Anyone On Here Have Astro?

[angryfarang]

Well it looks like Truevision has lost the EPL, so I'll be getting rid of my subscription as soon as possible.

I was thinking about replacing it with Astro. Can anyone recommend a satellite shop here to set it up?

I was also informed that HD channels aren't available due to the footprint of the satellite being too small, but I really doubt this.

Any info would be great.

[samuijimmy]

Yes I have been using Astro for a few years now....

The shop I deal with is located just past Tesco Chawang, toward Lamai... Name escapes me at the moment. Perhaps 100 meters or so on same side...It's quite obvious they sell satellite dishes etc.

Best usually to go by around 5 pm or first thing in morning, as the guy to deal with is usually out on calls.... His English is not too bad.

I would recommend you use the 90 cm dish and not the 70 cm dish.... rarely cuts out except in the heaviest of rain. You have to pay one year in advance... Prices will depend on packages you choose. I don't think a lot different than True.... not 100 % sure about that now!

It works through some one in Hat Yai, so is in their name.... (brother in law of the shop guy, I believe) ....

I tried to see if I could cut out the "middle man" and made inquires when I was in Penang last year.... it's not possible!

[premiersportsbar]

Yes I have been using Astro for a few years now....

The shop I deal with is located just past Tesco Chawang, toward Lamai... Name escapes me at the moment. Perhaps 100 meters or so on same side...It's quite obvious they sell satellite dishes etc.

Best usually to go by around 5 pm or first thing in morning, as the guy to deal with is usually out on calls.... His English is not too bad.

I would recommend you use the 90 cm dish and not the 70 cm dish.... rarely cuts out except in the heaviest of rain. You have to pay one year in advance... Prices will depend on packages you choose. I don't think a lot different than True.... not 100 % sure about that now!

It works through some one in Hat Yai, so is in their name.... (brother in law of the shop guy, I believe) ....

I tried to see if I could cut out the "middle man" and made inquires when I was in Penang last year.... it's not possible!

they are called kraitong.

[premiersportsbar]

We have just completed our 3rd year with Astro, great system and they have a great coverage of all footy, not just the English Premier league. I'll be keeping it but i'm keeping a close eye on what else is about.

Now having said that, this is how I'm reading the situation at the minute, true corp being the stingebags that they are lost the rights to the EPL to a small cable company whose name I can't quite remember at the moment, this cable company have NO HD channels, so there is roumor that they are offering the HD channels to true corp for a right nice fee.

The cable Co that have the rights only charge somewhere in the region of 450 baht per month, a bargain after being wholloped by true for the last 7 years.

I will once the season ends be looking into this scenario very closely and anylise the best way forward.

Should I get any info I'll post it on here. so before you go out and stump up 12 months advance payment for Astro do your research.

[livinthailandos]

I onced looked into getting astro tv, as I don't feel I'm getting really anything much from true considering i'm pay 1,650 a month, total channels i watch maybe less than 8 and just in my opinion there seems to many a very small limited number of english channels only - maybe i'm wrong on that. The only area that keeps stopping me from switching over is I keep hearing about the possibility of new encryption that astro will do to make it harder or impossible to watch astro tv here in thailand.

By the way for those of you with astro tv can you post a link or give me some ideas on what channels you get with astro.

[angryfarang]

Yes, please keep us updated.

It's a shame because I use True's PVR with a 500Gb hard drive. I record all the games on the HD channels and watch them the next morning. Especially good for the Champion's League games.

Jimmy - do they do a PVR box? - I actually have a 150cm K-Band dish on my roof, so will be able to use that dish with Astro.

[angryfarang]

I onced looked into getting astro tv, as I don't feel I'm getting really anything much from true considering i'm pay 1,650 a month, total channels i watch maybe less than 8 and just in my opinion there seems to many a very small limited number of english channels only - maybe i'm wrong on that. The only area that keeps stopping me from switching over is I keep hearing about the possibility of new encryption that astro will do to make it harder or impossible to watch astro tv here in thailand.

By the way for those of you with astro tv can you post a link or give me some ideas on what channels you get with astro.

I'm the same. I only ever turn it on to watch the EPL. I don't watch any other TV - so it's pretty expensive for the use I get.

