Nice

damn astro, already terminate my astro account after account expired. now want to take back my astro PVR plus the satellite dishes. told me belongs to astro, told them previously before i am using PVR, normall astro decoder after contract finish still belongs to customer. Anyone facing same situation with me for PVR recorder? so in future want to watch astro again, need to apply new one for new decoder + satellite dishes + contract, cannot use reconnection account. damn astro, paying so much for 2 years, still want me to given back decoder to them...

the decorder belong to astro.. u cannot take it, same goes to tm unifi BTU modem

Well what I know decoder is belong to astro.. because they give some kind of "subsidy" for it.. The decoder cost is more that what u pay for initially.. The satellite dish normally they won't take.. But I don't know why even they ask for that too

I just login to astro self service and it automatically subscribe to EBILLS, which astro bills send into my email!
How to change back to paper bills that usually sent to my house?

- click "View my account profile"

- click "Bills & payment"

- edit bills preference

Theoretically it is possible for "upcoming/future" Malaysian DTH pay TV to rent transponders from other satellite operators such as ABS 2 or 2A (75 E) or Asiasat, or others.

By Malaysian law, parabolic satellite dishes (such as C band) are not allowed in West Malaysia except Sarawak (law is there but no action will be taken if you install parabolic dish in Sarawak, so you can take it as legal).

Will C band be allowed to or only Ku-Band allowed like Astro? That is a very good and challenging question. Because this depends on our "very good" government whether they allow C band or not. But for us Malaysians, receiving foreign C band satellite signal is illegal unless you got "permission" to do so by the government (MCMC). Those who got permission to do so are usually TV stations like RTM, Media Prima, Astro,...

Not sure about your case. But I can share with you several cases happened in other customers like this.

If you terminate Astro (after contract period ends of course), you don't need to return decoder and satellite dish to Astro and you can just keep it to yourself. Then, few months later Astro will call you back, asking whether do you want to subscribe back to Astro. If you agree, Astro will offer you all sorts of promos and free previews, such as paying Family pack price but can get free preview to watch Super Pack channels or full channels (except selected premium and PPV channels) for few months, or any other kinds of free previews.

In simple words, they want to "pull back" those customers that has terminated Astro but customer still have the decoder and dish with them.

However based on their policy, if you tell them that you are no longer staying in Malaysia (migrating to other country), then you will have to return the decoder and dish, otherwise penalty will be imposed.

Maybe you try to contact Astro again, tell them (in not so nice words, tell lies to them) that you may be interested to subscribe Astro again at later time or in the future, but for the time being you want to discontinue the service due to some personal issues (make it more drama, tell them you got financial issues also can). Then they might let you keep the decoder and dish.

I am not sure this will work today or not, and I do not 100% guarantee this will work, but you can give it a try. Because this is somehow a "positive" thing that Astro want to hear from customer, so no harm trying, right?

Because, if they ask you the reason why you want to cancel the service, and you tell them "I don't want Astro anymore because Astro is expensive, a lot of repeated shows, Internet has more shows than Astro and I can watch it for free..." bla bla bla, of course this will give an impression to Astro that you are no longer interested to subscribe Astro again, so this also means there's no meaning for you to keep the decoder and dish anymore, right? So they may want to trouble you by making your service termination to be inconvenient by telling you to take the decoder to Astro service centre. After you return the decoder at Astro service, then only they will assign Astro installer to dismantle the satellite dish for you (if you do not know how to dismantle the dish by yourself).

I hope this can help you to decide what to do next.

As long Astro uses Ku band and consumer use 65cm dish to receive the signal, rain fade issue will not go away and forever be exist and you can't escape this. It can only be improve a little bit by increasing satellite transmission output power, which it depends on the satellite design and technology. No matter increase this power, that power, rain fade issue still won't go away.

Don't want to depend on satellite? Another solution is use IPTV, which is what Astro already offering now, Astro IPTV service via Maxis Fibre and TIME Fibre. It solves rain fade issue, but service coverage will be another problem. Not every Malaysians will able to enjoy this service.

Another solution is to use C band to provide DTH service to customers. But question is, which satellite Astro is going to use? It is unlikely they will use C band from Measat 3 or 3a because they use to lease transponders (to earn money and make business) to TV stations or networks interested to distribute their channels within Measat's C band coverage.

Opinion: Unless Measat launch new satellite belongs to Measat but currently unused, which is 148 E with C band coverage beam receivable in Malaysia. So Astro or any pay TV can choose to offer DTH service via C band if they are interested to do so. If the satellite's C band transmission output power is powerful enough, 90cm dish with Conical Scalar Ring (CSR) are able to receive the signal so that customer does not require big ugly parabolic dishes. This is proven to be possible as Transvision, one of Indonesia's pay TV uses this method to offer DTH service via C band using Telkom 1 satellite (located at 108 E), one of Indonesian satellite.

But then, do note that Indonesia has discontinue its C band DTH platform on 2015 and fully migrated to Ku band, using Measat 3b satellite.



The picture above is C band LNB with Conical Scalar Ring (CSR). CSR helps to improve and increase C band signal reception on smaller dishes.

Info: Astro B.yond dish (black colour dish) is 65cm, silver Astro dishes uses 60cm (some older ones are 55cm).

