It clearly stated "excludes all a-la-carte premium sports channels..."
Sports Focus pack is an a-la-carte premium sports channels.

You can't compare with Super Pack Plus 4 eh...
Customers who subscribe SP4 Plus pack pays RM241.68/month to watch all channels, including channels on Sports Focus pack.

It's a free stuff, can't argue much about it.

Yes, you can use back your existing cable as long it is still in good condition.

Do note that Astro uses RG-6 coaxial cable to connect to satellite dish. RG-6 is a common coaxial cable type for DTH pay TV around the world, and it is also commonly used in CCTV cameras as well.

The type of cable will be the always the same, so don't worry.

Astro said that it is applicable for pay TV subscribers, which I assume it also includes Family Lite customers.
Njoi users are not applicable for the free preview.

Just somewhat a reminder (or maybe not).
Astro's Technical Service Fee has increased from RM53 to RM65 including GST.

So, whenever you request Astro technician to visit to your premise to solve technical issues, you will be charged for RM65, no more RM53 like previously. However, if your Astro subscription is above RM100/month, this technical service fee is waived.

In conclusion, my advise to you, take good care of your Astro box.

It seems that Astro is trying to tell customer that after the warranty period, you're on your own? It seems to me that as long you tell Astro to arrange technician to visit to your premise, RM65 need to be paid to installer directly.

In simple words, Astro ain't give a shit on customer's problem anymore. You cari pasal, you sendiri bayar duit selesai. Astro don't care liao.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 12 2017, 12:18 AM

True...

Elderly aren't so flexible to learn new things...
They just can't simply adapt new stuff, either they're not interested to adapt, or they expect to continue using the same way for the next 10-20 years.

As long you pay money to use the TV service, that is considered as a pay TV service provider, regardless you use a STB or not.
Even OTT services like Netflix, iflix, are considered as pay subscription because you are paying to use it. But if you get to enjoy for free (such as Unifi or Maxis Fibre promo), that one don't say la.

Cable TV technology is currently not using in Malaysia, so you are likely not have chance to see how it works in Malaysia. ABNxcess is the first cable TV service that launched in Malaysia, and also the first to close shop.......

Cable TV works like this:
1) Content network & headend (This process is the same goes to satellite, IPTV providers, or just about any TV service providers)
- TV channel/content is retrieve from various sources such as from satellite or private internet network
- Process and encode the video that is to be distributed to customers

2) Distribution network
- Content/service is being distributed to many "cabinets" (or known as big distribution boxes that you see on road side) wire by wire. In ABNxcess context, the modern cable TV technology lay fibre cables to customer's area. It allows more services offering especially when it comes to HD channels and triple-play services (TV, high speed broadband and phone). This is called Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC).

- Once fibre cable reaches to nearby cabinet of the "taman" or area, a coaxial cable (high quality ones) will lay along customer home's street. For ABNxcess, they use existing TNB electric poles to lay their coaxial cable along the street. It looks like this:


TOP (appears lossy): Electric cable
BOTTOM (appears tighten and straight): ABNxcess coaxial cable

- If there's a customer want to subscribe, they will lay another coaxial cable directly to your premise.

- Then, a normal RG6 coaxial cable (same cable used by any satellite TV including Astro) will be connected to ABNxcess cable modem. From the modem, you can enjoy TV, broadband and phone service.

- From cable modem's F-connector output (same port used by satellite TV incl. Astro, you can Google on how it looks like), a RG6 coaxial cable will be connected to ABNxcess STB.


Complicated, right? Although Cable TV don't have rain fade issue like satellite TV do, but laying cables here and there, eventually resulting in high costs and very time consuming. Service coverage rollout will take long time. Cable TV is just like your Streamyx/Unifi coverage, everything subject to area availability, problem like "this taman got, that taman don't have." will be common.

Meanwhile satellite TV, instantly get 100% nationwide coverage. Even in deep jungle also can watch Astro as long got clear line-of-sight view to the sky.

ABNxcess is the first one to use digital cable TV, while Mega TV is not digital. Sorry for confusion.

Cable TV got analogue and digital type one.... Nowadays all use digital already, using DVB-C or DVB-C2.

