Friday, February 29, 2008

Charging for local pay channels

March 2008 will be the last month in which CiTi HiTz will be available for all Dialog TV subscribers free of charge. From April onwards the channel will cost an additional Rs 50/= for all packages. Now from tomorrow "Channel C" is expected to go on air. How much will this be priced at? We can expect the channel to available free of charge for a couple of months hopefully.

Pay television is a developing industry in Sri Lanka and these channels should be used to lure customers and charging additional for these channels will only drive away prospective customers. CiTi HiTz is priced unrealistically, not many people will pay extra for that channel. This channel should be integrated into the existing packages. The same applies for "Channel C" since charging extra will not work.

In other news rumors indicate that certain new channels will be available by hopefully tomorrow 1st March.

Not much has emerged from the news regarding HDTV but whether or not Dialog TV issues a HDTV compatible MPEG4 decoder, the subscriber has to purchase a HDTV enabled television to really enjoy HDTV television otherwise it will not be HD.

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

75 comments:

alf said...

SO OUR "ROBOT" TECHNOGUY SINGAPORE/MALAYSIA HAS CONFIRMED THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF MOVING ON TO MPEG -4.

SO AS PER SLT IPTV IT IS GOING TO BE IN ACTION VERY SOON AND I HEARD FROM A CONTACT AT SLT THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT OF JHONE KEELLS OFFICE AUTOMATION HAS BEEN RECRUITED AS HEAD OF IPTV AT SLT AND HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MAN OF ACTION WHO GETS THINGS DONE AND MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

Even ordinary television sets will benefit from the channels broadcast in HD on Dialog, because they will still look better on SDTVs than the other pixelated channels.

But Dialog's HD channels may still look pixelated on proper HDTV sets.

And considering IPTV, people always say good things about the bigshots who are to run a new service. But when the service actually launches, the story changes.

I think even I said good things about Dialog before they took over CBN Sat, but not all of my expectations were fulfilled by Nushad Perera and the Dialog bigshots.

So the best thing is to wait and see what happens. My sources told me last month (Jan) than IPTV would be launched this month (Feb). This month they say that it will be launched next month (Mar). What will they say next month? Its not hard to guess. But possibly they will actually launch next month.

Dialog probably knows most about what is happening to their competitors, or at least they will start to notice when IPTV is launched. The truth is that their target 80000+ ADSL/3G Home customers include many who already have Dialog TV and won't be willing to change over soon.

But I'm not quite covering the technical details here. I hear that there are limitations such as the IPTV users having to be within 2 KM of the nearest SLT station. And of course there are pricing and bandwidth problems.

If Dialog puts on a good fight, they will be able to retain this current position. But if they don't take notice of SLT, it won't be long before they bite in to Dialog's customer share.

Lightning_Struck_Tower said...

my question with SLT IPTV is, how are they going to accommodate the increased traffic? Video streaming can be a resource hog.


With already slow speeds of ADSL at daytime, i'm not sure if they can launch IPTV using the current infrastructure.

Unknown said...

Hi Guys,

re IPTV, I honestly dont think IPTV would be a big threat to the cable tv indusry as a whole, what with bandwith problems, SLT internet service history or for that matter, as a entertainment option. people just need to turn on their tv's (widescreen or otherwise) and get a hassle free entertainment experience. Any service connected to IT, would not pose that much of a threat. But having said that IT literacy in SL is amongst the highest in the world?, just a thought.

stay cool.
Micheal

LankaMedia said...

Ok I have a question, lets say that SLT launch their IP TV next month,
If I bought their box, will I be able to bring that in to some other country and watch TV from there?

I just like to know your ideas about this.


Visit: www.lankamediatalk.com

Unknown said...

SLT have been talking about IPTV launch from 2007 August. I reckon it wont be there till 2008 August. Call SLT sales at 2555555 (free call) they don't have a clue about the launch date or the hardware. Just forget about it for the moment.

LankaMedia said...

yeah they don’t know coz its a wrong department to call. :) You just have to talk to the people who is handling the project :)

Visit www.lankamediatalk.com

yakuza said...

i think city hits should be included to every package without any added cost.
any way i haven't checked out that channel for months. is it still showing old teledrama marathons?

