satellite-tv in Ubon, need advice please

[ThiAmo]

Hi all,

Would like to know name/address of an experienced and reliable satellite-tv dealer/installer for the Ubon area (out of town). Interested in watching mainly news channels in English and/or other European languages (e.g. CNN, BBC, SKY NEWS, France24...). Anyone having let installed a satellite-tv system recently and being happy with it?

Many thanks in advance!

[SantiSuk]

If you are not near cable then your satellite offerings in Ubon are likely to be the same as where I am in Sisaket (and for the rest of Isaan).

I did a detailed analysis recently when the English Premier League rights were rebid and won by a new kid on the block satellite signal provider, CTH.

You have four mainstream choices I believe (discounting streaming content from an internet TV content provider if you have a quick broadband connection)

CTH

True

GMM

TOT (through a land phone line) - ok not satellite in retrospect

I have a basic one-time payment GMM set-up with limited English language channels (very useful for a Thai teenage daughter's room), so I am not able to comment on their paid-for package (other than it is relatively cheap I believe). I think you can get that info in English on the internet, but welcome anyone grafting their user experience onto this thread.

I still have my True Gold package (cost me 1,600 baht per month when it had EPL football - now 1,400 baht with reduced (much reduced) football attractiveness. I think you are going to find that True is your choice if you are interested in the what I call "News, Finance and and International" category of programming. True has BBC World and CNN. It also has the mainstream broad brush Chinese and French channels CCTV and TV5 Monde, bith of which clearly do news in their local language and I suspect that one or both have an English language version at a set time of the day (anyone?).

The cheaper True packages do not have BBC World or CNN but most have CCTV and TV5Monde

CTH has a broadly spread package of many channels, including English (well, American ) language programming. Much more economical than True at 962 baht per month (and cheaper again if you pay up front for a one year or longer package - I don't recommend beyond a year with a new kid otb though even though it gets megacheap). Trouble is that the NF&I category is CTH's weak spot (IMO). It has Sky News, much more parochial to England than BBC World, but nonetheless a worthy newscaster of international news (less documentary, current affairsy magazine type programming and no Panorama/Newsnight!). It has Fox News, which is TRULY DREADFUL - Tea party manic right wing $hite (and I say that as a free market-oriented democratic socialist myself, by no means a lefty. Thatcher was my economic (only) hero! CNN is 100 times better and the good side of US programming. On the plus side CTH has Channel News Asia - I like their English language news coverage of Thailand and Asia - True has little to compete in that important area. You will also be able to pick up on Japanese, Chinese, French and Australian tilts at the news as it has

NHK World; Tokyo-based English language programming that's worth dipping into for its cultural differences

CCTV4; Chinese News Channel - maybe has an English language slot or two (anyone?)

France 24; French International News - maybe has an English language slot or two (anyone?)

Australia Network

It advertises having Euronews channel too and this may have been put up on the satellite by now. It wasn't there when I left for a brief visit back to Yorkshire 2 weeks ago. France 24 was in a similar boat of now you see it on the schedule, now you don't see it on TV, now you see it on TV

In passing I'll mention that True has the two mainstream Finance channels Bloomberg and the excellent CNBC (Bloomberg also available on a cheaper sub-Gold package). CTH has no English language finance channels. That's why I have to pay for both True and CTH.

TOT: Don't know. Anyone?

Attached is direct comparison and costings (one TV/two TVs) for CTH and True in the N,F&I category. Damn cant remember how to attach a file. Will try on edit later or PM me with your email. I have similar analyises to cover 3 other programming areas of Movies, Sport and Knowledge.

[SantiSuk]

OK - can't edit my post above now (not sure why?), but here is the mentioned comparison analysis, plus one on Movies Films

Thai TV comparison News etc worksheet only jul13.pdf

Thai TV comparison Movies worksheet only jul13.pdf

Sources of information are:

True Visions website: comments about content are partly a paraphrasing of the web-site description but also informed by my own previous viewings. Language attribution is based on my knowledge and a quick check, but may not be universally accurate 100% of the time:

CTH website for channels available, supplemented by test viewings in early August. Comments about content are based on only two viewings and selecting the (very patchy) EPG on-screen programme guide on two occasions. Language attribution is based on flipping channels and pressing the audio button on only two separate occasions so may not hold true 100% of the time

I only cover channels comprehensively in the categories of Sport, Movies, NF&I (News, Finance & International) and Knowledge. Have not (yet) covered 'Entertainment, (comprehensively) Free channels or Kids/Cartoons categories

'Dual' in the Language column means shown with the option of both Thai and English. Toggle by pressing the 'Audio' button on True or CTH remote controls

Some channels have their own websites. I marked some that do, but there are probably more channels that have websites than that

Before going nap on your chosen True package (if you decide to retain some True) it would be sensible to recheck my analysis for your chosen package. Do so here: http://www.truevisionstv.com/package.aspx?id=58. The web page for the Super Entertainment offer should come up, but you can select the other packages from the options on the left hand side of the screen.

[ThiAmo]

Thank you very much SantiSuk for your detailed and very useful post. As you point out truevision would probably be fine to satisfy my interest in international news channels.

What can you and maybe others say as regards the reliability and the service of truevision (quality of the image, blackouts, promptness by possible technical interventions)?

I would still be interested to get name/address of a trustworthy tv-dealer/installer in Ubon.

[ubonjoe]

No problems with True Vision other than when thunderstorms occur. (normal for sat tv).

You can contact them directly to arrange installation. It will probably be a contractor that does the installation. When we had it done an inspector from True visions came by (after calling) to check installation and made contractor change the cable into the house because it didn't meet spec's.

Getting monthly bill on time can be a problem. I get by email now and pay by i-banking.

[Michael Hare]

No problems with True Vision other than when thunderstorms occur. (normal for sat tv).

You can contact them directly to arrange installation. It will probably be a contractor that does the installation. When we had it done an inspector from True visions came by (after calling) to check installation and made contractor change the cable into the house because it didn't meet spec's.

Getting monthly bill on time can be a problem. I get by email now and pay by i-banking.

Ever since I had UBC installed in 1996 in Ubon I have had the monthly bill automaticaly deducted my bank account. When True took over everything continued as before. I have automatic deductions from my bank account for telephone (mobile and landline), electricity, water and internet. Only had one problem with AIS when I upgraded to 3G. Apparently it is run as different company to the normal AIS 2G and I had to reapply for bank deductions all over again.

[ubonjoe]

When I didn't get the bill I sent them an email and they replied back with copy of bill and suggested e-billing so that's what I did. Doing by i-banking is easy when I get email it is just a few clicks and keystrokes to pay it.

[transam]

My mrs does it via her phone.

[ThiAmo]

Thank you ubonjoe, Michael Hare and transam for your useful tips too!