Thanks bucko. thats' great.

Bucko is this an FTA satellite setup? The keys don't change THAT often for the DirecTV or Dish Network satellites...I'm still trying to figure out exactly what this is...I used a Viewsat box back in the states and had to change the keys perhaps once or twice a year, info freely available from the internet.

This is a total 100% digital system It is what all systems are going to now. No more "sat" cards as you used in the past. While these unit CAN use smart cards, they are nothing like the function of the old cards. These smart cards are called subscription cards and are issues by the local cable companies. This type of system cannot be hacked because they communicate with a secure server and not the bird itself. They require the server to constantly send new codes along with the video stream or they stop working. The set up here is that this company uses a "cardshareing" scheme and therefore does not require a smart card in the box. The box uses the internet to connect to this server and "share" the keys from a central card. You pay 200 RMB for the privilage of connecting to this server. Most countries have the same scheme but charge anywhere from $20-$60 a month. This is a damn cheap bargin in CHina no doubt.
I used to wash and program the old cards, that is now a thing of the past. All these systems are going off line now.

Bucko what channels are you able to get that you can't get on the dream satellite set up with card. That's what I have now and though it's not the greatest it's TV. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to put out that much money. Thanks for all your info on it.

Some of these channels don't work, but for the most part here is a listing.

[V] CBSat
Asia News Network
AXN
BBC
BisData
BLOOM
CCTV-1
CCTV-10
CCTV-11
CCTV-12
CCTV-2
CCTV-5
CCTV-6
CCTV-7
CCTV-8
CCTV-F
CCTV-K
CELES
CETV
CETV-1
CETV-2
CETV-Sky
CINEMAX
CNBC
CNN
CNR-1
CNR-2
CNR-3
CNR-4
CNR-5
CNR-6
CNR-7
CQTV
CRI
CUBA
DISCOVERY
EAST
EEPG
ESPN
EUROS
GSTV
GZTV
HALLMARK
HBO
HENTV
HOR
HUNTV
KBS
LIVE1
MAG
MAS
MTV 1
NGC
NHK
NMHR
NMMR
NMTV
NOW
PHOE1
PHOEC
PHOEN
QHTV
RAD_1
RAD_2
RAD_3
SCTV
SHXTV
STAR1
STARS
SUN
TEST-1
TEST-2
TEST-3
TEST-5
TEST-6
TEST-7
TEST-8
TEST-9
TV5
TVB
TVB8
XINGK
XJHR
XJWR
XZHR
XZZR
YNTV
01-CCTV-1
02-PHOENIX

03-PHOENIX

04-FASHION TV
05-Channel Harmonic 1
06-MASTV
07-ATV
09-TVB8
10-TVB XINGHE
11-TVBS
12598V SID

12720V SID

12-TVBSG
13-TVBSN
14-UBNNEWS
15-HALLLMARK
16-ZHUJIANG
17-CCTV-NEWS
18-CMC
19-CETV
20-MTV
21-CCTV-10
22-LOVE TV
23-CCTV
24-CELESTIAL TV
33-Channel TVBJ

Asia Plus
AXN
B10
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8
B9
BBC World News
BEIJING
Cartoon NetWk
CCTV 4
CCTV 9
CCTV OPERA
CEN
Ch63
Channel 18
CNBC HK
CNN 2
DimSum S
Discovery
Discovery T&L
Entertainment
Finance Info Ch
FUJIAN
GUANGDONG
Harmonic
HK
HMC 1
HUMAX
HUNAN
i-CABLE Sports
JIANGSU
KBS World
Live News Ch
Macau Channel
Movies 1
MTV 2
NBA TV
Odds Express
PGA Tour
SEXY 1
SEXY 2
SEXY 3
SEXY 4
SEXY 5
SHANGHAI
SHENZHENG
Soccer Betting
Super Soccer
TAIWAN
TAIWAN DONGSHEN CHILDREN
TAIWAN DONGSHEN GENERAL
TAIWAN DONGSHEN NEWS
TAIWAN DONGSHEN SHOW
TAIWAN GONGSHI
TAIWAN HUA SHI
TAIWAN MING SHI
TAIWAN NEWS
TAIWAN STOCK MKT
TAIWAN STOCK MKT 2
TAIWAN ZHONG TIAN YI

TAIWAN ZHONGSHEN GENERAL 36
TAIWAN ZHONGSHI TAIWAN 1
TAIWAN ZHONGTIAN

TVBS

WORLD FASHION
XIAMEN

Hello regarding the satellite TV? how much does it cost per month? kindly email me:[email protected]

I am using the same system as Bucko for about a month now. The key updates over the Internet are transparent so there is no noticeable downtime except the Apster bird does go down sometimes probably due to key changes. This may occur from a few minutes to a few hours. Apster carries the movie channels.
The Dream Box that comes with this system has optical audio and component video (three red, blue, green cables) which outputs 720I to an HD TV

There are no monthly fees. You pay only 200 RMB per year which is for the Internet server connection which maintains your signal.

Does this internet system still use a dish that points in the same direction as the dreamstar set up. We just moved to a new apartment on the first floor and our dream star with the bolt box set won't pick up a signal here. We really want some English TV and we would like to get this digital set up if it will work. But of course I don't want to spend that much money on something that won't work.

It may nor may not work for you. They will test it there before you have to pay. Worth a try.

bucko,

out of interest, which way does the satellite face? we've just had a satellite installed but its the thai one and i think i'd prefer the one you have. If its also a southwestern direction we could just swap. Also the dreambox we have only has standard output which on our tv looks crap, would prefer the upscaling with component output you mentioned.

Do the hbo channels have chinese subtitles? That would be preferable to the Thai subtitles we currently have.