Unknown said...

Hi guys,

Just curious.... what sort of channel line up can weexpect from SLT IPTv, apart from Video on demand?
IS it the same as all other cable channels available or a seperate set altogether.
Knowing the cultural aspect I dont think we can expect much from a state run television service.

what say?

stay cool.
Micheal

yakuza said...

@micheal

sadly i don't think there would be any porn available.

Unknown said...

Did the 4TP been activeted with the FOX channels? It was suppose to be on the 1 March that they were going to have the launch. Is it with MPEG4? What is the latest devolopment on Dialog TV??

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

@ Riky, Lanka Info
Do you guys from what time Channel C will be available today? Or will it be available at all today?

Thanks in advance.

Looser said...

No sign of Channel C or TP4. Zee Music is still there

Ricky, Lanka info, rupavahini

Please comment

alf said...

The DTH industry in India is likely to witness a price cut in its services in near future, with the government proposing a cut customs duty to zero per cent from the existing 7.5 per cent on specified parts of Set Top boxes.

"The Union budget 2008-09 has brought some positive highlights for the DTH industry. At present, there is zero duty on import of set top boxes. It has also removed duty on import of specified parts of the set top boxes. This will provide opportunity for DTH players to evaluate the option of manufacturing STBs locally," Dish TV Managing Director Jawahar Goel said in a statement.

"The benefits will of course be passed on to the consumers," he added.

The Countervailing Duty has been reduced from 16 per cent to 14 per cent, the cost of the Customet premises equipment would go down to the similar affect and will benefit the DTH operator who is already providing considerable subsidies to consumer and will further accelerate the date of digitalisation in the country, he said.

However, Tata Sky Managing Director Vikram Kaushik said there seems to be no significant difference to DTH sector, which is reeling under unprecedented Tax Burden of 56 per cent as no special mention is made for the bigger items such as differential treatment on Service Tax due to double taxation and desired level of reduction on Excise Duty on STBs.

Kaushik did not comment on any price reduction for the consumers.

alf said...

NOW THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MINISTER IS MAHINDA WIJESEKARA,AND PRIYANTHA KARIYAPPERUMA (WHO MADE HISTORY BY MAKING A LOSS AT NATIONAL LOTTERIES BOARD WHEN HE WAS CHAIRMAN AND SANGEETHA WEERARATHNE"S BIL) IS NOW THE CHAIRMAN OF TRC.

DTV WILL HAVE TO THROW A LOT OF MONEY TO THIS KNOWN PAGAKARAYAS TO GET THINGS DONE.

alf said...

I TOLD YOU NO CAHNNELS ARE GOING TO COME TODAY OR THIS MONTH.

THE MPEG- 4 LAUNCH WILL TAKE QUITE A SOME TIME,MAYBE 2-3 MONTHS OR EVEN END OF 2008,THEY HAVE TO DECIDE ON THE BOXES,ORDER AND DECIDE HOW THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE IT,THATS THE FACT.

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

Well, Channel C is already broadcasting their test transmissions on Dialog Mobile TV, so they have to launch officially some time or other.

I can't see any reason for a single television channel to stay in test transmissions for months and months when they already seem to have got everything up and running quite well (according to my viewing on the phone).

At least if they launch this channels within March, it will satisfy the customers for a while.

Also ladies and gents, please do not forget that our trusted sources are "trusted" as they have provided good information in the past Even if the info may have not been on the dot, it has been close for sure.


And if Dialog is not introducing MPEG-4 soon, they will have to launch some new channels on the new TP as they are already paying around 100 million LKR per month for it.

The last thing I will do is take a known vandal's words for granted.

Looser said...

@ALF

Can we expect the same thing in here in Sri Lanka? Never in our life time.

Our Government will increase tax and henchaiyas steels 75% of it. We get nothing.

Indian Goverment thinks about the country and their people and takes decisions. But ours they think about their own pocket only.

