Astro has removed the letterbox on almost all of its SD channels for quite some time already. The SD channels itself is technically still in 4:3, but they make it fit to screen so that letterbox won't be shown.
And yes, Astro still uses MPEG2 4:3 for its SD channels so that legacy Astro boxes can still be used, which supports only the older DVB-S standard and MPEG2 video codec. Previously there are complaints from some legacy STB users whereby if the SD channel video itself is in native 16:9 aspect ratio, it will display only a black screen and audio only. Presumably is due to compatibility issue on the legacy boxes as it "doesn't recognise" or "don't support" 16:9 video. So they got to transmit it in 4:3 from their side, but remove the letterbox so that no black bars will be shown.

Meanwhile, there are still a handful SD channels on Astro that still did not remove the letterbox, such as TVB Entertainment (ch313), all Astro AOD (SD) channels, Asian Action Channel (ch327) and TVB Classic Movies (ch328), CNN (ch511), and others.

However, all Astro AOD (SD) channels, Asian Action Channel (ch327) and TVB Classic Movies (ch328) are found to be the only SD channels on Astro that uses MPEG4 video codec with HE-AAC audio codec. These channels does not appear on the channel list for legacy Astro boxes.

As you can see, not only this is "Malaysia feed", but it is an exclusive "Astro feed" with the channel number indicated there.
Also, the person who does the voiceover, saying the programme name, day and time, has a strong Indian accent (similar like the ones you listen from the Indian channels from Videocon d2h).
It doesn't sounds like Malaysian Indian accent to me.
So, there's a possibility that the advertisement might be taken originally from India's Colors Hindi channel, and then refer to the picture attach above, they just change day and time to follow Astro Malaysia one.

Oh wow... Now we got the clearer picture...
According to Lyngsat, Colors Asia Pacific channel is only in SD quality via C band satellite https://www.lyngsat.com/tvchannels/in/Color...ia-Pacific.html
So basically, it seems that Astro demands that they want the Colors channel to be in HD, so Colors make a separate HD feed dedicated to Malaysia for the time being, I guess?

Anyway, thanks for sharing

Hmmm, maybe because they find that if they would operate it as an in-house channel, is more costly in the long run? So they rather let other well-known India channel provider brands like Colors to do the job instead?
Anyway, having a channel like Colors on Astro would impress some or many Malaysian Indian viewers due to its well known channel branding in India.
Cuz to those who has Videocon d2h (if you know what I mean), they'll know well enough on the channel branding of Colors.

Hmm, Astro is going to simulcast some new HD channels starting next week, and another bunch of others on this coming December...

Starting 15 Oct 2019:

Channel name	HD	SD
Animal Planet	576	556
CI	716	732
Discovery Channel	572	551
Discovery Science	574	554
DMAX	717	734
E! Entertainment	718	712
Al Jazeera English	535	513
BBC World News	534	512

Starting 12 Dec 2019:

Channel name	HD	SD
Phoenix Chinese Channel	318	312
Star Chinese Channel	315*	X
TVB Xing He	319	314
CNBC Asia	538	518

All channels are in HD simulcast, except Star Chinese Channel, which will upgrade to a HD only channel, and SD version will cease.

Of course, these info are not from those vandalised Wikipedia pages.
PLEASE, don't go and ask Astro customer service on questions like:

"Is it true that Animal Planet, BBC World News, Discovery Channel...... will be available in HD starting next week?"
"Someone from Lowyat forum say <this channel> <that channel> will have HD on <this date>, is that true?"
"My friend told me that <this channel> <that channel> will have HD. If it's true, when ah?"

They will tell you no shit cuz they know nothing about it
and very likely they're not being informed on such matters by relevant department,
and they'll give you the reply of "We will announce any upcoming channels on our social media platforms...." and all those copy paste answers.


You can see that even Astro has started to inform their advertisers already, unless they want to lie to their advertisers la, which is so unlikely.
From what I see, they rather lie to customers also don't want to lie to current and existing advertisers.

Also, there's no mention on when CCM channel will be available in HD and which channel number will it be. It might be similar like Star Chinese Channel, which might be upgraded to a HD only channel, and SD version may cease. My best guess for this CCM is, the HD simulcast are likely to happen on the same date as other new HD simulcast Mandarin channels, which is 12 Dec 2019.

Tip: As you can see on the photo attached above, Discovery Asia (ch571) channel will be the "NEW ADDITION to advertising", meaning it will start to air some product placement commercials soon.
So you can get prepared to see those annoying and repetitive ads like those Colgate, Ajax Fabuloso, Ambi Pur on Discovery Asia channel starting 15 Oct 2019 where its newly revised advertising rate card goes into effect.
*Disclaimer: I am not opposing nor affiliated to those brands mentioned.

See more here:


This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 7 2019, 06:16 PM

All of their package bundles like Value Pack, Starter Pack, Super Pack, Super Pack Plus, all comes with HD-PVR Service worth RM25/month.
Basically, the RM25 fee now applies to those who chose a la carte their packages. But yea, I do look forward one day that Astro would remove HD-PVR Service fee entirely, and make its HD service as default to all Astro customers.

For those who saw a notice claimed to be Astro that says all Manchester United matches will move to Cartoon Network instead of Astro SuperSport, read here:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019...ial-media-posts




Yea, you get what it means. Astro made it so clear that they even cross out Cartoon Network channel logo.

Well done to those who created that and made it viral

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 8 2019, 12:55 AM

double post

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 8 2019, 12:54 AM

It's a 4K UHD demo test channel, not for general viewing.
The same demo video keep looping 24/7.

REMINDER: If you're an Astro Ultra Box beta tester, check your email now.

