How to watch digital TV

[ubonrthai]

We currently have a 2010 Samsung LA32B550 Series 5 HDTV and use rabbit ears to pick up 6 fuzzy channels. We just received our 690b digital TV voucher from the government and I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to pick up the 36 HD digital channels.

I can't find anything in the manual about integrated digital TV so I assume I need a set top box.

We used to get True but cancelled the service long ago. The dish still hangs on the house. Is it possible to use it combined with a set top box to pick up the digital channels?

If not, what kind of satellite dish and set top box am I looking for? I don't want any kind of subcription service. Just want to pick up the free channels.

Edited December 30, 2014 by ubonrthai

[Crossy]

You don't need a dish of any kind to use your set-top box, the cheapest boxes (690 Baht) work quite well but there are bells and whistles ones which play USB or even run Android and stream internet video.

The place you get the box will sell you a suitable antenna, we're 50km north of BKK and got a little 4 element Yagi. They said "point it at Bangkok", it's on the wall about 3m up and happily gives 100% signal and 100% quality on the tuning menu after a little tweeking.

[RichCor]

As Crossy wrote, the 690 Baht coupons allow you to purchase a 'Terrestrial' Over-The-Air Set Top Box.

The new 'Digital' channels are transmitted using DVB-T2, so unless your old TV tuner is compatible with this newer standard you will need to use an external Set Top Box to receive and convert the up-to 48 Channels for you.

Does your HDTV have "HDMI", "DVI", or only "Component" and "Composite" connections? This will be important when you go looking for a Set Top Box as it will need to have the same adapter connections.

Also... Terrestrial isn't the only method of receiving programs.

IPTV, also known as Digital Internet TV, programs are 'streamed' to you over the Internet.

DVB-C2, also known as Digital Cable TV, if you have cable service

DVB-T2, also known as Terrestrial Over-The-Air Digital TV, the service requires an aerial antenna pointed toward a tower and can receive up-to 48 channels

DVB-S2. also known as Satellite Digital TV, the service requires either a small dish for Ku-band, or a large dish for C-band reception.

The number and language of channels available over Satellite TV can vary depending of the dish size and if you subscribe to special subscription-only packages.
Many channels are FREE (Free-to-Air), meaning that after purchasing and installing the components no additional charges need apply.
Special subscriptions are usually tied to specific Satellite Set-Top-Box hardware, so compare the subscription packages before purchasing.

[RKASA]

A GMM-Z box will pick up all the free to air stuff and more using that dish as is just plug it in if you like Thai TV. I use my old true dish with it. I pay 299 a month and add on

fox news, sky news, fox sports, fox sports 2 and 3 about three movie channels and and few other things. starworld and some of the nat geo stuff.

Just call the number they sms a code for the package you want and pay at 7-11 etc monthly or not if your not going to be using it for awhile about 40 channels are free to view including all the normal broadcast stuff 3, 5, 9 etc.

[ubonrthai]

Is it possible to use a True dish with no subscription to pick up the free to air channels?

Edited December 31, 2014 by ubonrthai

[Crossy]

Is it possible to use a True dish with no subscription to pick up the free to air channels?

Yes, you need to buy a TrueLife box (1800 Baht or so but you cannot use the voucher) gets all the free to view stuff.

[KhunBENQ]

Confusion everywhere

Sure, all TV transmission via satellite is digital TV too (DVB-S).

But from the thread start it is clear that it refers to digital terrestrial TV (DVB-T2), transmitted from antennas on the ground with limited reach.

[RichCor]

Is it possible to use a True dish with no subscription to pick up the free to air channels?

Yes, you need to buy a TrueLife box (1800 Baht or so but you cannot use the voucher) gets all the free to view stuff.

The True dish and the Ku-band LNB are generic hardware, meaning they can be reused with other 'similar' satellite services.

You could purchase any Ku-band compatible DVB-S2 Set top box (PSI, CTH, GMMz, IPM, ... ) and if the dish is still aligned you just need to plug it in and it will receive the Free-to-Air channels broadcast over satellite.

If you want to receive HD content, make sure the set top box you select has an HD Connector and will receive/decode HD content.

Some of the "-Lite" boxes being sold look a little sketchy.

While I have and like the IPM boxes, I probably would recommend a GMMz box as they usually come bundled with a 1-year subscription.

Not to discount the Terrestrial boxes, but they will be limited to what is broadcast.

[rawhod]

Is it possible to use a True dish with no subscription to pick up the free to air channels?

Yes, you need to buy a TrueLife box (1800 Baht or so but you cannot use the voucher) gets all the free to view stuff.

The True dish and the Ku-band LNB are generic hardware, meaning they can be reused with other 'similar' satellite services.

You could purchase any Ku-band compatible DVB-S2 Set top box (PSI, CTH, GMMz, IPM, ... ) and if the dish is still aligned you just need to plug it in and it will receive the Free-to-Air channels broadcast over satellite.

If you want to receive HD content, make sure the set top box you select has an HD Connector and will receive/decode HD content.

Some of the "-Lite" boxes being sold look a little sketchy.

While I have and like the IPM boxes, I probably would recommend a GMMz box as they usually come bundled with a 1-year subscription.

Not to discount the Terrestrial boxes, but they will be limited to what is broadcast.

I currently have the GMM-Z HD box. I bought it just under 12 months ago, it included 12 months Gold Package subscription (due to expire shortly)

It has the advantage is that it is easy for my Thai wife to use for Thai channels, however, they are only in SD. I fail to understand why GMM do not carry the Thai channels 3,5 and 7 in HD when they have been made avaiable available on the Thaicom 5 platform.(it's not a problem for my unfussy wife, but it irks me that she cant watch the best picture available on our new large screen HD TV)

Another bitch of mine re. GMM is there new package configurations.

The new Gold Package (which comes bundled with the current GMM-Z HD box offer) is "crap". It has very few of the channels that the old Gold Package had.

Their Movies/Sports/All for fun/Hollywood Packages are a complete hotchpotch of channels, many are repeated throughout four and the sport, for example, is split between Sports and Hollywood.

So, although GMM-Z started as a major contender in the satellite market, IMHO, they have lost their way. Why do these companies have to alienate subscribers in their attempts to extract more money from them.

Rant over...

So I am currently trying to decide upon my next move in the Satellite/IPTV maze....

[ryanhull]

Get a cheap android box from big C plugged into your TV, sign up to ilikehd.com (350 bhat a month for full package)

Stream any channel you want both thai, western etc all with Thai sub titles,

Thats what I do and it beats TOT and True