About DTV someone said they will replace Zee Music to Channel C few days ago. but so far nothing

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

EPG IMPROVED

The EPG of all channels now load within 5 to 15 seconds. The EPG loads all at once, not part by part, so that means the download speeds are high.

Since the SatCodX readings will take time to find out whether there is a seperate EPG data channel or whether the EPG bandwidth per channel has been increased.

But this is good news, and we can look up the EPG of any channel within a few channels. This is definitely faster than looking through the printed guide.

And also, we were informed of this improvement a few days ago by a trusted blogger. More reasons to trust them.

Dissatisfied Customer said...

Hi Everyone!

I have the full DTV package...Can someone tell me if I will have to pay that extra Rs50 for CitiHitz on top of my 1949+VAT or will that be given FOC to existing customers? Not that Rs50 is unaffordable but I wont pay a cent for CitiHitz!I never even watch it!and if they start to charge for it and it stays on my package, then wouldn't I have to pay for it??? As it is I think LKR 1949+VAT is waaaaaaaaaay too much for the service DTV is providing :-)

This HD M-PEG4 stuff is going over my head! I think I will worry about it when they come into existence!

MadMMx said...

Hi Guys,

Me thinks from what I heard is that SLT is ready to switch over to ADSL V2 and hence provide their service via the added bandwidth. Also bear in mind that the feed to the house via iptv will only carry the active channel (ie - being watched or selected) so really the b/w requirement isn't too great. The main feed will be at the SLT Central office location or at their distribution boxes.

Cheers,
MadMMx

LKDOOD said...

SLT better move to ADSL2+ to provide IPTV

more bandwidth is needed for IPTV

TPG in australia is using IPTV on ADSL2+

yakuza said...

got program guide yesterday.

star world is showing grey's anatomy on next sunday. any idea which season?

Nokia said...

No Chanel C as yet? When will it be enable? It's there on Dialog MyTV... It's superb on my mobile...

yakuza said...

@nokia

can you tell how this DialogMyTV works, prices and your phone model

alf said...

YAKUZA

BETTER GET THE 300/- UNLIMITED TV,BECAUSE I WATCHED THE MATCHES (TRI SEREIS) FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR AND 30 MINIUTES AND THE CHARGES HAS COME TO AROUND RS.3000/- FOR WATCHING THAT MUCH TV (THOUGH THEY SAY 2 CENTS PER KB,IT COST YOU HELL OF A LOT WHEN CHARGED ON PKTS.

WHO IS THE "VENDAL" TECHNO HUTHTHA IS REFERINT TOO? IS WENDAL LABROOY THE BROTHER OF GRAEME LABROOY WHO IS WORKING AT HNB,TECHNO HUTHTHA OPEN YOUR EYES AND WATCH DTV 24 HOURS TODAY AS CHANNEL C WILL BE ACTIVATED TODAY,THATS WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR YOU WILL GET IT.

THEY HAVE ROLLED OUT ANOTHER PROMOTION TO DISPOSE THEIR OLD DECORDERS AND THEY SEEM TO BE DESPRATE AS THEY ARE OFFERING 1 MILLION BUCKS,LCD TVS AND THINGS.

TECHNO HUTHTHA
and we can look up the EPG of any channel within a few channels.

YES,WHEN THEY HAVE A SEPERATE CHANNEL FOR PROGRAMME DATA AS PLANNED (YOU MUSRT BE REFERING TO STAR HUB SINGAPORE OR SOME MALAYSIAN DTH )

Unknown said...

@alf,
What is the new promotional offer from Dialog TV.

SP said...

Zee Music and set Max gone.Think New ones on the way.

alf said...

PODIMAN

IF YOU PURCHASE A CONNECTION IN MARCH,APRIL,MAY YOU ARE ENTITELED TO A DRAW TO WIN SOME PRIZES(RS.1MIO,32 LCD TV SETS ETC),AND THE DRAW IS HELD EACH OF THIS THREE MONTHS.

HOPE THEY FINISH OFF THE OLD BOXES WITHIN THIS MONTHS.

alf said...

