Normal lo... Once they have new stuff, of cos they wanna push new stuff.

My best guess, refurbish use lor.
If the parts of the used PVR box still works well, they might salvage and take it like spare parts to repair it, make it look new, and give to customers that refuses to have Ultra Box for whatever reasons, especially if customer have no internet.

"No more stocks for PVR boxes", how far does this info from Astro convinces you guys?
Actually I have no problem if they want to push Ultra Box to customers till the point as if like replacing PVR box entirely, but the thing is,
how long more does Ultra Box users now have to wait till they can allow users to use external hard disk to enable functions that only PVR box can do?

There are customers making noise about it already, as what you can see the comments on Astro Facebook page.
Imagine those customers got excited with the new Ultra Box at first, and now once upgraded, suddenly feel disappointed after realising that the user can't pause/rewind live TV and record to hard disk cuz there's no built in hard disk like PVR box do.
When customer service why this why that, they end up don't know much info about it cuz the people there didn't inform them well. I guess many Astro customer service agents now are stressed and fed up now, thanks to Ultra Box, yet forced to be patient with angry customers. Haiz, pity them...

Seriously something wrong somewhere with the ways the "internal management" manage things la...

So now, some Ultra Box users starts to feel disappointed, how Astro is going to "compensate" to the customers?
Saying "sorry" is simply unacceptable though, cuz I've been hearing them saying that many times since forever.

Oh wait, Astro don't care.

Hmmm... They can make U-turn on their decisions, although seems unlikely.
If customer request to change to the same PVR box instead of Ultra Box, then it's likely that it's a refurbished set, from now onwards, I guess only la ya.

They wanna save cost mah. If Astro Ultra Box users can connect to an Ext HDD to use all PVR functions like what PVR box can do now, then PVR box can pretty much rest in peace already.
That makes Ultra Box becoming better than PVR box in general, so why would they wanna continue producing new PVR boxes, isn't it?
PVR box maximum is Full HD only, Ultra Box can go UHD quality.
Also, another point to highlight is, how many PVR box users out there are using the record function (record to PVR's HDD), and using the timeshift function (pause/rewind live TV) on a regular basis?

Consumer behaviour is also one thing. In today's context, many Malaysians have fast internet at home, so many would spend more time online and prefer watching their shows online on their devices instead of playback recordings from PVR box. So many would feel like:
"Err okay.. Why I need this record function when I can watch most of my shows online? Yeah I have PVR box at home, but I don't use the functions."

Many would find that it's not that relevant to them anymore. I think this is why Astro decided of no longer includes a hard disk on their Ultra Box, and decided to go cloud-based.

Of course, some of you guys still uses all PVR box functions regularly or occasionally, including me.
Tbh, I find that local recording to hard disk is more reliable in terms of playing back the recordings. Cloud recording is more useful if you wanna watch recordings on your devices anywhere you are via Astro Go. But if you just wanna watch it on TV at home, then just go for local recording la (I'm still waiting for Astro to allow users to use Ext HDD).

But let's be real, whether you like it or not, many consumers are moving towards online, cloud based, and I can see this is why Astro decided to do this.
They're forced to do that to keep up with the consumer trends, or risk of being left out. Technology is like that wan lo...

Hmm, I tried watching one of the episode on Astro Go just now.
From what I see, the quality looks like 720p and uses a low bitrate.

How about other VOD content you tried watching on your Ultra Box?
Are the other programmes look sharper compared to Astro AOD series episodes you watch? Complain that Astro and tell them about it.
You can contact customer service, or live chat with them here during operating hours: https://www.astro.com.my/contactus

Astro is from which parent company? Measat.
Does Measat offers Internet service? The answer is, yes.

Remember Connectme, the satellite broadband service for consumer?
Ah, those having slow or no internet at home one, yet want to use VOD functions on Ultra Box, Connectme can offer 25Mbps internet service to anywhere you live in Malaysia.
Ultra Box, minimum 10Mbps mah, so Connectme is good enough lo...
Price? RM98 for 60GB quota or RM138 unlimited quota, both also 25Mbps. More info here: https://www.connectme.my/

Oh, now suddenly I have an idea... On top of the current "Astro + Broadband" offerings,
Astro can consider offering affordable bundle of "Astro Ultra Box + Connectme" to those customers living in deep rural areas that has no fast internet 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

But don't be so excited yet. Because Connectme uses satellite broadband (geostationary orbit, not those low earth orbit ones), the average ping you'll get is 530ms and above and upload speed is just 1Mbps. So if you thinking of using Connectme to play online games/applications that latency/ping matters most, like Dota, Mobile Legends, CS:GO, you will get the ping of 530ms and above, and can never be lower than 530ms, or even just average 10-30ms like what you get on your current internet service... Yes, it will be so damn lag until u vomit blood.
But then, even in deep jungle that nobody lives, you can get 25Mbps internet download speed, because Connectme satellite broadband is 100% nationwide coverage.

