Satellite Tv - Our Journey

[chrgrims]

Backgroud:

UBC is expensive. TV via satellite dish is cheap. My old man wants nordic channels when he visits (i do too, but i like to use him as an excuse). These channels are not available on cable systems. Our internet is not fast and there are no ISP's in this area that provide a fast reliable internet that is good for streaming tv.

So, with this our adventure into the satellite tv world has begun. I say adventure, because the marked in this area is filled with different dishes, receivers, decoders and other technologies.

Goal: Get a lot of european and asian channels cheap. Get some nordic channels (i think my dad would pay me 1 million baht if i can get Norwegian TV here ). At this point the latter seems unlikely to happen, as no systems or satellites that i know of have Norweigan channels. But a swedish channel called SVT world is on the thaicom 5 satellite, and is possible to get.

An investment is necessary in the beginning, but the cost over the years will be very low compared to UBC. We want an easy system that the kids can use. This means we might get several dishes pointing in different directions so that we can avoid a big motorized dish (the satellites for the asian and european channels are not in the same area of the sky).

Progress so far:

Our first stop was the local store in Petchabun. He adviced to get a 180cm dish, to be able to get the thaicom 5 satellite. The receiver is from Samart, dsr-111 is the model name. I am not sure what the brand of the dish is, but i will find out and post an update. The diameter is 180cm. The technology is DVB, digital video broadcasting. Right now i am getting very good picture quality, but the channel selection is bad. Bloomberg, french tv5 and DW are the most interesting channels. But it looks like the system can get all the thaicom 2-5 satellites, and the channel list has a lot of goodies (currently scrambled) like eurosport. But no nordic channels. Cost for this system, including installation, was 5000 baht.

The next step is to find out how i can unlock the scrambled channels (eurosport etc) and find out what i need to get the nordic channels. i have located several distributors of the card that is necessary to get the SVT world channel. but i dont know (yet) what receiver i need, one works with this dish.

Further down the road i will look into HD satellite broadcasting. i have a samsung 42" plasma, 720p resolution, so i will try to find good channels for this resolution.

I will post updates as this project develops, and i certainly appreciate any advice on the way.

Edited December 8, 2009 by chrgrims

[Naam]

my advice is not to have high hopes. i was trying for three years, using the most laudated BKK SAT-company. what i got was promises, the results were shite² back to UBC and two other pay-TV providers and meanwhike three harddrive recorders running 24 hours a day to get an acceptable "yield" of daily 3-4 hours worthwhile to watch. what i don't want to miss are the news from Deutsche Welle, al-Jazeera, Channelasianews and Bloomberg which cover each and everything plus they broadcast excellent documentaries. acceptable are also french TV5 and in english Russia Today. BBC, CNN and CNBC aren't worth a penny but they come with UBC.

[joncl]

It would seem from the channels you mention the satellite you are using is at 105.5e Asiasat 3s and not the Thaicom satellite at 78.5e.

The current satellite you are using does not have SVT on it nor the Thai channels, so you might like to get the guy who installed it for you to move the dish to Thaicom. Your satellite receiver needs a card reader in it, to be able to read the viacess card supplied by SVT so you should check it has one in it and able to read the SVT card (when it arrives from SVT World).

Happy viewing.

[chrgrims]

Naam: yes, i do realize that i might not want only a dish system. we will see.

jon: thats interesting. when i click on "information" on the remote, it says Thaicom 2/5. I will ask the shop that installed it if its on 78,5e or not.

[chrgrims]

it looks like jon is right, the dish is directed to asiasat 3. Today the installation guy is coming to redirect it 78,5e.

I have looked into receivers and i might buy this dreambox

http://www.eldsat.com/Receivers-Dreambox-D...oduct_info.html

its not too complicated, and it can use the viaccess card, i think. later i might get a second dish and a second receiver with HD.

i think the dish we have now a dynasat dish (whatever that means), and its of the non-solid kind.

I am also trying to find a forum that is dedicated to thai sat tv, where i can read up on some basic technology.

