End of Analogue TV in CM July 18

[scottiejohn]

With the ending of Analogue TV in CM in July what are the best options for getting either just Digital Thai TV or Digital Thai TV with one or two English news Channels. I am personally talking about central CM not out in the sticks. They may need another solution.

Any thoughts on what is the best/most cost effective option(s) outwith the use of the internet/Kobi/box type streaming options.

[NotEinstein]

A digital set top box from 590 baht.

 

BigC, Tesco, Amorn etc.

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

The Internet has it all.

Why would anyone want to watch tv on a small screen when they can get it on a big tv screen?

[scottiejohn]

23 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Any thoughts on what is the best/most cost effective option(s) outwith the use of the internet/Kobi/box type streaming options.

As I stated in my OP I am asking if anyone has any thoughts on options outwith Boxes/Internet feeds.  What are the options for Cable/Sat connections for primarily Thai TV.  A couple of English channels would be a bonus but NOT essential.

Does that make it clearer?

[trainman34014]

1 hour ago, scottiejohn said:

As I stated in my OP I am asking if anyone has any thoughts on options outwith Boxes/Internet feeds.  What are the options for Cable/Sat connections for primarily Thai TV.  A couple of English channels would be a bonus but NOT essential.

Does that make it clearer?

I'm on WETV Cable which is available all around CM.   I get 60 channels including Sky News from Britain, Channel News Asia from Singapore in English, Arirang in English from Korea and two English Movie Channels,  Eurosport in English and a Vietnamese Channel that shows live English Football with English commentary.   All that lot for 350 Baht a month, bargain in my opinion.

[NotEinstein]

As I said, a Digital set top box.

It connects between your TV and aerial providing digital stations to your analog TV.

Go to BigC/Tesco and ask.

[ProbPossConf]

Did you not get a government freebie Digital set top box?  If your home, or house address is registered to a Thai, then you should have received a notice form to pick up your free box at the Thai post office in your serviced area (That's how I got mines, but I gave it away).   Otherwise, if only want Thai TV channels, PSI is the cheapest way to go, especially now it is HDMI connected.

[scottiejohn]

10 hours ago, NotEinstein said:

As I said, a Digital set top box.

It connects between your TV and aerial providing digital stations to your analog TV.

Go to BigC/Tesco and ask.

Humble Pie time!

I did not realise that the Digital signal can still come thru the "old" TV aerial.  It is really only wanted for her indoors as I go to the pub or watch what I want on my computer but she does not understand computers and does not want anything to do with them. 

Even though our TV signal/picture is not 100% at present will the Old Aerial and new box provide a good enough signal to work or do I need a new aerial as well. 

 PS the TV itself is modern with HDMI & USB sockets etc.

 

 

10 hours ago, ProbPossConf said:

If your home, or house address is registered to a Thai, then you should have received a notice form to pick up your free box at the Thai post office in your serviced area

It appears the letter was not understood and as I was out of country it just got binned by what I can gather.  Can she still pop along now or is it too late.

[NotEinstein]

12 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Humble Pie time!

I did not realise that the Digital signal can still come thru the "old" TV aerial.  It is really only wanted for her indoors as I go to the pub or watch what I want on my computer but she does not understand computers and does not want anything to do with them. 

Even though our TV signal/picture is not 100% at present will the Old Aerial and new box provide a good enough signal to work or do I need a new aerial as well. 

 PS the TV itself is modern with HDMI & USB sockets etc.

 

Most digital set top boxes come with a small digital aerial, so you will have a choice.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎3‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 7:52 AM, scottiejohn said:

Humble Pie time!

I did not realise that the Digital signal can still come thru the "old" TV aerial.  It is really only wanted for her indoors as I go to the pub or watch what I want on my computer but she does not understand computers and does not want anything to do with them. 

Even though our TV signal/picture is not 100% at present will the Old Aerial and new box provide a good enough signal to work or do I need a new aerial as well. 

 PS the TV itself is modern with HDMI & USB sockets etc.

 

 

It appears the letter was not understood and as I was out of country it just got binned by what I can gather.  Can she still pop along now or is it too late.

In the UK we were told that we needed a different aerial for digital transmission. Could just have been sales talk though.

Anyway, they don't cost much.

[scottiejohn]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

In the UK we were told that we needed a different aerial for digital transmission. Could just have been sales talk though.

Anyway, they don't cost much.

What I should have said earlier is that I did not realise that the digital system could still utilise the TV aerial socket, rather than the actual aerial. I was certainly told by my landlord in the UK that I had to sign up for cable/satellite/phone line or internet. I opted for Internet but as I said earlier I am ideally looking for something here which after it is set up can be left alone and the missus just needs to switch channels as she does now with the TV remote.

 

Thanks to all for their replies but I still have one outstanding question. The present analogue picture via the aerial is not the best so will the digital box/aerial compensate for that lower quality and still work or does it have a threshold where either the signal is strong enough and you get a great picture and if it drops below a certain level does it just switches off?

[NotEinstein]

We use our old analogue aerial, but it had a decent picture before. All our apartments have connection to analogue aerials and they work OK. I even put a discarded part of an aerial up for one room, and the digital box is quite happy with it.