This survey will close tonight (9 Oct 2019)

For now, any cloud recordings made on Astro Go app are only viewable in Astro Go, and you're not able to watch it on your PVR box.

What Astro had in mind for now is that, if they would roll out the Ultra box upon commercial launch to customers, and those who has slow to no access to Internet connection in the area, the user may connect an external hard disk to the Ultra Box to perform recording as it no longer comes with built in hard disk like the current PVR box.

That's why Astro beta software team wants to "stress test" their streaming servers by allowing only cloud PVR function to be available for all beta testers (incl. PVR DMT5 model, PVR DMT5 v2 model and the Astro 4K Ultra Box). Their cloud PVR includes the "Play from Start" feature, and cloud recording feature (same as what you see on Astro Go).

But now, the beta software team is busy working on more important issues, especially beta testers using PVR boxes are experiencing lots of software issues (slow, lag, easily become hang, etc.), WiFi connectivity issues (WiFi disconnects automatically out of the blue, then reconnects again), and others. That is why Astro become quiet on the launch of its 4K UHD service. The software is simply not ready for public use yet.

Meanwhile for Ultra Box, the software is much stable now compared to few months back (they have regular updates for beta tester, like new version available every few weeks, or months), but they still got some other issues to deal with.

Someone told me that Astro is expecting the commercial launch would be held around January 2020, so just wait and see. Either they would postpone again, or launch it on time, time will tell.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 10 2019, 04:56 PM

RM65 for Technical Service Fee, regardless of how much your monthly subscription is.
Last time they use to differentiate, like for those who RM100 and above, can get either lower or no fees at all for any technician visit. But now no more already.
They don't care how much you pay for Astro per month.
By standard, as long you tell Astro to get a technician to come your house and drink tea (I mean, fix technical issue), you'll be charged for RM65 to fix any technical problem, regardless of small or big.

Unless for certain "special cases", they might waived the fees for you (e.g. under certain warranty, or installer just came not long ago to fix an issue but another issue arises).
That will be case to case basis. But usually no la.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 14 2019, 03:59 PM

Yeap, I saw those new HD channels appear on the channel list of my Astro box.
However, those new HD channels haven't appear on Astro Go. Maybe they haven't update it yet.
But I believe the channels will be there once those HD channels begin its programming.

You mean for new installation? If new installation then different story dy...
This RM65 Technical Service Fee is for existing Astro customers who need technician to come and solve technical issues (e.g. No Signal, STB cannot boot, etc), not new installation.
Such as upgrade to new STB (e.g. upgrade from HD to PVR) is not counted as Technical Service Fee.

They usually don't give new dish and cable unless it's for new installation or the condition of the dish is terrible and cable is not working well.
They'll use back existing one whenever possible. Astro is smart in saving cost la

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 14 2019, 05:45 PM

Astro may be generous, but they aren't loyal.
No free previews given.

Same like the HD-PVR service service, the HD channels are based on your package subscription.

Example if you subscribe to Variety pack, then you can watch the HD version of CI (Crime and Investigation) channel on CH 716. You can't watch those new HD channels if you don't subscribe to HD-PVR Service.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 15 2019, 10:47 AM

Sounds like they're replacing a new LNB for you. It is the small little thing that reflects signal to the dish facing towards the sky.

I think they replace to a new DCSS LNB to every technical visit to customer's home. So that in the future, no need to lay 2 cables for Astro PVR.

No this model is not PVR.
It's the HD box, from another brand.

They use DCSS so that in the future if they upgrade to PVR box, no need change new LNB or install new cables. Just plug n play, done. They wanna future proof la, basically.
No more whatever signal conflict or another Tuner become no signal, all those issues will be a thing of the past. All thanks to DCSS LNB.

Anyone here notice or realise that the picture quality for all Astro's HD channels, has become worsen a little? Like, the video bitrate has been lowered since about last week or last few weeks ago.

Anyone notice that?

Why they don't want to provide RCA outputs? Simple.
Save cost, save space, hence the STB is "fully digital" and no "analogue" technology like RCA output is involved.
After all, Astro do know that viewers nowadays already been using at least HD TVs that has HDMI, so RCA ports for them are just for the sake of compatibility with older TV sets that doesn't have HDMI inputs.
So they'll have to use HDMI to RCA converter, which the user have to buy themselves elsewhere. Whether waste money or not, that's not for us to decide.

There is such thing as 3.5mm to RCA cable converter, that can space some space on the rear panel of the STB compared to providing 3 separate RCA outputs.
But that could mean that user have to buy/use a special type of RCA cable, which is the 3.5mm to RCA type to connect to the TV.

...Hmm, they might as well just advice customer to use a HDMI to RCA converter. 1 port, solve everything. In terms of inconvenience to the user, well, not their problem.
If a choice is given to you, either buy new cable converter or buy new TV, not everyone will go for the option for buying a new TV (since their old TV still works fine ). That's the thing.
They'll be like, why we need to spend extra cost for providing old tech stuff? If customer want to use old tech stuff like RCA, let them bear the cost.

I'm not so sure about the new HD box. But since Ultra Box is using the SIM card size as a replacement for "smart card", no surprise that it would be the same for newer HD box models.
After all, it doesn't matter la, since Astro smart card is paired to the particular STB model, and it is not interchangeable with other Astro STBs.
It is possible that it's just a matter of time that in the future, Astro would use only SIM card size of smart card for its newer batch of STB models.

They use mini-SIM card size to save space and make the STB smaller, just like how smartphones today uses nano SIM card size instead of mini SIM card size, to save space.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 16 2019, 07:24 PM