GMA Affordabox is a Philippine ISDB-Tb digital terrestrial television provider distributed and marketed by GMA New Media, a subsidiary of GMA Network. The service distributes digital set-top boxes and USB OTG dongles with free-to-air digital TV channels, broadcast markup language, emergency warning broadcast system, functional auto-on alert, digital display, and info display services to select areas in the Philippines.[1]
 | |
| Product type | |
|---|---|
| Owner | GMA Network, Inc. |
| Produced by | QiSheng Electronics Company Ltd. |
| Country | Philippines |
| Introduced | June 20, 2020 |
| Markets | Philippines |
| Ambassador(s) | For GMA Affordabox: Heart Evangelista Michael V. Marian Rivera Dingdong Dantes Richard Yap Bea Alonzo For GMA Now: Alden Richards |
| Website | www |
History
In June 2010, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) announced that it would adopt the ISDB-Tb standard for digital broadcasting and issued a circular commanding that all the Country's television networks to switch-off their analog services on December 31, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8).[2] Due to the delay of the release of implementing rules and regulations for digital television broadcast, the target date was moved to 2023, but it was later moved to 2026 due to constraints on the migration.[3]
In February 2013, GMA Network conducted field tests of digital broadcast using the Japanese standard ISDB-T in digital television on UHF Channel 27 (551.143 MHz), remaining unconvinced saying "European standard DVB-T2 is superior to ISDB-T."[4] In October 2013, the NTC issued a draft memorandum to adopt the Japanese/Brazilian standard as the sole standard in the delivery of digital terrestrial television (DTT) services in the Philippines.[5]
On May 15, 2019, GMA's digital broadcast was moved to its permanent frequency on Channel 15, due to its former frequency, Channel 27 being used by GMA News TV on June 4, 2019, as a deal between GMA and ZOE Broadcasting Network terminated, resulting to the channel's former frequency Channel 11 became silent on June 5, 2019.[6]
In June 2020, images of GMA's owned DTV set-top box were online and a teaser was revealed on June 17, 2020.[7] GMA Network launched GMA Affordabox on June 26, 2020 during Tutok to Win sa Wowowin.[1]
GMA Now
On December 12, 2020, GMA Network released its mobile dongle designed for USB OTG-capable Android smartphone, dubbed as GMA Now on Lazada and Shopee online.[8] It allows users to watch free-to-air channels on their Android smartphones and has features such as video-on-demand to stream GMA's online content, a web chat, and interactive promotions to join. It supports Picture-in-picture mode and screen recording. GMA Network launched GMA Now on February 7, 2021 during All-Out Sundays, and announced it will support for iPhone users.[9][10]
List of Channels
| Channel | Video | Aspect | Short name | Programming | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.01 | 480i | 16:9 | GMA | GMA (Main DZBB-TV programming) | Commercial broadcast (15 kW) |
| 7.02 | GTV | GTV | |||
| 7.03 | HEART OF ASIA | Heart of Asia | |||
| 7.06 | HALLYPOP | Hallypop | |||
| 7.07 | I HEART MOVIES | I Heart Movies | |||
| 7.08 | PINOY HITS | Pinoy Hits | |||
| 7.09 | (UNNAMED) | Test feed | Black screen | ||
| 7.11 | |||||
| 7.21 | 240p | GMA 1-Seg | GMA | 1seg broadcast |
1 For Mega Manila only, channel and frequency varies on regional stations.
Channel and frequency
| Branding | Callsign | UHF Channel # | Frequency | Area of coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMA Manila | DZBB-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Metro Manila |
| GMA Dagupan | DZEA-TV | 38 (Digital test broadcast) | 617.143 MHz | Dagupan and Baguio/Northern Luzon and Central Luzon |
| GMA Mountain Province | DZVG-TV | 29 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 563.143 MHz | Mountain Province/Cordillera Administrative Region |
| GMA Ilocos Norte | D-5-AS-TV | 24 (Digital test broadcast) | 533.143 MHz | Laoag, Ilocos Norte/Northern Luzon |
| GMA Ilocos Sur | DWBC-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Abra and Ilocos Sur/Northern Luzon |
| GMA Isabela | DWLE-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Santiago and Isabela/Cagayan Valley |
| GMA Olongapo | DWNS-TV | 38 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 617.143 MHz | Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan/Central Luzon |
| GMA Batangas | D-12-ZB-TV | 32 (Digital test broadcast) | 581.143 MHz | Batangas/Calabarzon |
| GMA Naga | DWAI-TV | 38 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 617.143 MHz | Naga/Bicol Region |
| GMA Legazpi | DWLA-TV | 41 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 635.143 MHz | Legazpi/Bicol Region |
| GMA Roxas | DYAM-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Roxas/Western Visayas |
| GMA Iloilo | DYXX-TV | 29 (Digital test broadcast) | 563.143 MHz | Iloilo/Western Visayas |
| GMA Murcia | DYAQ-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Murcia/Negros Occidental |
| GMA Bacolod | DYGM-TV | 44 (Digital test broadcast) | 653.143 MHz | Bacolod/Negros Occidental |
| GMA Cebu | DYSS-TV | 26 (Digital test broadcast) | 545.143 MHz | Metro Cebu/Central Visayas |
| GMA Dumaguete | D-5-YB-TV | 22 (Digital test broadcast) | 527.143 MHz | Dumaguete, Negros Oriental/Central Visayas |
| GMA Tacloban | DYCL-TV | 34 (Digital Test broadcast) | 593.143 MHz | Tacloban City/Eastern Visayas |
| GMA Zamboanga | DXLA-TV | 41 (Digital Test broadcast) | 635.143 MHz | Zamboanga City/Zamboanga Peninsula |
| GMA Cagayan de Oro | DXJC-TV | 47 (Digital test broadcast) | 671.143 MHz | Metro Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental/Northern Mindanao |
| GMA Ozamiz | DXGM-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Ozamiz, Misamis Occidental/Northern Mindanao |
| GMA Bukidnon | DXMK-TV | 44 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 653.143 MHz | Mount Kitanglad, Bukidnon/Northern Mindanao |
| GMA Iligan | DXRV-TV | 33 (Digital Test broadcast) | 587.143 MHz | Iligan/Lanao del Norte/Northern Mindanao |
| GMA Davao | DXMJ-TV | 37 (Digital test broadcast) | 611.143 MHz | Metro Davao/Davao Region |
| GMA General Santos | DXBG-TV | 34 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 593.143 MHz | General Santos, South Cotabato/Soccsksargen |
| GMA Kidapawan | DXBV-TV | 26 (Digital Test Broadcast) | 545.143 MHz | Kidapawan, North Cotabato/Soccsksargen |
| GMA Butuan | DXBM-TV | 15 (Digital test broadcast) | 479.143 MHz | Butuan/Caraga |