Ubc Digital Satallite - Any Hd Content?

[cwkid]

Hi

Im thinking about getting UBC Digital satallite installed, I was wondering if there are any HD (High Definition) Channels?

If so are they DVB-S2 using H.264 decoding ? And what are the SD channels (Standard Definition) presumably DVB-S. MPEG2 ?

I would want to get the channels in to Vista Media Center on my Windows HTPC and extend it in to another room on my XBOX 360 extender.

I know a great deal about Windows Media Center being a top contributor on the green button website, but I'm not so sure about the TV standards used in Thailand.

Cheers

[MMR]

No HD from True (UBC) yet.

Might be a while too.

Hi

Im thinking about getting UBC Digital satallite installed, I was wondering if there are any HD (High Definition) Channels?

If so are they DVB-S2 using H.264 decoding ? And what are the SD channels (Standard Definition) presumably DVB-S. MPEG2 ?

I would want to get the channels in to Vista Media Center on my Windows HTPC and extend it in to another room on my XBOX 360 extender.

I know a great deal about Windows Media Center being a top contributor on the green button website, but I'm not so sure about the TV standards used in Thailand.

Cheers

[joncl]

Im thinking about getting UBC Digital satallite installed, I was wondering if there are any HD (High Definition) Channels?

If so are they DVB-S2 using H.264 decoding ? And what are the SD channels (Standard Definition) presumably DVB-S. MPEG2 ?

They have been testing HD on their MDDS service in Bangkok so a DVB-T unit will work for that. Having said this they still have a DVB-S transponder flagged for HD on their satellite service with a test pattern laying out on it on 12.720 GHz - H - 30000 named RS116 and RS118.

Their SD service as you call it is in DVD-S mp2 4:2:0

[Greenside]

Im thinking about getting UBC Digital satallite installed...

UBC has no HD programming, in fact I'd say it's barely got any output worthy of being called programming at all and the technical quality of what does arrive at your set is mediocre at best. I ummed and ahhhd about what kind of TV setup to go for when I moved house earlier this year and despite advice from friends, got lazy and went for UBC. Here's what I think is wrong with it:

• Countless channels labelled "future programming" playing music videos or no budget talking heads (in Thai, of course)
  
• The very worst EPG imaginable with half the captions cut off and no further information available in about 25% of lookups
  
• Endless repeats of everything interrupted by endless trails for more repeats (if I have to suffer another promo by a pseudo Indiana Jones telling me he's been Digging Through History as he brushes fake dust off his sleeve in a studio in LA, I'll scream!)
  
• Even the "premium" movie channels have huge amounts of filler to pad out a very few good movies and even then it's all available at your local video rental store or the night market months before and in better quality to boot
  
• Surely there's a limit to the number of times anyone in the world wants to see "Will & Grace (Season VIII)"?
  
• Even Nat Geo Adventure and History Channel are a disappointment with poor content devised by idiots for channel hoppers. By that I mean that after every all too frequent break to run promos for the next programme they feel the need to recap for two minutes to bring you up to speed on the previous eight minute segment - irritating or what?
  
• The BBC Entertainment channel (which I had expected better of) is 70% clogged up with tired material and repeats that I can only assume they can't fob off on anyone else.
  
• The packages offered are all carefully tailored to get you to take the Platinum option which at 25,000 a year is appallingly expensive. Any other option lacks something important that you think might be OK before you sign up.
  

No really, I was prepared for it to be bad but it's even grimmer than I expected. Unless you can't live without the sport offered in the Platinum Package I would steer well clear. "We TV" sounds like a better deal if you can get cable and I feel sure that there are other (more complicated to organise perhaps) satellite options that will leave UBC standing.

Of course, if you're a refugee from the US you might feel right at home but ours is going back after the six month contract is up.

PS Does anyone in the world watch the Fashion Channel for more time than it takes to grab the remote? Who on earth is Luke Toong - he must be some kind of superstar with an entire channel to himself 24 hours a day. Unbelievable.

[cwkid]

To answer some of your comments, I'm from the UK and I don't think I can get cable this far up north! I asume you meant DVB-S and not DVD-S.

DVB-S would be in mpeg2 format then!

In Vista Media Center you can emulate DVB-T and just use a DVB-T TV Tuner card for DVB-S signals, although the new Windows Media Center TV Pack 2008 that has been leaked does support DVB-S natively. But not DVB-S2 H.264 which is what HD is normally broadcast in.

I emailed UBC this is what they said lol:

We are terribly sorry for late reply and for any inconvenience caused.

Technically, as you know that our transmission is not compatible with the High Definition Television or wide screen TV. The quality of the picture will occasionally be squaring, snowing. However, hard we tried to adjust it due to the whole system will be changed. Nevertheless, we can ensure you that we are improving our service all the time; this message will also be passed to the related party for further consideration and improvement.

So what are the other options for satellite? The EPG user inteface for me would be in Vista Media Center anyways not their own, but if the guide data is not up to data or no good then that is a problem.

Cheers

[Camelot]

Greenside asks:

Who on earth is Luke Toong - he must be some kind of superstar with an entire channel to himself 24 hours a day. Unbelievable.

Not really. Luke Toong is Thai folk music, especially popular in Isan. One of the liveliest and most popular music channels on truevisions/UBC.

[monty]

Actually you are completely out of luck here in Asia, AFIK there is no HD TV transmitted from any satellite beaming down over Thailand.

There are only 2 alternatives to UBC, which is the South African Multi choice network, and the Malaysian Astro network, none of which has any HD programming.

Astro can't be received over all of Thailand since their directional KU beam does not cover Thailand. With a big solid dish and a good LNB I think you can get it till a bit above Bangkok.

Officially both companies cannot be used as they do not have re-transmission rights for Thailand. You can get official smart cards through some satellite shops, but they are terribly expensive, at least for Multichoice, in the region of 50,000 Baht/year.

Hence you see it only in bigger pubs and bars where they can justify such expense.

The only thing UBC is excellent for is their coverage of the English Premier league. Thy simply show all games on the Platinum package. On multichoice you'll be lucky to get the 2 top games every weekend. Multichoice is however better for pretty much any other sport such as rugby, cricket, motor sports etc...

[joncl]

Actually you are completely out of luck here in Asia, AFIK there is no HD TV transmitted from any satellite beaming down over Thailand.

All that changed a while ago, LuxTV HD is on the Thaicom satellite beaming right into Thailand on 3450-H-13330

Cheers

[monty]

Maybe good to showcase equipment, but no usable programming!

Just endless stuff on how the rich live and what they spend there money on

[tigerbeer]

I like UBC so much. I wish them all the best. So far they have managed to fool many customers. way to go!

Edited August 20, 2008 by tigerbeer

[LivinLOS]

So what are the other options for satellite? The EPG user inteface for me would be in Vista Media Center anyways not their own, but if the guide data is not up to data or no good then that is a problem.

Cheers

First DVB-S is not yet supported..

Second how will you gain guide access ?? I didnt know of any MCE compatible guide with UBC on it ??

There are some hacks.. But only for the determined.

[joncl]

Maybe good to showcase equipment, but no usable programming!

Just endless stuff on how the rich live and what they spend there money on

Never the less it is HD and being beamed to Thailand off the Thai satellite, contary to what you said "there is none"