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Question of the Day: Will you be subscribing to the new Disney+ R49 streaming package?
Digital Goes The Aerial Route
- Thread starter rpm
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werner said:
The only thing I will love about this is the spectrum getting freed up for more useful stuff such as wireless data networks. I don’t care for digital TV since it will have little bearing on the actual content - it will simply mean I could watch the endless sports, music shows and soapies in crystal clarity. As indicated in the article I may even be so lucky as to get a few extra channels of endless sports, music shows and soapies to choose from.
Digital TV has been something they have been talking about or a while now, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen. I am guessing that it is still many years away.
As for Multichoice providing a HD channel, the idea seems laughable considering how poor the quality most of their current broadcasts are – and DSTV is already digital which makes it all the more shocking.
Let’s hope digital and regional TV shakes up and opens up the broadcasting industry here, DSTV desperately need some competition.
sybawoods
Expert Member
Don't confuse the name DSTV with digital television. I'm not a techy guru on this, so stand to be corrected, but the digital component of DSTV refers to the fact that they use digital compression on their satellite transponders. It simply means they get to squeeze more channels on one transponder, as opposed to older analogue satellite transmissions. It has no relationship whatsoever to digital television broadcasts as referred to in this article.pookfuzz said:
Nick333
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pookfuzz said:
I agree. And with the time scope involved (I'm guessing about 20 years for total conversion if the UK plans on 10) I can't help thinking that terrestrial Tv will be obsolete by then anyway, what with wimax and iptv and such.
you guys dont get excited very easily do you...
ok, so instead of moaning about how expensive dstv is and the per monthly fees, this announcement basically says" soon-ish you will pay a one-off fee of R500 for a decoder and have probably upwards of 40 tv channels and 60 radio channels available forever, with no repeat monthly charges"
/sarcasm/ ya, sounds like a **** deal to me too
ok, so instead of moaning about how expensive dstv is and the per monthly fees, this announcement basically says" soon-ish you will pay a one-off fee of R500 for a decoder and have probably upwards of 40 tv channels and 60 radio channels available forever, with no repeat monthly charges"
/sarcasm/ ya, sounds like a **** deal to me too
sybawoods
Expert Member
werner said:
lol - beer splurting moment.
Nick333
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werner said:
naw man i just dont watch that much TV to start with. I dont think it'll be quite as great as you think though. Dont forget that the main reason we dont have more channels is that they cost money and require advertising to run, theres actually quite a bit of space existing on the UHF band that is unused as it is. I can see a scenario where DTT is used mainly for pay TV channels. Which is great if someone can give DSTV a good run for their money.
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i figured out that much...some folks just dont watch much tv (myself included) but I can tell you that the digital tv service in the uk is giving the cable tv operators as well as SKY a run for their money. For people that werent able to pay the repeat monthly fees, they can now buy a decoder for around £40 and receive 40 channels instead of 5. It is a complete and absolute no-brainer. And the cable tv and SKY customers are starting to wonder why they pay £30 a month when their neighbour pays nothing.
Sure, quality of programming does come into it, but the more channels you have the more choice is available (just sift through more cr@p to find the good stuff)
I know many folks wont be overly thrilled, but this announcement is the biggest change in how tv is viewed in s.a. since the 70's.
Sure, quality of programming does come into it, but the more channels you have the more choice is available (just sift through more cr@p to find the good stuff)
I know many folks wont be overly thrilled, but this announcement is the biggest change in how tv is viewed in s.a. since the 70's.
werner said:
Yes, perhaps all to often we are negative.
However I cannot shake the feeling that the whole digital TV thing is somewhat pointless. After all we already have the capability to beam TV to every single home in South Africa in a digital format, why bother spending all that money on terrestrial broadcasters when they could just as easily use satellite. The satellites are already up there, are likely cheaper to run and will have a much better coverage than any terrestrial station could hope for. I am sure with a little effort and shopping around in china the decoder+dish cost could be brought down to the R500 range.
Captain Beer
Executive Member
Digital Terrestrial will be better for us, saellite is a good idea, but then you still need to pay for installation etc. I think Digital Terrestrialis the way to go for now.
RichardP
Banned
DVB-T is a good system...... It will enable SABC to have better revenue collection and thus fund better programming. Just think that your yearly TV license is acually a smartcard that unlocks the channels!
I thank this is great news, and well overdue.
It was tested 5 years ago and Namibia already has it running.
Even if we only get a better picture quality on the existing channels, its a large improvement. It it includes an EPG then with a DVD recorder you can set it to gather only wat you want to watch and not have to sift throught the pile of you know what.
It was tested 5 years ago and Namibia already has it running.
Even if we only get a better picture quality on the existing channels, its a large improvement. It it includes an EPG then with a DVD recorder you can set it to gather only wat you want to watch and not have to sift throught the pile of you know what.
supersunbird
Honorary Master
And when are they (government) gonna force the Hi-Fi Corporations, Makros, Games and such of this world to stop selling analogue TV's so I am assured I'm buying a digital TV?
Well, that largely depends on taste really. I'm pretty happy watching documentaries on History, National Geographic and Discovery every now and then. Here and there I find a movie or TV show to watch and in the mornings I watch some music on MK89 or MTV. The rest of the time I'm at work, so basically I'm pretty happy with the service. They could bring back Sci-Fi though, for all its repeats at least it had Anime on Saturday nightsGladiator said: