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.

Company history[link]

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 (Channel 218), Goal TV 2 (Channel 219), ESPN (Channel 294), STAR Sports (Channel 273) and STAR Cricket (Channel 233) will also cease at the same time.

List of channels by StarHub TV[link]

StarHub TV offers more than 100 over channels to choose from, special features, functions and services for their digital cable television subscription. The channels are grouped according to the following genres:

Channel listing[link]

Video-On-Demand (StarHub Demand TV)[link]

• On-Demand video/movie screening from Demand TV (VOD) portal

Former channels[link]

Services & Features[link]

• 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[link]

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[link]

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[link]

Other websites[link]

• StarHub TV's official website
• StarHub TV's Online Programme Guide

Bob Blumer is the host of Food Network's The Surreal Gourmet, Glutton for Punishment, and World's Weirdest Restaurants. He is also a cook book author and illustrator. Blumer was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, but now calls Los Angeles, California his home.^[1] Bob serves as an Ambassador to Second Harvest in Toronto spreading the word about food rescue and hunger relief.

Before cooking[link]

In 1981, Blumer graduated from the HBA program at the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.^[2] From 1984 to 1993 he was business manager for Canadian singer-songwriter Jane Siberry. Although his official website states he is a chef, Blumer has never worked as a chef in a professionally recognized setting.

Writer[link]

Books written by Blumer include:

• The Surreal Gourmet: Real Food for Pretend Chefs
• The Surreal Gourmet Entertains: High-fun, Low-Stress Dinner Parties for 6 - 12
• Off The Eaten Path: Inspired Recipes for Adventurous Cooks
• Glutton For Pleasure: Signature Recipes, Epic Stories, and Surreal Etiquette

World record attempts[link]

As part of an episode of Glutton for Punishment shot during the 2008 Calgary Stampede, Blumer set a Guinness World Record on July 10, 2008 by flipping 559 pancakes in one hour.^[3] This record has since been broken in 2009 by Steve Hamilton, who flipped a record 956.^[4]

Due to Blumer's success in Calgary, the next season of Glutton for Punishment featured attempts to break other world records. On June 12, 2010, Blumer broke the Guinness World Record for making the largest bowl of salsa at the 26th Tomato Fest in Jacksonville, Texas. Blumer and a crew of Jacksonville volunteers made a bowl weighing in at 2,672 pounds. The feat was filmed for Season 5 of his show Glutton for Punishment, which recorded Blumer's attempts to break six world's records.^[5]

On July 4, 2010, Bob Blumer broke the Guinness World Record for most pizzas made in an hour at the 14th Annual Corso Italia Festival in Toronto, Ontario. He made 168 pizzas in 60 minutes, complete with tomato sauce and cheese.^[6][7]

On August 30, 2010, Blumer broke the Guinness World Record for removing individual grains of rice from a bowl with chopsticks. He picked up 134 grains of rice in 3 minutes in Taiwan.^[8]

On July 10, 2010, Bob Blumer broke his sixth and final record of the record-breaking season, by setting the fastest time for peeling 50 pounds of onions. Blumer set the record in 2 minutes 39 seconds at the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival in Walla Walla, Washington, USA. ^{[9] [10]}

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• The Surreal Gourmet

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

Rachel Allen (born 21 March 1972, in Dublin) is an Irish celebrity chef, known for her work on television and as a writer. She appears regularly on Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).

Career as chef[link]

Allen went to the Ballymaloe Cookery School at the age of 18.^[1] After graduating from the school she cooked at the Ballymaloe House Hotel, eventually returning first to test recipes and then to teach at the school. She worked for a while as a caterer in Vancouver^{[citation needed]} before returning again to teach at Ballymaloe.

In September 2004, RTÉ broadcast Allen’s first series in Ireland Rachel's Favourite Food, which has also been broadcast in Australia, Italy, and elsewhere. A book, Rachel’s Favourite Food, accompanied the series, published by Gill & Macmillan. Two further TV series and books followed, Rachel’s Favourite Food for Friends and Rachel's Favourite Food At Home; reruns of the latter became part of Create's television schedule in the United States starting in September 2010.^[2]

Allen is a frequent guest on BBC's Saturday Kitchen, and is one of the presenters on the Good Food Channel Market Kitchen show. In 2008, she was in a series called Rachel Allen: Bake! for RTÉ.

Allen has written for many Irish publications, including three years with Irish lifestyle magazine Image and a weekly column in The Sunday Tribune Magazine. She has also contributed to BBC Good Food magazine and AWT At Home magazine.^{[citation needed]}

Allen designs a line of products for Tipperary Crystal, including crystal stemware, porcelain dinner sets, and kitchen/dining essentials.^{[citation needed]}