[samuijimmy]

Ummm ..... not sure about PVR box, Astro advertise it, but a question one would have to ask the local guy (shop I mentioned),

The name Premier Sports bar mentioned may be the name of the owner, but not the name of the shop.... (it's still not come to me )

As for seeing what channels visit Astro web site .... http://www.astro.com.my/tvguide/ seems to take a while to load....

You will find if you try to log in to their site, it won't let you do it without a Malaysian ID number....

Also too, people have been saying for years that it will get blocked, it's not happened... also people say it fades with a small cloud, that is not true either... but I do recommend the 90 cm dish, here on Samui ..... 120 cm for those further north, I believe signal reaches Bangkok.

There are other shops that will set up Astro, when I shopped around these guys were cheapest and always provide good service~ !

Edited May 14, 2013 by samuijimmy

[BigC]

i am also interested their prices take the piss. over 2000 baht per month multiply that by 4 boxes thats over 8 k.

times that by 12 months thats 96k per year nearly 100 k.

time to f them off i think..also you cannot even move the card around from box to box which i hope their own greed becomes their closure.

[BigC]

another alternive which would need a high speed internet connection would be to buy a proxy server IP so you can watch tv from your own country.

If you have all the right systems in place then you can link your comuter wireless to your tv or you can plug your computer into your tv throguh the monitor cable or you can download all the tv you want during the day or so then put on USB then plug into the back of the telly.

sore a thing on CNN where allot of people oover in the US are doing it which is giving their cable network companies stress which is just the way of the world.

[ilCapitano79]

What football leagues does Astro have beside EPL, I'm intrested in Italian league as well. Do they offer it as well and if they do how good coverage do they offer? Also how much are packages with all the channels for Astro?

[starcandle]

What football leagues does Astro have beside EPL, I'm intrested in Italian league as well. Do they offer it as well and if they do how good coverage do they offer? Also how much are packages with all the channels for Astro?

Astro do have a PVR box available,,, also these are the channels available http://www.astro.com.my/tvguide/

[alfieconn]

We have just completed our 3rd year with Astro, great system and they have a great coverage of all footy, not just the English Premier league. I'll be keeping it but i'm keeping a close eye on what else is about.

Now having said that, this is how I'm reading the situation at the minute, true corp being the stingebags that they are lost the rights to the EPL to a small cable company whose name I can't quite remember at the moment, this cable company have NO HD channels, so there is roumor that they are offering the HD channels to true corp for a right nice fee.

The cable Co that have the rights only charge somewhere in the region of 450 baht per month, a bargain after being wholloped by true for the last 7 years.

I will once the season ends be looking into this scenario very closely and anylise the best way forward.

Should I get any info I'll post it on here. so before you go out and stump up 12 months advance payment for Astro do your research.

I think you've been listening to too many people in your bar !

[angryfarang]

It looks like CTH are broadcasting on Vinesat1. You can use a dreambox 800 with built in PVR to watch these channels at the moment as they are free to air.

I guess in the future for the football you will just require a smart-card, unless they tether the cards to the boxes like True did.

[Tropicalevo]

We have just completed our 3rd year with Astro, great system and they have a great coverage of all footy, not just the English Premier league. I'll be keeping it but i'm keeping a close eye on what else is about.

Now having said that, this is how I'm reading the situation at the minute, true corp being the stingebags that they are lost the rights to the EPL to a small cable company whose name I can't quite remember at the moment, this cable company have NO HD channels, so there is roumor that they are offering the HD channels to true corp for a right nice fee.

The cable Co that have the rights only charge somewhere in the region of 450 baht per month, a bargain after being wholloped by true for the last 7 years.

I will once the season ends be looking into this scenario very closely and anylise the best way forward.

Should I get any info I'll post it on here. so before you go out and stump up 12 months advance payment for Astro do your research.

The company is CTH - they announced this yesterday

"On June 21, CTH will launch its full service, providing 140 channels including 34 high-definition (HD) channels, to allow customers to watch 380 live EPL soccer matches during the new season."

So - I won't be subscribing to them thank you.

Now where is Setanta Sports again?