[monty]

There are many forums dedicated to satellite TV, but unfortunately the ones dedicated to Thai TV are in Thai

A google search will reveal them all! They will be able to educate you on satellite technology in general, it's the same the world over!

Regarding a dreambox receiver, they are probably the best to use, but you'd need a good technician to set it up properly, or educate yourself. The latter can actually be a fun hobby!

With a dreambox (especially the bigger models where you can put a hard drive in) you get everything in one fell swoop. With the right set up it'll read virtually any smart card you throw at it, including the SVT card. But again, it's not an "out of the box" solution, it has to be set up properly to work.

You can easily connect 2,3 or 4 satellite dishes each aimed to a different bird, so once set up you can channel surf through all available channels without any delays.

Oh, and the online shop you mention has had some real bad reviews regarding their online business (slow delivery, non existing customer support etc), so make up your own mind.

[chrgrims]

thanks a lot monty!

i can find plenty of forums, i just dont know which one is best for thailand.

thanks for the info about eldsat. what i like about them is that they provide preinstalled dreamboxes. does another online shop have this? PM me please, if you dont want to post it here.

I have one question about the more expensive dreamboxes: they have DVI output but not HDMI. why is this?

[sammycic]

thanks a lot monty!

i can find plenty of forums, i just dont know which one is best for thailand.

thanks for the info about eldsat. what i like about them is that they provide preinstalled dreamboxes. does another online shop have this? PM me please, if you dont want to post it here.

I have one question about the more expensive dreamboxes: they have DVI output but not HDMI. why is this?

check out pli-images.org has a wealth of information about dreamboxes. as monty said they are an interesting hobby. i am not sure but the dm800 may have what you are looking for. i use a dm500 and is limited in its capabilities but a good box to start with.

have fun and chok dee

try satthai they have what you are looking for.

Edited December 10, 2009 by sammycic

[monty]

Concur on Satthai (www.satthai.tv). The owner, Khun Pornchai is one of those rare breed Thai business persons actually answering e-mail

Might take a day or so as he is pretty busy.

He will also be able to arrange the svt card for you, and arrange a proper box for you, or set a dreambox up properly.

Totally trustworthy online as well, just transfer the money you have to pay him by ATM, scan and e-mail the pay slip and your items will be on the way by EMS the very same day.

[chrgrims]

i looked at the dm800 a bit more, looks really nice. I will ask to get it preinstalled. but if i dont get it preinstalled, i think i can do it myself. i have looked at the pli-images.org and it looks manageble (with some help on their forums). i guess jon is one of the masterminds of this thing, very impressive!

[thunder30101]

If you do decide to run a dreambox here is a good info site from the Pli image makers,http://www.pli-images.org/modules/wiki/index.php?wakka=HomePage, Dont ask just read, read, then read some more and then you will be able to ask questions. The dm boxes run a linux operating system making them easy to customise, but there is a lot to learn about it, luckily after you get the software/tools and can use them it is very easy to set-up. Dont buy an 800 model just yet, start with a dm500s and learn the system, crash it, lock it up, redo it. There is not enough hd here to make the dm800 worth the money for me anyway.

[joncl]

If you do decide to run a dreambox here is a good info site from the Pli image makers,http://www.pli-images.org/modules/wiki/index.php?wakka=HomePage, Dont ask just read, read, then read some more and then you will be able to ask questions.

Glad you like it.

As mentioned above I wrote most of it (the wiki that is) and it is having a big update now for the next release and then the new E2 (DM7025, DM800, DM8000) software and more in the open-pli wiki as well.

So I am glad to see people here are reading it.

[joncl]

There are many forums dedicated to satellite TV, but unfortunately the ones dedicated to Thai TV are in Thai

True enough, but google translate helps.

There is a thread in the a/v sub forum above about making your DM box read Thai EPG (electronic program guide) on this link http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Dreambox-Pli...le-t316160.html where I gave a quick how to do it with the Thai skins in the Pli software. There are also other threads in the linux sub forum above too.

