Al Hijrah transmits 16:9 format and video from their side. However, the viewer may get it on 4:3 or 16:9 across different platform.
For Al Hijrah, it is a total different story than Media Prima. Here's how it looks like:


If you watch Al Hijrah on Astro or Analogue TV, it will look like this.
16:9 programme are letterboxed on a video that seems to be 4:3.


Even during ads, it looks like it is in native 4:3. So far no problem here?


But, if you watch Al Hijrah on Hypp TV or Digital TV, it is available in HD 16:9. But, 4:3 safe area is being used. (You may Google about this if you want to know more)
You will notice that any on-screen elements such as channel logo, current programme name (on bottom right corner) are also within 4:3 safe area. But that will eventually make the native 16:9 feed appear smaller in size to make sure the "4:3 feed" are able to view entire 16:9 in proper shape.


Well, now you can see that Al Hijrah ads are actually produced in 16:9, and you can enjoy the full 16:9 screen if you watch on Hypp TV and Digital TV. Looks like no problem. But still, 4:3 safe area is still in place even during ads because it will be "centre cut" on 4:3 feed. Do you notice that the programme title is like, smaller in size and positioned in the centre?

So in conclusion, Al Hijrah do not operate two different, independent feeds for SD 4:3 or HD 16:9. It is only ONE feed, but it is being centre cut (in layman terms, crop from 16:9 to 4:3, or crop from rectangle to square).



This safe area method is used for broadcasters all around the world, especially either they are migrating from 4:3 to 16:9 format, or they want to retain the 4:3 safe area for 4:3 SD feed. But as time goes by, many broadcasters around the world are already transmitting in native 16:9. In Malaysia, our FTA broadcasters are just being left behind and slow, now only want to migrate to 16:9.

I believe that most building management would rather not upgrade their MATV (master antenna) system just for the digital TV despite the fact that majority of customers subscribed to Astro.
And in general, get an indoor antenna is so much cheaper than upgrading their equipment.

Mind to share which condo is it? Are you able to get analog TV channels now from your condo's master antenna?

If you are certain that your TV supports digital TV DVB-T2 standards, and connecting to your master antenna still can't get digital TV even after performed auto scan, just get an indoor antenna.
No need expensive ones, around RM10-30 is good enough already.

You'll get used to it.
The sad thing is, Malaysians are forgetful.
They say "this" will launch by "this" date/year, but at the end it did not happen and nobody will make noise because by that time, we've forgotten about it already.

According to the reply by MYTV, it says that digital TV coverage is already available in Miri, BUT it's just that dealer is not yet available in Miri. They suggest Tass Peter to purchase it in Kuching or order online instead.

Ohhh... Then something wrong somewhere...
Did you know the distance (roughly) from your receiving location (home) to the nearest tower?

And have you tried outdoor antenna?

That's very near. Indoor antenna should be good enough already. Did you tried indoor antenna? You try first.

Did you use any signal boosters for your outdoor antenna? If yes, you may need to remove that booster. Signal boosters are not needed for receiving digital TV as it will cause signal overload (receive too much signal), resulting in No Signal. For most cases to receive digital TV, signal boosters should not be used unless you're desperate situations, such as the cable from TV to antenna is too long/old, or the transmitter is few hundreds of kilometres away. That one is worst case scenario.

Since you said, you can only receive Brunei digital TV channels, it could mean that your outdoor antenna may be receiving overload signal for Malaysia digital TV, so the channel won't be detected at all.

But still, I suggest you try for indoor antenna first. If still can't, remove boosters from outdoor antenna if you're using it. I mean, literally remove both outdoor and indoor booster from the antenna (if you're using it), not just power it off.

I understand that MYTV may provide inaccurate info, but you can try to troubleshoot some few steps first, cuz after all they're still expanding their coverage, especially those "Blind spots" from main transmitters areas.

Hmm... Then your location might be under the "blind spot" from the main transmitters, but they will install more signal gap filters in near future, just before analogue TV switch off by end of June 2018.

Better you inform directly to MYTV about this.

By the way, can you receive all analogue TV channels anyway?
And, I thought a lot of Sarawakians tends to watch TV using parabolic satellite dishes (C band) instead?

If like that, inform MYTV about it, or just wait lo... Can't do much for now...

And if I were you, I rather watch foreign TV channels using parabolic satellite dishes (C band) or small dish (Ku band).
Local FTA broadcasters like RTM and Media Prima, is simply unreliable to me when it comes to content.

Al Hijrah's HD quality is sucks. It's not about the bitrate. It is some technical settings that they need to deal with.
The channel transmits in a satisfactory bitrate for HD channel quality, but from Al Hijrah's side, the quality not so good due to some technical settings from Al Hijrah, not MYTV.

The HD channel quality even on MYTV will be almost the same or exactly the same as you see on Astro's HD channel quality. No need to be surprised for that.

Wanna share something random, but somewhat related....
I saw this at Tesco, where the section that sells TV there...

And I wonder, who wrote that MPEG2 and MPEG4 nonsense?? Some of the info are irrelevant and inaccurate.
Why mention DVB-T where Malaysia is currently using only DVB-T2?

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 8 2017, 11:16 PM

Eh wait.. How you know that GM stands for "GM Multifunctional Encoder Modulator"?
Where and how did you know that...

New condos does't necessary means your building's centralised TV antenna supports digital TV. Many new condos also like that.
You might need to connect an indoor antenna to your TV to receive digital TV channels.

Even Singapore's condos and flats's centralised antenna does not support digital TV, hence they advise viewers to use indoor antenna instead.

Our gov can know whether you subscribe to Astro or not wan...
Astro got your name, IC number, address, etc., so it is not hard for gov to check whether you got subscribe to Astro or not.
Astro and gov are cronies la...

Let's talk about Malaysia Boleh law.
Any digital TV boxes that the branding is not under MYTV, are simply not regulated by SIRIM and MCMC.
Meaning if you buy those, you are actually buying unregulated equipment by the government, which could be punishable by law.

If it's integrated digital TV (iDTV), means if your TV has built-in digital TV tuner, that one is ok.

This is how our government protects themselves and monopolised the selling and marketing of the digital TV boxes.
#cronieseverywhere

It's just a matter of time when they'll offer the channel in HD la... Quite expected already...

As for Astro, it may not be necessary need to pay for HD cuz currently there's 4 HD free channels available to all customers using B.yond boxes. Astro can include TV3 HD as part of their free HD channels offering, depending on their agreement between Astro and Media Prima.

Hypp TV has no such thing as HD fees. HD is offered for free on Hypp TV.

Oh. Maybe because our PM wants the Budget 2018 to be made available to watch in HD quality on digital TV platform, that's why TV3 available in HD. I mean, why do you think a channel that were made available in HD out of the blue, without prior major announcement by Media Prima? Lol.

Currently not all Media Prima channels transmit their programmes in HD 16:9 quality. Some still letterbox, very few is in 4:3.

Screenshots from the 3 new channels on digital TV...
Screenshots for SD channels has stretched to 1024x576 for proper 16:9 viewing. Actual video resolution for MYTV digital TV is 720x576 for SD and 1920x1080 for HD.

1) Drama Sangat






2) TV3 HD

Malay drama in HD...


Another screenshot of a Malay drama in HD...


Buletin Utama in HD...


You can enhance your viewing experience of watching propaganda from Najib in HD as well...


...because watching Najib's face appear in the news in SD quality is not enough.

>>continue next post...