True Satellite Signal Storm Interruptions

[fountainhall]

With the rainy season now upon us, the constant interruptions to the True satellite signal become a piss-awful fact of life. What happens, I wonder, in hotels in Thailand? Is their signal also out for the duration of a storm? Hong Kong has an underground cable for at least some its channels and so there is rarely an interruption. I see a lot of satellite dishes in Taiwan, but have never experienced an interruption in programming, even during a typhoon. Any idea why it happens so regularly here in Bangkok?

[cdnmatt]

Rainy season? Where the fuck is that at? I guess maybe in Bangkok / Pattaya where it's closer to the ocean, but still dry here. We get a bit of rain, but I'd hardly call it a rainy season yet, and it's end of June now. Should be pissing down rain every afternoon right now. At least it has cooled down a good amount since the Mar / Apr hot season though.

[Moses]

Rainy season? Where the fuck is that at? I guess maybe in Bangkok / Pattaya where it's closer to the ocean, but still dry here. We get a bit of rain, but I'd hardly call it a rainy season yet, and it's end of June now. Should be pissing down rain every afternoon right now. At least it has cooled down a good amount since the Mar / Apr hot season though.


be ready: weather forecast is: from 5pm June 23 - till end of June 29 nonstop rain in Pattaya with chance higher than 70%... do you have raft?

[cdnmatt]

I'd be more than happy to see some decent rain. We've had a bit up here, but nothing really... definitely strange for this time of year. I could be wrong, but am assuming the farmers are hurting in this region, as there is simply no rain this year yet.

[Moses]

We've had a bit up here, but nothing really... definitely strange for this time of year.

Nick (Ef) complains every evening what he lose customers "cuz of rain" and sending such photos:

3825

3826

[cdnmatt]

Where in Thailand is that?

[Moses]

Pattaya, crossing of Second road and South Pattaya road

[catawampuscat]

eF is a motorbike taxi driver

[Moses]

eF is a motorbike taxi driver

yes, when he hasn't orders for massage or for guiding he is working as a bike-taxi driver: he has to support his grandma and grandpa in Isaan and sends money to them monthly...

[fountainhall]

Guys, does anyone have an answer to the question posed in the first post?

[cdnmatt]

Guys, does anyone have an answer to the question posed in the first post?

Yes, clouds and stormy weather tend to fuck up satellite signals.

Switch to a different service that doesn't rely on the weather -- cable, IP TV, etc. Personally, I just download what I want off the internet, and the times I want to watch something on the TV, I just plug my computer into the TV's HDMI port. Works fine, and you can easily get basically every movie and TV show out there without problem -- and commercial free!

[Up2U]

I have True and yes if it storming outside I can lose their signal (usually intermittently). Actually power outages and the loss of my TOT Internet is more of an aggravation. I live at Jomtien and when it rains it is often at night when I'm sleeping.

[fountainhall]

Thanks for the suggestions. Can I get CNN and BBC News on cable or some other source. I'm a bit of a news junkie!

I still don't understand why storm clouds block signals in Thailand, but in places like typhoon-prone Taiwan, satellite signals are rarely interrupted. Is it something to do with the strength of the signal coming from the satellite?

[cdnmatt]

Personally, I generally just go to http://putlocker.is/ -- it has most TV shows (Sopranos, Californication, Masterchef, Hell's Kitchen, Breaking Bad, Prison Break, etc.), plus pretty near every movie ever made. Hell, even YouTube has a bunch of decent, full length movies. Just search for your favorite actor + " full movie", and some should pop up.

I generally just watch TV on my laptop, but once in a while will decide to relax on the sofa and enjoy on a good movie. Then I just plug my laptop into the TV's HDMI port, and it streams the movie to the TV just fine. As long as your laptop and TV aren't more than 5 years old, they should both have an HDMI port. Then it's about 200 baht at Tukcom for a HDMI cable to connect the two.

I guess if you like watching BBC News or something, then this would be a shitty setup. Otherwise, if you're just looking for your favorite TV shows / movies, it works great.

[Patanawet]

most TV shows (Sopranos, Californication, Masterchef, Hell's Kitchen, Breaking Bad, Prison Break, etc.), plus pretty near every movie ever made.
I guess if you like watching BBC News or something, then this would be a shitty setup.

Ha ha --- MOST(??) TV shows (as they say, other programmes ie non US are available)
For U.K. programmes I use ThaiEXpatTV (about 5 minutes delay from the original) About 600B per month over the internet. Perfect reception (mostly HD) with the chance to rewind up to one week. Never had rain problems. The basic package has BBC News / BBC World/SKY News etc along with all the U.K. entertainment channels. Sadly no CNN International or Al Jazeera.
Try it for free -- I think they usually offer a two day free trial to see if your internet/computer is fast enough (mine are both fairly slow but give perfect results). (And I've just discovered that I can pick it up on my smart-phone as long as I'm not logged in twice on the one subscription).
I really resent paying TRUE 2000 Baht per month when I only watch CNN/BBC because I need the Gold package.

As an afterthought edit ---- I wonder-- are similar programs to ThaiExpat available for the U.S., Germany etc.?


As to no rain interruptions in other territories, I once read an explanation in the Bangkok Post ---- it claimed that the satellite to raindrop angle is at a different angle, making the raindrops here appear bigger to the signal.
Now this may be a load of gollocks but it satisfied me at the time on a quick reading.

