Entertainment Class: First Great Western

[Dai.]

Hey guys,

I couldn't find the thread on this and I haven't been near a High Speed Train yet.


But could anyone tell if the tv's are in the High Speed Trains yet please?

I am quite interested in this system and would like to go on a train with them on

If there are, has anyone seen or used them?

Thank you so much!

Dai.


(More information: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4483, http://www.volo.tv/)

 

[Ivo]

They can be found in some Coach D carriages, but far from all. In truth, they aren't as worthwhile as the average traveller may think, but I do find the GPS-like route map - complete with speed and altitude - interesting.

 

[starrymarkb]

Yes they are, but AIUI they are still being rolled out across the fleet so some sets may not have screens yet

 

[Dreadnought]

Was at Oxford on Saturday and noticed that the information boards were advertising the TVs in Coach D on the 10:31 tram to Paddington.

 

[Daimler]

They can be found in some Coach D carriages, but far from all. In truth, they aren't as worthwhile as the average traveller may think, but I do find the GPS-like route map - complete with speed and altitude - interesting.

Is the GPS screen free, or do you have to pay to use that too?

 

[Ivo]

Is the GPS screen free, or do you have to pay to use that too?

Oh no, that's free. Anything under "Info" (as opposed to "Watch") is free, including - among other things - maps, news and About Volo TV (!).

 

[Daimler]

Oh no, that's free. Anything under "Info" (as opposed to "Watch") is free, including - among other things - maps, news and About Volo TV (!).

Ah, excellent! I might try it, though I usually like to sit in the normally empty quiet coach at the rear of train, for a bit of space - the ones nearer the buffet are often packed.

 

[bnm]

Tried it out back in February when it was still on a free trial. Not sure I'd go out of my way to pay for the content. When I tried it it was mainly old episdes of 'Friends', 'Frasier', Only Fools & Horses', 'Blue Planet' and classic footy games. Nothing I hadn't seen countless times on terrestrial TV.

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bnm/Picture032a.jpg

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bnm/Picture035a.jpg

 

[Peter Mugridge]

but I do find the GPS-like route map - complete with speed and altitude - interesting.

Any chance of a photo of one in this mode please?

 

[Ivo]

Any chance of a photo of one in this mode please?

Someone else may have to provide it - either I'm stupid or there are fewer units with this capability than there were a couple of months ago! (Or both...) If I can provide a picture, I shall

 

[LE Greys]

If someone put a camera in the cab, facing forwards, I'd pay anything they charged!

Not a chance in Hell, though, there's probably some regulation or other.

 

[CompactDstrxion]

If someone put a camera in the cab, facing forwards, I'd pay anything they charged!

Not a chance in Hell, though, there's probably some regulation or other.

Top idea that.

 

[Aictos]

If someone put a camera in the cab, facing forwards, I'd pay anything they charged!

Not a chance in Hell, though, there's probably some regulation or other.

I'm sure there's pretty good reasons why it won't happen, good idea as it is I just don't see it happening.

 

[starrymarkb]

Any chance of a photo of one in this mode please?

http://opengeodata.org/openstreetmap-data-is-on-your-train Picture in this article

 

[jopsuk]

I've been on buses (in Edinburgh) that have screens cycling through the CCTV cameras on board, in the passenger areas (including a screen on the top deck) that included the forward-facing camera in front of the driver. Perhaps not such a far-fetched concpet?

 

[devon_metro]

All FGW units have cameras at the front of trains, for security purposes etc.

They wouldn't allow a live feed to passengers, for many reasons.

 

[jopsuk]

What reasons though? If a bus can have a live feed to passengers, why couldn't a train?

 

[Aictos]

What reasons though? If a bus can have a live feed to passengers, why couldn't a train?

Do they? Kindly name any buses which do as I've never heard of any live feed being provided on buses.

 

[Dai.]

http://opengeodata.org/openstreetmap-data-is-on-your-train Picture in this article

Now that looks useful

 

[90019]

I've been on buses (in Edinburgh) that have screens cycling through the CCTV cameras on board, in the passenger areas (including a screen on the top deck) that included the forward-facing camera in front of the driver. Perhaps not such a far-fetched concpet?

I've never come across any showing the camera facing out the front. But the Presidents might have done that at one point.

Do they? Kindly name any buses which do as I've never heard of any live feed being provided on buses.

Lothian's fleet of Geminis and Presidents all have screens on the top deck that show a live feed from various CCTV cameras throughout the bus.
The ones tend to only show the top deck ones. The Presidents with a central door (Most of them were, but the majority have been converted to single door) would show the camera watching that door, to catch people getting on through those doors.
The Urbans and Pointers don't have screens IIRC, and I'm not sure about the Solos.

I think the newest Gemini 2s may have a screen on the lower deck as well, but I can't remember if that's the case.


They're not always working though

 

[transportphoto]

Do they? Kindly name any buses which do as I've never heard of any live feed being provided on buses.

