I just went over to the Sophon Cable TV office near Pattaya Klang to extend my subscription for another year. The lady who served me gave me one of these free of charge, but was unable to explain to me what it was. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak, I took it anyway. I see now that it's some sort of set-top box. I had something like this in the UK many years ago so that my old analogue CRT TV could receive the then-new digital Freeview channels. Is this the same sort of thing, and why would I want it when Sophon provides a cable TV service so presumably they sort out the source and format of the signal before piping it down their cables? Or is there a change coming that I'm not aware of?

It's exactly what you think it is, a set top box to receive the new digital terrestrial TV, 30 odd channels of Thai free-to-air telly.

30 more channels of Lakorn!!......quick, throw it out before she gets home.

30 more channels of Lakorn!!......quick, throw it out before she gets home.

Hahahahaha! brilliant!!

It's exactly what you think it is, a set top box to receive the new digital terrestrial TV, 30 odd channels of Thai free-to-air telly.

So now I'm going to have to buy an aerial as well???

30 more channels of Lakorn!!......quick, throw it out before she gets home.

Sounds like it might make a good present for the mia noi...

it's a useless black box .... use it as a door stopper or something ...

Looks like a Digital Terestrial TV box so yes new aerial and from my experiments also wait for them to install a new transmitter

for the Pattaya / Jomtien area as we are a long way from the Bangkok transmitter ( frequency ch no 26,36,40,44,32,29)

and mostly shielded from Rayong transmitter (frequency ch no 45,59,53,56,43,48 )

30 more channels of Lakorn!!......quick, throw it out before she gets home.

Hahahahaha! brilliant!!

PMSL, love it!!

Looks like a Digital Terestrial TV box so yes new aerial and from my experiments also wait for them to install a new transmitter

for the Pattaya / Jomtien area as we are a long way from the Bangkok transmitter ( frequency ch no 26,36,40,44,32,29)

and mostly shielded from Rayong transmitter (frequency ch no 45,59,53,56,43,48 )

Thanks for the information. I assume all these new channels are Thai language so of no interest to most farangs? I think I've got the girlfriend's birthday present now, anyway!

Yes all the terrestrial channels are Thai language.

Edited March 10, 201511 yr by johng

Filler station plan.

DVB-T fillers stations english 580300000005.pdf

Pattaya and Siricha digital transmitter switch on are scheduled for 1st December 2015.

A1 filler ststion switch on 262815733-กำหนดการขยายโครงข-ายโทรทัศน-ภาคพ

If anyone's interested

coupons delivered and exchanged for set top box,

now just have to wait untill December when they switch the signal on to test it out

Edited June 25, 201511 yr by johng

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Is this instead of the normal channels or in addition to - or are the current channels included in the 150?

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Is this instead of the normal channels or in addition to - or are the current channels included in the 150?

In addition to the normal 80 or so analogue channels, I was trying to post the new Sophon guide but can not for some reason. The clarity of the digital channels is a lot better.

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Is this instead of the normal channels or in addition to - or are the current channels included in the 150?

In addition to the normal 80 or so analogue channels, I was trying to post the new Sophon guide but can not for some reason. The clarity of the digital channels is a lot better.

Sophon001 (2015_05_26 12_25_33 UTC).pdf

Edited June 25, 201511 yr by RabC

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Is this instead of the normal channels or in addition to - or are the current channels included in the 150?

In addition to the normal 80 or so analogue channels, I was trying to post the new Sophon guide but can not for some reason. The clarity of the digital channels is a lot better.

Sophon001 (2015_05_26 12_25_33 UTC).pdf

Thanks - better get down there with the voucher

Interesting the Sophon leaflet posted by RabC says you can use thier set top box OR a TV "equiped to receive digital TV"

Can we assume then that the newer TV's with built in digital terrestrial tuners carrying this logo

will work "as is" ????

They also say that subsribers with analogue tuners will still receive 80 channels

So analogue and digital sent simultaneously down the one cable ??

Edited June 27, 201511 yr by johng

I wasn't offered one for free when I paid my last 6-month bill last month - it was over 700 baht. Why was the OP offered one for free?

If you or your partner are the registered owners of your house/condo or can access the owners book then the government will supply you with a voucher for your box. Sophon we're giving them away initially but have now stopped..

Interesting the Sophon leaflet posted by RabC says you can use thier set top box OR a TV "equiped to receive digital TV"

sophon 1.jpg

Can we assume then that the newer TV's with built in digital terrestrial tuners carrying this logo

Digital-TV-FINAL_2.jpg

will work "as is" ????

They also say that subsribers with analogue tuners will still receive 80 channels

sophon 2.jpg

So analogue and digital sent simultaneously down the one cable ??

That's correct, I have a digitally enabled TV in my front room and receive both analogue and digital from Sophon with no box. I use the box with my older TV in the bedroom and again receive both signals.

