Cable Tv Problems

[Valentine]

I subscribe to cable TV mainly because it has Australian Network & the Supersport channels. S/S comes from DSTV in South Africa & possibly acquired illegally & redistributed which I understand is also the case with the satellite systems. In the past couple of days some of the live cricket broadcasts have disappeared just as they were about to start & last night the F! qualifying went off after the first round. All channels from DSTV suffered a problem at one stage yesterday.

Did the satellite subscribers have the same problem? Is DSTV actively trying to combat piracy here in Thailand & elsewhere?

I would happily pay for a legal DSTV subscription that does not depend on using an internet connection or the vagaries of the cable TV network who can choose to change the S/S channels at their whim as there are 7 S/S channels but the cable only shows 3, sometimes 4 one of which is usually Astro Sport for which I have absolutely no interest although it does appear quite good for the soccer fans.

Edited September 27, 2009 by Valentine

[monty]

Different reason all together.

DSTV (Multichoice) actually transmits with two different beams.

One directional beam is on the Ku-band (small UBC-like dish) and can only be received in the South African region.

The second beam is omnidirectional c-band (so can be received anywhere the satellite is above the horizon by using a big dish).

The programming on the two beams is slightly different. The Ku-band beam they call "South African", the C-band beam they call "rest of Africa".

Most likely they do not hold the re-transmission rights for some of the cricket games outside of South Africa, along with the fact that they know their "rest of Africa" beam is rather widely pirated.

Hence they are only transmitting some of the cricket games on the "South African" beam...

It's not that they are specifically fighting piracy (basically outside of Africa they couldn't care less as they are not allowed to sell subscriptions there anyway, so no lost revenue), my guess it's more a case of appeasing the organization collecting the rights for those games worldwide...

Everybody receiving DSTV on the C-band beam is getting the same message, regardless of the fact they use a legal subscription or are watching pirated signals.

[kmufti]

C band, Multi choice, if you are talking about cricket (Champions trophy) YES, SS2 goes off (or I must say not Live) for the cricket match. But Remember, it goes off for the first half of champions Trophy innings, you can catch the second innings on the same channels (SS2) it become live again.

I could not understand the point of MM, why do they do that, by saying “our signal on C Band will be off air due to stealing and we will be back to live after the match”

However the Second inning of the match becomes Live on C band of the same match.

[astral]

I could not understand the point of MM, why do they do that, by saying “our signal on C Band will be off air due to stealing and we will be back to live after the match”

However the Second inning of the match becomes Live on C band of the same match.

It sounds like a technical snafu to me.

[Valentine]

A few months ago when the Twenty/20 series was on in SA quite often the cable broadcast was switched over as the game was about to start & show some other non interesting (to me) sport. As I was channel surfing over the coming days vainly searching for the live cricket I happened to notice many reruns of an interview with a disabled swimmer whereas to me the live cricket would have been much more appealing.

It may well be a case of technical snafu but in reality I feel it is more like the technical staff at the main centre do not really care what sport is on. The cable TV companies must make a huge amount of money considering their costs must be low as much of the cable was already in place from back in the Thai Sky days. If a new cable has to be run up the soi to reach your home then you are required to pay for it.

[dsfbrit]

So on Saturday when we were waiting to watch Premier League football on Sophon channel 36, which is Supersport 3, it was showing Cricket on Supersport 6 I think it was.

Is the Supersport 3 channel on Sophon (and also Banglamung TV) illegal?

The trouble not knowing if the football is going to be on despite it being advertised as being shown - means its useless - as people need to head into Pattaya to watch it there if its not on cable.

Fair enough, I dont mind heading into Pattaya, but a couple of friends came to watch it as well and had some beers etc.. the evening was ruined. We actually had to talk to each other

[monty]

Is the Supersport 3 channel on Sophon (and also Banglamung TV) illegal?

Yes it is. As is any channel broadcasting EPL games live, as UBC (truevisions) pays through their nose to have the sole rights for them in Thailand.

Same story for F1. Starsports has the rights for most of Asia, and tries to re-coup some of their costs through commercials. Which is why people prefer the Supersport coverage as it is commercial free!

[Valentine]

So on Saturday when we were waiting to watch Premier League football on Sophon channel 36, which is Supersport 3, it was showing Cricket on Supersport 6 I think it was.

Is the Supersport 3 channel on Sophon (and also Banglamung TV) illegal?

The trouble not knowing if the football is going to be on despite it being advertised as being shown - means its useless - as people need to head into Pattaya to watch it there if its not on cable.

Fair enough, I dont mind heading into Pattaya, but a couple of friends came to watch it as well and had some beers etc.. the evening was ruined. We actually had to talk to each other

As you are probably aware there are 7 S/S channels but the cable companies choose to show only 3 & sometimes 4 one of which may not be S/S but Astro Sport. This means it is at the whim of the cable operator as to what sport is shown although as DSTV have shown (all S/S comes from them) they can switch satellites or change the scramble which throws a spanner in the works of the cable operator. It is not clear if the sattelite operators are having similar problems but to be sure you should plan to go the bar in future.

[Farma]

I don’t know if it’s related but a lot of the satellite signals (multiple providers) in the Middle East have had interference problems for the past 48 hours. No signal or picture cutting in and out etc. The only one that doesn’t appear affected is Star. DSTV has also been showing anti piracy messages on some people’s screens.

[dsfbrit]

Monty and Valentine, thanks for the feedback.

Oh well - never mind - I thought they had bought the rights.

So its off to Pattaya then - what a hardship