Many years ago I do AV installs, before HDMI and HD, lot of RGB + analog audio! But also did some custom satellite.

From these google searches, this is how the cost would break down

"DcSS LNB" - RM100
"Astro Satellite Dish" - RM90
"Dual Tuner Satellite Reciever" - RM200 - Assume Ultra is multi tuner, plug in hdd, otherwise dcSS is waste
"Bluetooth voice remote control" - RM50 - has voice button
"15m satellite coaxial cable" - RM50

That is RM490, so RM10 for the install, that is not too bad?

Just like buying a phone, they can be expensive but if commit to contract, you get cheaper?

I have just signed up for ultra, install next week :-)

Tying up for another 24 months contract for Astro Ultra not worth it. Read from Soya Cincau website for existing customers who doesn't want to be tied up for contract can pay RM499 for the Ultra Box. Quite steep IMO.

SoyaCincau

Now imdun like the Ultra box

Watching movie ..... cant rewind !
Cant pause !
And since everything is onscreen ,big menu etc , cant scroll thru to other channels info  without blocking out the show which im watching

Agreed. If want to rewind or pause must play from start, then u will realize the pic quality reduce a bit. Upgrade box but downgrade the main function of pvr. Kinda stupid.

buy old PVR remote.

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.

Future HD channels for next year maybe be launched in HEVC (Ultra Box compatible) as Astro already starting test HD channels in HEVC 1080p(5.5 Mbps).

OK.. Just wondering with 4k available from astro, for boxes unrooted without HDCP, and perhaps maybe astro might intro updated astro go, will it require HDCP compliant boxes..

So I supposed we should not discount it'll probably require even proper DRM hdcp certification then

Too all who are downgrading to the Ultra Box, SAVE YOUR PVR REMOTE !!! Much better than the “sleek “ blank remote that comes with the Ultra !!!!! !! See how many !!!!!!! I put !!!!!

Also why need to have thumbnail when im scrolling thru channels. Just give me the name , current time left and what time next movie starts. Now to see all that in Ultra ..... you have to pause it .... owai ! Cant pause %*%*£%*

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.

my old PVR got problem yesterday fine today my library lost and say PVR functionality not available 

i already send fb complaint with screenshot

VOD also cannot access

i think astro trying force upgrade ultra box ???

i don't want ultra box due bad quality HD that i prefer old PVR 

Dear Astro broadcast engineer team or whoever is from the higher level people in Astro, if you're reading this, pls don't think your customers are stupid. This is seriously getting worse.... 
Now Astro have reduced the video bitrate of all 3 UHD channels, from 15Mbps to as low as 12.8Mbps!

12.8Mbps for CH 780
13.2Mbps for CH 498 and CH 499

Based on the data I got, it seems to me that Astro UHD channels uses Constant Bit Rate (CBR) instead of Variable Bit Rate (VBR), such as using the Constant Rate Factor (CRF) method like what they use on SD and HD channels.
So Astro broadcast engineer team assume that Ultra Box customers won't realise any picture quality difference because it's barely just 3Mbps difference....       

12316MHz
  

12436MHz
  

*Only video and audio tracks are shown for easier viewing. Others such as ECM, EIT, DVB subtitle tracks has been filtered.

"3Mbps very little difference only", is it? Come, story telling time:
1) So now 13Mbps per UHD channel. Following weeks, 10Mbps per UHD channel. Then Jan 2020 onwards, 7Mbps per UHD channel?? Then Feb 2020 onwards, 4Mbps per UHD channel???
2) When customer complain how come picture quality look so bad, your customer service agents from technical department would say, "it's my satellite signal or the satellite dish problem"?
3) Later arrange a technician visit to customer premise, and charge RM65 technical service fee?
4) Eventually you'll be kind and waive the technical charges (case to case basis) because technician couldn't find out what's the problem, and then try replace brand new set of Ultra Box, and then restart 24 months contract?
Oh, Astro is very kind already lo... "We change a brand new Ultra Box for you, at no additional charges somemore."
5) After some time, customer realises, picture quality problem still the same after changing new Ultra Box.
6) Contact Astro again, the customer service agent say, since issue still persists, then it must be your TV problem, and come out with funny funny excuses like "Your TV does not fully support Astro services properly". "It's customer's problem, not our problem. So, relax."
Problem solved, close case. "Ok, don't explain any further. We got many customers calling in, and we're very busy, customers are waiting too long." Like that?
7) Not happy? Report to MCMC. And then eventually close case.
8) Feeling frustrated? Want to terminate Astro? "Go ahead." After all, Astro has 5.7 million customers now, if 1 customer leaves Astro, the numbers still remains 5.7 million and growing. So what's the big deal anyway?