TM Hypp TV depends on Internet connection from either Unifi or Streamyx. You use Unifi doesn't 100% mean you will be using fibre cable, you know? TM utilise telephone cable (copper) and uses VDSL2 technology to provide Unifi service for high rise buildings. Landed properties usually uses fibre cable all the way to your premise, called FTTH.

Don't get too skeptical with copper and fibre cable. It's just a cable type, and it doesn't determine the type of services can be provided, like which one can watch TV, which one can use Internet or whatsoever. It's just a cable that carries data, and the bandwidth and efficiency of the data depends on the characteristics of the cable type. Yea, in simple English explanation la....

The thing is ABNxcess started with 100% their own network, lay own infrastructure and cables. If their foundation (in terms of financial, quality of service, etc.) are not strong, very easy to go bankrupt. And see what happened to ABNxcess now...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 16 2017, 08:53 PM

Here's the Chinese version, with pictures:
http://www.orientaldaily.com.my/s/220681#

Based on the picture, This man uses 6ft parabolic C band dish, presumably must be receiving China channels.
Yes. News did mention that they (MCMC) received a complaint from neighbour.

Usually when MCMC receives a complaint, they will investigate first, then take action. If no complaint then nothing happens.
So, I would say, that neighbour is an ass. A neighbour that don't know how to mind their own business.

Actually, whether you're using 90cm or 6ft, it is still an "offence" (that goes against government's interests) for MCMC.
In most scenarios, if you are using an offset dish antenna (even if it's Astro's 65cm dish, or 90cm), neighbour won't immediately identify it as "big parabolic dish" cuz it doesn't look like it.
Let say you are an individuals subscribed to Videocon d2h, and you're using 90cm dish to receive it in Klang Valley area, most people will still identify it as "Astro dish" cuz from far, it does look like an ordinary Astro dish, and they can choose to use a black colour dish (same black as new Astro dish), or if they're creative enough, they can spray the "astro" logo on their 90cm dish so that people will think that is an Astro dish. Shhh, keep this a secret.

But if it's 6ft dish like that guy (on the news), it is called prime focus dish antenna. It looks big, and it can be spotted easily by anyone passing by your area (provided if he is so busy body to look around for satellite dishes, but ain't nobody got time for that ) if you do not hide it properly.

You can't get any China channels from C band by using 90cm dish. You need a recommended 6ft dish size to get China channels (C band). If we can get China channels from C band by using smaller offset dishes, many Malaysian Chinese will do it long ago.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 20 2017, 01:37 AM

List of HD channels
Just a mistake on Astro website.

From what I see, Indonesian content that you see on Astro, might be targeting Indonesians in Malaysia, such as Indonesian maid and workers, to allow them to watch some TV content from their home country.

I do aware that there are a few local Malay dramas do feature some Indonesian actors/actresses (speaks Indonesian), as the 2 countries might be collaborate together for the drama. Still, not many local Malays watches Indonesian content, although we can watch it for free via satellite (both C band and Ku band) of their FTA channels, or even on Internet...

Still remember when Value Pack 1 (Nilai Pek) replaces Indo Pek into Korean Pack? Value Pack 1 customer who wish to continue watching Indo Pek channels would have to subscribe Indo Pek separately. Although there are a few Nilai Pek customers (assuming Malay viewers) asked and complained about it on Astro fb page, but that discussion don't last long. So that's quite obvious to say that Astro do aware that the viewership for Indonesian content is low, and majority of Malay viewers would rather opt for Korean content rather than Indonesian content.

So I would say, the demand for Indonesian content is low.

Still remember those times when you have Astro Aruna? It was on channel 121 and it's a free channel. Astro Aruna mainly shows Indonesia sinetron (soap operas, or melodrama that had hundreds over episodes), and few other entertainment shows. The thing is, it airs sinetron that is 2 years after Indonesia TV broadcast. Well, it's a free channel back then.

But eventually the channel ceases, probably due to low viewership. Then later, they launch 2 channels for Indonesia content under Indo Pek for RM12.95/month. Of course, the content offerings compared to Astro Aruna with Bintang and Pelangi that is under Info Pek, of cos Indo Pek is better. Because you're paying for it. Lol.

Still, if you can get to watch the content for free elsewhere, be in via satellite or OTT, in a legal way in terms of copyright law, why would you pay for it?

