mmmig
14-04-2010, 04:27 PM
It's clear why DSTV increased prices. Why should we all be forced to pay for HD on the Premium Bouquet if we don't want to. I know it's pointless for me to say this but they should charge separate for the HD channels
View Full Version : DSTV is forcing normal subcribers to supplement HD viewers.
Quantum Theory
14-04-2010, 04:37 PM
Oh please...
Vamichi
14-04-2010, 04:38 PM
Couldn't agree more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
isie
14-04-2010, 04:38 PM
but those of us on HD do pay more then those on the normal premium bouqet R65 more :(
Vamichi
14-04-2010, 04:40 PM
What about those of us with an SD PVR and also paying R65 more :)
Dyl106
14-04-2010, 04:41 PM
I don't see the point of HD ... so you get better colour ... big woop in my opinion. The day I buy HD is the day you don't find SD tv's on the market ... it's like dvd vs vcr ... do you know where you can buy a VCR? VCR/DVD combo does not count!
Quantum Theory
14-04-2010, 04:52 PM
I don't see the point of HD ... so you get better colour ... big woop in my opinion. The day I buy HD is the day you don't find SD tv's on the market ... it's like dvd vs vcr ... do you know where you can buy a VCR? VCR/DVD combo does not count!
Do you still use one of these?
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/images/2008/10/16/486hubble.jpg
Do you still use one of these?
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/images/2008/10/16/486hubble.jpg
Dyl106
14-04-2010, 04:56 PM
LOL - God what is that? :)
Alan
14-04-2010, 04:57 PM
Do you still use one of these?
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/images/2008/10/16/486hubble.jpg
ROFL :D
LOL - God what is that? :)
*facepalm*
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/images/2008/10/16/486hubble.jpg
ROFL :D
LOL - God what is that? :)
*facepalm*
isie
14-04-2010, 04:57 PM
I don't see the point of HD ... so you get better colour ... big woop in my opinion. The day I buy HD is the day you don't find SD tv's on the market ... it's like dvd vs vcr ... do you know where you can buy a VCR? VCR/DVD combo does not count!
vcr for sale :)
https://www.liquorish.co.za/order.php?productid=1402
vcr for sale :)
https://www.liquorish.co.za/order.php?productid=1402
bleh69
14-04-2010, 04:57 PM
How old you Dyl??? 40+? 50+?
Cause it takes a blind man not to see the difference between 360 lines and 1080 lines. Its not better colour, its higher resolution. much higher. and if you gonna bother spending hours staring at a glass faced box, you might as well do it in style or not at all...
: )
Cause it takes a blind man not to see the difference between 360 lines and 1080 lines. Its not better colour, its higher resolution. much higher. and if you gonna bother spending hours staring at a glass faced box, you might as well do it in style or not at all...
: )
isie
14-04-2010, 04:59 PM
LOL - God what is that? :)
lol old pentium 486 :) back in the 90's that was top of the range :)
lol old pentium 486 :) back in the 90's that was top of the range :)
Rouxenator
14-04-2010, 05:00 PM
The least DStv could do is to give SD subscribers like me a WideScreen signal to fill up all 48 inches of my LCD. Seriously, if you can afford R600 per month for DStv you are part of the minority if you still use a 4:3 CRT monitor. Rather let them see cut off images than let 16:9 viewers have 20% of their screen real estate robbed by black bars !
Rouxenator
14-04-2010, 05:02 PM
lol old pentium 486 :)
Pentium came after 486. Cyrix and AMD make 5x86 and 6x86 CPUs to compete with Pentium.
Pentium came after 486. Cyrix and AMD make 5x86 and 6x86 CPUs to compete with Pentium.
Imoe
14-04-2010, 05:32 PM
I don't see the point of HD ... so you get better colour ... big woop in my opinion. The day I buy HD is the day you don't find SD tv's on the market ... it's like dvd vs vcr ... do you know where you can buy a VCR? VCR/DVD combo does not count!
Its just not color, the image is sharper and the picture quality better. Watched the Chelsea Bolton game last night on HD and switched to the normal channel.....Huge huge difference. The normal channels quality just looked cwap.
Its just not color, the image is sharper and the picture quality better. Watched the Chelsea Bolton game last night on HD and switched to the normal channel.....Huge huge difference. The normal channels quality just looked cwap.
isie
14-04-2010, 06:57 PM
Pentium came after 486. Cyrix and AMD make 5x86 and 6x86 CPUs to compete with Pentium.
meant to type intel 486 sorry :)
meant to type intel 486 sorry :)
Dyl106
14-04-2010, 07:07 PM
How old you Dyl??? 40+? 50+?
