THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Your TV window on the world

Your TV window on the world

True Digital HD 2 is a set of receivers for both terrestrial and satellite channels and the pictures are great - in hi-def, even stunning

WELL WORTH the money and a breeze to set up, the True Digital HD 2 combination TV reception package – an HD satellite receiver and a terrestrial digital TV receiver – produces top-quality results.
You buy the hardware in box form for Bt1,690 – reduced to Bt1,000 assuming you got the Bt690 digital TV coupon from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission. It’s money well spent, especially if you already use True Move H, the Sim card from which can be used to register the box’s smartcard number to get two more bonuses.
First, you can watch nine True Visions channels for free for six months, a Bt1,620 value according to the cable provider. The channels are True Sport HD2, True Sport 2, True Sport 7, True Asian HD, True Spark, True Explore 2, True Film HD, True Film Asia and True Asian Series.
Second is three more True Visions channels free of charge for 12 months – True Thai Film, True X-Zyte and True Movie Hits. That deal’s combined value is Bt3,600.
If you don’t have a True Move H Sim card and can’t register, the box will pull in 100 free satellite channels once connected to a KU Band satellite dish, and 188 if connected to a C Band dish. Of the free channels, 16 are in high definition – five on the KU Band and 11 on C Band.
The terrestrial digital TV (DVB-T2) tuner will bring in 36 free-to-air channels, eight of them HD.
The True Digital HD 2 box, a compact 22x16.6x4.3cm, is really easy to set up thanks to its plug-and-play approach. I simply connected my KU Band disc satellite cable and rooftop antenna cable to the back of the box and plugged the box’s power cable to the socket. There’s a prompt to choose the Thai or English menu. Then the box scans both the satellite and terrestrial tuners, which takes about 10 minutes. After that, you’re ready for watch either |satellite or terrestrial digital TV.
The feed was beautiful on my 51-inch plasma TV, especially on the HD terrestrial digital channels. I was impressed in the sharpness and definition of ThaiRath TV and Channel 3 in particular.
Switching channels on terrestrial TV took a few seconds, but that’s normal when the tuner is moving from one MUX to another.
The box’s remote control has an SAT/T2 button for switching between terrestrial and satellite broadcasts. The latter looks just as gorgeous via True Digital HD 2, in particular the feeds from KBS World, TNN 24 HD and True Music. I totally enjoyed the look of the news on TNN24 and the music videos on True Music.
There’s a USB 2.0 port at the back of the box for connecting a flash drive or portable hard drive so you can record TV programmes. The menu makes it simple to record and watch.
If you want to use True Digital HD 2 to view more channels |from True Visions, you can also download an app to conveniently purchase packages.
 
Key Specs
- Receiver manufacturer: Skyworth
- Receiver model: |HD-SK1000S/T 
- System: DSTV, DVB-T2
- Operating system: Ecos
- OSD languages: Thai and English
- SW upgrade: OTA
- Channel edit: Support
- Parental control: Support
- Receiver type: MPEG 4, |MPEG 2
- Ports: HDMI, USB 2.0, AV
- Video Mode: HD (high definition), SD (standard definition)
- Resolution: 1080i (1920x1080)
- Aspect ratios: 16:9 and 4:3
- Sound format: Stereo
- EPG: Seven-day/24-hour EPG
- Dimensions: 22x16.6x4.3cm
 
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