Woah you really from Astro tech team ah???
Finally my dream come true.... Damn, you should've come and communicate with us since years ago man... There's so many things you've missed. 😂😂😂😂😂
Kesian your customer service team, customer complain this and that, too technical until they blur blur cannot understand.

If you got the time (although it's highly unlikely), I hope you and/or your team can go through what we've discussed throughout this forum topic, perhaps you would notice issues that you guys haven't realised (although unlikely also, but who knows leh).
At least we hope we could get an answer directly from Astro tech team themselves, instead of us speculating and wondering...

Since you're here, I have lots of things wanna ask and discuss with you... 😂 Things that typical customer service agent can't answer it well.
I'll start with network related stuff.

1. Could you please consider to allow user to have the setting to enable "Always force HD streaming" regardless of internet connection speed?
It's kinda irritating/annoying that the video will always starts from the very poor "144p quality", then only slowly jump up to HD few seconds later, whenever playing VOD content, cloud recordings, and Play from Start. Tbh it gives a bad impression/user experience immediately once the play just start to play.
No offence la, cuz I don't even experience such thing when using Netflix. Straight away start playing, straight away HD, no buffering problem, no need to wait long also.
If you haven't try Netflix yet, go try the 30 day free trial and experience the video streaming experience, and take that as a reference.

In the case where user experiences buffering/stuttering due to slow internet speeds, just pop up a message and tell that user, and don't drop the quality to SD in "always force HD streaming" mode.
Better still, show the network speed activity when the video is buffering, like those 500KB/s, 1.2MB/s, 3.75MB/s. So that user knows where went wrong mah.

2. Please don't encode video quality that looks like "144p", it's even worst than the SD quality we see on Astro SD channels.
I know it's for the sake of making the video load faster once viewer play it at the beginning, but how come other streaming services like Netflix, and don't experience such thing as "start poor quality first then HD quality later" like Astro?
And your lowest video bitrate profile that looks like 144p looks really horrible. The quality is like using 15+ years old Nokia/Sony flip phone to record video and play it on UHD TV screen, simply unwatchable.
Consider make it 576p as the lowest SD streaming quality. Pls don't go lower than that.

3. Can we know what is the current video bitrate that you guys used for all Astro HD channels now? 😏😏😏😏
We do notice the HD picture quality drop oh... Since when, you ask? Hmm, maybe before 15 October as you suddenly launch so many HD channels at once, like Discovery HD, Animal Planet HD, CI HD, etc.
And I notice that you guys now transmitting from initial 8 to 10 then then now 12 HD channels per transponder on Measat 3b, and FEC changes from 3/4 to 3/5 then now 5/6, so you can't escape this...
Tell us what magic you guys have done. 😏

4. I know it's "coming soon/in the future", but when are you going to allow user to use external hard disk on Ultra Box? For what purpose, I think I no need explain la.
And could we use our own external hard disk instead? Since ugh, Ultra Box doesn't have built-in hard disk and PVR box "no more stocks", so it's like customers have no choice but to get Ultra Box.

What you worry about...? Here's my suggestions:

>Content Protection?
When the HDD firstly connected to the Ultra Box, it must be formatted first and can only be used and read on that particular Ultra Box (of cos can't read on other devices like computer). Similar like Astro smart card, it's paired to the particular STB. I mean seriously, if I want to copy out the recordings to computer and whatever, customer can just dismantle PVR box, take the hard disk out and connect to computer. But since I'm very sure it is DRM protected, it can't be played back anyway, so what you guys waiting for? Waiting for customer to give you guys angpau during Chinese New Year?
Please convince me that I'm wrong.

>Hard disk read/write speed and performance not guaranteed?
The Ultra Box shall do a hard disk benchmark on that HDD beforehand. If the performance is good enough for PVR functions to work well on Ultra Box (means result is "PASS"), then go ahead and authorise that particular ext HDD to user to use.