[chrgrims]

we just talked with satthai, and they can preinstall the dm800 with the latest pli jade 3, so that seems good. i havent decided yet though, if we should get the dm500 or the dm800. it does sound appealing to get hd. but if there is little broadcasting, its no point obviously. are there other important differences?

thunder: yes, i see your point. i might just ask a question or two anyway though, but i promise to read also .

[monty]

I'm not sure the HD will be much of use, as I do not know when there will appear proper HD programming!

Price wise you are comparing with the DM 600PVR, as both can take a 2,5" hard disk so you can easily record stuff.

Price difference between the two is 7,000 Baht, so not sure the extra is worth it at the moment.

[DtemJai]

- Got an email reply today from Top UP Satellite TV: Dear DtemJai, We are still working on with few different options. But we cannot finalized or speculate it at this time. There are few options of 5-8 channels English language with Thai sub that we are considering right now. However, most of the channel will ask for a high minimum guarantee for the number of subscribers plus a payment per subscriber monthly.

There are channels that we are working right now but not finalized yet such as Sci Fi, Universal (series), BBC knowledge, BBC Entertainment, Cbbies channels etc. Australia Network will be one of the channel that we will bring it back as well as Fox Crime (if possible) but this is not the final stage, just a preliminary phase. We will need to study in details which channels will fit in with the middle class Thai who prefer English sound track with Thai sub Title not Thai voice dub so the program will come with high quality but again with the reasonable price concept less than 500 baht per month (it should be less than this). The subscribers who have been with us before December 1, 2009 should have a special price offered from us. Another option will be maintaining only few channels with Samrujlok, Next Step Television or more and charge at only 199 baht per 3 months. This is in the process of working internally.

Kindly let me know if you have any questions na krub.

Regards,

Amornpaht

[thunder30101]

The next one I will buy will be the 7025 mainly because it uses the e2 or enigma 2, the dm500 runs e1 which is more limited e2 has many more fun plugins and programs availible. Great wiki joncl it set me up when i first started playing with the dreamboxes, and I still use it when trying new things with it, I am trying to get my streaming setup now over my home network. Dreambox is the best out there for multimedia setups!!!

[chrgrims]

today i have looked at a bunch of websites, learned about cccam on cccamforum.com, learned about what does what (the dish, the LNB etc). i dont know if cccam has other functions than cardsharing. the interesting thing is that the winsat topboxes allow access to the cccam from the menu. i dont know if you guys like these boxes or not.

when i read about the pli jade 3, my first question is...there are 20-30 satellites available to view from here in thailand. What are the most interesting ones? I must have one fixed dish on the thaicom 5. i can easily add 2-3 more dishes. My interests are movies, sports (also american sports), and my main languages are english and norwegian (i can watch french channels, but these channels are not understood by the rest of the household). so, based on this info, what satellites would you get access to?

EDIT: the intelsat 8 looks like a good choice. it has cnn, discovery, australia network, etc.

Edited December 10, 2009 by chrgrims

[thunder30101]

Try this http://www.lyngsat.com/asia.html It will show you what is availible here. You need to get a big motorised dish for all the different birds you want to look at.

[Phil Conners]

Check out Multichoice/DSTV from South Africa. Forum rules prohibit me from discussing the details but if you call Satthai they will be able to fill in the dots.

[Prasert]

...

We are still working on with few different options. But we cannot finalized or speculate it at this time. There are few options of 5-8 channels English language with Thai sub that we are considering right now. However, most of the channel will ask for a high minimum guarantee for the number of subscribers plus a payment per subscriber monthly.

There are channels that we are working right now but not finalized yet such as Sci Fi, Universal (series), BBC knowledge, BBC Entertainment, Cbbies channels etc. Australia Network will be one of the channel that we will bring it back as well as Fox Crime (if possible) but this is not the final stage, just a preliminary phase. We will need to study in details which channels will fit in with the middle class Thai who prefer English sound track with Thai sub Title not Thai voice dub so the program will come with high quality but again with the reasonable price concept less than 500 baht per month (it should be less than this). The subscribers who have been with us before December 1, 2009 should have a special price offered from us. Another option will be maintaining only few channels with Samrujlok, Next Step Television or more and charge at only 199 baht per 3 months. This is in the process of working internally.