Cause it takes a blind man not to see the difference between 360 lines and 1080 lines. Its not better colour, its higher resolution. much higher. and if you gonna bother spending hours staring at a glass faced box, you might as well do it in style or not at all...
: )
I'm 20 (far from 40) but my point really is what happened when DVD players first entered the market ... they retailed for R1800 etc now look today you can pick them up for as little as R200 (okay those are crappy ones) probs R400 for a decent one. So why pay R5000 upwards when in 3 - 4 years the prices are bound to come down and make way for the next big wave. But HD really is just a fad for me ... I have had a chance to use the technology but it's just personal pref.
Cause it takes a blind man not to see the difference between 360 lines and 1080 lines. Its not better colour, its higher resolution. much higher. and if you gonna bother spending hours staring at a glass faced box, you might as well do it in style or not at all...
: )
I'm 20 (far from 40) but my point really is what happened when DVD players first entered the market ... they retailed for R1800 etc now look today you can pick them up for as little as R200 (okay those are crappy ones) probs R400 for a decent one. So why pay R5000 upwards when in 3 - 4 years the prices are bound to come down and make way for the next big wave. But HD really is just a fad for me ... I have had a chance to use the technology but it's just personal pref.
Dyl106
14-04-2010, 07:08 PM
vcr for sale :)
https://www.liquorish.co.za/order.php?productid=1402
I'm pretty sure you got my point ... I'm aware you can "SOURCE" VCR's nowadays ... but I don't recall walking into Game and seeing dozens on sale.
https://www.liquorish.co.za/order.php?productid=1402
I'm pretty sure you got my point ... I'm aware you can "SOURCE" VCR's nowadays ... but I don't recall walking into Game and seeing dozens on sale.
isie
14-04-2010, 07:59 PM
I'm pretty sure you got my point ... I'm aware you can "SOURCE" VCR's nowadays ... but I don't recall walking into Game and seeing dozens on sale.
im just messing with you man :)
i disagree with yuo on the HD being a fad, it will be the standard in a few years time, the rest of the world have way more then 2 or 3 HD chanels, you are correct in stating that the price will come down in the near future but thats the nature of the world we live in new technology will always cost a premium and you will always have early adopters willing to take the risk an buy into it just to be first, any marketing guys around will agree with me
im just messing with you man :)
i disagree with yuo on the HD being a fad, it will be the standard in a few years time, the rest of the world have way more then 2 or 3 HD chanels, you are correct in stating that the price will come down in the near future but thats the nature of the world we live in new technology will always cost a premium and you will always have early adopters willing to take the risk an buy into it just to be first, any marketing guys around will agree with me
Madman88
14-04-2010, 08:34 PM
@ Dyl106
Do you wear glasses by any chance? No? Go get your eyes tested :D. For sure, HD is way better than SD. The watching sd is like looking thu a window smeared with a thin layer of Vaseline.
Do you wear glasses by any chance? No? Go get your eyes tested :D. For sure, HD is way better than SD. The watching sd is like looking thu a window smeared with a thin layer of Vaseline.
Mennu
14-04-2010, 08:53 PM
I'm 20 (far from 40) but my point really is what happened when DVD players first entered the market ... they retailed for R1800 etc now look today you can pick them up for as little as R200 (okay those are crappy ones) probs R400 for a decent one. So why pay R5000 upwards when in 3 - 4 years the prices are bound to come down and make way for the next big wave. But HD really is just a fad for me ... I have had a chance to use the technology but it's just personal pref.
When you say you had a chance to use it ... what exactly was your HD Experience?
And honestly, irrespective of being 20 or 40, do you seriously believe HD is a fad?
The Atkins Diet, that was a fad mate.
When you say you had a chance to use it ... what exactly was your HD Experience?
And honestly, irrespective of being 20 or 40, do you seriously believe HD is a fad?
