MPEG4 conversion & Pay Per View/On Demand TV....

After some relative activity on Dialog TV over the past few months, things seem to have quieted down a bit in the recent past. After that SMS in early march about the free replacement of decoders for the premiere subscribers nothing much seems to have happened.

We believe that the free replacements are almost complete, maybe about 99% complete. We could expect the announcement that Dialog is converting existing premiere package channels to MPEG4 soon. This would certainly increase the space on existing transponders paving the way for Dialog to add more channels.

It is sad though that three slots are being totally wasted on Dialog TV, one in the SD channel list called "Dialog Test Channel" and the other in the HD list called "Test 2" and "Test 3". Unconfirmed information, it could also be called rumors are in the circles that Dialog TV will be launching Pay Per View Television/On Demand TV in the very near future, which is why they are tinkering with those three test channels which are unused.

Either way Dialog TV shouldn't waste too much time, they should also introduce a new package providing the non-HD channels in the HD pack as add-on to premiere package subscribers at a fee. Not everyone has HD TV sets as yet and many are resisting conversion due to the lack of HD TV. If Dialog provides those non-HD channels as an add-on pack, then it is a potential revenue earner for Dialog TV.

We are expecting a few big announcements from Dialog TV pretty soon.

Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Allow "Gold" pack subscribers to activate individual channels in HD pack

With Dialog TV continuing with the replacement of "Gold" pack subscriber decoders to the HD enabled decoder, Dialog should now enable those on the "Gold" pack to activate the channels available on the HD pack individually or at least the channels available as "Bonus" channels individually or allow them to add them on as a sub pack.

Those who are on the "Gold" pack and have no HD television have also got the new HD enabled decoder. Until they upgrade the television to a HD enabled one, they are obviously not going to activate the HD pack. However Dialog will be able to increase it's revenue by reasonably pricing the channels as add-ons.

We hope Dialog immediately adds a channel to the wasted channel slot on "Dialog Test Channel" and adds channels to the other two test channels on the newest transponder which carries the HD channels or removes the test slots and allocate that bandwidth to the HD channels.

We hope Dialog completes the decoder replacement and starts converting to MPEG4 DVB2 within the course of this month. The last time a conversion was to occur the replacements took place over a period of months & ultimately it died a natural death. We hope the same is not repeated once again.

Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Sirasa TV???

So it was a couple of months ago that we reported that there was a rumor of Sirasa coming on board Dialog TV by the beginning of 2013 and then later another surfaced that they would be on Dialog TV by Avuruddu. Well Avuruddu is just over a week away and there are no indications of Sirasa coming on board Dialog TV. 

We believe the problem here lies with Sirasa & not with Dialog TV. Due to lack of transponder space, Dialog may be willing to bring Sirasa in at the expense of a local FTA channel or one of the locally operated "pay" television channels such as Revision TV (It should be noted that Revision TV was initially launched as a temporary channel). Sadly the Maharaja's seem to want to bring on board all three channels Sirasa TV, MTV Sports & Shakthi TV at once. This would mean that Dialog will have to slide out three channels from their lineup which is not an easy task considering their existing subscriber base is duly interested in pay channels than FTA local ones & rightfully so due to the fact that pay television is for pay channel & besides apart from requests for Sirasa, there are no requests for the other two channels.

Those who want Sirasa should maybe write to Sirasa and make sure they are not high handed and accept to have one channel on the Dialog platform until capacity issues are resolved and Dialog is able to accommodate all three of their channels.

Unless Dialog TV  is to use their "Dialog Test" channel & use the two "Test" channels in the new transponder that carries the HD channels which of course would be a complete waste of space and money.

We are having a poll on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/tvradiosrilanka about Sirasa TV, please do vote and let others know how you feel about this whole "Sirasa TV" issue.

Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Dialog to make HD pack "BONUS" channels available to others?

It seems that the replacement of decoders for "Gold" package subscribers is progressing at a rather slow pace. The last time decoder replacements took place too, it was carried out slowly and never progressed beyond a certain point but this time it looks like Dialog will carry it through.

We believe that Dialog is planning on making their HD pack "BONUS" channels available to "Gold" pack subscribers at a price. It's quite unfair that many who don't have HD TV's are deprived of the SD channels in the HD pack at the moment & Dialog should work quickly at making them available to "Gold" package subscribers without them having to pay for the "HD" channels.

