Another Truevisions Rip Off?

[happylarry]

Hi LivinLOS...now you have got my interest.

How do you pause live tv on a media box and carry on watching the programme from where you paused it without missing anything?

And what exactly do you mean by a media box? (forgive my ignorance)

HL

[Naam]

Hi

Can't you just buy a regular HDD recorder (available in Thailand???) and hook that up to the TRUE Vision box? Is that legal or not?

yes you can and it is legal. we have done this 2½ years ago with two UBC-receivers and the UBC people did the hook-up.

[Naam]

Can do most of that (pause live TV etc) with a media center..

any harddrive recorder will do the same.

[Jimjim]

Give me a break!! What are you talking about? Are you responding to the wrong post? I've never been overdue - in fact I pay a year in advance to get the extrta free month!!

Yes, responded to the wrong post as your post was directly above the one below. Sorry. I've now directed my words to the correct post.

I think if they had any competition their customers would be leaving in droves. We are paid up to the 17th of the month but if we don't pay our bill by the 10th of the month they cut off service and then charge to to reconnect even though in reality your time had not run out. Love to tell them to take their service and put it where the sun don't shine. But right now they are the only game in town.

How 'bout you just make sure and pay your bill? Give me a break. Cable/satellite providers all over the world would charge you to reconnect if you were overdue Perhaps not every one, but I'm sure many would.

[happylarry]

Hey Naam...so do you have all your tv playing through the hard drive recorder all the time, or do you have to deliberately start the recorder, recording in order to be able to pause and recommense watching the programme.

HL

[Thaddeus]

Give me a break!! What are you talking about? Are you responding to the wrong post? I've never been overdue - in fact I pay a year in advance to get the extrta free month!!

Yes, responded to the wrong post as your post was directly above the one below. Sorry. I've now directed my words to the correct post.

I think if they had any competition their customers would be leaving in droves. We are paid up to the 17th of the month but if we don't pay our bill by the 10th of the month they cut off service and then charge to to reconnect even though in reality your time had not run out. Love to tell them to take their service and put it where the sun don't shine. But right now they are the only game in town.

How 'bout you just make sure and pay your bill? Give me a break. Cable/satellite providers all over the world would charge you to reconnect if you were overdue Perhaps not every one, but I'm sure many would.

That doesn't sound like an overdue bill to me.

[Old Man River]

Hey ole man river, keep us posted with that problem wont you. Apart from that how do you find the box?

HL

I love the box, other than the main problem I am now having. Previously, one issue that they had a problem with is when you recorded a program and played it back, sometimes the replay would freeze and you would lose all of what you recorded. I complained to True and they admitted that it had been a common problem, but their Feb. software update fixed it and this does seem to be the case.

A smaller problem that still occurs is that sometimes when you replay something that you recorded and exit, the machine forces you to go back to the beginning of the replay. While most of the time you can resume to where you left it, for some unknown reason about 25% of the time the resume function doesn't work and you have to fast forward from the beginning to where you left the program. This gets annoying.

[Thanh-BKK]

True Visions was touting 10 new channels a couple of months ago in the business sections of the English language newspapers. Where are they?

Hi

I very rarely watch TV at all, apart from Formula One, however my boyfriend is glued to the tube every free minute (typical Thai). So i naturally have no idea what new channels are there, but ONE i know of, my boyfriend found it by chance - MTV, on channel 111 (satellite box). They used to have MTV some time ago, then it was taken off and disappeared, and now it's back.

Maybe that are the "new" channels - simply "old" channels brought back in?

Best regards.....

Thanh

[jbowman1993]

Hi Guys,

I have a PVR. I love it. Makes my TV watching more enjoyable because I can click a button and record an entire series, and when I have time, I can sit down and watch the shows that I want to watch.

Also the PVR has component out which makes the picture quality with my Samsung LCD much much better than with just composite.

[maxjay]

I think if they had any competition their customers would be leaving in droves. We are paid up to the 17th of the month but if we don't pay our bill by the 10th of the month they cut off service and then charge to to reconnect even though in reality your time had not run out. Love to tell them to take their service and put it where the sun don't shine. But right now they are the only game in town.

My due date is the 25th of each month. However, sometimes I don't get around to paying until the 26th, 27th, 28th, etc. without any problem. The staff at the Udon office told me "no worry".

I was also told by some friends that a notice would come up on your TV screen informing you that your payments is late around a week after your due date?

[jayjayjayjay]

I enjoy a good Turd Visions moan as much as the next man. Their service is indeed terrible. The product however, in the main, for me, isn't that bad.

