially when accessing sites such as eBay (the unit shuts down and goes through the restart cycle)

When I had contacted 'MSN customer care', I was greeted by the usual outsourced, barely-could-speak-and-understand-English type of guy. He then provided a non-solution that seemed to make the problems more chronic - unplugging the unit solves all problems in their estimation.

Apparantly, MicroSuck is not concerned with the performance of MSNTV2. Not surprisingly though, signing up for an account went without a hassle.

I'll struggle with this technological Spruce Goose for awhile, then I'm gonna take a sledgehammer to it.

Don't agree with me? Then you must be a MicroSoft employee.

Rating:
Summary: SIMPLE, RELIABLE, and SECURE!
Review: Comparing what a computer can do versus msntv is like comparing an automobile to a bicycle.

For basic internet activities such as surfing the net, email, and chat....a computer is NO MATCH to the new MSNTV2 unit in regards to "appliance-like" dependability/reliability, simplicity/ease of use, and by far most important of all SAFETY and SECURITY (Because msntv2 has no harddrive and is behind a special firewall---nothing can be downloaded or added to your system! This means no need to worry about VIRUS ATTACKS, TROJAN HORSES, WORMS, MALICIOUS PROGRAM DOWNLOADS, SPYWARE, ADWARE, KEYSTROKE LOGGERS (That can steal passwords, bank info, credit card numbers, account numbers, social security numbers, etc. etc.), and VARIOUS HACKER ATTACKS to break into your system and steal and/or delete important data, music, or picture files.

NO EXTRA SOFTWARE NEEDED! If you purchessed a computer, you would pay close to the same amount what a new msntv2 unit would cost JUST FOR SECURITY SOFTWARE (e.g. Anti-virus, Firewall, Spyware/adware, etc. etc.)
And you would also have to pay ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION COSTS FOR EACH SEPARATE SOFTWARE PROGRAM to insure you continued to receive the latest and greatest updates! And of course you would have to buy the newest full version of each software program every few years as it became obselete.
And you also would have the major headache of keeping the Operating System and Web browser up to date with the latest and greatest patches.

DEPENDABLE! In my five years of msntv/webtv ownership, I have yet to experience my first system crash, blue screen protection fault, frozen screen, shut down warning message, software/hardware/driver in-compatibility problems, OR ANY OTHER TYPE PROBLEM THAT ALL COMPUTER USERS FACE on a weekly, and sometimes on a daily basis!

MAINTENACE FREE: You do not need special software or have to perform maintenance such as DEFRAGMENTATION, SYSTEM FILE CLEAN UP, SCAN DISK, HARD DRIVE SECTOR TEST, etc etc etc, as you must perform on a REGULAR BASIS if you own a computer. And with a computer, you may have a problem that requires you to re-format your hard drive and re-install your Windows operating system and all programs! Then you have to search the web to download updates to all of these programs (especially the very lengthy windows updates). That is a ROYAL HEAD ACHE AND TAKES HOURS AND HOURS to perform! And if you are lucky, it will succeed the first time you attempt it. If not, then be prepared to pay the computer repair shop an average cost of $50 per hour labor with a minimum charge fee of $100-$150!

With MSNTV2, you receive ALL UPDATES FREE OF CHARGE! And you can set your receiver to automatically check for and download/install them while you sleep at night.

MSNTV2 just received a BIG UPGRADE a few weeks ago that fixed a lot of bugs. It is a new product, so bugs are common and expected. MSNTV2 worked quickly to patch many problem areas. And they will continue to add new features and functions, and IMPROVING the service in the future with regular FREE upgrades!

I have never been to a site that MSNTV2 could not access. So far all the sites I visited were fully functional and viewable with MSNTV2.

when I power on my unit, type in my password, and hit ENTER...it takes less than 15 seconds for my web home start page to appear. This is with the BROADBAND SERVICE. And surfing the net is lightening fast---it takes about 2-3 seconds for a new web page to appear. AND FREES UP THE PHONE LINE!

Powering up a computer with the same BROADBAND CONNECTION will take much longer, about 1 to 1.5 minutes, because you must wait for the operating system and all programs to load up before you can begin surfing.

If you need to do complex tasks like downloading, saving, and working with pictures, videos, and music files....or want to play video games and run computer software programs----then you should also purchess a computer.

But for basic internet surfing, email, and chat---MSNTV2 can not be beat and will only get better!!!



Rating:
Summary: Webtv Is awesome!
Review: Hi everyone,
I am sorry that everyone is just giving good and bad reviews about the webtv anymore. I used to be one back when it first came out and also had my computer. I loved both of the services. I just ordered this one because I recently miss my webtv. So I think webtv is an awesome product for anyone in the world. It is for people that dont want to sit at a desk all day and just do the internet on their couch, hey, i do it, I will not complain. I work at my computer 24-7 and sometimes it annoys me. So that is why I cant wait to get the new MSNTV. MSN is an awesome service I have it for my computer and cant wait to get it for my tv, especially with broadband, it is going to be much more of an experience.

