Balls netted on the Net

Fans of the English Premier League will be interested in the new service launched by TrueVisions that allows them to watch live matches on the Internet for a fee of Bt350 a month.

The cable service provider says all 380 matches of the league will be broadcast live on the Internet TV channel, which is watched on a web page, and adds that it plans to provide the service via both iPhone and Android apps in the future.

Apart from the live matches, the Internet TV channel also provides archives of Premier League matches.

The service has to be bought on a monthly basis using either Kasikorn Bank or Bangkok Bank credit cards or debit card. 

True Internet customers can buy the package through the True 1686 Call Centre or at True Shop and enjoy the matches in HD broadcast.

I tested both the standard-definition and HD broadcast of the Internet TV service. Both formats may be watched on the web browser of a smart phone or tablet computer.

The non-HD format shows the video screen of the match at the size of 611 x 362 pixels. You can watch it on the full screen though the picture will not be as sharp as the windows format unless you have bought an HD account. However, the full-screen in non-HD format was acceptably sharp during the test.

On the other hand, the HD-format broadcast was impressively sharp. I had the impression I was watching an HD TV on my computer screen.

Both formats streamed smoothly during the test on my True Internet’s ADSL 7 Megabit service. TrueVisions has said users need at least 7 MB Internet access to watch the HD broadcast.

To use the service, you must access it with your Facebook account. The system required me to log on with my Facebook username and password. Then, the True Internet TV system prompted me to key in the access code of the service.

That access code is needed the first time only, after which the system will then tie your username to the service’s access code of the service and the next time you are only required to log on to your Facebook account to access the Internet TV.

Unlike a normal TV channel, the TrueVisions Internet TV for Premier League does not broadcast all the time. Users will need to check the broadcast programme schedule on the service website http://pl.truevisions.tv to know when each match is being broadcast live. When there are no live matches, the channel reruns some matches, the same ones as being repeated on True Sports HD 2.

For example, the programme schedule for this month says that next Saturday, Internet TV will broadcast live the match between Norwich and West Ham 6.45pm Bangkok time. At 9pm, the match between Manchester United and Wigan will be broadcast live and the match between Sunderland and Liverpool will be aired live at 11pm Bangkok time.

Apart from the live matches and re-run matches being streamed from the Internet TV server, you can selectively watch an older match by clicking its name under the window of the TV screen. 

While watching a selected archived match, you can fast forward and rewind the match to your heart’s content – a wonderful feature for anyone who wants to catch goals or quibble over fouls. Archived matches though are not as sharp as the ones being streamed from the True Internet TV’s server at the moment.

You can watch the matches with Thai narration or English commentary by clicking on the icon on the TV screen window.

True Visions says the Internet TV service is available only for viewing in Thailand and you don’t have to be a TrueVisions subscriber to buy the package. 

And while one access code can be used for several devices, it cannot be used at the same time.

Chayapoln Wannasirikuln, a TrueVisions PR officer, says TrueVisions plans to add more Internet TV services for other major leagues as well but access codes will have to be bought separately for each league.

 

         Key facts

_ Matches: 380 matches of English Premier League

_ Price: Bt350 a month

_ Internet bandwidth for HD view: 7 MB

_ Service access url: http://pl.truevisons.tv