As far as the monthly charge for the equipment is concerned, i already pay something like 155 baht a month. I think it's like a rental charge for the equipment. With PVR you have to buy the equipment, so it can't be a rental fee. Perhaps it's to cover for any call outs if it breaks down.

Anyway, rip off or not, it would only be another 150 baht or so on top of what i already pay, so wouldn't affect my decision on whether to install PVR or not. At the moment i'm waiting to see if they come out with any promotions - and also waiting for them to iron out teething problems with the system, of which i have no doubt there are many.

Anyone care to share some feedback on using PVR? How's it going?

Correct, I got one of the PVR's during the Beta trials. They offered me the thing for 13,999 in place of my existing box and the waver of the first years 299/mth box rental...... So if they took back my other box, I would have paid 13,999 one off, plus 2000 baht/mth for my Platinum Service. As it is, I got so confused with their communications, 10 plus telephone calls, I still have the PVR, still have my old box, and have service running to both, and havent paid anything since April 25th........ so I'm expecting my house to be torched any day now!

[jayjayjayjay]

Not that I am going to be getting one because I dont agree with the rental for it....but an ordinary dvd recorder doesnt match up to it as the PVR can pause or replay live tv, can be set up to record a whole series of programs etc. etc. Also it acts a bit like teletext where you can get all the footy scores etc.

My son in UK says once you have one of these boxes then you wouldnt want to be without it, but as I say they dont have to pay a rent over there.

HL

My experience, and this is comming from a television junky(it's truely my only addiction), is it's a great product. The PVR comes with 2 tuners internally. It can record one station and play another. You can set it up to record a series of events. I travel a lot with work, so it normalises things I might want to catch up on. Footy scores, games for the kids etc, is all pretty good. Cant complain except for the price.

[Old Man River]

Hey ole man river, keep us posted with that problem wont you. Apart from that how do you find the box?

HL

I love the box, other than the main problem I am now having. Previously, one issue that they had a problem with is when you recorded a program and played it back, sometimes the replay would freeze and you would lose all of what you recorded. I complained to True and they admitted that it had been a common problem, but their Feb. software update fixed it and this does seem to be the case.

A smaller problem that still occurs is that sometimes when you replay something that you recorded and exit, the machine forces you to go back to the beginning of the replay. While most of the time you can resume to where you left it, for some unknown reason about 25% of the time the resume function doesn't work and you have to fast forward from the beginning to where you left the program. This gets annoying.

Further to the above message, I just got off the phone with TrueVision's technical support. They said that the problem I have (had) with the 8 day advance TV guide as been fixed this week with a software update. I re-booted and the problem has been fixed.

I have been advised by their technical support that they often have updates (several this week) and since they don't announce these updates, it is better to re-boot once per week. Re-boot, and then hold the power button on the PVR box down for several seconds until you get a blue screen. The new software is then downloaded. You then get a red screen that says checking for software updates. After this, the system re-scans channels and problems get fixed.

The technical support person said the issue I am having on resume may well be a software bug and they will check it. It is obvious that they are trying to get this all corrected. Over-all, I am very happy with the purchase.

[wolf5370]

Sky have had a similar machine in the UK for a few years now, but once you have bought it that is it, no more to pay.

Well I guess they will learn after they realise how few they are selling. (hmmmm or will they, probably put the price up)

HL

Hi, this is strictly true. Sky+ is only free (subscription) if you have the full package (all movie channels etc) otherwise it can cost up to £10/m. Also, if you don't pay you Sky Bill - or cancel the package and just watch the Free-2-Ait channels, the Sky+ functionality stops working too (no pause/rewind/record). But then Sky is a monopoly too!

Personally I think its rubbish, not the tech - which I love, but the way they con their own customers charging for what they have already paid for. You pay for the kit because it has the functionality you want. A monthly charge on top of this is day light robbery as its the device that's doing the work, not their signal etc (which you have already paid for).

Edited June 5, 2008 by wolf5370

[cluezo]

Hi

Can't you just buy a regular HDD recorder (available in Thailand???) and hook that up to the TRUE Vision box? Is that legal or not? How about a VHS machine (err..... i've seen some second hand, but never new) or a computer with a TV-capture card?

I'm not sure you could do the 8 day advanced channel programming Truevisons offers with a regular HDD recorder. I could be srong, though...

You can with a dreambox and some 'tweaking'

Hypothetically speaking, of course, if one were doing a story on such skullduggery for, say, Time Magazine; where might an intrepid investigative reporter expose the ways and means of such 'tweaking?"