I SAW A ARTICLE ON SUNDAY TIMES YESTERDAY ABOUT SLT UPGRADING THEIR BROADBAND AND GIVING FACILITIES SIMILIAR TO SKYPE AND THEY ALSO HAVE MENTIONED THAT IT WILL BE IPTV COMPATIBLE.

SP said...

Now no Test cards (tp-4) on Lyngsat Dialog/html.Rana-Ru Ch in 46 and Shruthi in ch 60.Total 56 chanals.What happen to tp 4?

Mario said...

@ LANKA INFO

What happened to the new channels & TP4 ?

Unknown said...

Hi guys
Good morning to alf too.
Dont worry guys.. everything is cmn withing this month.date is not sure..further dialog will never ask their customers to change their boxes..if it is necessary it will be FOC guys..be cool

alf said...

CHRISTO

I DONT KNOW WHETHER THEY WILL REPLACE THE BOXES FREE OF CHARGE BUT THEY WILL HAVE TOO WHEN THEY GO MPEG-4 AND IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THIS WILL HAPPEN LOOKING AT THE WAY THEY ARE OPERATING AT THE MOMENT,ANYHOW THE MEMORY AND HARDWARE IN THE PRESENT BOX IS COMPLETELY INADEQUATE TO UPGRADE IT TO MPEG -4.

SO FIRST DTV HAS TO GET RID OF THE MPEG-2 BOXES EVEN TO THINK OF MPEG-4,SO ALL THESE PROMOTIONS ARE TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.

Unknown said...

@christo,
First you said that it is not nessecery to change the STB just the card bigining March. Now you say if it is nessecery it will be FOC and within this month. It seems that you are not sure. Anyway we will waite and see.

LankaMedia said...

Defiantly you have to change the BOX to get MPEG4.

Visit www.lankamediatalk.com

Mario said...

@ RIKY

Do u hav an update on the launch date for the new channels ?

riky said...

amd

I dont think any new channel will be available untill they roll out MPEG-4(Other than what they replace in transponder 1,2 or 3).As for the box it should be defeneitly replaceble for MPEG-4 and how they are going to price it i am not sure.It looks like 4th transponder will be available in MPEG-4 and anyone wanting to watch those channels will have to move out to the new box.The time frame is hard to predict as they have to get down the boxes and get the infrastructure ready.

so it may take 1 or 2 months in minimum.

Unknown said...

@riky,
I think it will be like that ricky. TP4 will be MPEG4 and all new good channels will be in that. Anybody wants to upgrade or to go for it have to buy the MPEG4 STB or the subs will be high. That will be the game plan of Dialog TV. That is why they want to get rid of MPEG2 STB's. Will see the situation.

DLR said...

Is Load Anthony's good name
"Christo" ?

Mario said...

@ DLR

I beleive he is Ramesh Anthony.
I sent him a mail, just for the fun of it. he said " it will take some more time "

Anyways as always Riky has been our trusted source of info & this time he is right on the ball! So guys be patient.

monaco 1100 said...

EPG is loaded faster now, but less descriptive. I didn't check other cahnnels, but for Discovery and Animapl Planet the sub heading is missing.

Earlier it was more descriptive like,
Discovery Atlas - China Revealed
Natural World - Mississippi:Tale of a last river rat
Extreme Engineering - Widning Panama Canal
The Most Extreme - Killers

But now only the main title is shown like,
Discovery Atlas
Natural World
Extreme Engineering
The Most Extreme

Further the description showed in the lower panel in info screen is also missing.

This kind of EPG is not usful eventhogh it get loaded faster.

SRI LANKA MUSIC & CRICKET said...

We are worry about Dialog TV, Why this tv can watch SRI LANKA ONLY Why Gulg Region people can't watch do some thing?

cable said...

I think DTV probably got out of the lease of TP4. They'll probably lease it back once the MPEG-4 boxes are acquired.This will be after they get rid of all MPEG-2 boxes by running all sorts of promotions. If that was their plan all along they shoudnt have included addtional channels Shruthi & Ranaroo) to already overused bandwidth

alf said...

