Existing PVR users will still continue to use their box.
But we can assume that Astro is planning to phase out their PVR boxes, which eventually replaced with Astro's 4K UHD box, which comes with cloud recording.

All current B.yond boxes, including PVR DMT5 v2 does not support 4K UHD. Maximum Full HD.
Even the UHD channels on CH844 and CH845 are on the channel list, but it'll just show as "This channel is not included in your subscription", so can't watch it.

In my very opinion, a set-top-box (STB) that Astro will introduce to customers that supports 4K UHD quality channels AND recording (cloud recording, to be exact), shall be the one and only 4K UHD box model.
I think they plan to have no more having separate HD box or PVR box like now. They find that having one STB model that can support 4K UHD and recording is better (somehow save cost for them too).
But the recording part, they'll sacrifice the included hard disk in Astro PVR box, hence phasing it out as time goes by, and gradually replace to cloud recording on their 4K UHD box, since many viewers nowadays spend more time on their devices on the go, rather than TV.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Aug 11 2019, 01:43 AM

If that's the case, there is a possibility that in the near future:
If you're new Astro customer, or your Astro box is faulty and requested Astro to replace new one for you, they might give you the Astro 4K UHD box by default, and no longer getting the same HD zapper box or PVR box model.

By that time, if you are PVR box user and your STB becomes faulty, then you shall be replaced to 4K UHD box and connecting it to the internet is the only way to do programme recording.

But, how much trust can you put in, when you playback your cloud recorded programmes to your 4K UHD box? What if your Wi-Fi or Internet connection has issues (e.g. poor signal, slow network, unstable speed)..., or Astro's server is experiencing congestion (e.g. too many users watching cloud recorded shows, server maintenance or breakdown)? It can be a lose-lose to both parties.

I think a better option for Astro is to allow external hard disk based recording to all 4K UHD box users, instead of forcing all 4K UHD box users to use only cloud recording.
They can allow the 4K UHD box user to connect their own external hard disk via USB 3.0 port to allow them to do recording that saves directly to their hard disk, as well as timeshift feature (Review Buffer Depth) to allow user to have PVR functions (rewind, fast forward, pause) without having any internet connection just like the current PVR box users. The external hard disk got to be formatted before use of course.
However, the performance, storage, reliability, etc. will be the user's own responsibility. If the hard disk is faulty, the recordings will be gone for good. Or, Astro can allow its users to do own backup or migration to another external hard disk.
All recordings are encrypted of course, and it can't be played on computer or any devices that is not from 4K UHD box.

This will be very similar as the discontinued Plug 'N Play and PVR Easi, which was introduced many years ago by Astro, but eventually discontinued.




If Astro forces users to use only specific external hard disk model like the discontinued Plug n Play or PVR Easi, Astro will bear another responsibility and costs, which I think they better don't handle it themselves cuz they are known to have bad customer service support, and generally they don't handle these kind of technical things well.
Just let the user to use their own external hard disk, to somehow "lighten Astro's burden". The recordings are encrypted anyway, so Astro no need to bother so much about copyright, or users would illegally copy the content to watch it somewhere else, or other illegal activities.
Plus, is there still A LOT of PVR users today still do programme recordings anyway? Or they would catch up and watch their shows On Demand or Astro Go instead?

Perhaps, they could implement Simultaneous Recording, where both cloud recording and hard disk recording are done at the same time on the programmes.
Or, the user can record to hard disk first, then upload to cloud storage later, so that the recorded content can be conveniently viewed on Astro Go.
Or download the recording from cloud storage recording to hard disk, so that viewers can watch it on their STB without internet connection.

Astro can consider that, as the users can rely partially or fully on hard disk instead of relying 100% cloud, and it can reduce "strain" on their data load and congestion on their servers too.

*all pictures above are taken from external sources.


This post has been edited by joshhd: Aug 11 2019, 02:23 AM

My mum still does that in my house and cousin still does that in my grandma's house and the house has no internet at all, no fibre (not installed) and poor cell signal




Maybe they should allow for NAS (with raid) as well? That would allow for ( depending on user configuration) x amount of HDD to fail before the recoding is lost

This post has been edited by yongtjunkit: Aug 11 2019, 07:22 AM

Having said all the above, when will the 4K UHD box be rolled out to customers? When they launched it, Astro said by end of 2018 and looks like one year delay now.

The sign up page not working.

Same, no fibre here too.

Of course there is still users who do recordings on PVR, especially to those who don't have or lack of high speed Internet access with unlimited quota at home.

But I don't think more than half of all PVR users today really do programme recordings. Either they watch it On Demand (VOD) or they don't even use PVR functions at all, or they don't even aware of PVR functions. I don't have the statistics, so it's just my hypothesis based on people's habit of watching TV and on their devices in general.

NAS? You mean Astro Go users can stream their recorded shows directly from the NAS connected to their 4K UHD box to their devices. Woah that's a good idea too. It rely on user's Internet connection more. Even lesser strain to Astro servers. But I don't think many users would do that, but still a good idea. And with RAID, users won't have to worry on losing their recordings anymore, and the hard disks involved will be the expense of user's liability. But does that means their 4K UHD box will have to support RAID configuration and build up? Sounds like it's complicated...
Alternatively, they could allow user to transfer or migrate from Hard Disk A to Hard Disk B (another hard disk) in case if hard disk A is going to be faulty, hence recordings won't be lost. Not as good as RAID, but it's simpler and consumer friendly though.