[Naam]

Hey Naam...so do you have all your tv playing through the hard drive recorder all the time, or do you have to deliberately start the recorder, recording in order to be able to pause and recommense watching the programme.

HL

picture is routed from sat-receiver via PVR to TV. PVR records even when not in recording mode up to three hours. that means if sat-receiver is set on a news channel i can go back (up to three hours), watch news and jump any ads or what is not of interest to me. but basically both of the recorders are always in record mode and that gives us a maximum of 250 hours on the Philips and 160 hours recording on the Panasonic PVR.

although this sounds a lot, it is NOT because we erase more than 80% (perhaps even more )of the recordings as they are either bullsh*t or repetitions for the umpteenth time. as already mentioned we wouldn't subscribe to TRUE's rubbish² if we had not installed the recorders

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Give me a break!! What are you talking about? Are you responding to the wrong post? I've never been overdue - in fact I pay a year in advance to get the extrta free month!!

Yes, responded to the wrong post as your post was directly above the one below. Sorry. I've now directed my words to the correct post.

I think if they had any competition their customers would be leaving in droves. We are paid up to the 17th of the month but if we don't pay our bill by the 10th of the month they cut off service and then charge to to reconnect even though in reality your time had not run out. Love to tell them to take their service and put it where the sun don't shine. But right now they are the only game in town.

How 'bout you just make sure and pay your bill? Give me a break. Cable/satellite providers all over the world would charge you to reconnect if you were overdue Perhaps not every one, but I'm sure many would.

Jimjim

Do your providers all over the world cut you off one week before your payment date? This is in the Hua Hin/Cha Am area. They do show a notice on the TV several days before it reaches their early due date. It is not the charge I'm complaining about it is the fact it is cut off one week early, or do you run into that all over the world??

[happylarry]

Hi all, thanks for all the input....so to sum it all up:-

The PVR once you have one seems to be an invaluable piece of kit, if you are hooked on watching a lot of television. (mind you there isnt a lot else to do in Isaan)

Although some people claim that other machines can do the same as the PVR this is obviously not the case, so I guess if you want the performance and convenience of the PVR and can afford to throw your money around then its a matter of pay up and shut up.

Although I personally would like to have one myself there is no way I will be purchasing and renting the PVR at the same time.

Somone mentioned about all the repeats shown all the time and I would like to throw out a question.

I enjoy watching a good english drama serious (the chase, cutting it, judge john deed etc.) Once they have shown a complete series they take the programme off the air for a few months and then bring it back...but not the following series....they always repeat the same bl**dy series time and again...WHY?

1) Is it because they think that all the ferrang viewers are here on holiday and therefore they will have a complete new audience each time.

2) Is it because they think all the ferrang viewers are so thick that they will have forgotten the first time they saw the series.

3) or is it because they are just so obsessed with making money that they wont pay out to purchase new programmes.

4) Does anybody know if this is done on thai television...ie:- is it a way of life in Thailand to keep watching the same programmes repeatedly.

Look forward to reading your comments.

HL

[wrecker]

and if there is a TV listing it is often not accurate, they are an hour off or so.... Lousy company, bill payment for the satellite TV was not possible through BBL bank, so you was forced to opt for the cable. unfortunately this company is so sophisticated that they are not even able to credit your account after all CATV and DSTV have separate accounting departments. So they give you an fax number which is not picking up and their email (also published on their website) is spitting the payment slip back it is not in use for months!

About the PVR! it is rubbish it is not a HD machine, so if and it is an IF they start broadcasting in HD you might buy a new one! Go for a Bluray recorder, it is cheaper and better. On their website they claim to have started HD broadcasts for the general public, cutting edge technology. well uhh sort of. If you ask them they will tell the announcement on their website is not accurate, maybe THIS year, but than again we hear the maybe this year statement already for the last 3 years or so.

[JetsetBkk]

...I would like to throw out a question.

I enjoy watching a good english drama serious (the chase, cutting it, judge john deed etc.) ...

"Judge John Deed" is indeed brilliant

In Thailand, you can watch one episode where he has got divorced, the next episode where he's getting married and the next when he meets his true love for the first time.

Alternatively, you can download the whole series and watch them in the correct order.

[Jimjim]

Hi all, thanks for all the input....so to sum it all up:-

The PVR once you have one seems to be an invaluable piece of kit, if you are hooked on watching a lot of television. (mind you there isnt a lot else to do in Isaan)

Although some people claim that other machines can do the same as the PVR this is obviously not the case, so I guess if you want the performance and convenience of the PVR and can afford to throw your money around then its a matter of pay up and shut up.

