Quality Of Tv Picture Without Ubc Etc

[Richb2004v2]

Is it possible to get a perfect picture on Thai TV without a satellite or cable link? I mean with an ariel. I have lived in only a few different condos and my house over the years and we have never had what you could call a good picture. Not even when we have someone install an decent sized arial. In the UK I could get a better picture 25 years ago on a black and white portable TV with a coat hanger for an arial .

[longball53098]

Many things can affect the quality of an over the air antenna signal.

Here's a link to some info. Maybe it will help give you some answers.

TV Antennas

[RKASA]

I know you said "not Sat" but......

I Would never again use a large ant. that's a lighting rod and why only get 5 channels.  Plus we are only 30k from Phit. and you need two ant. because they have to point two directions to get all stations or get a rotator. We never had a great signal.

We paid 1800baht for a small dish. In total we have 72 chennels, Picture is as good as UBC.  Wife loves it.   What about rain, well it works real welI.  Only a few times did it stop for a few minutes.  The power goes out more often then that.

If u can have an ant. like that I am sure you should be able to have the cheapo dish, same size as UBC's small dish.  Dsat.  no monthly charges and you own it.  300baht they install for you.  and the ariel is so ugly. 

[lopburi3]

It depends on where you are. Most places still depend on vhf transmission I believe and that is subject to many forms of distortions. Believe the UK changed to UHF many moons ago. Here in Bangkok believe all the stations are now available from the UHF tower on Baiyoke Building and if you have line of sight the picture is better than UBC. But transmission is still analog here and have not seen any mention of a change to digital so it will probably not get much better anytime soon.

[Tywais]

It depends on where you are. Most places still depend on vhf transmission I believe and that is subject to many forms of distortions.

You got my curiosity up about the distribution of VHF/UHF so did a quick look.

Television Stations in Thailand on VHF and UHF ... Transmission is 625 lines System B (VHF, channels 2-12) or System G (UHF channels 26-60)

Stations broken down by area > asiawaves

[Mobi]

This doesn't answer your question, but I'll throw it into the pot.

You subscribe to the cheapest possible UBC/True Move satellite option, for the shortest period available.

Upon expiry, you don't renew.

Your smart card will work forever for Thai TV channels, at no cost, and a perfect picture.

[Richb2004v2]

This doesn't answer your question, but I'll throw it into the pot.

You subscribe to the cheapest possible UBC/True Move satellite option, for the shortest period available.

Upon expiry, you don't renew.

Your smart card will work forever for Thai TV channels, at no cost, and a perfect picture.

That's a great idea. Do you think it will really work?

[Tywais]

This doesn't answer your question, but I'll throw it into the pot.

You subscribe to the cheapest possible UBC/True Move satellite option, for the shortest period available.

Upon expiry, you don't renew.

Your smart card will work forever for Thai TV channels, at no cost, and a perfect picture.

That's a great idea. Do you think it will really work?

One problem is if you rent the box, at the end of the expiry they will want it back along with the card.

[lopburi3]

You can cheaply buy sat systems to receive the normal channels and education stations - there is no need to subscribe to UBC.

[Daffy D]

Just to throw in an interesting bit of nonsense.

Some while back where we were living our TV was positioned (not deliberately) so you could see it and also our neighbors TV across the way.

We were on satellite UBC and the neighbor had a terrestrial antenna. Sometimes when we were both on the same Thai channel it was interesting to see the time lag between our satellite picture and his terrestrial picture, we were always several seconds behind him.

To add to the actual post his picture looked just fine.

[Mobi]

This doesn't answer your question, but I'll throw it into the pot.

You subscribe to the cheapest possible UBC/True Move satellite option, for the shortest period available.

Upon expiry, you don't renew.

Your smart card will work forever for Thai TV channels, at no cost, and a perfect picture.

That's a great idea. Do you think it will really work?

One problem is if you rent the box, at the end of the expiry they will want it back along with the card.

No, they won't ask for the card back, I can 100% assure you on that point.

As for the box, if you rent it (and you should, because they charge a fortune to buy their boxes), they will take it back. But there are loads of cheap boxes on the market for around 4-5K that will take the UBC signal. The bastards at UBC used to let you buy your own box (not from them) as I did some years ago, but now they insist on you either buying or renting a box from them - another way to gouge some more money out of you.

I was first advised of this scheme my one of the leading UBC installers in Pattaya, as I wanted a second card for the Thais to watch Thai TV only

Lopburi3

You can cheaply buy sat systems to receive the normal channels and education stations - there is no need to subscribe to UBC.

