ObizGo

(Continued from Thai TV)

How it Works
Navigate to http://www.obizgo.com/ or http://obizgo.tv/. Log In or Register and make your donation by credit card or Pay Pal.


The ObizGo site can be viewed in Thai or English. Programing categories are listed in the left margin as well as in the body of the home page. There are eighteen categories in all: Thai Series, Asian Series, Sitcom, Talk Show, Thai Movies, Variety Show, Royal Documentary, News, Entertainment News, Music & Concert, Food & Travel, Asian Movies, Reality Show, Game Show, Documentary, Home & Garden, Sports and Cartoon. Although the major broadcast stations are represented, the programs are listed in alphabetical (Thai and Roman script) order, under each category.

When you select a program, you are directed to a page with all of the available episodes for that program. Some movies are divided into two episodes. You choose the episode that you want to watch by clicking its link. This is convenient for going back to watch previous episodes. It takes just a few seconds for an episode to buffer and start.

There are some strong advantages to watching Thai TV on ObizGo over other formats:

  • With the On-Demand format, you can watch whichever program or movie you want, when it’s convenient for you. With live formats, you have to watch programs at the scheduled time, which may not match your schedule.
  • All of the commercials and interludes between segments are cut out, so that it doesn’t take as long to watch a program.
  • The programming is a comprehensive sampling of what is being broadcast in Thailand. Satellite shows a composite of programs from the major broadcast stations.
  • Everything is done online-register, pay and watch. There is no need to find someone to install hardware or up-front costs associated with that hardware and its installation.
  • You can choose the length of service that fits your budget. If you want to save money, you can pay as much as one year in advance. If you want to pay as you go, you can pay for 15 or 3o days at a time.
  • Once you start watching, the program will not be interrupted to re-buffer, like with live internet feeds.



The Catch
The picture resolution of the programs is not nearly as high as satellite TV, especially when viewing in Full Screen mode. There are really only two options for screen size, 5 ¼ “ and Full Screen, with the former having the better resolution. Also, because the programs buffer as you watch, it is difficult to move back and forth within a program file.

Special Interest
I was pleased to find that there are three Thai cartoons-Krai Thong, Sri Ta Non Chai, and Sung Thong. These are listed in the Cartoon category under Ended. Although none of them are currently being broadcast, they do show that there is some promise for a Thai animation industry.


For Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) fans, you can watch hundreds of hours of past bouts from channels 5, 7 and 9, as well as new cards each week. In the old days, the TV Muay Thai offerings were rather weak, but this has changed over the years.


There is a wide variety of documentaries and other programs that you can help improve your vocabulary, as well.

Conclusion
For someone who is not interested in the cost of satellite equipment and its installation, but wants a more dependable service than free online TV, ObizGo is a great choice. The resolution, although far from perfect, is still good enough in Full Screen mode to watch on your TV screen. At $8.99 per month, it is cheaper than the cost of a movie ticket.


We’ve been watching ObizGo at home for over two months and are happy to pay the nine dollars. I am hoping that better options will become available, and therefore “donate” on a month-to-month basis. In the meantime, ObizGo is my favorite way to watch Thai TV, outside of Thailand.


http://obizgo.tv/