Although I personally would like to have one myself there is no way I will be purchasing and renting the PVR at the same time.

Somone mentioned about all the repeats shown all the time and I would like to throw out a question.

I enjoy watching a good english drama serious (the chase, cutting it, judge john deed etc.) Once they have shown a complete series they take the programme off the air for a few months and then bring it back...but not the following series....they always repeat the same bl**dy series time and again...WHY?

1) Is it because they think that all the ferrang viewers are here on holiday and therefore they will have a complete new audience each time.

2) Is it because they think all the ferrang viewers are so thick that they will have forgotten the first time they saw the series.

3) or is it because they are just so obsessed with making money that they wont pay out to purchase new programmes.

4) Does anybody know if this is done on thai television...ie:- is it a way of life in Thailand to keep watching the same programmes repeatedly.

Look forward to reading your comments.

HL

If you're talking about BBC they could give a rat's ass as their research finds most of their viewers are the citizens of the country in which they are broadcasting. They could care less about "farang".

As for channels like National Geographic they do the same in the U.S. They show a lot of repeats. That's just cable/satellite TV a lot of the time in any country. Many of the channels show a lot of repeats and of course old reruns.

[tipsy]

Quick (maybe silly) question,

If I buy this box do I still have to pay for the monthly subscription to a package

ie. I pay 2000 per month for platinum, then 300 for the extra a la carte packages and a rental fee so my bill is 2500 ish a month.

30,000 a year its costing me, obviously the one off cost of the box will be a lot cheaper

[happylarry]

Hey tipsy...hahaha...not only will you still be paying all your present subscriptions but you will also be paying an extra 300 baht for using the new PVR box.

HL

[Old Man River]

I enjoy a good Turd Visions moan as much as the next man. Their service is indeed terrible. The product however, in the main, for me, isn't that bad.

As far as the monthly charge for the equipment is concerned, i already pay something like 155 baht a month. I think it's like a rental charge for the equipment. With PVR you have to buy the equipment, so it can't be a rental fee. Perhaps it's to cover for any call outs if it breaks down.

Anyway, rip off or not, it would only be another 150 baht or so on top of what i already pay, so wouldn't affect my decision on whether to install PVR or not. At the moment i'm waiting to see if they come out with any promotions - and also waiting for them to iron out teething problems with the system, of which i have no doubt there are many.

Anyone care to share some feedback on using PVR? How's it going?

I have the PVR and very much like it. It is a personal decision, of course. For those who don't like UBC, then don't buy it. If you do, and want to record the programs you like so you can see them when you want to, then it is worth it. To me, it is worth it. Not many teething problems anymore.

[tipsy]

Hey tipsy...hahaha...not only will you still be paying all your present subscriptions but you will also be paying an extra 300 baht for using the new PVR box.

HL

Oh! Sorry I guess that was a silly question, just though they may offer some once in a lifetime deal to introduce this to Thailand. But again that was equally silly.

As for buying the box, why bother? If the reason is to record and watch your shows at a later time/date dont bother. Shows seem to be repeated daily for months on end. In fact I can only off the top of my head think of 3 new things that I have seen all month

[silverhawk_usa]

I just scanned most of this topic and must say I agree with those that truly dislike the repeat and outdated programming. I can't see how I miss much that I can't see on another day, another week, another month and then a special "marathon" where they show everything again without recording it. Anyway, if the PVR suits your needs it's a personal choice I guess.

I don't think anyone mentioned that you can download the months program directory from the True website. It comes in handy for me in looking up sporting event times and dates. It is a zip file that is posted on a monthly basis and is a quick and easy download.

[marcusmarsh]

Hi Everyone,

I am thinking of getting U.B.C. platinum package for the sports and the sports alone.

What I want to know is is there a LOT of live sport ?

And if it rains , Im based in Chiang Mai, will it affect my pics ?

Does the rain stop the pics clompetely and is there a way around this ?

Thanks...

[bkkjames]

Hi Everyone,

I am thinking of getting U.B.C. platinum package for the sports and the sports alone.

What I want to know is is there a LOT of live sport ?

And if it rains , Im based in Chiang Mai, will it affect my pics ?

Does the rain stop the pics clompetely and is there a way around this ?

Thanks...

You have to define a lot of live SPORT. During the football season, yes there is lots on. You also get F1, Golf, NBA, Baseball (NY Yankees) and a lot of crap sport (table tennis, badminton, Asian Footaball) and re-runs.

Regarding the rain, well it's a fact of life with the satellite dish but generally only lasts for 10-15 minutes while the storm blows through. Has a nasty habit of happening right at the start of F1 races for some reason.