Rating:
Summary: NO PICTURE IN PICTURE
Review: I JUST GOT MY MSNTV2 RECEIVER NO PIP FUNCTION WHY DO YOU HAVE A PRODUCT FOR TV WHEN YOU CAN NOT WATCH TV. NO ZIP FILES. LOST ALL MY SCRAPBOOK PROFILES I SPENT YEARS WORKING ON. THEY ARE GONE FOREVER NO MENTION OF THAT NO WEBPAGE BUILDER FUNTION I HAD SEVERAL WEBPAGES I LOST FOREVER SOME WERE FOR WORK PURPOSES NO MENTION OF LOSING THAT FEATURE MSN YOU WIPED OUT ALL THE BEST FEATURES OF THE OLD BOX THIS IS NOT UPGRADE IT IS DOWNGRADE
SO I HAVE BROADBAND ACCESS WITH NO FEATRES ITS USELESS
THE VIDEO FILES ARE WAY LIMITED AND THE RADIO SUCKS IT ONLY PLAYS HALF THE TIME WHEN YOU ARE SURFING THE WEB I KEEP HITING THAT DAMN OK BUTTON WHERE THE PAGE UP WAS
BUY A COMUTER AND THROW THIS BACK TO GATES OH BY THE WAY I GOT $5000 BY SUING MICOSOFT FOR FALSE ADVERTISING ON THE OLD WEBTV UNIT SO I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT

Rating:
Summary: Sadly, you get what you pay for
Review: I recently had the opportunity to play with the latest MSNTV terminal and I was not impressed. Years ago, I had the WebTV Classic and then purchased the Plus. Both of the boxes I owned were quality hardware and were made by Sony. They served me well, until I bought an Apple G4 iMac about 2 1/2 years ago and I immediately terminated my WebTV account.

Alas, the fit and finish of this RCA hardware "upgrade" is junk and the MSN service leaves a lot to be desired.

Much has been made in some of the reviews that MSNTV is immune to viruses, Trojan horses, worms and the like. All true. What has been ignored is that the comparison is between MSNTV and a PC running Windows. There are alternatives to Microsoft's Windows and one is Apple computers....no viruses, no Trojan horses, no worms. And no Windows. (Instead, years ago produced OS X for its Apple computers, based on Unix and widely regarded as the best operating system available.)

As has been mentioned by others, comparing a computer with MSNTV is unfair. Yes, MSNTV is adequate if all you are going to do is surf the internet, send email and you don't mind the inferior display on your TV set. And real computers cost more. A lot more.

But if you have the financial resources, MSNTV is not the answer and I would suggest taking a look at the latest G5 iMac, if you want quality both in hardware and software without any limitations. (You may want to check the Amazon reviews for Apple computers. Amazon is currently offering a nice discount and will likely do so again in the future.)

With MSNTV, you cannot download any software of your choosing. You are stuck with whatever features MSNTV offers you. With a Mac, there are thousands of software programs available, much of it free, to enhance your use of the Mac. (I have, for example, a free stock ticker and a free news ticker on my screen constantly updating, multiple RSS feeds and a live "wallpaper" of planet earth in a Mercator projection complete with the weather displayed all over the world along with earthquake and volcano indicators and positions of satellites....with the "wallpaper" updated every 15 minutes.)

Just as no one I know has ever switched back from broadband to dial-up, no one I know who has had an Apple computer has ever considered switching from an Apple computer to MSNTV.

There has got to be a reason.

Rating:
Summary: Danger Will Robinson! Not for MSNTV (WebTV) veterans!
Review: If you've never used MSNTV, then I couldn't begin to gauge how well you'd receive this recently updated web-surfing component into your home. For all I know, you might love it, be completely satisfied, swear by it even. I don't know. I've used my WebTV Classic unit for 7 years now and though, as everyone knows, MSNTV units are somewhat limited in what they can do online, I wouldn't trade a moment of being able to sit back and relax in my reclining chair while I surfed the 'net on my 27" Sony for hours on end. So, if MSNTV 2 intrigues you as a newbie, by all means give it a try and decide for yourself.

HOWEVER...

If you currently own a WebTV Classic or Plus unit, please allow me to share with you the nightmare that was this past week. How overjoyed I was to receive my new MSNTV 2 unit in the mail--the colorful box, the nifty gizmos inside, the ergonomic two-toned wireless keyboard, the friendly set-up & user manuals. Who knew that simply plugging it in would initiate two days of non-stop frustration and tremendous regret.

The first thing I noticed (before turning it on) was that the unit caused a very subtle yet discernible interference on my TV screen: a reoccurring, slowly rising ghostly ribbon that was more noticeable after turning the unit on, even when I watched a DVD or broadcast television. Hmmm...that's not good. No amount of moving or rearranging the unit or the AC/DC adapter on the cord would make the interference entirely disappear. Well, that's disappointing. Here's hoping the performance of the unit will offset that...right? Oh, boy....

Mistake #1: Assuming MSNTV 2 does everything that MSNTV "1" (used by WebTV Classic and Plus units) does, PLUS MORE...

It does not.

EVERYTHING is different. The home page. The navigating. The on-screen instructions. The e-mail screen. The remote. The keyboard button arrangement. Everything. MSNTV 2 service is NOT the same as MSNTV service! Things haven't been merely juggled around on-screen to jazz things up--oh, no, no, no. These are new pages, new links, new icons--it's really like you're starting from scratch.

