Astro IPTV with TIME Fibre will cease on 31 Dec 2024

Sad... I remember it was launched in around Dec 2010, the very first IPTV Multicast service from Astro.
And almost 15 years later, Astro IPTV with TIME Fibre becomes a history

For those who don't know, Astro IPTV with Maxis Fibre (under TM infra) has discontinued back in Dec 2022:
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...ost&p=106195716

dunnoduh Since you're already on Astro IPTV with TIME (which already bundled both TV & broadband service in one bill), you can choose to decouple your Astro & TIME Fibre services, and make them into standalone services.
Meaning, you get 2 separate bills, one is Astro (for TV subscription), another is TIME Fibre (for Internet only).

But I'm pretty sure Astro will lure you to switch to Astro Fibre (the email itself already has Astro Fibre logo)...
Do note that Astro Fibre uses TM's fibre cable, and will not use back your TIME Fibre's cables and modem. That is assuming your condo has TM Unifi Fibre coverage.

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As for your Astro subscription, do you plan to continue watching Astro using a centralised satellite dish connection?
Or you want Plug & Play service?

I agree, as previously mentioned:
The overall channel UI for Astro Arena, Astro SuperSport and Astro Cricket is seriously much sporty and nicer.
Now with all the new sports channels logo, it feels like it looks bigger than the previous logo.

I remember the channel logo placement on Astro Arena and Arena 2 has their own unique custom size.
Now, it looks as big as the other Astro in-house sports channels...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 17 2024, 11:37 PM

Ok, then since satellite is not an option, so I guess you'll opt for decoupling your Astro IPTV with TIME Fibre service into 2 standalone services respectively, and then get free upgrade to Ultra Box where your account will be configured under Plug & Play in their system?

Or you want to witness how the IPTV service dies itself on 1 Jan 2025, then only start to make the next steps?

Strongly agree.
If they're expecting 2 permanent Premier League channels and 3 ad-hoc Premier League channels, then might as well just assign the channel number in a sequential manner, rather than jumping to different sequence.

Also, back then I also noticed there are times where there's Bein Sports 4 and Bein Sports 5 as well, and they just randomly assign to an unused channel number like 808, 809 or 825.
And I also agree that Bein Sports 1 should start at 821 rather than 820, along with subsequent Bein Sports channels...

But well, maybe they don't care the sequencing of the channel numbers that much when it comes to ad-hoc channels 🤷‍♂️

How is it nicer compared to others? Isn't it the same design template as other new sports channels?
Or you mean the size of the channel logo appear on top right corner of the TV screen?

Hmm, on top of this sports channels rebranding, I think they will tell shareholders that they produced quite a number of Astro Originals series and Astro Shaw movies as well.

From what I observe from the EPG, I think the purpose of Astro Grandstand 810 is like, it is "to recommend content for you to watch".
As in like, you want to watch sports but don't know which one to watch. Hence, Astro Grandstand channel will be the go-to channel for you.
This seems to make sense especially when Astro has a lot of sports channels, but you don't know which to begin with...
Also, those TV screens you see at commercial establishments like mamak or restaurant showing Astro sports channels, they can just tune and stay on CH810 and wouldn't need to purposely tune to other channel just because there's big matches from different sports events.

Hence, there may be cases where both Astro Grandstand and Astro Premier League channels may simulcasting the same live sports match.
And then at other times, Astro Grandstand and Astro Sports Plus channel may simulcasting the same live sports match.
But I also notice that some live sport match aired only on Astro Grandstand and nowhere else.

Astro Badminton 2 ch816 is an ad-hoc channel.
The channel will only up when there's concurrent badminton matches (e.g. another badminton court).

What you mean "due to bandwidth allocated to the channel"?

Anyway, in simple words, the only streaming app on Astro's Ultra Box today that supports 4K UHD quality streaming and Dolby Atmos, is none other than Netflix.
The rest of the apps you see on Ulti/Ultra Box are HTML5 web based (not native app), including Disney+ Hotstar, and it supports maximum Full HD streaming and Stereo audio only.

