The Setanta Circus

[gkinbkk]

So Setanta scored another 'coup' and signed a deal for ALL the NRL and State of Origin rugby league

Currently the only cable provider in Asia signed up to broadcast it is in Hong Kong

Their Facebook page contains some of the following wonderful info:

Unfortunately, we have not yet come to an agreement with a platform in Singapore but talks are on-going and we will be sure to let you know when we have more definitive news.

CONTENT UPDATE: Great news! We are pleased to confirm that Setanta Asia now has the broadcast rights to the Australian NRL and State of Origin Rugby League. More information coming soon.

No doubt Thailand and Malaysia are WAY off the radar, anyone have any more info than this?

[joncl]

Setanta is free to view via satellite in HD for the last 3 weeks ..

[Twin]

Based on the 6 Nations broadcasts last week and this week on Astro, and the Super 15 schedule just released on Astro's web site, it appears Setanta is sub licensing some of its content to Astro, in lieu of carrying the channel.

At least for now...

http://www.astro.com.my/content_epg/articles/art_639.html

[StreetCowboy]

Based on the 6 Nations broadcasts last week and this week on Astro, and the Super 15 schedule just released on Astro's web site, it appears Setanta is sub licensing some of its content to Astro, in lieu of carrying the channel.

At least for now...

http://www.astro.com...es/art_639.html

Does Setanta have a channel that they could use to broadcast to us here?

I think not (but I am not familiar with the company so I don't know), and so they are doing the decent thing and licensing the content to someone that can serve us. Let's hope that Astro will carry the Superleague as well; and that McvEwans will give away free 80' to get a foothold in Asia, and that the next pope is a porn actress...

Anyway, I would have got here earlier, but I was watching a delayed telecast of the France - Scotland game... looking forward to Sunday lunch (when this weekends game from Murrayfield will be shown....)

SC

[joncl]

As mentioned above Setanta is on satellite and free to view for the last month and huge signals on a small 6' dish on the C Band here in BKK - in fact all over Thailand. This is where Astro get there feeds from.

Edited February 11, 2011 by joncl

[StreetCowboy]

As mentioned above Setanta is on satellite and free to view for the last month and huge signals on a small 6' dish on the C Band here in BKK - in fact all over Thailand. This is where Astro get there feeds from.

I Don't understand.

Astro is the Satellite Broadcaster for Malaysia. Presumably you are saying that Setanta also broadcast from the same satellite - possibly on the same antenna and hence with the same footprint.

And presumably there is no encoding on the Setanta signal so that anyone that points their dish and tunes their receiver can get their signal?

I subscribe to Astro , and have not seen any Setanta channels, though to be fair, I have not checked my channel list recently and also I don;t do HD. I'm a bit of a format luddite.

Anyway, any news on Superleague would be very much appreciated!

SC

[StreetCowboy]

I had a lovely day today, except for catching the delayed telecast of Saturday's rugby from Murrayfield...

If I'd been in the pub I'd have probably gone home - as it was, I was tempted to go to the pub...

SC

[joncl]

While Setanta is indeed on the same satellite (Measat 3) as Astro it is not on the same transmission band as Astro (Ku band), it is lower in frequency on what they call the C Band. So yes any free to air set top box that has a HD tuner (DVB-S2) can still see it for free.

[StreetCowboy]

While Setanta is indeed on the same satellite (Measat 3) as Astro it is not on the same transmission band as Astro (Ku band), it is lower in frequency on what they call the C Band. So yes any free to air set top box that has a HD tuner (DVB-S2) can still see it for free.

So presumably I need a different set-top box than that which Astro gave me... Would they give me the right set-top box that I needed if I subscribed to HD (it seems somehow perverse to subscribe to HD purely for getting someone else's transmissions)

Anyway, after losing in the first game of the season, maybe I don't want to follow the Wire this season anyway. Still there's always the Challenge Cup (maybe not always, but the last two seasons, anyway...)

I've not confirmed if they are showing the Superleague yet, anyway, so my speculation is a bit premature...

SC

EDIT: Having done a little research, as it were, it turns out that they don't carry European rugby league anyway

I guess if the Wire do well this season, I'll look into a Slingbox or something...

Edited February 13, 2011 by StreetCowboy

[StreetCowboy]

While Setanta is indeed on the same satellite (Measat 3) as Astro it is not on the same transmission band as Astro (Ku band), it is lower in frequency on what they call the C Band. So yes any free to air set top box that has a HD tuner (DVB-S2) can still see it for free.

So presumably I need a different set-top box than that which Astro gave me... Would they give me the right set-top box that I needed if I subscribed to HD (it seems somehow perverse to subscribe to HD purely for getting someone else's transmissions)

Anyway, after losing in the first game of the season, maybe I don't want to follow the Wire this season anyway. Still there's always the Challenge Cup (maybe not always, but the last two seasons, anyway...)

I've not confirmed if they are showing the Superleague yet, anyway, so my speculation is a bit premature...

SC

EDIT: Having done a little research, as it were, it turns out that they don't carry European rugby league anyway

I guess if the Wire do well this season, I'll look into a Slingbox or something...

So I'm sat here watching Ireland France on Astro in the pub, and listening to Bradford Leeds on the internet - so I'm two neutrals!

[gkinbkk]

Despite knowing I was barking up the wrong tree I emailed True about the rugby coverage, in particular the Setanta channel. Got this cryptic response mumbling something about showing Six Nations which is news to me!

Dear Greg,

TrueVisions has acknowledged your message and would very much like to clarify you that usually, there are several things and conditions of broadcasting sports from the host channel such as there are majority interests and program license.

We still do not have a plan to televise Rugby World Cup this year but once it becomes available, we will officially announce it.

However, we will televise Rugby Six Nations 2011. You can search the schedule through our website at www.truevisionstv.com

We are truly sorry once again if this caused you any inconvenience.

Thank you for your kindness and continued support. Write us again whenever we can be of further help to you. Please contact us at 02-7252525 or [email protected]

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Supawan Likitpittayatragool

Support & Non-Voice Management

Tel+66(0) 2725-2525

Fax+66(0) 2725-2500

Email:[email protected]

[machans88]

I just subscribed to livenrl.com,its 15 usd a month,but cheaper for the season,i watched the penrith /parra game live and the second half of briz/canberra live,pretty much all games are live and if you miss one it is replayed 26hours later.I live in a condo at jomtien and pay 500bht a month for wifi,its standard coverage,but the nrl livestream i have no complaints,so if you want footie or own a bar worth getting for sure