The Atkins Diet, that was a fad mate.
zambussi
15-04-2010, 06:39 AM
A 20 something yr old who doesn't believe in HD ? Now that's one for the record books. Try watching bluray and comparing to VCR. If you still don't see the point, then look for an optician QUICKLY !
greg_SA
15-04-2010, 09:47 AM
I'm 20 (far from 40) but my point really is what happened when DVD players first entered the market ... they retailed for R1800 etc now look today you can pick them up for as little as R200 (okay those are crappy ones) probs R400 for a decent one. So why pay R5000 upwards when in 3 - 4 years the prices are bound to come down and make way for the next big wave. But HD really is just a fad for me ... I have had a chance to use the technology but it's just personal pref.
Technology always gets cheaper with time... I don't think anyone will deny that! If you are happy to stay with technology that is many years old, then you can save a lot of money. However, most people like to remain relatively up to date with technology, as they feel the benefits are worth the price.
The whole idea with HDTV is that you can have a bigger screen. If you have a 54cm TV, then no, HD is not for you. If you have or would like a 50" screen then HD allows you to have that big screen without degrading the quality of the picture. So you need a big screen to see the advantage.
By the way, I don't have an HDTV, but thinking that HDTV is a fad is just nuts... By "fad" do you you mean that people are very enthusiastic about is now in the short term, and later the technology will fade away, or will the technology just become the norm?
If you think HDTV will fade away, and not get used, then you are dreaming... If you think it will become the norm, you're right, but this applies to all new technology/products - with that logic, any new technology is just a fad.
Technology always gets cheaper with time... I don't think anyone will deny that! If you are happy to stay with technology that is many years old, then you can save a lot of money. However, most people like to remain relatively up to date with technology, as they feel the benefits are worth the price.
The whole idea with HDTV is that you can have a bigger screen. If you have a 54cm TV, then no, HD is not for you. If you have or would like a 50" screen then HD allows you to have that big screen without degrading the quality of the picture. So you need a big screen to see the advantage.
By the way, I don't have an HDTV, but thinking that HDTV is a fad is just nuts... By "fad" do you you mean that people are very enthusiastic about is now in the short term, and later the technology will fade away, or will the technology just become the norm?
If you think HDTV will fade away, and not get used, then you are dreaming... If you think it will become the norm, you're right, but this applies to all new technology/products - with that logic, any new technology is just a fad.
Rouxenator
15-04-2010, 09:49 AM
Before HD can become norm they first need to make 16:9 the norm.
Currently on DSTv only MM1, MM2 and HD shows 16:9 content.
Currently on DSTv only MM1, MM2 and HD shows 16:9 content.
isie
15-04-2010, 10:11 AM
Anyone else remeber when dstv fisrt came out back in 1995/1996 the decoder cost about R4000/4500 and now its about R500. Hd decoder on the other hand is about R3000.
and R4000 back in 1995 was worth alot more then it is today :) my brother sold his datsun SSS for less than that :)
and R4000 back in 1995 was worth alot more then it is today :) my brother sold his datsun SSS for less than that :)
jvk
15-04-2010, 10:16 AM
anyone else having quality problems of late ? i mean picture and sound on the normal decoder (the small crappy ones) mine used to work well but the last two weeks i've noticed a quality drop in picture and sound. more times than not it freezes for a second or two these days ... a bit fraustrating when watching a programme and it freezes every few minutes.
dont think its my decoder its basically brand new (less than 4 months old)
dont think its my decoder its basically brand new (less than 4 months old)
mmmig
15-04-2010, 10:18 AM
DSTV virtually turning their back on SD, case in point they no longer sell SD PVRs
Rouxenator
15-04-2010, 10:21 AM
Yet 95% of their content is still 4:3 SD ?!
That makes no sense. If they were serious about HD they would start to get the aspect ratio ready so that it actually fits HD displays.
That makes no sense. If they were serious about HD they would start to get the aspect ratio ready so that it actually fits HD displays.
Synaesthesia
15-04-2010, 12:12 PM
The least DStv could do is to give SD subscribers like me a WideScreen signal to fill up all 48 inches of my LCD. Seriously, if you can afford R600 per month for DStv you are part of the minority if you still use a 4:3 CRT monitor. Rather let them see cut off images than let 16:9 viewers have 20% of their screen real estate robbed by black bars !
I switch the zoom feature of my TV, depending on which channel I'm on. It's annoying, but the problem is, if they make everything widescreen, is what do people with old TV's do?
I switch the zoom feature of my TV, depending on which channel I'm on. It's annoying, but the problem is, if they make everything widescreen, is what do people with old TV's do?
