All satellite will be affected for this, however the sun outage timing will be different due to the usage of different satellite (Measat 3/3A for Astro and Asiasat 9 for MYTV).

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Feb 29 2020, 12:42 AM

double post

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Feb 29 2020, 12:40 AM

For some technical reason, the terrestrial transmissions remained on MPEG-4/H.264 only, despite the newer T2 boxes from MYTV and MYTV T2/S2 combo decoder comes with HEVC support. Some newer DVB-T2 TV models would support HEVC without hassle, as some countries (Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic) already have such transmissions. MYTV would have used HEVC at start if they really want to use that. If MYTV switches transmission mode to HEVC now, it will render most if not all set top boxes (Earlier MYTV boxes, Botato, Greenpacket, generic set top boxes) and many low end/older DVB-T2 TV sets, branded or not, which only supports H.264 codec, completely useless. You will need to replace/buy lots of working but useless set top boxes already in use and also some TV sets (could be solved by adding a set top box, however some people/households doesn't prefer the usage of a set top box) if MYTV really wanted to move to HEVC, which in turn creates electronic waste. If MYTV really want to start HEVC transmissions now, MYTV would wisely start it on Pay TV services, which is going to be encrypted anyway.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Mar 5 2020, 02:06 PM

Yup, this is an issue too. Although it has a card slot, it is very likely that this box will be excluded from receiving Pay TV system anyway in the future, as the newer MYTV Basic T2 boxes and T2/S2 combo boxes which has HEVC, uses cardless system.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Mar 5 2020, 02:34 PM

Update : That usual self amusing watermark has reappeared to 2 CJ WOW SHOP channels. Luckily the main Media Prima channels (TV3/NTV7/8TV/TV9) remained watermark free, likely permanent, after its removal on 10 March.

If you haven't retune your TV set/set top box, please retune to Channel 43/650MHz in order to get RTM channels back. The transmitters in Klang Valley region has already moved the second multiplex to a new frequency last month, for 700MHz clearance. If you still cannot find 650MHz, try moving your antenna, preferably outdoors or a sweet spot indoors. Note that Multiplex 1 (The mux that carries TV3, 8TV .etc) remain unchanged at Channel 45/666MHz.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Mar 23 2020, 08:00 PM

In this case you will need to contact your housing management, chances are your condo are yet to update the master antenna system after the retune event last month. See the post below for details.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Mar 23 2020, 08:04 PM

Yup, its back on MUX 1. Disappointed to see that 8TV is still not in HD.

Even if it is free, the picture quality of RTM HD channels is quite mediocre with around 2.5Mbps video bitrate available (not a suitable bitrate for 1080i HDTV broadcast), looks very like what you can see on YouTube (even sometimes YouTube videos looks much better if the uploading source is good). Slightly complex scenes already causes the text in the crawler bars to look blocky. When compared to DTT channels in Singapore (which has better quality) ours RTM looks like "ada gambar sudah".



This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 5 2020, 03:56 AM

Have to check and confirm first. I knew that TV3 HD is around 4Mbps and for the SD channels, 2Mbps (which is considered good for a SD channel). I remembered that you had once post a graph showing that RTM TV channels are running at mere 2.5Mbps bitrate per HD channel on MPEG-4/H.264 codec.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 5 2020, 04:11 AM

Not necessarily. In fact, it is technically completely possible for Mediacorp to transmit all their TV services with similar quality by using just 1 or 2 multiplexes rather than 3 multiplexes (4 in the past). This doesn't include hidden multiplexes suspectedly transmitting from Singapore. When Singapore starts DTT transmission, they choose to simulcast existing TV services already existing on analogue TV and not adding additional TV services. Their small size also mean that the SFN is much easier for them to do as they have a lot of gap filler transmitters covering islandwide.

Since there are so little channels available and as Singapore already have some spectrum available and also lower modulation (16QAM) meant more robust signal and lower transmit power when compared to our 256QAM, it is wiser for them to transmit using more multiplexes instead while maintaining good technical quality and also to occupy the frequencies rightly owned by them.

I agree that the cost of transmitting in rural Malaysia is quite high, hence the satellite transmission approach. However some areas, notably Seremban (Gunung Telapak Burok), Kangar (Padang Pauh) and Labuan (Bukit Tampalagus+Bukit Timbalai) and some parts of Penang (Bukit Penara), controversially and ridiculously have no digital terrestrial transmitters, and these areas are certainly not considered as rural Malaysia.

