Satellite Tv/worldspace Radio Review

[sbk]

satellite article

Here is the text:

Dishing out media options

Tune in to some free satellite channels

Michael C Barnes

When I first arrived in Thailand nine years ago, I used an analogue satellite receiver and was able to pick up many English stations including CNN, Star World, MTV, and several others. Over time, almost all of these channels disappeared. Some of these channels were encrypted while others simply went digital.

I recently purchased a complete system to receive free-to-view satellite TV. The cost of the system was less than 20,000 baht. This included installation, one receiver and a seven-foot dish with motor.

The first observation was that I had never seen better reception since arriving in Thailand. The signals from satellite were cleaner than anything I had seen either from UBC or standard free Thai TV.

The next observation was the astonishing number of Hindi and Mandarin language broadcasts. My installer told me that he could add another 40 Hindi channels.

Thai channels 9, 11, ITV and the Thai Global network were available directly from satellite. I have yet to find 3, 5, or 7. In addition to Chinese, Hindi and Thai, I have found channels broadcasting in English, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Arabic, Turkish, German, Burmese, Cambodian, Malay, and Vietnamese.

My interest is limited to English. Most of the English broadcasts are religious. There are at least four channels that broadcast primarily in English. These include BBC World, Bloomberg, NoW, and Channel News Asia. The US Government has a station called Worldnet that broadcasts in many different languages and has some of the best US news programmes available in Thailand.

There are many part-time English broadcasters. Many of the Indonesian channels broadcast English programs with Malay subtitles. Many Chinese language channels will also broadcast American series with Chinese subtitles.

BBC World is a very good alternative to CNN and Bloomberg is a very good alternative to CNBC. NoW is a very odd channel that has produced some of the best self-promotional promotional clips. These promotional clips present a very progressive channel that combines the Internet, MP3 and direct broadcasting. What is broadcast between these promotions are 10-year-old sporting events and other outdated broadcasts. It is as if the current broadcasts are simply there as filler.

Channel News Asia has been a very pleasant surprise. Its news is very complete and they present the news rapidly. While the BBC is a very good source for the news, they take a lot more time getting the information out than the Singapore-based Channel News Asia. It also features the American News program 20/20, which is broadcast five times a week.

Worldnet broadcasts news from VOA, Business Week Money Talks, CSPAN, The Newshour with Jim Leher and The McLaughlin Group.

If your primary interest is keeping up with the news, free-to-view satellite is probably the best option here in Thailand. Most countries will broadcast news in English as well as their local language. Dubai Business channel has an excellent English news program. For fun, I have watched English broadcasts out of Laos, Germany, Japan, Korea and China.

I purchased my system from PSI. Their web site is http://www.psisat.com. I am quite pleased with the variety of English language programing available. While English language content is abundant, Arabic, Chinese and Hindi programing is also plentiful.

I also purchased a World Space radio (http://www.worldspace.com). World Space broadcasts about 40 free radio stations, but I generally leave my radio tuned to CNN International.

This combination of free-to-view satellite and World Space Radio broadcasts gives me quite a variety of entertainment. Best of all, there are no monthly fees with either system.

- Michael C Barnes is the president of NorhTec Corporation.

[george]

Can you add film channels like HBO with an additional paid subscription?

[JGV]

I just went to this web site. It is all in Thai and so I sent an e mail and await a reply.

I too would like to know what channels are available as relying on the wims of cable operators leaves you generally disappointed

I'm in Sattahip and there is virtually no TV in English apart from V.Fox News and a VCD movie channel. Also no sport at all

Anyone out there no about satellite TV in Thailand?

JGV