[Patanawet]

Rainy season? Where the fuck is that at? I guess maybe in Bangkok / Pattaya where it's closer to the ocean, but still dry here. We get a bit of rain, but I'd hardly call it a rainy season yet, and it's end of June now. Should be pissing down rain every afternoon right now. At least it has cooled down a good amount since the Mar / Apr hot season though.
Been 'rained in' to bars in Silom Soi4 (I'm not complaining) twice this week. When I finally got out to try for a taxi, it was worse than Songkran. The only difference being that at Songkran I was prepared with plastic for wallet, phone etc.

Don't worry Matt, it's heading your way --trust me.

[cdnmatt]

Don't worry Matt, it's heading your way --trust me.

Good. I don't particularly care, aside from the fact my yard could use some good rain. However, I'm guessing the farmers out in the villages care quite a bit.

We really haven't had anything this year yet. A little bit, but nothing you would call a rainy season. Hopefully it comes soon. El Nino doing its thing, I guess.

[Patanawet]

Good. I don't particularly care, aside from the fact my yard could use some good rain. However, I'm guessing the farmers out in the villages care quite a bit.

We really haven't had anything this year yet. A little bit, but nothing you would call a rainy season. Hopefully it comes soon. El Nino doing its thing, I guess.

Sorry to be pedantic Matt, but it comes with being a grumpy old git, but isn't it La Niña yet?

[Up2U]

Thanks for the suggestions. Can I get CNN and BBC News on cable or some other source. I'm a bit of a news junkie!

I still don't understand why storm clouds block signals in Thailand, but in places like typhoon-prone Taiwan, satellite signals are rarely interrupted. Is it something to do with the strength of the signal coming from the satellite?

This my True and analog cable TV provided by my condo.

http://truevisionsgroup.truecorp.co.th/channellineup_web/2

http://tmncabletv.com/list%20of%20channel.php

[fountainhall]

My condo owners leave it to tenants and owners to make their own satellite/cable arrangements. I would consider something via the computer, but I have two large TVs in the living room and bedroom and I enjoy watching on both. I'm not sure I have the patience to bother with hooking up to the computer and then having it on all the time, the more so when I generally prefer to watch CNN late at night and in the morning. I'm not really into most TV entertainment shows. I merely fail to understand why True gets away with bloody murder time and time again. It is by far the most expensive Satellite service in the region. First it was to be an English only service with no ads. Then it was permitted to increase the subscriptions to offer more channels. Then it no doubt paid out a very substantial amount of tea money to be permitted to take ads but without reducing subscription fees. Then it added extra fees if you want certain channels.

And all the while it cares precious little when there are problems with programming. Some years ago I became aware of considerable peak distortion on their classical music radio channel. Over several months I was told their engineers had checked the incoming and outgoing signals and there was no problem. They sent a technician who could hear nothing wrong!! I asked if they all had mufflers in their ears as it was perfectly obvious. It took almost 5 months of badgering before they came back with a whimpering apology. Yes, the incoming signal from the programme provider had distortion!

More recently in mid-May the weekly CNBC Sunday programme "Meet the Press" just did not happen. No announcement. No scrolling explanation. So I called a friend in the USA. Yes, the programme was being aired as usual. I then called a very understanding operator at True Visions. He had me on hold while he checked with the programme controller. He had no idea! I asked him then to call CNBC Asia in Singapore to find out if the repeat of the programme would be going out the following morning. Not sure! Had they actually called? "No!" So I pressed them and finally a call was made. "No-one knows" came the reply. I asked who in Singapore they had contacted. The Master Control Room. I asked for the number. So I then called Singapore. The MCR guy said I'd have to speak to their programme controller. He put me though. Result? There were last minute technical issues with the incoming signal from the US, no time to put an advisory on screen - and no, the repeat would not be shown. At least I had my answer. And True Visions, who should have been up to speed with what was happening on their channels, as usual could not have cared a damn!

[Up2U]

Fountainhall, perhaps you should investigate torrents. YouTube has clips of Meet the Press from May.

[cdnmatt]

More recently in mid-May the weekly CNBC Sunday programme "Meet the Press" just did not happen. No announcement. No scrolling explanation. So I called a friend in the USA. Yes, the programme was being aired as usual. I then called a very understanding operator at True Visions. He had me on hold while he checked with the programme controller. He had no idea! I asked him then to call CNBC Asia in Singapore to find out if the repeat of the programme would be going out the following morning. Not sure! Had they actually called? "No!" So I pressed them and finally a call was made. "No-one knows" came the reply. I asked who in Singapore they had contacted. The Master Control Room. I asked for the number. So I then called Singapore. The MCR guy said I'd have to speak to their programme controller. He put me though. Result? There were last minute technical issues with the incoming signal from the US, no time to put an advisory on screen - and no, the repeat would not be shown. At least I had my answer. And True Visions, who should have been up to speed with what was happening on their channels, as usual could not have cared a damn!

Holy shit dude, you went through all of that for a simple episiode of "Meet the Press"? Here you go, all the Meet the Press episodes are available free of charge on the NBC web site:

http://www.nbc.com/meet-the-press/video

Then again, if you need to watch them on your TV instead of computer, it's a 200 baht HDMI cable away. You won't be able to tell the difference between if it's streaming from True or the NBC web site. No need to call the control room in Singapore.

[fountainhall]

Thanks everyone for the great info.

I went though that rigmarole with True to prove they just don't know what they're doing - and to gather facts for a complaint the the head of the company! I realised the episodes are available some time after transmission on the NBC website - but I do like to watch it 'live'.