If you or your partner are the registered owners of your house/condo or can access the owners book then the government will supply you with a voucher for your box. Sophon we're giving them away initially but have now stopped..

OK. So I rent my townhouse from a Farang Owner, but the Sophon bill is in my name. Am I able to get a free one?

If you or your partner are the registered owners of your house/condo or can access the owners book then the government will supply you with a voucher for your box. Sophon we're giving them away initially but have now stopped..

OK. So I rent my townhouse from a Farang Owner, but the Sophon bill is in my name. Am I able to get a free one?

The government issue the free vouchers, people have reported that if you can get a copy of your landlords house book then you can get a voucher. I think that if you have a Thai partner you should get them to ask at the Ampur as to how to obtain the voucher. Sorry I can't be more helpful than that as my partner owns the house so we just received a government voucher through the post one day.

If you or your partner are the registered owners of your house/condo or can access the owners book then the government will supply you with a voucher for your box. Sophon we're giving them away initially but have now stopped..

OK. So I rent my townhouse from a Farang Owner, but the Sophon bill is in my name. Am I able to get a free one?

The government issue the free vouchers, people have reported that if you can get a copy of your landlords house book then you can get a voucher. I think that if you have a Thai partner you should get them to ask at the Ampur as to how to obtain the voucher. Sorry I can't be more helpful than that as my partner owns the house so we just received a government voucher through the post one day.

Thanks for the help. As my partner is not Thai, we probably won't be able to get one. I'll ask around.

Cheers

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Is this instead of the normal channels or in addition to - or are the current channels included in the 150?

In addition to the normal 80 or so analogue channels, I was trying to post the new Sophon guide but can not for some reason. The clarity of the digital channels is a lot better.

RabC just picked up the box from Sophon and set it up and was wondering whether you had this experience or have I missed a step?

Did the Channel set up and then tried going through the actual channels - the majority showing either no signal or just a black screen after the signal quality bar failed to reach 50%? The channel numbers ran from 001 to 800 something but obviously leapfrogging large chunks of numbers. There definitely were not 230 viewable channels however?

Also the clock time in settings was about two and a half hours slow from the actual time although everything else seemed correct?

Have had to disconnect and reconnect as before so the gf can watch her programmes

Box is the same one the OP showed.

All suggestions welcome (apart from keeping it as a doorstop!)

So, all you need to do is go to the office pay about 700 for the box bring it home hook it up and you will get all of the same channels and more?

Nothing else to do or change?

Or the account owner needs to do something?

Apologies if this has been covered, do you need to show them anything, i currently get free sophon cable with my rented place.

Sophon users can use the Sophon supplied box right now, 150 crystal clear channels, no comment of program quality though .....

Is this instead of the normal channels or in addition to - or are the current channels included in the 150?

In addition to the normal 80 or so analogue channels, I was trying to post the new Sophon guide but can not for some reason. The clarity of the digital channels is a lot better.

RabC just picked up the box from Sophon and set it up and was wondering whether you had this experience or have I missed a step?

Did the Channel set up and then tried going through the actual channels - the majority showing either no signal or just a black screen after the signal quality bar failed to reach 50%? The channel numbers ran from 001 to 800 something but obviously leapfrogging large chunks of numbers. There definitely were not 230 viewable channels however?

Also the clock time in settings was about two and a half hours slow from the actual time although everything else seemed correct?

Have had to disconnect and reconnect as before so the gf can watch her programmes

Box is the same one the OP showed.

All suggestions welcome (apart from keeping it as a doorstop!)

We had no issues with ours, plugged in, set up and away we went, my only thoughts is that the signal into your house/condo isn't strong enough. From previous dealings with Sophon regards quality they have always been responsive to sort out issues. As to the clock yes mine was 2.5hrs behind Thai time, the same on my TV with the built in digital receiver.

RabC just picked up the box from Sophon and set it up and was wondering whether you had this experience or have I missed a step?

Did the Channel set up and then tried going through the actual channels - the majority showing either no signal or just a black screen after the signal quality bar failed to reach 50%? The channel numbers ran from 001 to 800 something but obviously leapfrogging large chunks of numbers. There definitely were not 230 viewable channels however?

Also the clock time in settings was about two and a half hours slow from the actual time although everything else seemed correct?

Have had to disconnect and reconnect as before so the gf can watch her programmes

Box is the same one the OP showed.

All suggestions welcome (apart from keeping it as a doorstop!)

We had no issues with ours, plugged in, set up and away we went, my only thoughts is that the signal into your house/condo isn't strong enough. From previous dealings with Sophon regards quality they have always been responsive to sort out issues. As to the clock yes mine was 2.5hrs behind Thai time, the same on my TV with the built in digital receiver.

Thanks - don't understand though why some would work and not others?

The clock thing is totally weird.