 

I saw the neighbours plonk a small, old-style aerial on the edge of their single-storey roof the other day. Maybe a bit of damp string would work too!

[johng]

Most digital set top boxes come with a small digital aerial, so you will have a choice.

Unless you're right next to the transmitter those indoor aerials are useless.

[johng]

In the UK we were told that we needed a different aerial for digital transmission. Could just have been sales talk though.
Anyway, they don't cost much.

Yes that would depend on analogue vs digital frequencies in your area.
The switch to digital often involved rationalising the frequency usage so often new antenna/aerials needed.

[NotEinstein]

4 minutes ago, johng said:

Unless you're right next to the transmitter those indoor aerials are useless.

The one I tried worked well, but the analogue aerial gave a slightly better signal strength.

[johng]

. The present analogue picture via the aerial is not the best so will the digital box/aerial compensate for that lower quality and still work or does it have a threshold where either the signal is strong enough and you get a great picture and if it drops below a certain level does it just switches off?

Digital is either on or off (with a bit of glitching in between) when you have a picture it will be perfect...there is no grain or snow.

[scottiejohn]

18 hours ago, johng said:

 

 

Digital is either on or off (with a bit of glitching in between) when you have a picture it will be perfect...there is no grain or snow.

 

Thanks.  That is what I thought. 

Looking on Lazada a see a vast range of boxes and prices.  Does anyone have any recommendations as to which box/type is best/easiest to set up/use.

[NotEinstein]

23 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Thanks.  That is what I thought. 

Looking on Lazada a see a vast range of boxes and prices.  Does anyone have any recommendations as to which box/type is best/easiest to set up/use.

We have a couple of the 590 baht govt. voucher units that look cheap and nasty but work perfectly well. They are all going to be the same. Plug it in, select the aux/hdmi channel on the TV, and hit scan.....

[EricTh]

On 3/18/2018 at 9:07 PM, ProbPossConf said:

 Otherwise, if only want Thai TV channels, PSI is the cheapest way to go, especially now it is HDMI connected.

 

What is PSI? How much per month?

[johng]

PSI is a satellite based system

so you'll need a dish but no monthly payment.

 

 

 

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, johng said:

PSI is a satellite based system

so you'll need a dish but no monthly payment.

 

 

 

Where can I buy the satellite and is there an installer?

[Dante99]

13 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Where can I buy the satellite and is there an installer?

Not many sattelites avaliable these days.

[johng]

Not many sattelites avaliable these days.

There's loads of satellites available
and loads of satellite dish installers.
Maybe better to get a lager black mesh C band setup lots of channels still available.

[scottiejohn]

2 hours ago, johng said:

PSI is a satellite based system

PSI Is a satellite based system for/with what? 

My Internet search results seem to be more concerned with STD's than digital TV communications advice! 

 

Any more helpful clarifications out there please?

Many have been very good and welcome!

 

 

[johng]

Its a satellite system that provides Thai language TV via a satellite dish and receiver "free to view" as in you don't have to pay a subscription..but I believe the channels are scrambled with BISS encryption...the BISS keys are available with a bit of searching and can be manually/via script input to suitable satellite receivers if you dont have the PSI satellite receiver which automatically receives the periodic key updates.

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, johng said:

 

There's loads of satellites available
and loads of satellite dish installers.
Maybe better to get a lager black mesh C band setup lots of channels still available.

 

Okay, humor me and please tell me where I can purchase a satellite.  Not a dish, a satellite.

[johng]

Okay, humor me and please tell me where I can purchase a satellite.  Not a dish, a satellite.

Well if you have a spare "few" millions of dollars you could contact
"Airbus defense and space"
"Boeing"
"lockhead Martin"
"Mitsubishi Electric Corporation"
"SSL"
Or " Thales Alenia Space "

But most poeple understand that "Satellite" refers to a dish and receiver
[emoji39]

[EricTh]

11 hours ago, johng said:

But most poeple understand that "Satellite" refers to a dish and receiver

 

 

Some people just aren't smart enough to understand that we don't spell out everything when it's easily understood what we meant.  yes, typing is such hard work ....

[Formaleins]

On ‎3‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 6:25 PM, johng said:

Unless you're right next to the transmitter those indoor aerials are useless.

Beg to differ on that score - take a look at Samart D1A, Active indoor antenna - it is powered by 5 volts from USB injection port.

While it certainly is not as good as an outdoor unit feeding a set top box it will in many cases provide a pretty good signal.

 

We are out in the sticks south of Chiang Mai and this antenna gives me over 30 digital channels. It is just hung on a wall inside the house. It costs around 500 Baht.

 

http://www.9sats.com/product/product.detail.php?&id=1727

[johng]

Glad it works for you, I'm probably a bit biased as I always seem to live in reception "dead spots" even though I'm now only about 9KM from the local transmitter they had to install a large Yaggi antenna high on the roof with a combination signal amplifier and 4G phone signal filter to get watchable Digital Terrestrial TV reception in my area....which is Na-Jomtien Chonburi province.