MONACO 1100

I THINK DTV IS "ATUWA KADALA PUTUWA HADANAWA",TO LOAD IT FASTER THEY HAVE REMOVED THE NUMBER OF CHARACTERS.

MUST BE AANOTHER INNOVATIVE IDEA OF "LORD MOTTA ANTHONY" AND NO WONDER THESE PEOPLE RESORT THIS KIND OF ACTS WHEN BOOT LICKERS LIKE TECHNO HUTHTHA ACCEPS EVERY SHIT THEY DOES.

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

@ Monaco 1100
The descriptions appear and disappear each month, even before speeds were increased.

It all depends on whether Dialog's employees enter all data in to the EPG database for it to be uploaded.

If the description ARE available, then they have not been shortened in lenght or anything. They just load faster now. And the faster loading ensures that we notice problems like missing descriptions.

I'm sure they can enter the full descriptions of most programmes if they are not lazy and take time to type it all in (or even copy and paste).

So its all a matter of whether the data is available and whether they will bother to enter it.

Also another problem is that, on the CBN Sat decoder you cannot view the full description if it is very long. You only see the last few words. This does not apply to the new decoders, which divide the data into pages.

alf said...

MONACO 1100

ONNA BALAPAN MACHANG,LORD MOTTA ANTHONY GE AGENT MA UMBATA ANSWER EKA DEELA THIYNAWA.

TECHNO HUTHTHA"S THEORY IS THAT EPG LOADS SO FAST AND DUE THAT WE DONT NOTICE CERTAIN WORDS OR DATA.

KOHOMADA MONACO ITHING MEWA HADA GANNE?

justavisitor said...

Hello all,

Does anybody know where to buy a digital coaxial cable (audio cable) other than Pettah?

Thanks
BTW here's a gadget for those who want to play all the new HD file formats like mkv,MOV(H.264),MP4,VC-1) through your tv(component video or HDMI).Popcorn Hour A-100

Ekendra Edrisinghe said...

cbnsatcustomer

No one in Sri Lanka has digital coaxial cables for sale. I bought mine about 5 months ago via ebay USA. You can do the same, but get yourself a PayPal account first.

Paypal now accepts acounts from Sri Lanka.

Good luck

Lisura said...


YOU CAN BUY ANY TYPE OF AUDIO / VIDEO , COAXIAL / OPTICAL CABLE @ SILVERTONES @ VAUXHALL STREET, COLOMBO 2.

PRICES ARE REASONABLE AND QUALITY IS SUPERB !!!

DLR said...

Cinemax EPG is completly wrong, same wrong details can find in printed guide too. I think mistake has done by the same person who is doing epg & printed PG. Unfortunatly non of the management noticed that wrong data.

justavisitor said...

@dannymot and lisura

thanks

alf said...

DANNYMOT.

DONT TALK COCK YOU BUGGER,MANY OF THESE STORES WHICH DEAL IN THIS KIND OF STUFF (INCLUDING SILVERSTONES AS LISURA SAID) HAS THIS CABLE.

DLR
THERE IS NO PROPER MANAGEMENT AT DTV,NUSHAD IS BUSY,MOTTA "LORD ANTHONY" IS MISLEADING HIM WITH LIES FOR HIS OWN SURVIVAL AND OTHERS ARE HAVING A JOLLY GOOD TIME DOING WHAT THEY WANT.

AND SOME BOOTLINK TECHNO FUCKS ARE PRAISING THE EPG OF DTV.

CN said...

@cbnsatcustomer

My 0.02...

if you are close to Nugegoda, try Supermarket 3rd floor - there's a famous electronics shop (cant recall the name offhead now), they have it. Prices are 1.5-2X Fort/Keyzer Street.

if you are close to Kollupitiya, adjoining Mc Donalds there's a Harcourts pharmacy, below that an electronics shop with some sat dishes outside. He also has it, but prices are 2X, even 3X Fort/Keyzer Street.

Unknown said...

Ad we all Nushad fucked the mobitel & join Dialog

alf said...

CRISTO

WHAT IF THEY REMOVE "MOTTA LORD ANTHONY" AND REPLACE HIM WITH NIMAL LAKSHAPATHIARACHIE,WILL IT WORK,OR HANS HAS TO GET DIRECTLY INVOLVED (UTH KOLUKARAYA NEDHA?)

