Monday, July 29, 2013

More STB's being replaced, this time from other packages

According to information reaching us, Dialog TV is now replacing STB's for subscribers who are on other packages. So far they have replaced only those who were on the "Gold" package & those from other packages who had subscribed to Discovery Turbo or Setanta prior to the moving of the said channels to the MPEG4 transponder, but recently it seems that those on lower packages are also receiving calls from Dialog TV informing them of STB replacement visits. As per the information, these subscribers haven't requested for HD nor have they activated Discovery Turbo or Setanta.

This is indeed great news as this suggests Dialog TV will be able to increase transponder capacity by switching all existing channels to MPEG4 DVB-S2. We hope these replacements will be completed soon enabling Dialog TV to 1) increase the number of international channels, 2) bring back MTV India, 3) stop the present time sharing of certain channels and allocate them each a separate channel, 4) add the remaining local channels to the platform, 5) increase the HD channel offerings.

This seems like a tall order for Dialog TV to fulfill but a MPEG4 DVB-S2 platform with the existing transponders will be able to free up sufficient transponder space to carry out all of the above. Hopefully Dialog TV doesn't let go of some transponders with the increase in capacity.

The time taken to replace all STB's depends solely on how fast Dialog TV wants to switch to MPEG4, with subscribers unhappy over the temporary replacement of MTV India, it looks like Dialog TV will carry this out quickly.

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

Monday, July 15, 2013

Sirasa TV/Shakthi TV hops onboard Dialog TV

Dialog TV which started testing Sirasa TV/Shakthi TV a couple of days ago, launched both the channels yesterday free of charge for all packages. This comes after over an year of rumours that the channels would be made available on Dialog TV.

The Maharaja organisation which openly stated that pay television in Sri Lanka "will fail" and ridiculed the idea of people paying for television in Sri Lanka just a few years ago when pay television operations were commencing in Sri Lanka have realised that pay television platforms are the future and if not included, it will spell the end of the Maharaja Network in Sri Lanka. In fact they went far as advertising in the media that it is illegal to include Maharaja channels on any pay television platform and action would be taken against any company that retransmits Maharaja channels on their platform. According to sources the Maharaja's are to have said that "they will never allow pay television channels to rebroadcast their television channels".

Now a few years down the road the same people are begging their way onto pay television companies in Sri Lanka due to the negative impact pay television had on the Maharaja network.

Now with Sirasa TV & Shakthi TV firmly onboard pay television platforms, its time for them to capitalise on this new avenue that has been opened up to them. It should be said that the quality of retransmission of Sirasa TV on Dialog TV is one of the best when compared to the local channels. Whilst the quality of retransmission of Shakthi TV leaves much to be desired. Hopefully these will be sorted out quickly, and at times there are problems with Sirasa TV retransmission too, which needs to be ironed out.

Now with many of the local channels onboard Dialog TV, it's time to focus on improving the quality of the international channels on Dialog TV. The "so-called temporary" replacement of MTV India looks rather like permanent. It's hard to imagine Dialog TV letting go of the "Dialog Test Channel" anytime soon, and this leave no space for "MTV India" on the transponders. Hopefully more channels are switched to MPEG4 in order to create space for new channels. We have seen Dialog TV take positive steps towards this by moving some existing channels to MPEG4 and issuing new STB's for those who were subscribers of these channels.

It should be said that there is a big improvement in the quality of channels such as "Discovery Turbo" once it was shifted from MPEG2 to MPEG4. It's hard to imagine that this was only a one time process carried out to enable the inclusion of Sirasa TV/Shakthi TV. It's highly likely that we will see more of these channel shifts in the weeks & months ahead, well hopefully it doesn't take years. Dialog should shift all their channels to MPEG4 DVB-S2, thereby increasing the quality of all channels on Dialog TV.

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

Thursday, July 11, 2013

New HD STB now available for others too

In the aftermath of the recent changes to the Dialog TV lineup. Those non-Gold package subscribers who  had subscribed to Discovery Turbo / Setanta Sports prior to the channels being shifted are eligible to receive the MPEG4 DVB-S2 STB Free of Charge. For those who haven't it is still available at a fee. Please see the information given below for conditions under which the HD , we like to thanks members of our community for sharing this information with us.

