TrueVisions Launched 17 HD Channels, Blocked Pirate Users Overnight

[Jayman]

If you are asking if paying less than the going rate to hackers for satellite service is legal then you really must be clueless.

[spidermike007]

I'm one of those who used to have a Dreambox to watch True as we have four points in the house.

Ok, Now i have a legal Platinum package on one point and Vinesat satellite from Vietnam on the other three points.

HD and most SD channels are much clearer or sharper from Vinesat than from True. If only True would deliver quality and not quantity.

Very TRUE. I just got the service yesterday. Though the HD is far better than their normal service, it pales in comparison to HD reception in the US. So, it is better, but not really HD. As always, the service received is inferior in Thailand. The people who provide these services have no pride in what they are doing. Where does that come from?

[KarstenBoAndersen]

I liked the comment "compared to HD in USA" ""

I think HD is international standard !

But for an American who is used to NTSC (Never The Same Color) is it a clear step up !

Have any tried the IPTV boxes (Maige etc.) ?

They are well overpriced for the boxes, (they cost less then 50 USD form the factories) but the monthly fee of 4-500 Baht seems OK !

Hope more competitors is underway, so box prices are comming down.

[RedCardinal]

Anyone on Gold + HD Package actually get the promised free 6 months HD channels (as per http://www.truevisionstv.com/news_detail.aspx?news_id=216):

- Gold package members purchasing HD packages now can watch many channels in the Platinum package with 17 HD channels free for six months.

My bill remains unchanged, and the True Support people are telling me there must be "some problem with their website if showing that".

[RedCardinal]

In answer to myself - you still have to pay for your Gold + HD package, but they give you the Platinum package free for six months.

Now that Platinum includes all the HD stuff it's cheaper to just switch to Platinum rather than Gold, esp. if you run 2 or more boxes in your home.

[edgarfriendly]

We've been into our local branch today, and came away more confused than when we went in. We had bought our receiver, many years ago, and after reading comments on here, about exchanging new for old, (at a cost), I took it with us. At first they told us that could not sell us a new receiver, as they had none in stock, but would have stock in three days. We could however rent one, but had to pay 6 months deposit (9000 Baht), first. We decided to wait the three days. Then they discovered they did have some receivers for sale, at 3900 Baht.

We decided to buy one, as we were told to rent a receiver box was 1500 baht a month, with Gold package subscription fees of 1400 baht, on top of that. We asked to have the HD channels included, (extra cost 290 baht), and also the BBC package of Entertainment & CBBC, (a further 170 baht). after the True shop got in touch with whoever runs this joke of a company, we were told that the HD channels and BBC packages were only available to customers who rented their receivers - I thought the purpose of running a business was to make money, but it seems True can afford to turn my money away.

After I had stopped banging my head on the wall, we bought the receiver, but with only the Gold package as a subscription. It took the girls in the shop, (there was seven of them, and we were the only customers, apart from a couple of folks paying bills), over two hours to sort this out for us !

I have been a customer of this company, and UBC before it, for 12 years or so. I cannot understand why they differentiate between customers who rent their receivers, and those who buy them.

It seems they have no idea of how to treat loyal customers. Frankly I am amazed that any Thai people can afford to pay a monthly rental of 1500 baht, with additional package costs for whichever service they subscribe to, on top of that. Ridiculous way to run a business.

Sounds like a total fiasco. The receiver rental cost is 155 baht a month, platinum package 2,000 baht a month, which includes BBC Knowledge and BBC Lifestyle, Entertainment and CBeebies are extra (but I seem to get them for free).

http://www.truevisio...kage.aspx?id=39 All the monthly costs are listed here and should not vary from branch to branch. It sounds like the shop is staffed by a bunch of scammers, trying a fast one or just idiots.

I would return the receiver to the shop and call the customer service number rather than try to deal with the shop face to face http://www.truevisio.../contactus.aspx , report the local shop and order what you want over the phone. I believe you can even sign up on the website but haven't tried it.

I would not advise buying the receiver either, rent it; you'll have to pay 2,000 baht deposit and I doubt you'll get a discount/ trade in for old receiver as you bought it (had it been rented they should simply swap them over for free). Good luck,

Funny, i find that same scenario in lots of places of business here.

Especially the old cash up front scam..

All the promises in the world, followed by a categorical failure to follow through.

and an inability to act in an adult manner regarding anything.

