New test channel slots activated

According to reports Dialog has activated a further 3 to 4 test slots on the transponder carrying the HD channels. 

So at present 

• Channel slot 85 is testing Ten HD.
• Channel slot 86 is testing Granada TV. (SD Channel)
• Channel slot 87 is testing Sony beTV. (SD Channel)

 There are reports of a 4th test channel but we are unable to confirm this.

These will be only available under the HD package. Since the transponder that carries them is DVB-S2 and this cannot be decrypted by the standard non HD Dialog TV decoder.

This effectively means that no new channels will be available for SD subscribers in the near future and all new channels will be on the DVB-S2 format. If Dialog is to move all their subscribers to DVB-S2 decoders it will prove to be quite expensive. Dialog could move all existing channels to DVB-S1 MPEG4 since many of the decoders are already with subscribers from the initial replacement as well as sales made thereafter but there are still those on lower packages who haven't received these DVB-S1 MPEG4 decoders, who will need them replaced. Moving transponders to DVB-S1 MPEG4 will free up transponder space enough to add more SD channels for subscribers and Dialog can continue to maintain DVB-S2 MPEG4 only for HD channels. This so called switch to MPEG4 that Dialog had been talking about has never materialized and most likely never will.

It looks like Dialog TV is following in the footsteps of Dish TV India and some other DTH services in various parts of the world which maintain both MPEG2 & MPEG4. New subscribers are issued with the newer decoders whereas the existing ones are switched only when they request a package change. Those DTH services have a large customer base, however Dialog which has a relatively small customer base in comparison should take a decision and move ahead with conversion.

It may result in a significant loss on their PL account in the short run but on the long run they can recover those losses. Dialog could go one better and move all channels to DVB-S2 MPEG4 and replace all decoders issued to subscribers. The immediate loss on the PL account could be much higher but the returns on the long run would be much higher. We are sure that Dialog with Axiata's backing would be able to cushion such a loss for a short time.

It's foolish to broadcast SD channels on the present DVB-S2 MPEG4 transponder and compromise on the quality of the very few HD channels on the transponder. The quality of Discovery HD World has been adversely affected due to these new SD channels being added onto it.

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

Ten HD on test

Dialog TV is now testing Ten HD channel 85 of the HD pack. This comes hot on the heels of many requests by subscribers to launch Ten HD prior to the final stages of the European football tournament. With the addition of Ten HD, the number of sports channels on the HD pack increases to two.

Ten HD which was part of the original HD pack was ousted a few weeks after it was launched and replaced by ESPN which was introduced to coincide with the 2012 London Olympics.

If present trends are any indication it seems that Dialog has no immediate plans of increasing the channel offerings made to SD subscribers. We urge Dialog to take immediate steps to increase transponder capacity either by leasing a new transponder or by switching to MPEG4 to increase the channel offering in view of the increasing demand for new channels made by subscribers.

Please continue updating us on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Maharaja Channels to come onboard

According to reports the Dialog TV have allocated two channels for the launch of the Maharaja television channels namely Sirasa TV & Shakthi TV but sadly the Maharaja's who didn't want to be on cable tv and laughed at it's concept are not happy with two but want three channel slots so that MTV Sports can be included too.

According to reports local channel Varnam TV is also in the queue to come on board Dialog TV & the Maharaja's are not happy about it.

So either the Maharaja's will have to hop onboard with Shakthi TV & Sirasa TV or wait till a channel slot is allocated for MTV Sports. Due to lack of transponder capacity, it is likely that existing channels will be replaced to make room for the Maharaja's.

The "Dialog Test Channel" & "Revision TV" will most likely be used for the Maharaja channels, however if "MTV Sports" is coming on board then another existing channel will also have to be replaced. We strongly urge Dialog TV not to remove any of the existing International channels in favour of the Maharaja channels. As some bloggers have pointed out, the replacement of existing International channels for any of the Maharaja channels will not be tolerated.

Either Dialog will have to create slots to accommodate these channels or replace them with existing local channels.

Reports also suggest that Dialog have been carrying out some sort of upgrading on the platform as of last evening causing some interference on the transponder that carries the local channels, now it seems that the "Dialog Test Channel" has been moved to the transponder carrying the HD channels and is now placed after all the HD channels on the list. This would mean that subscribers who have the SD decoder will not be able to view the "Dialog Test Channel" since that transponder uses MPEG4 DVB-S2 encryption which doesnt work with the existing Dialog TV decoders. Unless Dialog is planning to convert to MPEG4 DVB-S2 on all of it's transponders which would mean that decoders will have to be replaced too.

Dialog could create some new channel slots on the 3rd transponder to carry the Maharaja channels at the compromise of the quality of all the channels being carried. Dialog could also launch the Maharaja channels as bonus channels under the HD package in order to promote the connection among those who desperately want the Maharaja channels, this is however unlikely but cannot be ruled out.

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

Update - 10th January 2013
"Dialog Test Channel" still remains on channel no. 71 and has not been moved as earlier reported on this blog.

Channel 71 testing.....

Commencing yesterday Dialog has been carrying out some sort of testing on Channel No 71 which is named as the "Dialog Test Channel". For the past year or so the channel has never been encrypted and has been left blank but from yesterday the channel has been encrypted indicating that some sort of testing is being carried out.

We are unable to confirm what the channel being tested is, hopefully it is an international channel and not a local channel since Dialog TV needs more international channels and not local channels. There have been no new international channels for SD package subscribers for several months and it's high time some new ones  at least one considering transponder capacity issues.

We are aware that some Maharaja channels such as Sirasa are down on their knees begging to be on Dialog TV, so being an pay television company Dialog TV should strive to give their subscribers more international channels than the third grade local ones.

Maybe Channel 71 will be a Maharaja one (they seem to be desperate now) or it will be a international one  hopefully tamil considering the low number of tamil channels on Dialog TV and the potential market for channels from the tamil speaking population, if English then it should be an Asian feed which will be far more desirable than any local channel.

Well we should know soon enough what Channel 71 is however introducing Sirasa or any other local channel on Channel 71 is much better than removing an international channel and adding Sirasa in it's place, Dialog tried this several months ago by trying to remove "Australia Network" in favour of a local channel but failed due to subscriber complaints. So even during 2013 Dialog shouldn't try to remove any of the international channels, if a local channel wants to come on board then increase transponder capacity and add them or remove a local channel to add another local channel but DON'T TOUCH INTERNATIONAL CHANNELS.