1. Customer is an existing Setanta and/or Discovery Turbo sachet activated customer, but without a HD STB - Customer can get a HD STB Free Of Charge.

2. Customer is a existing Gold package holder who can’t watch Discovery Turbo channel - Customer can get a HD STB. No HD upgrade fee will be charged.

3. Customer is a Gold package holder who wants to activate Setanta channel sachet. Channel has to be activated by customer/call centre. No HD upgrade fee will be charged. Sachet monthly rentals are applicable.

4. Non Gold or Non Setanta and/or Discovery Turbo sachet activated customer with a HD box wants to activate the sachets - Channel has to be activated by customer/call centre. No HD upgrade fee will be charged. Sachet monthly rentals are applicable.

5. Non Gold or Non Setanta and/or Discovery Turbo sachet activated customers; wants to activate the sachets. - Channel has to be activated by customer/call centre. HD upgrade fee of Rs.2990/- will be charged. Sachet monthly rentals are applicable.

For any package downgrade, Rs.1000/- will be charged.

We hope MTV (Music Television) returns for the benefit of those are being deprived of the channel. It's great to note that Dialog TV have taken into consideration the plight of the non-Gold package subscribers who would be affected by the loss of Discovery Turbo/Setanta.

Even though this MPEG4 conversion is still a work-in-progress, its great to see some visible steps been taken by Dialog TV towards it's implementation. We are not sure whether Dialog will completely convert to MPEG4 DVB-S2 or will maintain a combination of MPEG2 & MPEG4 channels on it's platform. If its a complete conversion then we will see all subscribers receiving the MPEG4 DVB-S2 STB on a need-to-have basis as it was the case with those from other packages who had subscribed to channel sachets containing Discovery Turbo/Setanta.

In BREAKING NEWS we just received, SIRASA TV & SHAKTHI TV have been added to Dialog TV. Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Dialog TV changes position of selected channels

With effect from today Dialog TV has changed the channel positions of selected channels on their platform. Accordingly the new positions are as follows
  • NHK World - Channel No. 1
  • Discovery Turbo -  Channel No. 86
  • Setanta Sports - Channel No. 85
The two additional empty slots created as a result of this has been renamed to "Test Transmission 1" & "Test Transmission 2". A test card and a message indicating the new position of the channel that used to occupy that particular slot is now being displayed on the vacant slots.

We believe that MTV India will return to one of those two slots, we hope that the return will of the MTV India channel will be carried out today but as of posting this, there is no sign of MTV India. This begs the questions of when this return will be carried out. Dialog being Dialog could take a few more days but we hope that it is sooner than later.

The original "Dialog Test Channel" remains the same with no changes, the only difference is that as of late it was scrambled, unlike before where it was blank or ran a test card.

Complaints are coming that those who had subscribed to "Discovery Turbo" & "Setanta Sports channels are unable to view the channels, if you are unable to do so please contact Dialog TV hotline & speak to the technical department now.

Whether the "Dialog Test Channel" will be allocated a channel is yet to be seen, but if seems pretty certain that "Test Transmission 1" & "Test Transmission 2" will be allocated channels very soon. One of it is likely rather highly likely to be the returning "MTV India" but the other is yet to be seen. Hopefully it's a high quality international and not a local FTA channel.

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

Update at 10:41am
It seems that there have been non-Gold package subscribers who had subscribed to "Setanta Sports" and are now left in the lurch without the channel. We hope Dialog TV takes immediate steps to issue the new HD enabled DVB-S2 decoder to these subscribers. We urge these subscribers to immediately call Dialog TV and make an official complaint. With the advance notice that was given regarding the impending shifting of channels, it's sad that these issues are been raised after the channel shifting was carried out. A protest prior to the shifting would have been more effective.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Dialog to shift some channels around on July 10th

Commencing friday and into the weekend, messages have been scrolling on several channels on Dialog TV indicating an impending shifting on existing channels. As per the information the following channels will be shifted as of July 10th
  • Discovery Turbo will shift to Channel No. 86 
  • Setanta Sports will shift to Channel No. 85
  • NHK World will shift to Channel No. 01
With Discovery Turbo and Setanta Sports moving to 86 & 85, these two channels will be only available for those who are have the MPEG4 DVB-S2 decoder. Hopefully Dialog have considered all options carefully before this move since if non premiere package subscribers have subscribed to this channel then it would mean that either they have to pay additionally to get the new decoder or risk losing these two channels. Hopefully none of the non premiere subscribers have activated these two channels however it is likely that some of them would have already done so.