This sounds like a really smart move. If TopupTV manages to broadcast the channels mentioned for a price under 500baht, they will see a lot of customers leaving TrueVisions and joining TopupTV. Canceling BBC Entertainment was the reason for a lot of customers to cancel their Platinum subscription.

[TwentyBaht]

Mr. chrgrims, I would like to only add that you have been given very excellent advice by the posters in this thread. And, if I may, I would like to second that the best advice is to read, and read, and Google.

As a rudimentary example, I'll offer my own efforts. Satellite illiterate four months ago. Got a DM500S, and a ku-band LNB and dish. Read and read. Experimented with loading images. Settled on the Pli image. Locked onto the ku-band bird. Celebrated. Tried the same with a C-band dish. Failed at the first and second attempt. Didn't celebrate. Learned more about inverted polarity. Then, locked onto the C-band. Celebrated. Next, learned about networking and using the "Zoom" feature with a laptop to tune a dish. Now, have three ku-band and two C-band dishes.

That said, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed. So, if I can do it, anybody can.

Good luck.

[chrgrims]

 ok, we have decided to get the dreambox 500, and one more dish to watch the intelsat 10 with multichoice/DSTV. we will also order a diseqc box to connect the dishes. This means we will have one dish on the thaicom 5, and one on intelsat 10. that is enough for now. 

Edited December 11, 2009 by chrgrims

[Hssl]

What's the deal with multichoice / DSTV - I want to get it but i'm put off by the card price 50k a year..............

[monty]

What's the deal with multichoice / DSTV - I want to get it but i'm put off by the card price 50k a year..............

The only legal way is to get the card (semi legal anyway as Multichoice is not allowed to provide cards for use in Thailand).

Allthe other ways are illegal and are not allowed to be discussed over here.

[chrgrims]

Today the local company realigned the dish to 78,5e. picture is ok, but not as good as asiasat 3. channels are ok, my wife is very happy because there are tons of thai language stuff. as for me, i can think about svt world when i get the dreambox. my current box cant read cards, virtual or real.

i am reading tons of forums. i am surprised i didnt know about this world of information before this. very interesting to read. here are some of the most interesting ones:

satellites.co.uk

maldiviandigital.com

and two guides:

satellites.co.uk/satellite/312041-post33.html

klona.4t.com/v3.1/guide_eng/dbox-howto.htm#11

Edited December 12, 2009 by chrgrims

[monty]

Be careful there, before you know it you're going to have to install a second system for the wife alone as you'll be spending your time all day fiddling with your new found hobby

Picture quality is mainly influenced by the bitrate (i.e. how heavy they compress their video streams). Lower bitrate means poor quality, but more channels onto the transponder of the satellite, meaning overall less cost per channel.

Best in general seems to be DSTV (Multichoice), truevisions is very poor considering the price level.

With the FTA (Free To Air) channels you can't really complain of course!

Worst I've seen was the Philippine DreamTV network, they compressed so hard you could often hardly read subtitles. Then again to be expected as their prices (the legal ones) were extremely cheap!

[chrgrims]

got the dreambox today, with the new dish and a box to connect many dishes. right now we are just trying to look at the pli jade 3 image and navigate the menus a bit. only one dish connected now. its on cband, thaicom 5. i know its working because the old box got the channels. so, its just a matter of configuring the dreambox correctly. this might take some time though because there are a lot of settings.

[Prasert]

http://www.pli-images.org/modules/wiki/ind...kka=E1Satconfig

Perfect place to start with the initial configuration, with screenshots!

[chrgrims]

and we have a picture! its really messed up though, only around 10 channels and they are around channel number 660 and bad picture quality. i think the shop guys did some configuring of the pli. at least we got a lock on the satellite.