Of course you are quite correct. I had forgotten about this. I actually have a satellite system set up in my maid's quarters that cost about 9K for dish and box. Most of the stations are from India and China, but you can receive all the Thai channels, very good quality, and no subscription.

There is a 3rd way. You can get a "dreambox" and a UBC dish, and have someone who provides such a service to send the unscrambling signal from their server to you via the internet. For a few hundred Baht a month, you can receive every channel True/UBC broadcasts! But it is a bit of a hassle to set up, and you are reliant on your internet connection, and the server not going down.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Mobi

[Daffy D]

This doesn't answer your question, but I'll throw it into the pot.

You subscribe to the cheapest possible UBC/True Move satellite option, for the shortest period available.

Upon expiry, you don't renew.

Your smart card will work forever for Thai TV channels, at no cost, and a perfect picture.

That's interesting

What Thai channels do actually get by doing this?

[Mobi]

This doesn't answer your question, but I'll throw it into the pot.

You subscribe to the cheapest possible UBC/True Move satellite option, for the shortest period available.

Upon expiry, you don't renew.

Your smart card will work forever for Thai TV channels, at no cost, and a perfect picture.

That's interesting

What Thai channels do actually get by doing this?

3, 5, 7, 9, and what used to be ITV and Channel 11. (not sure what they are called these days). You will also get TGN (which is a free, composite Thai channel which is broadcast to Thais overseas), and some other channels which are not scrambled.

[RKASA]

I don't understand the reason for all that if you can buy any number of cheap sat. systems 1800baht and it needs no card, works the minute you turn it on and always works.  Has all those channels plus many others and can sign up for movie channels a year at a time for as little 360 baht for two movie channels one of which is mostly english movies.  If you want just local, learning, TGN, music channels and radio currently 72 TV channels (everything the 495baht amonth UBC has and more) for free its an easy install oneself or 300 baht and they do it.  In fact its so cheap and works so well for her I am adding one to the bed room and guest house this week.  She canceled the 495baht a month UBC a year ago and the system paided for itself in 4 months.  Six months later after weekly visits to the dealer we got our 4000baht deposit back from UBC.  Never give them money again for any reason.  PS if interrested they have Nat. Geo, FOX crime and lots of other stuff.  

[Mobi]

I don't understand the reason for all that if you can buy any number of cheap sat. systems 1800baht and it needs no card, works the minute you turn it on and always works. Has all those channels plus many others and can sign up for movie channels a year at a time for as little 360 baht for two movie channels one of which is mostly english movies. If you want just local, learning, TGN, music channels and radio currently 72 TV channels (everything the 495baht amonth UBC has and more) for free its an easy install oneself or 300 baht and they do it. In fact its so cheap and works so well for her I am adding one to the bed room and guest house this week. She canceled the 495baht a month UBC a year ago and the system paided for itself in 4 months. Six months later after weekly visits to the dealer we got our 4000baht deposit back from UBC. Never give them money again for any reason. PS if interrested they have Nat. Geo, FOX crime and lots of other stuff.

Yes, you are quite correct and I have one like that in my guest/servant's room.

The point about UBC is really for those who already have the system and now wish to cancel their subscription. Provided they have their own box, (and if not they can buy a cheap one), the system will still work for all the free Thai channels etc.

[Daffy D]

Thanks Mobi

[Richb2004v2]

I don't understand the reason for all that if you can buy any number of cheap sat. systems 1800baht and it needs no card, works the minute you turn it on and always works.  Has all those channels plus many others and can sign up for movie channels a year at a time for as little 360 baht for two movie channels one of which is mostly english movies.  If you want just local, learning, TGN, music channels and radio currently 72 TV channels (everything the 495baht amonth UBC has and more) for free its an easy install oneself or 300 baht and they do it.  In fact its so cheap and works so well for her I am adding one to the bed room and guest house this week.  She canceled the 495baht a month UBC a year ago and the system paided for itself in 4 months.  Six months later after weekly visits to the dealer we got our 4000baht deposit back from UBC.  Never give them money again for any reason.  PS if interrested they have Nat. Geo, FOX crime and lots of other stuff.  

What would I ask for when looking for this system? Are you sure its not local to you?

I already have a huge motorized dish that I gave up on some years ago. I don't want to end up with another one.

[RKASA]

Ours is called Dtv settopbox they are everywhere.  Just a small white box with a remote.  Lots of small dealers sell them.  Ours is a yellow dish same size and style as the small UBC dish.  I see red and blue ones around as well, nationwide.  Cheap and easy.  All the farmers around here use it as well, they all dumped the big ant. and they look nicer.