It might be end of this year... Not sure...
But since they launched beta v1.2, it shouldn't be long from now.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Aug 11 2019, 11:11 AM

Yup, Astro decoder streams from the NAS in their house, since with cloud PVR, it's going to use the download speed of the user so maybe a NAS in the house to cache the recording/ store on the local network. Maybe a premade NAS solution for those who aren't tech-savvy and with the NAS company to test and certify the model on the store shelf.

For the migration thing, the decoder needs to have a reliable SMART feature and warn the user if the HDD is failing and have some failsafe to preserve the HDD till the user is able to transfer the data from HDD A to HDD B

For those users who were into building their own NAS, maybe a DIY NAS with UNRAID as the OS, for example, is a good idea as well. The NAS reliability is on the user as the user pick out their own components, OS, etc

Only those users with 1 decoder are eligible. Sight!

some sos told me it will available this Oct but dont know for public or beta tester only 1st.
the sos also said only few UHD channel will be introduce , at most 3-4 channel. sports for sure maybe 2 or 3 and the rest is movies.

This post has been edited by AMstrong: Aug 13 2019, 12:10 AM

3 already confirmed.

Referring to the Astro Beta Programme website (https://www.astro.com.my/beta-program/home)

I hope there is such thing as Astro Beta testers community discussion, where beta testers constantly sharing feedback, suggestions and opinion on the beta software, as well as able to communicate/get feedback directly by the beta software engineering team that is working hard to improve the beta software, without any intervention or "received orders to advise testers" via call or email by the useless and incapable technical customer service support team that are not even tech savvy enough to advise tech savvy testers.

I've sent many feedback and suggestions to the website, and it seems that they don't bother to even read my posted feedbacks at all. Why I say so? Because I've received the 11 July update, and I'm so disappointed that I do not see any obvious improvement despite that I've highlighted the feedback to the site mentioned. It is either the same damn thing, or even new issues appears.

Sending feedbacks to the website feels like wasting my time. I've put so much hope to their software team to really take it seriously to fix some issues and implement something new on the software, as I hope for the best for them. Turns out either the site is just for show and make us feel like they are so open hearted to accept feedbacks. Turns out I'm just fantasising too much.

I doubt that the beta software team are even reading those feedbacks and suggestions that are posted directly by beta testers. It seems to me that only those filtered, summarised feedbacks by some customer support team would be forwarded and referred to the software team, which I see this as a very ineffective and inefficient way.

Can't fix certain issues? Why? Please explain and communicate with interested beta testers on what are the difficulties that the software team are facing, instead of telling "we are working very hard to improve the software". Duh, I don't know you guys work very hard meh?

If there is such thing as Astro beta testers community discussion, I would love to join. Any new stuff, new hardware equipment, I would love to test it out and share my feedback, as long they don't ignore and sweep my feedback under the carpet because their customer service team already done this to me for many years already. I have tons of suggestions for them, till the point that sending email or call customer service support can become annoyed of me.

If you are really one of the beta software team that are reading this, and want to contact me, feel free to private message me anytime, and a contact number if possible (definitely not 03-95433838 or wecare@astro.com.my because I give up on them already).
I'm using Astro PVR DMT5 v2 box.

So HD Indian channels in Astro are Tara, Vinmeen, Colours, SunTV, VijayTV & ABO Tanggtrai...
Not bad, but compare with Mainland India.. Still long way to go...
Lucky got India D2H channel operator beam in Peninsular

Well this was long awaited,HD for Indian content Hopefully there wont be any price hikes for the additions. For now to get HD one must subscribe to HD services. TT,Maharaja and Chakravarty Pack Another thing about the other D2H, since its new ala carte package system agents are charging as they wish,for channels we order,we cannot monitor the real charges.Many are going back to asstro

This post has been edited by smileguy: Aug 13 2019, 07:24 PM

btw how much is the HD services? Seems like not worth especially for Indian content... Few channels only...

The India D2H nowadays more expensive?? Higher than Astro? serious...

Either their engineers are not capable or top management stingy or they feel lose face if forumer more talent than their technical people.

You know, Bolehland style, tak boleh tegur, like Proton compared to Hyundai, what Proton achieve since 1985, despite logo changed, ownership changed, copy Lancer Fiore be Saga, eterna be Perdana, Mirage / Colt be Satria, Lancer EX be Inspira, exit from EU market, not capable promote to Japan and North America automotive market bla bla bla 成事不足，敗事有餘, I don't think Campro is a successful engine and yet still want to come out with Proton 2.0 ! 臉皮真厚，馬不知臉長

If they are willing to open heart, Thailand won't be the HUB OF AUTOMOTIVE OF THE ORIENT today.

Proton engineers working hard too but where is the achievement ? Lastly SOLD to China ! Jokes and best example of FAILED automotive case study which is good for student to look into.

The lost of Malaysia is other countries GAIN, especially Thailand and Singapore. FULL STOP.

This post has been edited by nag: Aug 14 2019, 01:40 AM

So anybody succed to sign up? Tried but wrong user/password error

The user and password using their online portal?
Look like it's for internal use only.

Ok, spoken to their cs, v.1.2 sign up starts tomorrow

india D2H nowdays not expensive because many channel then astro almost expensive

i have D2H still using no problem sun tv HD very sharp MPEG4 then astro sun tv non hd look bad and sound very low compare D2H sound too loud and clean

i already downgrade astro Namma Pack so previous was Super Pack 2 RM175 bill expensive so i already downgrade bill most RM105 for 1 mini pack RM12

but will not terminate astro because if D2H Signal loss due rain then can watch ASTRO like Backup hehehe if D2H Satelite problem need replace LNB Someone will do replace so someone will come like few days due he busy so can watch astro Backup