Ah finally, Malaysia has HD – I have to admit ever since it first started to get popular (the whole Bluray vs HD-DVD war) I have been a HD junkie. I just can’t get enough detail and the new sound formats just blow me away (DTS-HD anyone?).
Astro has come up with a HD offering – Astro B.yond! Astro B.yond is not only a HD service as Astro B.yond will also introduce Digital Video Recording (DVR), Video on Demand (VOD) and other features in the next few months.
They held a bloggers night on January 13th at Modesto’s, Desa Sri Hartamas, which we all of course happily attended. What do bloggers do when they first arrive somewhere, do they go around and greet everyone? Of course not, they whip their cameras out and start taking pictures!
Of course shortly after that, everyone gets hungry…although even if they are starving to the point of fainting – they must take pictures of the food first!
The pizza was just an appetizer, everyone was eagerly waiting for the activities to start, there was quite a crowd gathered.
Whilst waiting everyone was checking out the HD TVs displaying snippets of Astro HD content and upcoming movies on HBO HD as well as other upcoming programmes on Astro SuperSports HD, History HD and National Geographic HD.
Non (of Lite.fm and Deal or No Deal fame) was the ever professional emcee for the evening who promptly briefed us about the new HD experience and introduced Henry Tan to the stage (the COO of Astro).
Henry briefed us a little more about the new services and the improvements and then showed us the new jaw-dropping Astro B.yond HD commercial demonstrating the details available in the Astro B.yond broadcasts. One thing I love about the service is that we can wave goodbye to good old stereo sound and say hello to Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound!
And of course then came the moment all us bloggers have been waiting for, our very own HD commercial! Here’s my face in HD, not a pretty sight I can tell you.
The bloggers featured (as I can remember and met that day) were myself of course along with:
- Kimberlycun
- Kyspeaks
- Xes.cx
- Redmummy
- Beautiful Nara
- Sultan Muzaffar
- Tziaa
- Sixthseal
- Budiey
- ThePinkStilettos
Featuring such a wide range of bloggers it was a very entertaining and interesting commercial. I’ll post the video up here when it’s online! And well after that was food time!
Then there was a very interesting drum performance while everyone filled their stomachs in preparation for the activities.
After that it was time for the games to begin, the premise was of a basic murder mystery with clues scattered around the venue hidden inside printed pictures (only visible when using a magnifying glass). We were split into groups of 5 and were all competing against each other (there were 20 groups) for the main prize of a 32″ LG LCD TV and a 1 year subscription to Astro B.yond.
The clues could not be seen with the naked eye and in most cases couldn’t be seen with the magnifying glass either because it was too dark! However I did discover that my er ‘digital magnifying glass’ could detect the clues.
If you still can’t read it, it says “The killer is wearing red blood spattered from the murder” – whilst not grammatically correct it does convey the right idea (the person was wearing red). After the winning team got the right answer (my team of course!) the scenario was reenacted.
Huai Bin got murdered by Fresh because of his tryst with his gay lover Robb…or something like that. You can also join the Astro Fanpage on Facebook and play an online version of the game here – Murder in the details (there are 10 more sets of Astro B.yond + 32″ HDTV to be won).
Our team composed of 5 members (Eric, Terence, KY, Horng and myself) and we had to compete against each other after winning to decide which one of us would get the grand prize.
We were each asked questions about the Astro B.yond service and whoever reached 3 points first won the grand prize! Unfortunately it was not me…I guessed the microsite URL byond.astro.com.my instead of astro.com.my/byond! Arghh…Eric won!
After that we partied on and celebrated our team win, we even got treated to a bartop dance by Huai Bin himself.
It was a great night, and personally I can’t wait to get my hands on an Astro B.yond set.
There are also 2 more sets of Astro B.yond + 32″ HDTV to be given away for bloggers who attended, the details are on the Nuffnang blog here:
2 More Astro B.yond Experience to be Given Away
If you wish to subscribe to Astro B.yond, you can do so at www.astro.com.my/byond or call the hotline (1300-82-3838).
The full set of pictures are here:
HuaiBin FTW!!
LOL at xes but agreed HuaiBin FTW!! Now looking properly at the HD vid … u kinda look like a white ah long (gold chain included):P
Heh! You’re right about the clues – one of the copy is actually printed out wrong, it’s a combination of two.
I think most of the innit members already posted roughly the same pictures. Except that you include with those foods.
Most of the one I read have no food pictures in it. They particularly have some scene of a dead man (Fake one). Anyway nice pictures.
Regards from cr3ap
http://cr3ap85.blogspot.com/
hehehehehehe the clues were somewhat damn too small to read – even with the magnifying glass.
What was more important to see the clues were the BRIGHT LIGHTS!
How come shaolin tiger’s English so localized…?
the blogger’s HD video is up ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvjtJFUDp8o =)
Win it win it!!!
i see many skinny bitches!!!!!
Loving HD all the way. Since the introduction of Blu-Ray. The only problem now is I need to get a Full HD tv at home before can subscribe to b.yond!
th_c you should hear him order 100 plus in canto. Its the best thing that ever happen to me in my life.
xes: He’s one crazy dewd.
Aza: Hahaha I have to agree with you!
Huai Bin: Ah no wonder it was so cacat.
cr3ap: Thanks for your insight.
ericyong77: Yah they weren’t that hard to read, the problem was it was so freaking dark.
th_c: Why not?
saimatkong: Yah I know, thanks for the link
KY: I want to find a contest to win a full HD 46″ or above TV haha.
Cheesie: Yah it’s like hanging out with a bunch of chopsticks.
JD: Yah can’t get enough of it, it’s ok prices are tumbling now I think you get a 42″ full HD TV for 3k+
haze: LOL yat bat ho!
wonder out pork gang is u..wakakaka…good job man
Wow, that’s nice… for RM20 more a month, gimme an Astro Byond box please!
your photogaphy skill is awesome. how do you get to capture the clue? i can’t read the clue even with the magnifying glass.
nikel: Thanks
Irenelim: Yah I’m gonna get it in my new house, HD is great!
Azizul: Heh thanks, it’s heavily cropped but I could see on my camera LCD at 100%.