Lisura said...


ITS WICKUM ELECTRONICS NUGEGODA

justavisitor said...

@cn and lisura

Thanks a lot for the info. I'll try the nugegoda shop.

Unknown said...

ALF

Dialog Telekom had already invited to Mr.Nimal Laxapathiarachchi to take over the main chair of DTV for big some of money, BUT unfortunatly he rejected the offer. However, Dialog Telekom still didn't give up their hope to bring Mr.Nimal Laxapathiarachchi into their management wing to get his inovative ideas and creative mind to Dialog TV, that's why they gave help to Mr.Nimal Laxapathiarachchi to build and run Sri Lanka's first pay tv channel "CiTi HiTz"

alf said...

THILINI

NICE TO HEAR THAT,HOPE HE OR SOMEONE COMPENTANT IN THE SUBJECT TAKES OVER FROM THIS MOTTAYAS AND LORDS WHO DOESNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DTH,QUALITY CHANNELS, TASTE AND THE FEELINGS OF THE VIEWERS.

LKDOOD said...

Thilini

do you work for Dialog ?



-------------------------------------
Sri Lanka In Focus-NEWS BLOG

Ekendra Edrisinghe said...

cbnsatcustomer

Hi!

Let us know if you were successful and from where you were able to obtain the cable. When I tried I was not successful in any of the shops that have been mentioned.

Thanks

Unknown said...

What happen to the 4TP, MPEG4 and the FOX package which were suppose to start beggining March??? It seems everybody is silent about it and even Dialog TV says nothing about it. Any lattest news about it?

Lisura said...


DIGITAL COAXIAL / OPTICAL CABLES ARE AVAILABLE AT SILVERTONES, VAUXHALL ST, COLOMBO 2 NOW !!!!

I BOUGHT FROM THEM 2 WEEKS BACK !!!!

Mario said...

@ podiman

We are not silent about it, please read some of the previous comments & u will know it was discussed.

I have copied below comments from riky:

riky said...

amd

I dont think any new channel will be available untill they roll out MPEG-4(Other than what they replace in transponder 1,2 or 3).As for the box it should be defeneitly replaceble for MPEG-4 and how they are going to price it i am not sure.It looks like 4th transponder will be available in MPEG-4 and anyone wanting to watch those channels will have to move out to the new box.The time frame is hard to predict as they have to get down the boxes and get the infrastructure ready.
so it may take 1 or 2 months in minimum.

March 3, 2008 12:57 PM

Mario said...

ALL CSI FANS

CSI Season 8, premiers tonite @ 7.30 on AXN

Looser said...

Can some give me the list of current Set Plans.

Unknown said...

lkdood

No, I am not working in Dialog, but my fiance working in Dialog.

Mario said...

@ Looser

SET PLAN EXEL file is uploaded here:

http://www.zshare.net/download/84911220f2d7ea/

Looser said...

@amd

Thank you very much

alf said...

WE MUST ASK THIS "MOTTA LORD ANTHONY" TO ACTIVATE TRANSPONDER -4 QUIKLY,IF MOTTA ANTHONY KEEPS MISLEADING NUSHAD PERERA FOR ANOTHER 3-4 YEARS,THERE WILL BE NOTHING IN DTV.

PSH said...

New channel release date has been postponed due to some unavoidable circumstance. Can expect a major channel release with BoomBoomerang cartoon channel Very… Very Soon…pls don’t expect the MPEG 4. Its take time & but its coming.

PSH said...

Sri Lanlan street prostitution in Singapore

TechnoGuy Sri Lanka said...

Dialog to take satellite technology to rural schools in Sri Lanka

Dialog is planning to launch the Nenasa Educational Channel on Dialog Satellite TV in May 2008. The focus of the channel will be to educate students for O/L and A/L in Sinhala and Tamil, as well as provide teacher training media.

TV & Radio Sri Lanka said...

Please continue commenting under the new post titled "4th TP Launch postponement".

Admin