We hope that Dialog will make the pricing of the channels affordable. In addition we are sure that "Gold" pack subscribers will appreciate it greatly if the speed at which the replacements are carried out is increased.

We have been receiving queries as to whether non "Gold" subscribers will be issued with the HD PVR. It looks like this will not take place in the immediate future but might take place after Dialog replaces all "Gold" package subscribers with the HD PVR.

We are also receiving information that still two test channels exist on the HD transponder, we hope whether any Dialog TV HD susbcriber will be able to update us on whether any channels are being tested on it.

We also urge Dialog TV to make "Star Sports 2" available as soon as possible. Since subscribers will start missing out on the football action which is being telecast on it.

Dialog TV should stop wasting precious transponder space on the "Dialog Test Channel" which has not been allocated to any channel whatsoever for well over an year or two. Dialog we want you to make 100% use of your resources so the best option would be to add "Star Sports 2" to it. It has been wasted enough already. With certain channels having to share one slot depriving their respective subscribers of the channel 24 hours a day, it's a crime for Dialog to waste a channel slot.

Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

"Gold" package subscribers - have you received the HD PVR decoder

Over a month or so ago, a sms sent by Dialog TV indicated that all "GOLD" package subscribers will be issued the HD PVR decoder free of any additional charges.

We are carrying out a poll on our facebook http://www.facebook.com/tvradiosrilanka to ascertain as to whether they replacements are being carried out. We request our fellow bloggers/facebook fans/tweeps to visit the link http://www.facebook.com/questions/557184784301569/ and vote.

We do hope that Dialog TV is proceeding with the replacements unlike the last time. Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Prepare for Star Sports 2 please....

With Star Sports 2 launching on monday. It's still to be seen if Dialog TV deprives its subscribers of the channel until capacity issues are ironed out or if it will be only the privileged subscribers of the HD package who will get the channel just like they get Ten Action.

However if Star Sports 2 is launched only for HD pack subscribers it will be most unfair since, this channel is much different in comparison to Ten Action. Ten Action initially launched as a football centric channel and only show non football content when "live" events are packed on the other two channels.

However Star Sports 2 will be quite different, Star Sports 3 which is focusing on football will be broadcasting non football content too according to information released by ESPN Star Sports. Until the Ten channels, Star will be broadcasting any cricket content involving India on two channels, one in English and the other in Hindi using Star Cricket and Star Sports 1 or the present ESPN.

This means that other live content such as Formula 1, etc could be shifted to Star Sports 2 to enable "live" broadcast. Additionally ESPN Star Sports have acquired the broadcast right for Indian domestic cricket which would mean more bilingual cricketing content across multiple channels.

It's best for Dialog TV to use the "wasted slot which carries no channels" and Star Sports 3 so that viewers will be able to enjoy uninterrupted "live" coverage of sporting events.

Over to Dialog TV to make a wise decision and we would like to ask our fellow bloggers who are Gold package subscribers whether have received the HD enabled DVB-S2 decoder.

Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Maharaja channels to be launched by Avuruddu

According to reports being received the Maharaja channels, Sirasa TV, MTV Sports & Shakthi TV will be launched by Avuruddu. This comes hot on the wheels of the news about upgrade to MPEG4 & the announcement of Gold package subscribers being updated to the PVR enabled HD decoder free of charge.

Now we are not sure how Dialog will find the capacity to add these three channels specially at a time they are stuck for capacity. Unless they complete their MPEG4 conversion by this time which is highly unlikely. The only option for Dialog is to replace two or more existing channels with the three Maharaja channels which will not be welcomed in any event by subscribers. The other option is for Dialog to move all Gold package subscribers to MPEG4 DVB-S2 and encode the select channels like those that are allocated to the Gold package only, such as Star Movies, HBO and a few others to MPEG4 DVB-S2. Those non Gold Package subscribers who probably have activated the SET plans or Per Day TV would probably lose these channels in the short term until they are updated too.

This should free up some space for a few more channels. We certainly don't think the entire conversion will be completed in a few months, but it would run longer considering the fact of what happened last time round but the best thing now is to switch the "Gold" package subscribers within a very short time span. Switch some channels to MPEG4 and then free up space for a few channels.

As for the Maharaja channels, Dialog should not add them at the expense of any existing channels but if they can be added in the method we have speculated here then it would be a positive move by Dialog.

Please keep us updated on the latest regarding Dialog TV as the days progress.