Anglia Screen on 'Anglian Bus & Coach' (local company) have screens fitted above the drivers cab on their optare solo's - not sure about other type of busses.

It scrolls through ad's and photos (often Ariel Photos) and then for a couple of secs there is a CCTV display showing the road ahead - not that you can't see it anyway due to the design of that particular bus

The camera is mounted behind the dash.

Can't find a pic of one in 'road mode' but here are the screens I'm talking about: http://www.springadvertising.co.uk/uploads/anglian-bus-anglianscreen.jpg

Company Website

 

[jopsuk]

I've never come across any showing the camera facing out the front. But the Presidents might have done that at one point.

I definitely have seen it. Dunno what sort of bus it was, though if it helps it was likely a 7, 37 or 47. Was a bit surprised when I saw it first.
Edit: would have been approx four years ago

 

[90019]

I definitely have seen it. Dunno what sort of bus it was, though if it helps it was likely a 7, 37 or 47. Was a bit surprised when I saw it first.
Edit: would have been approx four years ago

I'm guessing it will have been a Gemini then, though I can't remember exactly what was running them back then (though they're all Geminis now).
In my experience, they only show some of the cameras upstairs and that's all, so you're unlikely to see it again.

 

[Ivo]

Stagecoach double-deckers in Swindon (not sure what they are, sorry... - Enviros I assume) have live feed monitors. I'm sure the 09-reg models in Preston do too.

 

[jon0844]

I doubt there's any specific rule, but I can see why a TOC would play safe and turn it off - even though there's no regulation or law to say they must.

Airlines vary on what they show (or at least when they showed them, I guess that failed terrorist attempt stopped them?) with some showing take offs and landing, while others definitely do NOT show such things and prefer to show a range of views when in normal flight.

On a plane, there's not much to see at 36,000 feet - but on a train, there would definitely be some entertainment value for passengers - from 'spotters' to children. Much better, and safer, than when a FCC driver had let a group into first class and had the door open to let them look out the front! I won't mention the day/time/train in case someone gets into trouble - but it was nearly a year ago now.

 

[Aictos]

Well about the buses, none of the operators round Peterborough has it installed, companies like:

Stagecoach in Peterborough
Stagecoach in Cambridge
Delaine
Local Link operated by Peterborough Council
First Eastern Counties
Kimes
National Express

Most of them do have onboard CCTV but no monitors that I have seen for staff or passengers.

 

[jon0844]

A few years ago, I was on a (London) bus with a TV screen downstairs and upstairs that showed a range of camera views, possibly including a camera pointed externally (pretty sure there was one of the front, from a high up vantage point, and maybe even a reverse view), but it seemed more like a test or showcase for the facility (fitted free to try and sell it throughout London/TfL?), as they've now gone. Some buses have one screen but it's likely to be turned off.

Of course, does this send out the message to people that the cameras no longer work? I hope the cameras are still on, but the screens are turned off.

Also, the idea of having screens showing news, weather and advertising (as well as travel info, sometimes) seems to have been ditched. Lots of companies, including the one providing screens to First, seem to think they'll recover their costs from advertising or paid-usage and it will be tough now that we have most people on a bus/train/plane with a smartphone (e.g. iPhone) that is filled with their favourite music/films/TV series loaded on.

As we've found at train stations, the screens for info (as against at seat ones) aren't anywhere near as good and easy to read as basic LED displays. Buses in London all have the latter now for 'next stop, final destination' screens and they're definitely better, if not technically amazing.

 

[Greenback]

Tried it out back in February when it was still on a free trial. Not sure I'd go out of my way to pay for the content. When I tried it it was mainly old episdes of 'Friends', 'Frasier', Only Fools & Horses', 'Blue Planet' and classic footy games. Nothing I hadn't seen countless times on terrestrial TV.

Can you find out what's on before paying for it? To be honest, Frasier, Friends and Fools are on TV so much I scream when I see them at home. The idea of paying for them on a train is horrible!

 

[jon0844]

A few years ago, I'd have happily paid to watch something if there was a good choice and you could play/pause/rewind individually. Standard things for most planes (and likewise, I always figured Ryanair/Easyjet could have made money from such systems that were charged for) but as I said before, now we all have a phone that can quite happily play movies and TV series' that we've downloaded - so it's exactly what WE want to watch (no on-board system will ever have the selection) - I really do think these ideas are doomed to fail.

You could say that not everybody has a smartphone that has loads of storage and can be used as a media player, but the success of the iPhone has been phenomenal. It might not be the best media playing device on sale, but it's certainly widely accepted by both sexes and all age groups.

Power sockets and Wi-Fi should be more than sufficient for trains. I know FCC keeps talking about equipping one carriage on its rolling stock with screens, but the fact that none of them have been done yet suggests this project isn't going anywhere. FGW could possibly work if the price is right, and it's great for the overnight trains (do they show adult content?!) but I'm still not convinced.

 

[Greenback]

I think the idea of TV on trains is ten years out of date! Particularly pay TV!