Their FAQ is quite interesting.

You can swap your astro max box for the new PVR for FREE, and you don't have to pay the MYR10 recording fee for the first 12 months.

If you don't want to lay a second cable to your new PVR, you can pay for some device which (I assume) amplifies the signal or something. However, it costs MYR300.

I think I'll stick with my byond box and my max STB (I cannot lay another cable, don't want to pay 300MYR for an amplifier nor 10MYR a month for what I can already do for free). There's not that much on HD worth recording anyways. I do miss the pause feature though.

It's a shame for those who traded in their astro max boxes. Keeping it would have saved them MYR420.

Does anyone have any details on the device astro is selling so you don't need to lay 2 cables? I just did up my TV room and the sat cable is behind the fixed cabinet. I can't add another if I do choose to get the new box

So the new channels are:
AXN HD
FX HD
Some chinese HD

Someone was talking about Fox, or Fox crime coming too. Has this been confirmed?

I'd like to know this too.

Is fox SD going to be in widescreen?

hmm...apparently it's available in widescreen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STAR_World (right hand column)

Could be. I find it strange because almost all the programmes shown must have been filmed in 16:9 anyways. Why not just broadcast them like that.

If it's a 1 hour show, it'll probably end up being 20 minutes

What I would give to watch BBC World News in widescreen...

Hope tall justin reads this

Haha. My byond subscription should cover it, you cheeky bugger

Wonder if you could answer this. When you receive the BBC world news feed, is it in widescreen, or has it already been cropped? If you recieve it in 4:3 I can understand why you can't broadcast it in 16:9 but if you recieve it in its native format, why not just rebroadcast it as that?

Surely you could design STB firmware that will crop the image if it is connected to an SDTV, or output it in widescreen if connected to a widescreen TV. On all the decoders I've used in the past, there has always been an option to select in the menu for widescreen TVs (although it didn't seem to make any difference to any channels).

Just a thought

I'm talking about TV shows like CSI or the Simpsons, BBC News articles etc. I highly doubt any of these are produced in cinema aspect ratios.

I agree No one buys 4:3 TVs nowaday so it only makes sense that channels migrate to the new standard format.

From the US HD channel list

'HBO Latino HD' I think they might be getting a bit desperate for new channels

Looking through their channels, I have to say I thought more of them would have interested me.

They stole your TV?! Wow, of all the things lying around they could have taken, they went through the trouble of pulling out all the wires and taking your TV

Technically, Astro owns the STB, so you could be in a bit of trouble. You have insurance, don't you?

I have a HTIB set and it only has an optical in port, however, it kind of makes its own surround sound for astro and it sounds pretty good. E.g. when watching the world cup, the commentry only comes from the front speakers. Pretty decent imo.

WHAT?!

If the horns are too annoying you could always mute the telly! Commentary isn't that great.

Is there a need to create a new thread? Why not keep all the info in one thread.

Honestly, I never watch any football match build-ups or half time shows. I tend to disagree with what they say! I just watch the match and make up my own decisions based on what I saw! Anyway, I usually catch 15 minutes of sleep at half time; a lot better than watching some men discussing what I've already seen with my own eyes.

I don't follow the premiership anyway though. I catch the occasional early kick-off as I always to listen to my local football club on BBC radio at 10/11pm

What interested me last season was that astro showed a few championship matches on ch811! More of that, please! Why not show all the live lower division telecasts

Indeed

I actually subscribe to the club's media package on their website (http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/player/Home/) which gives me access to highlights, interviews, build-up videos etc + live commentary from the BBC. The comm. is actually available free in the UK (i.e. via radio) on the local BBC radio station BBC Southern Counties, but isn't streamed on the BBC iPlayer for some reason. Keep in mind, lots of football league clubs have their commentary available worldwide on the BBC iPlayer for free.

Most league clubs use an identical template for their websites (run by one media company I believe), which means they all have identical media packages like the one I linked above (just with club-specific content). Unfortunately, the 'larger' clubs (e.g. Leeds + most premiership clubs) have their own website formats which may or may not have media packages. If they do, they are likely run entirely by the club themselves so may be priced differently and may not have commentary.

In case you're wondering, I think I pay 35 or 40 quid a year for access, so its not too bad.

Having a quick look at the Newcastle website, it looks like they do not use the same template, but commentary is available on their media page: http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/nufcTVHome/0,,10278,00.html

I'd love it if Astro showed the league 1, 2, and conference play-off matches too in addition to the championship ones. I know they do show them in Vietnam. In fact, they show a lot of championship matches in Vietnam!