Ideas are there, talking are easy. Doing so won't be as easy as you think, as they are many challenges and technical difficulties needs to go through, such as:
i) C band equipment tends to be more expensive than Ku band equipment, is the customer willing to spend more money in that, in terms of subscription fees or installation fees?
ii) Technically, available transponders for C band is much lesser than Ku band. Meaning that in one satellite orbit, Ku band has the capability to provide more channels compared to C band. So for sure HD channels will take up more bandwidth than SD channels. This will depend the DTH provider whether to rent more C band transponders or not. Perhaps Measat may allocate some C band transponders for other uses (provide more services to earn money) so Measat can't just provide all available C band transponders for TV only.
iii) If you stay in high rise buildings that uses centralised dish like condo or apartment, it will be another new problem such as new equipment to be installed.
iv) New and bigger satellite dishes is required to install at customer premise.
v) For pay TV provider, they may have to bear higher maintenance cost. This could be the reason why using C band for DTH is rarely seen around the world because of its technical difficulties and higher maintenance costs compared to Ku band. So the chances of pay TV providers to use C band is low.

Currently, Astro DTH service is on 91.5 E and your satellite dish is facing west to get the signal. But as for 148 E, your dish needs to face to the east. If you're unlucky to have obstacle at the east position such as buildings, hills, trees, then you'll have difficulty to get the signal, or you can try install at rooftop to avoid the obstacles.

So, after reading this, do you still think Astro will provide DTH via C band as an alternative signal reception option to customers that do not want to have rain fade issue like customers used to experienced on Ku band?

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 29 2016, 02:58 AM

Eventually this parabolic satellite dishes is extremely expensive (first time installation cost and equipment) and need to maintenance within 1 year or max 2 years. Especially for electric motor rotate 180 degree with parabolic satellite dishes.



Last time I experience need climb to the roof to put some grease oil (purpose for lubricate) yearly between the rotation motor with whole big satellite during switch channels from AsiaSat3S location to ST1 (Mostly taiwan channels). However, it is extremely high pressure and heavy to rotate from ST1 back to AsiaSat3S position. Sometimes, it experience of Position Frequency slightly shifted and need to climb to the roof to settle for this problem...



The red circle this "batang" is help to rotate whole satellite from east to west (something like that.. ). But this "batang" rosak, your DisEqc motor the first picture tak boleh pakai already.

Previously under C Band, there are a lot of free channels (mostly are China channels and Indonesia channels, but less in Taiwan channels). Some Taiwan channels "Free view channels" on peak-season only (eg during Chinese New Year..) Exactly Astro copy this strategic from Taiwan payTV "Zhong Hua Dian Xin". However due to more and more payTV subscriber prefer to use Ku Band (Due to easily maintenance, not need Diseqc motor required), mostly all the channels moved to Ku Band.. Causing C band less and less channels already..

The most troublesome is regarding the frequency of channels. Some of the channels (especially taiwan channels) extremely trouble one. Need to manually deep to the website to change frequency/ TP numbering (don't know how to call that) in order to watch channels. Imagine there are 100 channels need to change frequency, I think you fainted already.. Press by using remote control until you feel tired..

In simple, only professional and technical can use this parabolic satellite dishes. Else, it will cause the decorder and Diseqc unable link and cause program channels messed up...

This post has been edited by JuneResources: Nov 29 2016, 09:55 AM

so better stick to KU band ..

wah didn't know C band dish needs so many maintenance & adjustments done..

for sure, I cannot one because me not professional on this kind of stuff. kinda noobie

so I better stick to KU band..

Yes, you might be think KU band is easily for maintenance, some-more the outdoor dish is very light. Everything are control by Assteruk. Program channels and frequency all automatic set-up by Assteruk.
Just reset the decorder as factory, then decorder automatic update the system.

But there is always have problems during poor weather. And you can only watch the channels in Measat3 position. You might try slightly adjust position to others (e.g ST1), but your decorder cannot work too bcoz Assteruk's decorder already locked down the program only for Measat3.

As I compare to C Band this unit, this "big ear" extremely strong signal even through you can watch channels without single interruptions during heavily rain and strong wind too.


Yes, KU band easily maintenance. However, you need to monthly payment for your payTV.
Some-goes to C Band, hard to maintenance and a lot of adjustment. BUT, you need to set up your program channels and adjustment in order to catch up those "FREE" channels.

we are at crossroad..
So u think which one is cheaper in long run??
Ku band or C band?

If you pandai self-maintenance and want get rid of monthly payTV for long run (Forget about the first time installation cost + equipment cost), then go for C band... Strong signal during heavily rain..
Enjoy different language channels such as Tamil word, Indonesia word, Japan word, Korea word and so on..

If you noob in self-maintenance and lazy to set those program channels, then go for Ku band...
Of course, you have more favorite channels in Ku band compare C band.. (Bcoz you monthly pay to the payTV subscriber).

then Ku Band is the choice

Wah this is sum deep technical shit yo

Not like Astro CS would've understand...

Think about using the KuBand dish and getting ST2 satelite for less then RM50 per month for 500 over channels( No china coverage) Why pay almost RM200 for assteruk's home cooked and malaysian feed channels! Asstro shld think abt it ,asstro is not giving super good channels its just a recycle Bin and they shld give service less then RM100 they are not worth more then that!

Think about using the KuBand dish and getting ST2 satelite for less then RM50 per month for 500 over channels( No china coverage) Why pay almost RM200 for assteruk's home cooked and malaysian feed channels! Asstro shld think abt it ,asstro is not giving super good channels its just a recycle Bin and they shld give service less then RM100 they are not worth more then that!