Or maybe it's already possible but the feature "not finalised/complete/still have issues"?
Erm, you have beta programme, right? Why not let beta testers to test out their own ext HDD on their Ultra Box, and then get back to you? If for me, I'm ready to test it out and see those bugs/issues.
Seriously, this cloud recording does give me headache in some situations, but I'm trying to be considerate cuz I know you guys are still working hard on it.
In the meantime, maybe you let users (especially beta testers) to use local storage recording and 'able to rewind live TV' first?

But... If what you guys planning is, users need to buy a proprietary/special external hard disk from Astro to connect to Ultra Box, yet need to pay extra fee, then tell your customer service department to brace for impact, cuz they'll have a bad day. You know why.
If the agents at Astro customer service department is very free, and don't get high volume calls everyday, then hmmmmm....

Sorry if I scare you... But me, one of an Astro fan out there, is super super curious to know...

If you guys tech team need some suggestion on some situations, like those "aiyo so headache, dunno what to do" those kind of situations, feel free to ask us here. Sharing is caring.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 25 2019, 09:14 PM

Yeaahhhh... It feel so good that they came here. Something that I never expect to see that since forever.
But then, he's still under Probation account, so he has some limitations to post replies.
Hope he'll promoted out from Probation soon, cuz I have tons of technical questions to ask them.
Some even too technical until typical customer service agents also cannot answer.

mingsoon Are you the one that contacted Astro and tell them about the existence of this forum topic?

You can't talk much about SD channels already, since Astro already upgraded many of its channels to be available in HD.

If you've subscribed to HD, but still get to watch those channels in SD quality, follow like my method:
For example, since Nat Geo Wild (ch550) all the way until Animal Planet (ch556) already available in HD on ch570 until ch576, so I lock all channels from ch550 to ch556 so that my family members won't be able to "accidentally" tune to those channels for whatever reasons like "oh, didn't realise/notice that it's SD quality" or "already get used to pressing channel numbers that tunes to the SD channel".
So far I find this very effective, and they don't complain much on why I lock those channels. They'll get used to it.
I mean, I pay for HD leh, so what for I still let them watch it in SD just because they've get used to that channel number/they don't mind about it?

Btw, how much you pay Astro per month, and what are all the packages you've subscribed?

There's no issue with the satellite, an it's not to say "bottleneck" or "money issues".
The total amount of bitrate they can transmit from their satellite transponder has the same limit. So within that limit, they have the freedom to utilise it whatever ways they want, including deciding which video codec to use (MPEG2/MPEG4/HEVC), and also increase or decrease the channel's video bitrate which will determine the amount of channels it can transmit from that transponder at the consequences of getting bad, below average, good or excellent picture quality.
In simple words, on a same transponder:
less HD channels = good to excellent picture quality
more HD channels = below average to bad picture quality

So which one would you choose?

---------------------------

As in why the reduction in pic quality for all HD channels, I'm still waiting for answers from mr_j. I know you're busy... But I really hope to get a reply from you soon.
In case you don't know, if you want to get immediate notification via email when there's a new reply posted, click "Track this Topic" on top right corner of the page.
Then select "Immediate Email Notification" then click Proceed.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 26 2019, 09:24 PM

It's the same thing like,
you know 5G mobile network is obviously so much better and faster than 4G LTE/3G for so many reasons, so you stop improving/build new 3G/4G cell sites because 5G technology is already here and it is more bandwidth efficient.
Does this mean you want telco to force millions of users to change/replace to new 5G phones to enjoy faster internet service than now, and give up on their 4G phones cuz the network is too slow and bandwidth inefficient for you? If that's okay for you, then how would you explain to those that have bought brand new 4G phones recently? Provide new 5G phone to all of them for free, with 24 months contract?
Okay, then where you wanna get that money that costs million to billions? And what you gonna do with those unused phones cuz it's gonna become electronic waste that end up in landfill...
Yet, 5G phone is not even widely available to all users for now, and it could take many years for it to become commonly used by users.

Same things goes to the idea of wanting them to transmit all and/or new channels in HEVC codec only.
So far only Astro Ultra Box can support HEVC video codec, and that was officially announced to public since about 2 weeks ago.
Other Astro boxes (HD or PVR), up to MPEG4 Full HD only.

True. But besides reducing bitrate, there is other ways for them to "save bitrate" for more HD channels, since the satellite bandwidth is their finite resources.
But for me to explain further about it, I still have to wait for mr_j's reply to see what he has to say on the questions I previously posted first.

