UBC's new platinum Package

[Ajarn]

I actually like the movie channels they are adding--those are good ones. The stuff on the gold package (hbo/cinemax/etc) I rarely find anything watchable.

First downside is cost. For me it will be more practical to go the the theatre occasionally than fork out an extra 7000 baht a year for these platinium channels.

The other downside is the quality of the ubc satellite picture is currently pretty bad. They have the compression cranked up way past there being noticeble loss of quality (pixelation, shadows, blurriness, wrong colors, skipped frames). In order to get more channels, conventional wisdom says they are going to have to reduce the quality of the other channels to fit in the bandwidth. Besides further wrecking the picture quality, this could mean even greater susceptibility to blackout when it rains which is already a huge problem.

I can't understand why such a low quality offering needs to cost 24,000 baht a year for platinum. I thought the gold price was already pretty insane for what you get.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

why don't you buy a disk and put it on your roof, for a one time fee of bt.25,000 you can watch loads of channels free forever

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think most Thailand satellite owners will admit that there is still no competition to UBC in terms of programming. 99% of the sat stuff is non-interesting. A few small gems. Kinda fun to explore sometimes. That's about it.... Apples and Oranges, maybe.

[bkk_mike]

... the quality of the ubc satellite picture is currently pretty bad. They have the compression cranked up way past there being noticeble loss of quality (pixelation, shadows, blurriness, wrong colors, skipped frames). In order to get more channels, conventional wisdom says they are going to have to reduce the quality of the other channels to fit in the bandwidth. Besides further wrecking the picture quality, this could mean even greater susceptibility to blackout when it rains which is already a huge problem.

I can't understand why such a low quality offering needs to cost 24,000 baht a year for platinum. I thought the gold price was already pretty insane for what you get.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

why don't you buy a disk and put it on your roof, for a one time fee of bt.25,000 you can watch loads of channels free forever

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think most Thailand satellite owners will admit that there is still no competition to UBC in terms of programming. 99% of the sat stuff is non-interesting. A few small gems. Kinda fun to explore sometimes. That's about it.... Apples and Oranges, maybe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My two baht's worth.

The 25,000 satellite packages mostly work by letting you watch the Dream Channels (Phillipines version of UBC) without paying for them. At least until Dream get around to upgrading their encryption like Thailand did a few years ago and Malaysia did last year.

(There are other channels around that are genuinely free to air, but they're not channels you'd feel are worth paying for normally.)

Thailand's satellite prices are artificially inflated by the rule that states that a paid-for channel can't advertise. (Hence the red screens on channels broadcast to lots of countries. - As for the red screens, I don't mind them covering adverts, but I think we should get a refund every time they put one up in the middle of the program itself). Do I think the rule is likely to change - maybe.... - Two issues, Although Thaksin rents them space on his satellite, he doesn't own UBC. - and with all the terrestrial channels (bar ITV) being run by government departments, there's probably a lot of "pressure" to keep UBC from entering the advertising market.

With the new IPStar satellite coming in - the bandwidth available for UBC to rent on Thaicom 2/3 has probably gone up. i.e. I wouldn't expect the compression ratios to get any worse. I would simply expect more transponders to be getting rented out to UBC.

Finally, why can't the new channels include more kids channels? Nickelodeon and Disney are both broadcast in Asia Pacific - why not to Thailand? (Admittedly, I don't care if they're not dubbed into Thai, but surely that would be the only additional cost involved in adding them).

[Ajarn]

he doesn't own UBC

I sure thought he did. Or maybe his housekeeper.

[kenkannif]

I thought/think he had/has something to do with UBC as well!

[Ajarn]

His whole family is well-entrenched in all public media except newspapers, where they keep the pressure on by controlling a big chunk of the advertisers...

[ZOVOX]

His whole family is well-entrenched in all public media except newspapers, where they keep the pressure on by controlling a big chunk of the advertisers... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So he's the Berlusconi of Asia ? But is he as corrupt ?

[Ajarn]

His whole family is well-entrenched in all public media except newspapers, where they keep the pressure on by controlling a big chunk of the advertisers... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So he's the Berlusconi of Asia ? But is he as corrupt ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

By my yardstick, sure.

Edited January 20, 2005 by Ajarn

[Steve2UK]

in British English pants are Y fronts / boxers etc in other words underwear. Not trousers.  So the connection is probably one you can guess.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

'trash' and 'rubbish' 'shit', 'crap', etc., have clear understandings of being a 'negative', but 'pants'? Sounds okay to me, especially on women!

Guess I had to have been there...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/p.htm

pants (!) Noun/Adj. Nonsense, rubbish, bad. From the standard British English of pants, meaning underwear; also a variation on 'knickers'. E.g."The first half was pants but I stayed until the end and it was actually a great film." [1990s]

Exclam. An exclamation of annoyance or frustration. From the noun, (above).

I can vouch for the "knickers" reference - usually as a derogatory exclamation (in UK, anyhow) in response to something you don't believe.

Edited January 20, 2005 by Steve2UK

[Oswulf]

Bizarrely, BBC Prime and the two new movie channels included in the Platinum package are included in the Silver package (but not the Gold). As a Gold subscriber, I feel cheated. Perhaps I should downgrade.