With NHK World moving to the No. 1 position, then Dialog will have three vacant slots in the MPEG2 transponders. We believe one is for "MTV India" which should make a return on July 10th or sometime soon thereafter. Another two will be free, and out of these, one is "Dialog Test" which may or may not be used to carry a channel.

Some are "claiming" that this is for "Maharaja" channels, its highly unlikely that Dialog will reorganize in this manner for just two local FTA channels that don't deserve slots on Dialog TV. Besides the Maharaja's according to what we hear are not satisfied with one slot for Sirasa TV, they want three for all three of their channels on Dialog TV. Dialog will not be able to allocate three empty slots just for a private run-of-the-mill network during this time when channels such as "MTV India" are still to be returned to the lineup.

It is possible that some new channel/s will come onboard whether it will be one/s that carry international  or local entertainment is yet to be seen. Whether the "Dialog Test" channel which has been unused for a long time, will finally be used or whether it will continue to be "Dialog Test" is yet to be known. The days following the July 10th will reveal fully, what exactly Dialog TV will be doing.

One thing is pretty certain, MTV India will be back on July 10th. Please keep us updated on the latest on Dialog TV as the days progress.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Dialog's major flaw... music channels

Over the last few weeks Dialog TV have been causing total subscriber dissatisfaction by carrying out unnecessary replacement of channels. The first was the replacement of "Eurosport" by "Shradda TV", then came the subscriber backlash that resulted in the replacement of "MTV India" by "Eurosport". Bringing back "Eurosport" was a good move, but sadly that was done at the expense of "MTV India".

All this was done despite Dialog TV having a free unused slot called "Dialog Test" which is being totally wasted. To make matters Dialog TV are now time-sharing "Star Movies HD" with "Ten HD" in order to provide HD coverage of the present tri-series cricket tournament involving Sri Lanka. This was done despite two free slots on the MPEG4-S2 enabled transponder that carries the HD channels.

All of these activities have exposed a major flaw in the Dialog TV channel allocations. That being the lack of music channels and the untapped potential number of subscribers. At present Dialog TV have 3 music channels, MTV India (carries Hindi music), VH1 (carries English music), Sun Music (carries Tamil music), Channel C (carrying mainly local music). Out of them the worst is VH1 which is a far cry compared to the international music channels operated by Viacom International. 

Due to this there have been calls to switch MTV India with either MTV Asia or an international edition of MTV. Hindia music fans have responded to this by asking Dialog to return MTV Asia or a suitable Hindi music channel.

There are several music channels out there in this region for English, Hindi & Tamil music fans. People are drawn to music and Dialog will be able to target teenagers and others with these channels. This is one area that Dialog TV have failed miserably, partly due to the lack of transponder space.

It's time for Dialog TV to look at adding some quality music channels. Not limiting itself to one music channel per language, as for an additional English Language music channel, Dialog TV should look at the Asian feeds or International feeds available in the region probably in terms of genre such as rock, hip hop, pop, etc. Dialog TV should expand their Tamil, Hindi & local language music offerings - provided they are able to secure local language music channels.

With Dialog TV now being HD capable, they look at giving HD music offerings with high quality sound. This is one area that Dialog TV should look at tapping. Of course all of this is only possible if Dialog TV is able to increase transponder capacity.

The need for a new transponder or MPEG4 to better utilize the existing transponders is more important than ever. Till Dialog TV is capable of sorting those things out, it's best for everyone if Dialog TV adds "MTV India" to the wasted & unused "Dialog TV Test" slot.

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