But still, thanks for letting us update regarding the channel cessation happening in Singapore pay TV.

Btw, is Starhub TV customers being informed that Go Shop (ch110) will be ceased by end of December? Perhaps could you confirm with us about this?

When you experience issues like some channels can watch, some channels can't watch and it says "Service currently not available" or known as SCNA, it is probably your satellite dish is no longer properly positioned to the satellite, so that means your satellite dish needs realignment. Well, sometimes if the screws and nuts on your dish is not properly tighten, the position might change as time goes by, such as caused by strong winds or rain.

Of course, to be double confirm, you can perform Transponder Scan to see which satellite frequencies you can't receive or weak signals (which explains why some channels you can get, some can't), by pressing home>Settings>STB Diagnostics, go to Tuner tab, press Green button on remote to start satellite transponder scan. Upon complete scan, it should look something like this:



If you see some frequency's Strength % reading is lower than 70% or 0% signal (except the ones that already shown as 0% based on the screenshot attached above), that means it is very likely your Astro dish needs to be realigned/readjust. But however, sometimes it may be caused by other factors such as defect cables, or equipment that is no longer functioning well. So when this happens, no need to doubt further. It is very likely that the issue only exists to you.

Contact Astro and tell them about this, and get ready to pay RM65 for technical visit fee, where they will assign a technician to visit your premise to fix your technical issues.
Can you fix this issues by yourself (DIY)? Yes you can, provided if you know how to do so. It's quite easy if you know to do it actually, and you can learn it by doing some Google search.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Dec 3 2017, 03:28 AM

63% considered quite low already. Anything lower than 70% is considered poor, and you'll lose signal faster/easily when it comes to bad weather (heavy rains) compared to others which has their satellite dish properly aligned, or the cable condition is good in order.

Actually, Measat satellites signals for Malaysia (satellite that Astro uses) is very strong, and you can easily get high Strength % reading without much effort on aligning satellite dish.
If you still get low Strength % reading, then you need to do something already.

I think the RM65 fee is for each time you request technician to visit your premise, not by how many Astro boxes you need them to fix.

Reimburse? No.....


If I'm nt mistaken, you got to pay RM65 directly to the installer, not via Astro bill.


Very sorry to tell you la. Astro won't care if you are 10 years or 20 years of their loyal customer. If your Astro box warranty is over, anything happens after that, Astro just assign someone to visit your premise and fix the issue, and you pay for it. Unless if it's some special, isolated cases which they willing to waive it for you, then that one different story la.

About the reimbursement or credit to your Astro bill thing, that one I'm not sure. You got to deal with them about that, as this would be a case-to-case basis, so it depends...

Regardless if it's Single, Dual or Quad LNB, the signal readings will be the same. Unless if you use a splitter, then yes, it will reduce the signal reading and performance.
70% is just a reference for you to make sure you have the minimum recommended signal readings possible.
If it's below 70%, such as 63%, also can watch Astro as usual, no problem. But the obvious difference is, you will lose signal easily when it comes to heavy rain, compared if you get higher readings.
Of course, the best will be 80% and above, just like what I showed on my previous post, with the screenshot on it.

Are you certain that all 4 cables from your dish's LNB to your 2 Astro boxes are connected directly and no any splitters, or lightning surge protectors in between the connection?
If you have any, disconnect all those and try connect directly. If you still getting lower readings, these are the 4 things that Astro technician will check:
i) satellite dish not properly aligned
ii) LNB is faulty, or no longer good in condition (although it still working)
iii) cables needs to be replaced a new one
iv) Astro box's satellite tuner is no longer in good condition (very unlikely)

If you can, do share with us the screenshot of your transponder scan results.

I see... No wonder I couldn't find further info about it online.

I'm not sure about FYI in Singapore, but I can say that, the viewership for FYI channel on Astro is one of the lowest for English language channel here. (Source: Astro Radar)
Few months ago, FYI was downgraded from HD to SD quality, but they upgrade Lifetime from SD to HD quality.
And now Singtel TV includes FYI HD and Lifetime HD as a free channel on Basic Family Starter pack. Ehh, why like, somehow co-related? Coincidence?

Btw, we don't have H2 here in Malaysia. Only History channel.