If you want better streaming quality like 4K UHD/Dolby Atmos/Vision from other streaming apps, then just give up on Ultra Box and access the app using other device that support such features instead (e.g. Android TV box/dongle/stick).
Realistically, people who buy TVs that support Dolby Vision are usually those high end premium models, especially on OLED TVs.
Usually those mid range or entry level models from popular brands usually don't support Dolby Vision also.

So even if they make Dolby Vision available on Ultra Box, only a minority of users out there can enjoy it, and it'll be coming from streaming apps like Netflix only.
And plus, Astro would need to pay additional royalty fees to Dolby for supporting Dolby Vision, and usually it is charged on a per device basis.
I guess that's the reason why Astro decided not to pursue with Dolby Vision on its boxes, because they foresee that it's unlikely to benefit the masses.
Hence, they opt for other royalty-free HDR standards like HLG HDR for its 4K UHD channels. This HDR standard is also widely used in other countries pay TV providers too.
Software updates usually supposed to be improving existing software, fixing bugs or adding new features.
But from what I see so far, most of the time when they add new things, they would break something else that you may not think of.
It seems to me like the developers and/or QA is not doing the job well, and they just don't do enough testing before roll out the software to the public.
Software lags is just one of the symptoms of poor software optimisation.

Regarding Ulti/Ultra Box replacement due to any technical issue:
Box replacement will be free of charge without contract extension and additional charges, as long your Astro subscription is within contract.
Otherwise, the usual "Either you pay RM65, or recontract 24 months" rule applies.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 21 2024, 11:07 PM

First of all, number of people out there who are using Xiaomi 4K TV is still not as high and common as popular brands like Samsung, LG, all those...
Just because Xiaomi offers supports Dolby Vision to its affordable TV models, so you generalise that Dolby Vision is available to affordable TV models...?

The article you attach from The Edge, is from 2020. Things change.
It doesn't matter whether the customers coming from T20 or B40, as long it brings revenue to Astro, that is all they care about.

Still, even if the royalties of Dolby Vision is not a concern to them, and even if Ultra Box would to support Dolby Vision someday, Astro isn't offering any content (be it on linear TV channel or VOD) in Dolby Vision, so the only way to enjoy Dolby Vision is through third party streaming apps like Netflix, and nothing else.

Would you purposely get Astro Ultra Box, pay monthly subscription, for the sake of enjoying Dolby Vision?

Unless if Astro is committed to invest and produce their own content in Dolby Vision HDR standard, then making Dolby Vision available on Ultra Box would really make sense.
Otherwise, making Dolby Vision available for the sake of third party streaming apps doesn't make business sense.
Astro don't do things that doesn't make business sense, which I believe many of you guys already know.
If Dolby Vision is the priority, you might as well get a Dolby Vision supported Android TV/box/dongle instead, and ditch away Ultra Box.
Ultra Box is a crap especially on their OS anyway, so why bother expect fancy premium features like Dolby Vision?

Assthrow keeps getting their software handled by those cheap labor from India.
How did you know that? And if it's true, then so what with getting cheap labour from India? Workers from other countries guarantee better than India? How better?

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 22 2024, 02:49 AM

Astro Studios provides comprehensive post production service which includes Dolby Vision colour grading and Dolby Atmos mixing to the production house out there for movies and TV shows, or whatever it is.

But that doesn't mean Astro in-house productions would fully utilise it (they would rather prioritise to let their clients use it, as it is a revenue to Astro).
Maybe they assume that majority of the people out there just don't care so much about HDR or don't see high demand for it?

Of course it will be great if Dolby Vision is supported on Ultra Box.
But if they've decided not to make Dolby Vision available to Ultra Box, due to costing issues or whatever it is, then what's the point of making noise here? You can bring this up to the higher management or board meeting since you care about their share price and whatnot, more than any of us here.

People are terminating Astro, revenue dropping, hence Astro have to and has been saving costs, so what's the surprise here? They need to prioritise things that matters more to them, don't you think?

Actually this could be Max's strategy also.
They know that the customer base for Unifi TV is not as high as Astro's, hence can have this advantage to attract more customers to Unifi TV by offering cheaper price and other campaigns (free 3 months?) compared to Astro.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Oct 25 2024, 01:27 PM

Astro hasn't announce anything about Max yet.
But what we can expect to see is, existing Movies Pack customers would be getting Max Standard for free, just like how they're entitled to HBO GO today.
I doubt Astro will provide Max Premium plan for free, even for few months.