For all those who think its worth paying x thousand baht a month for garbage AND shitty customer service, YOU MAKE THEM ACT THIS WAY!

[KarstenBoAndersen]

Front up scams !

Take care with the new IPTV services where they want over price for the boxes (10-15.000 for a box that cost 50 USD from the factory) and 5000 Baht per year !

All paied up front !

I would not do it !

I been here to long !

[Coaster11]

Can someone tell me how to check signal strength on these new digital receivers?

It us to be easy on the old boxes.

Cheers

[RubbaJohnny]

When I stay in hotels in C Rai Bangkok and Mae Sodt I have seen completely different selections

Some say sat from Burma S Africa and Philipinnes.Is there any choice rather than True ?

I am happy to buy gear once but have been like many left with a uselss box

[bikerider21]

Just my opinion, but True is crap! I've had it for over 15 years and have never been satisfied with it, service, content or quality. If ever another legitimate satellite company is allowed to do business here I'll sign up. I can hear people now, "Why would you have it for 15 years if it's crap"? Two phrases come to mind "the only game in town" and "the best of the worst".

My opinion exactly. I've also had it for countless years but it makes me angry every day. Usually when the rain comes and all programs are lost for half an hour or so, when ever I want infomation on programs and it just says "No Information Available" or when I get a big sign half way though a movie warning me to pay my bill next week or else and when ever I contact them and come up against a brick wall.

I hate monopolies but then I'm old enough to remember them in the UK. Imagine what service you would get it you only had one mobile telephone operator in Thailand; the service would be terrible and the prices would be sky high, as in Abu Dhabi with telephone and internet all controlled by Etisalat. I thus compare Etisalat to True Visions.

The other day though, my receiver was blocked. My wife had to call Bangkok (Chiang Mai don't have any service). She told them she had paid the bill 3 days ago. They told her they had sent letters to people (not in Chiang Mai apparently) saying that now we have to pay at the beginning of the month and not the end and if she would run up to 711 with another 2400 Baht and call back, they would unblock the receiver. I haven't paid and maybe never will. There's so much good stuff over the internet that mybe it's time to call it quits with Etisalat, I mean True Visions.

[bikerider21]

When I was on satellite TrueVisions here in Bangkok (I'm now on cable) it was not uncommon to experience rainfade "with no rain"...the thunderstrom was just approaching. What was happening here was the line of sight between my dish and the satellitte was already being affected by the thunderclouds high in sky although it was not raining yet at my location. And my dish was perfectly aligned...I did it myself to tweak out a few more db gain from the original True installation. But after I installed the combo C/KU-band LNB on my 1.7M (5.5ft) C-band dish and stopped using the TrueVisions 75cm dish/LNB about 90% of my rainfade problem went away due to the increased gain offerred by the larger dish.

Yes, to receive better they either have to basically increase the transmit power at the satelite or get bigger receiver dishes or more sensitive LNB's. I have separate private antenna dishes and have little problem on most channels in the heaviest of rain. Wouldn't True Visions cause a fuss if everyone threw away those little red woks and did some do it yourself?

[Pib]

When I was on satellite TrueVisions here in Bangkok (I'm now on cable) it was not uncommon to experience rainfade "with no rain"...the thunderstrom was just approaching. What was happening here was the line of sight between my dish and the satellitte was already being affected by the thunderclouds high in sky although it was not raining yet at my location. And my dish was perfectly aligned...I did it myself to tweak out a few more db gain from the original True installation. But after I installed the combo C/KU-band LNB on my 1.7M (5.5ft) C-band dish and stopped using the TrueVisions 75cm dish/LNB about 90% of my rainfade problem went away due to the increased gain offerred by the larger dish.

Yes, to receive better they either have to basically increase the transmit power at the satelite or get bigger receiver dishes or more sensitive LNB's. I have separate private antenna dishes and have little problem on most channels in the heaviest of rain. Wouldn't True Visions cause a fuss if everyone threw away those little red woks and did some do it yourself?

Actually I don't think TrueVisions cares about its woks because when I switched to True cable TV & internet (they installed cable in my moobaan) when they came to pickup the satellite settop boxes they could care less about the wok (red 75 cm KU band satellite dish) on the house outside wall. Off and on I have thought about pointing it at another satellite and hooking its cable into my coupler I use to distribute my C-band setup throughout the house, but I must have lost interest due to lack of interesting channels. I use both paid TrueVisions cable and free C-band satellite throughout the house.