Go to TV Guide, select the channel you want to lock.
Once it highlights or selected on that channel, just press left button on remote.
It'll now highlight on the channel logo section on the left side of the TV Guide, so now press OK, then select Lock this channel.
Default PIN is 0000

Try restart all devices, i.e. Ultra Box, your WiFi router or your iPhone.
If still persists, try hotspot from other phones.

Correction....
Since you're already on Maxis Fibre service, Astro can just switch over process from Maxis Fibre to Astro + Broadband, so you no need to inform Maxis about it. Less hassle for you lo...
You'll be using back your same existing WiFi router and other equipment as it is. Yes, it'll be recontract for 24 months, or you'll pay hefty penalty if terminate within contract period.

Another important thing to take note about "Astro + Broadband" is, from 25th month onwards, whatever promo bundle price you pay (e.g. 30Mbps + Family pack for RM99), it will be reverted back to the same original price as the usual standalone Astro and Maxis Fibre packages.

Until then, perhaps there might be a new promo package offering on "Astro + Broadband"....
For instance, 2 years later, there's a "new promo package", 500Mbps for RM219/month + Astro Starter Pack.
Then the same process goes again, just recontract another 24 months to enjoy this promo package price, then 25th month onwards, it'll revert back to same original price as what you get when subscribe to standalone Astro, and Maxis Fibre.

Who will you pay the bill to? You'll be paying one bill to Astro only, even though the Internet service is from Maxis.

So what if there's a network problem, who do you call? The answer is "Astro + Broadband and Astro IPTV department", which is +603 9543 1543.
Not call the Maxis Home customer service (1800824663) or the usual Astro customer service hotline (+603 9543 3838) cuz their system can't help you on that.

Whatever complaint you made to them, they will revert back to Maxis. Pretty much the similar concept just like you subscribe to Maxis Fibre when your area is actually under TM Unifi.
What service you get on Maxis Fibre, is pretty much what you'll get on Astro + Broadband.
Astro don't operate their own internet service, they're just partnering with Maxis to bundle the service to customers.
It also means, if you check the IP address domain or speedtest, it will show your ISP is "Maxis", not "Astro".

Not happy with Astro once your 24 months contract is over? You can switch back to the standalone Astro and Maxis Fibre packages, no penalty or whatsoever.
But it'll recontract again for another 24 months by Maxis Fibre. During that time, perhaps Maxis Fibre has new package already?
Then that time only decide lo which package speed you want to take upon switching to standalone Astro, and Maxis Fibre package.

----

As for the EPL Sport Package add on of RM22, I think it shouldn't be a problem cuz whatever packages you get on Astro, you can also get it on Astro + Broadband.

Nope. All the existing SD and HD channels you see now on Astro, will still be the same as you upgrade to Ultra Box.

So far there's only 1 UHD channel, which is "Astro UHD" on ch780.
And another 2 pay per view UHD channels, which is Astro Best UHD, on ch498 and ch499. As usual la, pay RM10+ per movie and watch for 48 hours.
For now, yes. Cloud recording cannot record UHD quality channels.

Which are the 14 channels? Where did you get to know this info?

The screenshot of channels that can't be recorded on Astro Cloud is not up-to-date. They didn't update it on their website.

I am a Ultra Box user myself, so I can reconfirm that the only channels that can't be recorded on Astro Cloud for now are iQiyi (300), NHK (398), HBO, Cinemax, CNBC, all UHD channels and Astro First/Best channels.

The rest like RTM, Media Prima, Disney Channels, all can record already. Click the "show spoiler" below to reveal the screenshots showing that "Record" button is there.

< cont. from earlier post.

As you can see, most channels that are previously not available for cloud recording (as what shown on Astro website that is not up-to-date), the "Record" option is already available now. Only a few ones still can't cloud record.
Also, just because that channel can "Play from Start", it doesn't mean it can be cloud recorded.
*tap "show spoiler" to view the images:


So basically means:

Channels that highlight in red means it can't be cloud recorded for now.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 28 2019, 06:26 PM

If you compare with PVR box, of course you can easily record any TV channels you want.
But when it comes to cloud recording, it somehow involves with contractual rights.

For instance, Astro and HBO has an agreement to allow viewers to record the programme onto the viewer's Astro PVR box, but that doesn't mean that agreement includes allowing viewer to record/store the content on OTT platform, which includes Ultra Box's cloud recording and Astro Go. This would involve some legal stuff la basically.