And maybe they'll offer Max Standard/Premium at a slightly cheaper price if subscribe from Astro?
Cuz if they just sell as per original market price, then it doesn't entice people to subscribe it via Astro, unless that customer just want for the sake of "all of my apps are charged in one Astro bill" then it's different story.

No downgrade requests to be entertained for any walk ins. You'll have to call customer service.

None of any legacy pack comes with Netflix bundled.
Only a few Astro's new packs has Netflix Standard bundled in it.
If your legacy pack has Premier League, then you should be able to access all Premier League matches like CH811-813.
If you see "This channel is not included in your subscription" or "Subscription Required" message when tuning to CH811-813, that means your subscription does NOT include Premier League.

If you can only watch CH810, CH814 & CH817 now, then it means you're subscribed to Sports Lite pack instead.

FYI, CH801 until CH804 are free to all Astro customers anyway, so that one not counted.

Which legacy pack and addons that you're currently having now?

Then yes, Premier League is bundled in Wah Pack...

I believe it is a valid concern where since your subscription has Premier League, then you should be able to watch all Premier League matches just like before the sports channels revamp occur.
I suggest you raise this concern by writing an email to wecare@astro.com.my.

Reason because, you were able to watch all Premier League matches before the sports channels revamp, and their revamp should not mean that you would "sacrifice" some of your viewings of Premier League matches by not providing access to the Astro Grandstand channel.

Long story short, it seems obvious that Astro is the one deliberately make 8TV (CH148) and TV9 (CH149) channels to become even blurrier and poorer in picture quality since early August 2024, as a way to "convince" those broadcasters to pay fees to carry the channels in HD, in the expense of worsen the viewer's viewing experience when watching Media Prima channels (8TV and TV9) on Astro platform.
Strangely, this poorer Standard Definition (SD) picture quality only affects 8TV (CH148) and TV9 (CH149) but not other SD channels.
As a result, 8TV (CH148) and TV9 (CH149) now is the SD quality channels on Astro with the worst picture quality ever.

All Media Prima channels (TV3, NTV7, 8TV and TV9) has always been in SD quality (not HD quality) on Astro platform.

Astro be like: Since they (the broadcaster) finds that SD quality is "acceptable", hence we will make it look "unacceptable".

It is a clear sign of Astro desperate to look for revenue elsewhere...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 5 2024, 11:04 PM

Maybe they just want to "test water" and observe first, by making picture quality poor on 8TV and TV9 for now.
TV3 is known to be one of the top channels with highest viewership ratings in Astro, you see...

They purposely use the tactic of giving a loooong explanation of "irrelevant yet technically true" information, where usually non-tech persons would get distracted from the question/complaint being asked. And then at the end of the email, it gives a brief information that they are "actively in discussion to encourage this transition".

So it seems to me that their efforts to Media Prima to "encourage this transition" (migrate to HD) isn't progressing much...?
Media Prima channels on Astro is already in SD quality, and they make the SD quality even worse by making 2 of their channels to become blurrier and poorer in picture quality to further "encourage the transition".

They've been doing that since August 2024, and until now still the same s**t picture quality, hence such intention is pretty obvious to me already.
I won't be surprised that if Media Prima still refuse to pay for HD fees, Astro will make all 4 of their channels to become blurrier and poorer in picture quality.

And then when customers complaint to Astro about the bad picture quality on Media Prima channels, they will tell you the bedtime story about NJOI transition lah, LCD TV, LED TV nonsense.

If Media Prima still don't want to pay for HD fees, sooner or later I think Astro will tamper Media Prima channels further by placing on-screen advertisements during regular programming (like the one you see on left corner of the screen one) as frequently as possible, that upsells Astro related products

Conclusion, Astro just want Media Prima to pay for HD fees, and they will continue to "fight" for it.
Viewer's satisfaction in watching Media Prima channels on Astro platform was never their priority anyway, because essentially Astro can still survive even without Media Prima channels on board.

This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 6 2024, 11:07 PM

Astro: Our opinion matters!

https://www.facebook.com/Astro/posts/pfbid0...yj4CFgxzeuGK9Vl


This post has been edited by joshhd: Nov 8 2024, 01:22 PM