[The Coder]

Bizarrely, BBC Prime and the two new movie channels included in the Platinum package are included in the Silver package (but not the Gold).  As a Gold subscriber, I feel cheated.  Perhaps I should downgrade.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How sneaky!!! Upon further inspection I see THE SILVER PACKAGE GETS EVERY SINGLE PLATINUM CHANNEL. Go to the below link and click a package to bring up the comparision page. Now click gold, then click silver. You will see it light up every missing channel!

UBC Packages

[bkk_mike]

Anybody else think the Silver package is just weird.

If they're going to have a cheap package, do one for kids or something. - i.e. Discovery / History / Animal Planet / Nat Geog, with the Kids ones - Cartoon / Animax, and the music ones MTV / VH1.

Something that they can advertise for homework purposes, and keeping the kids amused. (without the usually more expensive Sport and Movie channels).

If nothing else, it might boost the number of second receivers for kids rooms.

As it stands, I don't see where the market is for the silver package. The channels you get above the mini package are such an odd lot. I don't see most Thais choosing it because it doesn't add any sport or education channels.

[tuky]

No ABC-Asia Pacific which is what I was hoping for!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

triplegee, not sure where you stay but I get ABC Asia-Pacific with PTV, great for real football and hameandaway if your into that kind of thing

[sezzo]

Bizarrely, BBC Prime and the two new movie channels included in the Platinum package are included in the Silver package (but not the Gold).  As a Gold subscriber, I feel cheated.  Perhaps I should downgrade.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Downgrading to the Silver package is exactly what I am going to do. Reading the last few posts about the new movie channels I feel that I will be getting more value for money with the Silver package.

[slimdog]

I think I will be sticking with the "Gold" package. You don't seem to get that much extra for the "Platinum" package but costs nearly 600 baht more. The "Silver" packege on the other hand saves you 400 baht, but you lose virtually every channel I enjoy.

Compare:

1. 2 Additional movie channels

3 Additional entertainment channels

1 Additional Kids channel

3 Additional news channels

All for an additional 600 baht (Platinum)

2. Lose 3 reasonable film channels (HBO,Star and hallmark) but get 2 new ones

Lose all but one mediocre sports channel (Supersport action)

Lose all the information channels (History,Discovery etc)

Gain an extra entertainment channel but swap 2 around for new ones

Lose 2 music channels (including mtv)

Swap 1 cartoon channel for another

Swap CNN and BBC for very mediocre news channels but get BBC Prime

Saves you 400 baht (Silver)

[ProThaiExpat]

Hold on guys!!! When I first linked to UBC I got the same page for Platinum as I did for Silver, as evidently you did.

However, with time, the download became complete and when I clicked on the plans repeatedly, they showed the same screen with some of the channels not highlighted for Silver and others highlighted for Gold or Platinum. The Silver package drops HBO, Hallmark and Star Movie Channel by not highligting them, but they do offer TCM and MGM, as them remain highlighted when you click from Platinum to Silver.

Before you get too overjoyed with the thought that you get the same movie channels with Platinum as you do with Silver, call UBC and confirm before you take the plunge and go to Silver. Certainly, you can re-log onto their web page and see what I mean when you see the same channels offered on the same page but highlighted depending on which package you have clicked onto and the download is complete.

Please don't kill the messenger!!! "If it sounds too good to be true, it is!!"

[The Coder]

Note every single one of the brand new channels is included in the Silver package while none of them were added to the Gold package! In the past, Gold was a superset of Silver. Not anymore. Gold vs Silver is now a tradeoff. Gold gives you some things over Silver, but also takes some away. I am thinking of downgrading.

[sniffdog]

THat could mean that UBS values the old channels higher than the new channels. Or they expect that consumers like 'slimdog' are still willing to pay more for the Gold Package than for the Silver Package.

[astral]

What really surprises me is that I only know about this new package from ThaiVisa.com.

I am an existing customer of UBC and they are not announcing it on their channels, nor have they sent out any promotional info.

Yes there is a page on the web site, but not obvious.

The local Chonburi UBC dealer knows nothing about the new service, and told me to call head office.

When I telephoned their attitude was "call us on the 1st Feb"

I replied "I am calling you NOW and telling you I want it."

"Oh, OK"

What a way to run a business!

This what happens when there is no competition.

I wonder what will happen to the UBC series channel.

The programmes they show are about 6 months behind Star World,

who will the cope once Star World is part of UBC?

[triplegee]

No ABC-Asia Pacific which is what I was hoping for!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

triplegee, not sure where you stay but I get ABC Asia-Pacific with PTV, great for real football and hameandaway if your into that kind of thing

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What's PTV tukyleith? Got any more info or contact details? I am in Bangkok in the Sathorn Road area.

Cheers.

GGG

[Thaigreg]

What really surprises me is that I only know about this new package from ThaiVisa.com.

I am an existing customer of UBC and they are not announcing it on their channels, nor have they sent out any promotional info.

Yes there is a page on the web site, but not obvious.

The local Chonburi UBC dealer knows nothing about the new service, and told me to call head office.

When I telephoned their attitude was "call us on the 1st Feb"

I replied "I am calling you NOW and telling you I want it."

"Oh, OK"

What a way to run a business!

This what happens when there is no competition.

I wonder what will happen to the UBC series channel.

The programmes they show are about 6 months behind Star World,

who will the cope once Star World is part of UBC?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited January 24, 2005 by Thaigreg