https://www.lowyat.net/2021/232706/astro-ulti-box-official-connected-hd-price/


Installation Fee RM49 if your existing Astro monthly subscription fee is <RM100 per month, plus a new 24 months contract or prorated RM600 for early termination (equiv. RM25 x 24 months).


Pretty much all of the above, has all the info you need to know about Ulti Box.

Well, turns out I'm not the only one that feels that way, on why Astro name it as "Ulti Box":


This post has been edited by joshhd: Feb 17 2021, 02:23 AM

All right

So far if I'm not mistaken, only jhlou mentioned that he got his Ulti Box (Connected HD box) during the beta programme last year, but went silent afterwards
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=99313986

Anyone else here have signed up to upgrade to Ulti Box, besides y561994? Once you get it, do share some review to us too...

Which SD channels?

Wow thanks a lot for your detailed review 👍👍👍👍
Kaonmedia Never hear before... According to Google, it's a South Korean brand though...
The Ultra Box model that I'm using now since Ultra Box beta programme on 2019, is manufactured by Samsung, but Made in China 🤣.
Ehhhh...? Suddenly give out remote control pulak??
Once you got it, do share us a comparison photo of the one you using now vs the new one
It is expected that Astro would roll out Android TV kind of system...

Why I think that way is because, besides heading towards Android TV direction, I'm not sure how Astro could improve and breakthrough further than what it is now....
Some UI bug here and there... For Astro software team, they consider this as "very normal". 😁
Still, it is far better than what I used to experienced back in end 2019. Since 2019 until today, what I can see very clearly is, they're busy fixing bugs only, although not all bugs are fixed.
Because even the Ultra Box I'm using today, some software glitches exactly like what you described, still occurs. (I'm using the sprint release version 20.1.7.54)

About the suddenly Internet Disconnected issue... Astro software team is well aware of this, and been busy fixing this (based on their previous feedback questionnaires to beta programme users).
Maybe you can try connect your Ulti Box directly to the LAN cable instead (if your Unifi router is near to your Ulti box)? See if that issue persists.
I see that you are using Ubiquiti Unifi AP router (based on the WiFi name?)... Are you from IT background or something? I mean, that brand is rarely used by "normal" consumers...


About the slow scrolling navigation speed, I told the Astro Beta Programme team about this many times since 2019, until now still the same slow thing.
The slow scroll speeds gives me the impression where the software is very sluggish, but actually it's isn't that sluggish. Well, looks like they're too busy fixing software bugs. 😐

I also experience situation like this... From normal TV viewing, I just press a few buttons to navigate around On Demand menus, suddenly the UI freezes and unresponsive to any remote control commands, and then it slowly fades in the "startup screen" telling you Do not to power off your box with the continuous progress bar appears, while the TV channel still playing as usual in the background.
It looks like as if the whole UI have randomly crashed. But that happens once in a bluemoon la.

Which are the settings specifically that you find it counterintuitive? Just wondering....

Yea right... I also thought that Astro would just stick to Samsung all the way... Didn't expect that Astro would change to other brand, but still South Korean brand.

Maxis Fibre Now Comes with Wi-Fi 6 Certified Router; Available For 100Mbps Plans and Above
https://www.lowyat.net/2021/232876/maxis-fibre-wifi-6-certified-router-official/

Whether would those new sign ups of Astro & Broadband / Astro IPTV customers would get this latest WiFi 6 routers or not, then I don't know....
But based on history, Astro would only offer such new changes few months AFTER Maxis Fibre offers them. So just wait and see?

Maxis Fibre's new WiFi 6 router, manufactured by Kaon Broadband.
Meanwhile Astro's latest Ulti Box is manufactured by Kaon Media
Both Kaon Broadband and Kaon Media is from the same Kaon company. And both Astro and Maxis are founded by the same Ananda Krishnan, and behaving like "brothers" these days.

Hah, coincidence? I smell a very strong "complicated, yet high level collaboration/partnership" here between the companies
Maybe that's why Astro chose Kaon for its Ulti Box? Because it's business?

This post has been edited by joshhd: Feb 19 2021, 12:35 AM

Can.
You'll get 24 months contract for that Multiroom.

Woah... How shocking...
I thought they're gonna rebrand Fox Movies to Star Movies. Turns out it is the opposite...
Lol, Astro is going to headache about this very soon, cuz very likely that this will happen to not just Malaysia, but even entire Asia Pacific region someday.

3 Disney channels, and then Comedy Central, and soon, all Fox Network Group channels...

If this happens, then Astro would only have left this 3 channels on Movies pack, which are HBO, Cinemax and tvN Movies.

No channel replacement, no discounts whatsoever (unless you cancel the particular add on package).
If you not happy, feel free to terminate Astro, or file a complaint to MCMC, and then what happen next is Astro calls you to say sorry, and then case closed.

Don't forget... Astro may be able to survive due to its vernacular content.

https://www.astroulagam.com.my/community/in...business-181305

Also, with Astro & Broadband and Astro IPTV that ties 24 months contract, well yeah... Astro can survive

Don't like contract?
One shot pay all the penalty fees RM600. Then no contract.

Survey Invite: Share your experience on Ultra Box latest software update

Dear participants,

We have upgraded your Ultra Box software with the sprint release version 20.3.1.75 and would like you to invite you to participate in our survey to understand your experience on the Ultra Box. Your honest feedback is incredibly important in ensuring that we can improve our product and service.

This survey invite will close by Monday, 22 February 2021, 12:00PM
Thank you!


