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| Country | Singapore |
|---|---|
| First air date | July 1991 |
| Broadcast area | Singapore |
| Owner | StarHub |
| Key people | Tan Tong Hai (CEO) |
| Official website | StarHub TV |
StarHub TV is the sole cable television operator in Singapore (it was the sole pay-TV operator in the country until 2007 when mio TV, an IPTV service from its competitor, SingTel, was launched). A subsidiary of StarHub Limited, when StarHub acquired Singapore Cable Vision (SCV) in 2001, and now assumes ownership over the S$600 million broadband infrastructure built across the country by 1996.
The company offers cable television services via the cable network which has been in operation since 1991, but now under the name StarHub TV. It also provides this service via a wireless network, the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV) system.
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Company history [edit]
The history of cable TV in Singapore started in 1991 when the then Singapore Cable Vision (SCV) was licensed to establish a nationwide broadband cable network to provide pay-TV services. SCTV also had the unprecedented responsibility of delivering terrestrial free-to-air (FTA) channels to Singapore households via its cable points, free-of-charge to viewers.
In 1999, SCV completed the construction of its S$600 million network, and in recognition of its nationwide cabling effort, SCV was granted exclusivity in the provision of pay-TV services until 2002. As the nation developed, Singaporeans began to embrace pay-TV as an additional source of lifestyle entertainment, in addition to other entertainment sources such as cinemas, Internet and DVD/VCD purchase/rentals.
In 2002, StarHub completed its merger with Singapore Cable Vision which was renamed StarHub Cable Vision.[1][2]
On 2007, StarHub Cable Television was rebranded as StarHub TV.[3]
From February 2009, StarHub TV had converted to Full Digital Mode, which meant that all Analogue transmission had cease operation.
On 30 April 2010, StarHub TV made changes to all channel numbers accessed from its cable TV platform to enable easy recall for subscribers. They introduced the three-digit numbering system for its over 150 channels carried on its platform.
On 1 August 2010, StarHub TV will cease broadcasting the Barclays English Premier League for the 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons as it did not procure the rights to do so. Its carriage of Goal TV 1, Goal TV 2, ESPN, STAR Sports and STAR Cricket will also cease at the same time. The ESS channels were unavailable on StarHub's platform for 3 years until in December 2012, it was announced that ESPN, STAR Sports and STAR Cricket will return to StarHub on 14 December on a non-exclusive basis.
Rediffusion Singapore was added in to StarHub TV in October 2010 as RediGold, the first FM channel to hit cable TV. But due to declining listenership, Rediffusion announced that it will cease transmission on 1 May 2012, and its channel on StarHub TV will also cease at the same time. It is expected to resume broadcasting in 2013.
On 31 May 2011, StarHub TV's Channel 101 made way for ScreenSingapore Channel from Preview Channel from 1 - 19 June 2011. Afterwards, the channel was returned to Preview Channel.
On 29 December 2011, JimJam and JET TV ceased broadcasting on StarHub TV. Playin' TV was ceased on 15 February 2012 as well.
On 1 October 2012, Cricket Extra and NEO Cricket ceased broadcasting on StarHub TV, leaving TEN Cricket as an a la carte channel for $32.10/mth until when STAR Cricket was added in.
On February 2012 and January 2013, StarHub launched two new channels, Channel 114 and Channel 873 respectively, however not meant for new channels or permanent basis. They are coincidentally right next to the two KBS World channels to inform subscribers about when the channels have their last-day free-to-air and which groups they will be in respectively. Channel 110, the former Sunsilk Academy Fantasia channel, is still unused after October 2012.
In February, StarHub launched new packaging for the March brochure, but TTV World was not included. On 9 February 2013, TTV World ceased broadcasting on StarHub TV.
TV Anywhere [edit]
Starhub launched TV Anywhere currently consisting of 23 channels to allow viewing of channels on the go.[4]
Services & Features [edit]
- Games on Playin'TV/FunZone (All set-top boxes)
- Demand TV (HD Interactive, HubStation and Hubstation HD)
- Smart TV (Program or Series Recording Features) (HubStation and Hubstation HD)
- Free SurfLite 1000(Download: 1 Mbit/s Upload: 256kbit/s) (HubStation and Hubstation HD)
- Digital Voice Service (HubStation + Integrated Access Device (IAD))
- Chat/SMS (HubStation and Hubstation HD)
- Program Start Over Controlling (HD Interactive, Hubstation and Hubstation HD)
- Ability to subscribe channels via "Blue" button (HD Interactive, Hubstation and Hubstation HD)
- KaraOK!: Channel 888 (HD Interactive, Hubstation and Hubstation HD)
- Channel Finder via "*" Button
Models, Connection types and Prices (inc. of GST) of Set-top Boxes [edit]
Discontinued
- Analogue [Model: IDPBB, CT-1900] - Obsolete, no longer supported by Starhub
- Digital [Model: ABQ-1H57-SCV, DCI155HB, SCV-2110C] - Still supported
- HubStation (DVR/Smart TV) [Model: DCI62SHB] - Still supported
Current
- HD Interactive Set-top Box (HD) [Model: SCV-3800C, CISCO 4586DVB] - Main box w/GST: S$6.42/month, if used as additional box w/GST: S$14.98/month; Inputs: Component/Digital Audio (SPDIF)/HDMI
- HubStation HD (HD DVR/Smart TV) [Model: DC182SHB] - Main box w/GST: $14.98/month, if used as additional box w/GST: S$23.54/month; Inputs: Component/Digital Audio (SPDIF)/HDMI
A complimentary 1Mbit/s Internet Connection is provided for HubStation/HubStation HD set-top boxes.
The first set-top boxes were produced by Jerrold Communications from 1995 to 1998; after the Jerrold name went out of use, and following its subsequent acquisation by Motorola, the subsequent set-top boxes were produced by Motorola from 1998 to 2004. During that period, a second design was introduced, which is also seen in the commercial announcing the end of analogue cable transmission on 30 June 2009. The Digital, HD, Hubstation & Hubstation HD set-top boxes were made by Advanced Digital Broadcast and Thomson SA.
Smart Card [edit]
The smart card that StarHub TV provides are the Nagravision ones. It is given to all digital based set-top boxes. The digital, HD, Hubstation and Hubstation HD set-top boxes all use the same type of card. It is black on the top showing the StarHub's logo and name, and at the back, the card is white and has a golden chip that stores the subscriber's information and channels they subscribe to and there is a message saying, "do not remove the smart card from the set top box's slot to avoid service disruption".
References [edit]
Other websites [edit]
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