Wahhh, where you learn that marketing strategy from? Confirm profit. Very smart  

4K UHD picture quality on Netflix's is so much better than your crappy service. You might well don't introduce such Ultra Box to customers if saving cost and bandwidth is what you're thinking about. Or you're just doing these Ultra Box nonsense is for the sake of pleasing your stakeholders?

You want me to reveal the actual video bitrates used on your SD and HD channels now? I have solid evidence that you have been reducing video bitrate on almost all channels (which I am super disappointed), so don't be in denial as what you always love to do.

You better set a cap your variable bit rate to not go way lower than already is now, and increase back to 5-6Mbps per HD channels in the next coming months like we all used to have since for many years.
Or else I'll reveal all your lousy bitrate data that I've collected to this forum topic.  
And yes, I am very well aware that you are phasing out legacy Astro boxes, so better stick to the 31 Jan 2020 date as scheduled.

I will continue monitor all bitrates used on all transponders from now onwards (in fact I been doing this since a while ago, but now I'll monitor it more aggressively), to see what kinds of funny tricks you're trying to do.
Customer pay you money, you go and reduce the picture quality. What's your problem? Oh, testing? It's just temporary? You better convince me that. 
You want to save cost? You might as well shut down entire Astro company. Confirm save cost.

And where is that almost forgotten mr_j? Are you being pressured by some higher level parties to not engaging such discussions in public forum like this?

Moments ago, I've received this SMS from Astro:

Original PDF file from link above, for archive purposes: [attachmentid=10373728]

Oooh... Ultra Box users have no more chance to access the SD simulcast version of corresponding HD channels from tomorrow onwards. Pretty much similar like Astro IPTV users now.

For those who already "get used to pressing SD channel numbers", you'll need to take note oh...

I've terminate astro 2 years back. Just want to see the uhd channel my TV, so I take my dad 2nd astro 4k decoder with the satellite transponder( the installer didn't replace my dad old transponder as It work with the new decoder)

When in install at my home, there is no satellite signal detected, replaced the transponder to my existing dish also the same. I did follow the user guide provided in the box to scan the satellite also no signal

Does astro  right now able to locked the 2nd decoder based on IP or they locked by need to be connected to the same satellite transponder for both 1st for 2nd decoder

Astro IPTV customers no longer able to access SD simulcast channels. It doesn't appear on their channel list anymore, and it's has been quite some time.

Eh? They didn't update the list...
https://www.astro.com.my/iptv/enhance_your_...xperience_in_hd

The Astro's "forgot to update its website" habit occurs as usual. Or, they shifted their focus to Astro & Broadband, so they leave Astro IPTV behind. 
But how about other simulcast channels? Is it still on your channel list?
Your Astro IPTV is powered under TM HSBB (eventually Maxis Fibre), or Maxis own network or TIME Fibre?

Can you double check your satellite dish again, make sure it's using the Astro dCSS LNB like this?

Credit and source: https://www.lowyat.net/2019/198955/astro-ul...nds-on-preview/

Since you install that LNB yourself, you need to make sure the LNB skew is correctly adjusted.
For Klang Valley and nearby areas:
On the satellite dish, with the Astro logo on the dish facing your face, the cable coming out from the dCSS LNB should be facing around 3 to 4 'o clock direction.

That means your Astro IPTV is 100% IP mode then? Hmm okay. If like that then I'm not sure... I'm not using Astro IPTV.

If you put into standby mode whenever you're not watching, then it shouldn't be a big problem. Cuz if you've been using PVR box for few years, the hard disk fail rate also increases as years goes by. Hard disk failure rate is common, even on hard disks used in computers, external HDD and so on. Especially if your PVR box is powered on 24/7, then it's likely due to hard disk failure lo...

Another reason is the PVR box didn't have proper enough ventilation space, as this can make it hot in the long run, hence making the HDD overheat for quite some time.

They need to get information from the user, to do further diagnosis.
But if the HDD inside the PVR box has died like this, then you got to be mentally prepared that it's very likely that your PVR box needs to be replaced, hence all your previous recordings on your PVR box will not be retrievable.

Also, once replaced, then contract restart 24 months.

"Replacement"? Sounds like refurbished to me. 😂😂😂

Smart card number, yea... They wanna double confirm or verify your Astro box before proceed.

What reason did you tell them? You insist on getting PVR box instead of Ultra Box, or how?