Rouxenator
15-04-2010, 12:24 PM
Firstly people with old TVs are getting sidelined because the focus is on HD - something their sets cannot do. Secondly, if you can afford DStv you will most likely have a 16:9 flat TV of sorts. Lastly, instead of black barring people with 16:9 TVs (who are in the majority) rather black bar or pan scan people with 4:3 sets. The decoder does this (much like DVD players do).
EDIT : I think they already do this with MovieMagic. The picture has a 16:9 aspect ration (despite being 720x576) so the decoder outputs it directly to the TV if it is set to 16:9 display. For 4:3 displays it will pan scan the image. Now if only they could do this for all the channels....
EDIT : I think they already do this with MovieMagic. The picture has a 16:9 aspect ration (despite being 720x576) so the decoder outputs it directly to the TV if it is set to 16:9 display. For 4:3 displays it will pan scan the image. Now if only they could do this for all the channels....
greg_SA
15-04-2010, 01:23 PM
I switch the zoom feature of my TV, depending on which channel I'm on. It's annoying, but the problem is, if they make everything widescreen, is what do people with old TV's do?
People with old TVs (4:3) just use the decoder to either letter box or crop the 16:9 image, as is the case on the movie channels (MM1 and MM2). I think almost all the decoders can do this. The funny thing is that on channels like Mnet, most TV shows are 16:9 originally, and then black bars are added to the image to make them fix in 4:3, and then this is broadcast. The sad thing is that a part of the 720x576 resolution is being wasted on to black bars :( What they should be doing, is broadcasting the 16:9 image in the full 720x576 resolution (anamorphic) and then let the decoder add the black bars if necessary for a 4:3 TV.
People with old TVs (4:3) just use the decoder to either letter box or crop the 16:9 image, as is the case on the movie channels (MM1 and MM2). I think almost all the decoders can do this. The funny thing is that on channels like Mnet, most TV shows are 16:9 originally, and then black bars are added to the image to make them fix in 4:3, and then this is broadcast. The sad thing is that a part of the 720x576 resolution is being wasted on to black bars :( What they should be doing, is broadcasting the 16:9 image in the full 720x576 resolution (anamorphic) and then let the decoder add the black bars if necessary for a 4:3 TV.
Rouxenator
15-04-2010, 01:54 PM
I am so glad someone finally understand my problem !
I bought a 48" LCD and I have a DVD recorded that upscales to 1080P. MM1 and MM2 looks fine on the TV and so does DVDs and downloaded Xvid TV episodes - all of which gets upscaled. Sadly my effective viewing size on all other DStv channels are down graded to about 42" with a resolution of about 640x480 :(
I bought a 48" LCD and I have a DVD recorded that upscales to 1080P. MM1 and MM2 looks fine on the TV and so does DVDs and downloaded Xvid TV episodes - all of which gets upscaled. Sadly my effective viewing size on all other DStv channels are down graded to about 42" with a resolution of about 640x480 :(
Knersus
15-04-2010, 02:24 PM
@ Dyl106
Do you wear glasses by any chance? No? Go get your eyes tested :D. For sure, HD is way better than SD. The watching sd is like looking thu a window smeared with a thin layer of Vaseline.
LOL, well said!
If you can't see the difference between HD you are either trying to watch it on a normal SD CRT screen, or you must have serious eye problems.
Do you wear glasses by any chance? No? Go get your eyes tested :D. For sure, HD is way better than SD. The watching sd is like looking thu a window smeared with a thin layer of Vaseline.
LOL, well said!
If you can't see the difference between HD you are either trying to watch it on a normal SD CRT screen, or you must have serious eye problems.
mmmig
15-04-2010, 02:39 PM
I'm willing to bet over a 1/4 of compact viewers also have HDTV, Not to mention that regular TVs are going digital and none of the SD TVs support Digital signals, hell I wouldn't be surprised E-TV broadcasting in HD within the next 5 years has for the SABC maybe the next 25 years. HD is becoming the standard internationally.
isie
15-04-2010, 03:19 PM
from what i recall sabc are suposed to broadcast the world cup in HD
greg_SA
15-04-2010, 03:53 PM
from what i recall sabc are suposed to broadcast the world cup in HD
The SABC have to be able to supply broadcasters with HD video of the matches, but that doesn't mean that SABC have to broadcast that locally to South Africans.
The SABC have to be able to supply broadcasters with HD video of the matches, but that doesn't mean that SABC have to broadcast that locally to South Africans.