At first RTM and Media Prima channels can't be cloud recorded, but now can already...
On the surface, Astro just need to change some settings to allow cloud recording for that particular channel, so how come it took Astro quite some time later then only can cloud record?
Must be Astro and the broadcaster (RTM/Media Prima) discussed something already lo...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 28 2019, 06:21 PM

Try change your phone's WiFi hotspot name? Change SSID.
On Ultra Box, try Forget network then connect again.
If still can't, Reset your Ultra Box to factory default settings.

Can't rewind live TV is one of the common complaint by Ultra Box users.
It is believed that Astro is working on it, to make it possible to straight away pause and rewind live TV, even without hard disk.
Will see how it goes on their next upcoming software update, maybe around December.

Which channel do you realise that picture quality reduces when you use Play from Start? Is it SD channels only?

It appears to me that Astro's encoder server will convert the MPEG2 video into MPEG4 in real time, so whatever you see on 'Play from Start' on a SD channel, is the result of after being "encoded/converted" to MPEG4.
Imagine all SD channels, where the video is MPEG2 and audio is MP2, and they convert that again into MPEG4 and HE-AAC, what convinces you that the both picture and audio quality will still look great?

I believes that is also one of the reason why Play from Start is only available on the HD simulcast channel, and not available on the SD simulcast channel.
I kinda wonder why they don't just "copy" the exact video/audio of the SD channel's stream into Play from Start... I mean, I don't think it is technologically impossible.

Basically speaking, we all can only wait until Astro transmits its SD channels in MPEG4, so that original stream of the SD channel can be used on Play from Start, similar to what HD channels are doing now.
And that can only happen after they officially discontinues the use of legacy box completely, meaning legacy box users must change to HD box to continue watching Astro or else no more Astro for them (free-of-charge and no contract option are available). Although it is scheduled to be carried out on 31 Jan/1 Feb 2020, I hope they don't learn like Malaysia's analogue TV switch off like that.... Keep delay, postpone, postpone, postpone. I hope they'll keep their words.

You mean this 3 big thumbnails?:

I complained this to them many months ago, saying that I don't like that 3 big thumbnails blocking half of the the screen like this. Until now still same.

Same. I've highlighted to them since I joined beta programme many months ago, until now still don't have setting to change it.

It seems to me that Astro just want to respect the software and layout designer's decision instead.
Meaning, whatever the designer had designed the software and layout, it shall remain as it is no matter how much the customer make noise to them.
It also seems to me that whatever that has been designed, they don't wanna redesign it again cuz it'll take a lot of their time.
So now they rather let customer have this kind of software experience?

Why I say so? Because since some of us here had joined beta programme back between May and August, including me, until today I did not see any significant changes on the user interface at all ever since beta programme started, except the TV Guide where now it has the "labels" on the bottom of the screen, telling you what buttons can be pressed to navigate around the EPG. That is the most most obvious and relevant changes I've seen so far.

Other than this TV Guide (screenshot above), to be honest, nothing else, yet some issues still remain there.

On so many issues, they keep saying they're working on it, working on it, and then tell customers to be patient. and then "we apologise for the inconvenience"
When ask roughly when will the changes/feature made available to customers again, they don't seem confident to say even an estimated date.
And that seems to me, they are implying that customers are simply just impatient to wait them for many many months to do changes.
This shows the attitude on the way they handle this issue.

To me, even with the beta programme or not, the beta tester nor the customer are not in the position to suggest to the engineering team to make significant changes as such.
Even if they appoint someone to contact the beta tester, they are also not in the position to comment further nor making decision.
What are the difficulties they're facing? They're not obligated to tell customers, even to beta testers? So they'll just gotta let beta testers and early Ultra Box users to suffer?

So what do you think on the way they handle things? Let you guys be the judge.

They're very likely to move towards HEVC in near future, especially if they want to save cost in terms of transponders, so that's why they're doing testing now.
But I don't think it would be as soon as next year la...
And when that happens, then we shall see how it impact some existing customers, especially those who still using first batch of Astro HD and PVR boxes (DMT 4 model).

Here are some history...

MPEG2 H.262 = 24 years (1996-2020) since Astro first launch its satellite DTH pay TV service. Scheduled to be cease using MPEG2 from early 2020.
MPEG4 H.264 = 10+ years (2009-present) since the introduction of "Astro B.yond HD" service.
HEVC H.265 = At least 1+ year (2018-present) since it was discovered that they had started its UHD test broadcasts using HEVC.