Live Pause and Hide from Continue Watching

GIF animation:

For those who've got this software update (example: me), go try out the features now, and share your review here

Now with this update is, whenever you're on live TV and you press Pause, instead of it pauses immediately on the spot (like what you'd expect, similar to Astro PVR box), it actually immediately skips/move backwards by around 60 seconds (1 minute) from Live TV.
The process happens because your Ulti/Ultra Box begins to buffer the channel using your Internet, and no longer rely on satellite. Internet streaming always has some sort of delays compared to linear TV broadcasts.
This shouldn't come as something very surprising, cuz let's say if you watch the same TV channel and compare with Astro (satellite) and Astro Go, you will notice that Astro Go one has almost 1 minute stream delay.

So I don't think "reimplemented" is the right word to use.
It seems to me that the software team been worked a lot on this feature for quite some time, not because they want to "reimplement" this feature, but more like as a gesture of "better than nothing" compared to PVR box's timeshift functionality.
Anyhow, I'll try to make use and observe of that so-called "Pause Live TV" feature (but actually not literally pausing live TV) on my Ultra Box.

I'm still waiting them to allow Ultra Box users to connect external hard disk for local timeshift and local recording function.

This DMT 4 model is manufactured by Pace, not Kaonmedia.

I got some confirmation on this matter... Turns out you're right. Indeed Kaonmedia does used to manufacture the first generation of Astro HD boxes (back then known as B.yond HD boxes)

To easily identify the manufacturer of Astro box, just look at the first few digits of the STB's serial number.

For example:
PCV and 95888 is manufactured by Pace
K0 is Kaonmedia

Ultra Box:
SFH is Samsung
PRM is Prime Electronics & Satellitics

Ulti Box:
KHZ is Kaonmedia

For reference purposes only. Info may not be fully accurate and complete.

So yea, very likely that the HD box that John42 used to have back then, is so happen to be manufactured by Kaonmedia.
Cuz what I know is the majority of B.yond HD DMT4 boxes back then, are manufactured by Pace.

I think Astro have multiple manufacturer on its STBs, probably because they don't want to solely rely on a single manufacturer only? It's like, in case if this particular manufacturer "goes wrong", at least they still got another manufacturer to "backup"?
Or it could be due to business related? That one I don't know...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Feb 28 2021, 10:28 PM

You got this update already?
Errm, don't get too excited too soon.

I've tried using this feature on my Ultra Box, and it has lots of bugs.
Overall, not very stable for public use.

Anyone here who got the latest Ultra Box update, feel free to share your review here also...

Takkan la I always do all the talking only
If I reveal too much on the bad side (which is true in reality), later people thought I badmouth Astro 🤣🤣🤣

No one try that before here... Maybe you can try contact customer service and see what they say?
I'm not sure whether Astro would charge customer for that or not, or how much would they charge.

It'll be great if we all can easily purchase any latest models original Astro remote control directly from Go Shop.

Very likely will rebrand from Fox into Star again. Like I said before, it is just a matter of when.

Also, Disney+ promoting campaign is just about to get started

Note: All snapshot pictures below are from ContentAsia eNewsletter (22 February-7 March 2021):


Maybe one of the reasons that Starhub pull off all Fox branded channels on its platform, is also because the number of Starhub TV subscribers continues to drop to 314k? As a cost reduction measures?


Very likely that Astro would also introduce "Starhub TV+"-like services as well (because that's the only way to make themselves grow further these days, in my opinion la)...
Imagine in the future we would be able to access those streaming apps straight on Ulti/Ultra Box someday.
Considering the fact that Astro also offers Astro & Broadband / Astro IPTV services, in the future we might see things like Internet + TV + content streaming subscriptions = Astro
All the "essential" stuff (to most people) of having great entertainment experience at home and on the go, in a single Astro bill. Hmm, nice la.

That depends on the application order, and subject to your service availability/coverage of your house.

Regardless of Astro & Broadband or Astro IPTV, please clarify with the Astro salesperson/agent before they submit the order, whether you want that Multiroom subscription box to be installed as DTH (satellite) mode or IPTV (Multicast) mode. Yes, you can decide it.

If the box's operating mode is in IP mode (or known as IPTV Multicast), then you secretly bring to other house and just connect to WiFi or LAN cable there, then you will see Network Connection Not Available (NCNA) message appear.
It won't work because Maxis or TM must enable the Linear TV VLAN Tagging on their side first, then only the IPTV function will work, and it is tagged with your house.

In simple words, for the time being, if you plan to secretly bring the Astro box to other house and watch Astro there, it is better that you tell the salesperson that you want the Multiroom subscription to work as DTH (Satellite) mode instead.
And that also means, during installation day, Astro installer shall make sure that particular Multiroom box is connected to the Astro satellite dish.

Once Astro installer left your house, and you secretly bring to other house and connect to the Astro satellite dish installed there, then you will still be able to watch Astro TV channels like normal.
If that "other house" doesn't have Astro dish installed, then at least by connecting that Ultra Box to the Internet, you can use the Play from Start feature or the newly introduced so-called "Live Pause" feature as a temporary workaround to watch linear TV channels.

Airbus to launch MEASAT-3d next year
The Edge Markets | 22 Feb 2021
https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/airb...sat3d-next-year

It appears that the upcoming highly anticipated Measat 3d satellite launch has been postponed to next year 2022.
Measat 3d satellite is also meant to replace the old Measat 3 satellite that launched in 2006.