But the real head-scratcher was discovering what I LOST. Say a tearful buh-bye to PageBuilder, your Scrapbook photos, and easy access to discussion boards. They are all history, babe, with MSNTV 2. If you've made your own web pages on MSNTV, they will be lost forever as MSNTV 2 does not support them. In fact, MSNTV 2 won't even allow you to make NEW websites! (When I called MSN to ask why, they said simply, "...because people can just do it online with other companies for free." Pretty weak answer, imho.) And though there is an improved way to download and save photographs on the new MSNTV 2 service, your previously saved photos with your old unit will NOT transfer over--they will be lost forever as well.

Mistake #2: Assuming all of your old user names and saved "Favorites" will transfer over to the new unit.

They will not.

I had literally scores of saved websites in my Favorites folders on MSNTV--all GONE once the transfer occurred. As for your additional users, you are able to transfer them over (one at a time--5 minutes transfer time each), BUT if any of your MSNTV user names had punctuation in them, you will not be able to transfer them. MSNTV 2 will allow you to have user names which only utilize numbers or letters. Saved e-mails in each account WILL transfer over--that's at least one point in your favor. But I lost two user names when I made the transfer to MSNTV 2 because they each contained a hyphen! (And MSNTV 2 costs $2 more a month than MSNTV...why?)

Mistake #3: Assuming the new unit would somehow perform "faster" or "better".

It did not.

I didn't notice one iota of faster page loading; in fact, it seemed a little slower (I use dial-up)! And instead of the small pop-up with the little globe that spins and the ribbon that slowly fills in to indicate how close you're getting to the next page, now there is a screen-wide ribbon at the bottom that makes it seem even more torturous waiting for a page to load because the "journey" is that much longer! Granted, with the MSNTV 2 unit you do have the option of hooking it up to a Broadband connection, yadda, yadda, but I don't have Broadband, I don't want to pay extra for it, so the question is moot.

So, after two days, I just couldn't stand it any longer. Frankly...I felt a little hoodwinked. Thank goodness I hadn't thrown out my trusty WebTV Classic. Oddly, the least frustrating chapter in this whole process was actually returning the MSNTV 2 unit! I first spoke to "Yvonne" at the shipping center in Ohio to get my "Returned Merchandise" shipping number. She was admittedly very courteous and helpful and didn't give me any guff about why I was returning the unit--she was actually very understanding! Kudos as well to "Kirsten" at MSN who I had to call to switch my service back to regular MSNTV. She was also quite helpful and did everything she could to restore my service to its former glory. Returning home that night and turning on my trusty Classic to discover that EVERYTHING had been restored to the way it was before was like being reunited with a long-lost relative. I got it all back--the user names, the Favorites, everything--thank the Maker! Of course, I did have to pay for shipping back to MSN--adding insult to injury?

So, I leave it up to you to make up your own mind about MSNTV 2. If you are a long-time MSNTV user and your internet needs remain somewhat minimal, stay the course! If you've never tried MSNTV, take the MSNTV 2 unit out for a spin and judge for yourself. If you have Broadband, you will probably appreciate the new-and-improved video and audio options. And if you take a lot of digital pictures, you'd probably enjoy the picture downloading and slideshows you can do with the new unit. As for me, I have every intention of sticking to my dear ol' Classic until it finally gives up the ghost (unless Microsoft completely deserts the technology in the interim). Until then, I get to read this review over and over from the comfort of my cherished corduroy La-Z-Boy.

Happy surfing!

Rating:
Summary: broadband connection
Review: Just purchased this item and had my local cable hook up broadband and it works excellent.
None of the below mentioned keyboard skips in other reviews.
I have noticed computer snobs have gone out of there way to trash this product and im confused....
I wanted to email and use the internet sitting on the coach with no worries of viruses etc.
I hooked my canon sd 110 digital camera up to the box and it works great also.
This product was made for entertainment and im entertained,

Rating:
Summary: Unit does some things well, but too many problems and bugs.
Review: The keyboard interface does not function well. As most of the buyers have reported here, it skips letters, and is impossible to use for writing emails or other text (like this) without constant fixing.

As a multimedia unit it has severe limitations as well, not being able to access many popular video and audio files if they are not Microsoft.

No ability to do CCP from web pages, though if you buy a mouse you can do it...sometimes. Scroll feature on mouse not enabled.

The MSN TV 2 does surf faster than the old Web TV did, even on dial up, though display of some webpages is eccentric.

Photo features a scrapbook which is limited to 100 low resolution pictures. With the addition of a card reader, digital memory cards can be read and images printed.

BTW, I am on my second unit, the first one was so faulty I couldn't even register it.

In summary, this unit is not at all ready for market. Caveat emptor.



Rating:
Summary: Internet TV !
Review: This new box from msn internet and email service is so good you can though away SKY,SKY+,NTL,TELEWESTBROADBAND and SKY MULTIROOM or FREEVIEV. First get a msn tv sub then by the software its a simple as 123 or ABC!