For RTM, they have lower/no pressure on transmission cost since their operating cost are subsidized by the Government if compared to a commercial company like Media Prima. Yet, they are transmitting in much inferior quality than the commercial TV stations.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 5 2020, 04:30 PM

Glad to see the bitrates has back to normal/usual. Still not good however.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 5 2020, 05:48 PM

Technically, these channels are available 24/7, but however nowadays more than 60% content on Channel 8 all day (and 100% off peak except news services on 9am and 1pm) are repeats and had even introduce shopping shows. Also that Channel U has become partial shopping channel with 6 hours shopping weekdays and 4 hour shopping weekdays (Channel U now only have 3-4 hour of new programming daily). This is not to mention that Channel 5 and Okto had merged last year onto a single channel. So longer broadcast times meant much more repeats for these channels.

Watermarks "SIARAN PERCUBAAN" had been gone on channels RTM HD Sports and Berita RTM. Still ways to go as 5 channels are still carrying that self amusing watermark.

It depends to the policy of MYTV if they want to activate third MUX or not. Given the number of channels available on MYTV DTT, it isn't cost effective for MYTV to activate 3rd MUX yet even if the option is available, as there are still plenty of space available on both MUX 1 and MUX 2.

Even if the bitrate of each HDTV channel is ramped up to 6Mbps CBR (SDTV maintain at 2Mbps) it would just barely fill up the whole multiplex. This is if MYTV doesn't care profit, which is pretty much impossible.

Statistical Multiplexing/VBR commonly used on European DTT could be used to improve HD video quality (ramped up to average 4-5Mbps per HD channel) when such limited bitrate is available but it seems like MYTV doesn't use this for now. The use of VBR may not bring the improvement of picture quality sometimes, as RTM sometimes simulcast news service across 3 channels or sports on 2 channels due to unavailability of the Sports channel on pay TV.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 12 2020, 09:26 PM

Yup, but VBR with very little fluctuation on bitrate is pretty much CBR in real terms.

Yup, awful. It obstructs normal entertainment viewing too much by unnecessarily showing such information almost 24/7.
Around 30% viewing space is occupied by such information. No comment if these information was shown on Berita RTM and Bernama TV all day long.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 13 2020, 04:35 AM

Surprised and very sick that MYTV Broadcasting do this during MCO period, without any warning giving prior then. MYTV doing what they want to do without giving any consideration to viewers and antenna installers (removing or moving channels without giving notice to viewers, no simulcasts during the switching period!!!) Not to mention by the time you post some areas may had already retuned to a new frequency!

And if not for this message I (and many others) won't even notice a retune event will happen soon and really there will be some chaos because the reception of Malaysian channels will gone all at once! This is not to mention that the electrical shops and antenna installers are not allowed to operate on this moment! Moreover, there would be risks and issue that for some TV viewers who do not retune (probably don't know how to do so), will be cut off from the latest information about the Coronavirus completely!

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 18 2020, 01:50 AM

Obviously Auto Scan is much easier to do so, provided if you can received a reliable signal for both multiplex on your antenna (typically outdoor antenna, which gives more stable and reliable reception) as you don't have to remember any frequencies at all.

Manual searching may be harder for less technical people to do since you have to remember both frequencies available in your area (typically 666 and 650MHz in most of Peninsular Malaysia), more than two if you wish to receive foreign DTT services (if available) in your area. However, if you cannot get one or both multiplexes after numerous scanning attempts, (if you are using Indoor antenna) manual scanning is the best way to go as you can reposition your antenna to get a sweet spot on your indoor antenna for both TV multiplexes when done manually (signal strength and quality could be seen on TV, which at here the recommended levels of signal strength is more than 70% and for signal quality 100% for a smooth picture). If indoor reception isn't possible even after attempts on antenna positioning, it is then recommended to use an outdoor antenna instead.

As on now, Channels 45 (666mhz) and 43 (650mhz) for my area still have some levels of analogue TV signal from RCTI anda Trans TV, despite the very weak signal. 682 and 698mhz could be still received for now. The centralised antenna is still used for the moment and Indonesian digital TV is too weak (what I heard it, 300w) to get in my area. Currently there is no plans for investing outdoor antenna due to precautious financial situation but will get one if financially stable. There are some difficulty getting analogue radio from Indonesia too in my area.

This post has been edited by shaun_kok: Apr 18 2020, 12:43 PM