DStv Android tablet planned - sources

Why?! Why not simply build and sell a suitable DVB-H receiver to plug into existing tablets, and optimise your software?

I highly doubt people in a brand-centric market are going to opt for a DSTv/Multichoice tablet en-mass, so you're going to be building tablets to cater for a really small market. Why not take advantage of the existing distribution channels and marketing of established players in this space and focus on your core business which is content delivery and monopoly preservation (and repeats, of course)?

I do not understand why every dog and his son want to build inferior versions of products simply to ride the coat-tails of trends, only to have to re-evaluate later down the line.

The only reason I can think of them doing this is to prevent the HDMI out from being used to ensure that they protect set-top box sales...
 
DJ... said:
Why?!
Click to expand...

In the spirit of the question and the hypotheticals raised thereafter, I too am going to get all hypothetical.

DJ... said:
Why not simply build and sell a suitable DVB-H receiver to plug into existing tablets, and optimise your software?
Click to expand...

DVB-H adapters for both iPads and Android-based tablets are on sale from DStv Mobile, according to their website.

The question then comes down to software. Maybe (here's that hypothetical) it is not possible to reliably get a "normal" tablet to receive push content over DVB-H.

Like with the decoder-based stuff how this is likely to work is by broadcasting the data on a channel. This means the receiver actually needs to be two receivers (so you can watch and "download" at the same time), or it needs to be left plugged into the tablet and the software will need to be able to set the tablet to receive the content during "quiet periods".

This would mean (probably) waking it from sleep at the right moment to receive the data and store it. Maybe Android does allow it: if power plugged in, then if receiver plugged in, then wake and receive; but maybe this would be so error-prone on third-party devices that to be sure it works right they're building their own.
 
DJ... said:
Why?! Why not simply build and sell a suitable DVB-H receiver to plug into existing tablets, and optimise your software?

I highly doubt people in a brand-centric market are going to opt for a DSTv/Multichoice tablet en-mass, so you're going to be building tablets to cater for a really small market. Why not take advantage of the existing distribution channels and marketing of established players in this space and focus on your core business which is content delivery and monopoly preservation (and repeats, of course)?

I do not understand why every dog and his son want to build inferior versions of products simply to ride the coat-tails of trends, only to have to re-evaluate later down the line.

The only reason I can think of them doing this is to prevent the HDMI out from being used to ensure that they protect set-top box sales...
Click to expand...
DVB-H hasn't been all that hot elsewhere and getting in on the proprietary course could work well for Naspers if there is a resurgence of uptake and then patent trolling ftw
every dog and his son want to get in on a trend because it appears more innovative than the company actually is

those are the two explanations that come to my mind
 
Jan said:
In the spirit of the question and the hypotheticals raised thereafter, I too am going to get all hypothetical.



DVB-H adapters for both iPads and Android-based tablets are on sale from DStv Mobile, according to their website.

The question then comes down to software. Maybe (here's that hypothetical) it is not possible to reliably get a "normal" tablet to receive push content over DVB-H.

Like with the decoder-based stuff how this is likely to work is by broadcasting the data on a channel. This means the receiver actually needs to be two receivers (so you can watch and "download" at the same time), or it needs to be left plugged into the tablet and the software will need to be able to set the tablet to receive the content during "quiet periods".

This would mean (probably) waking it from sleep at the right moment to receive the data and store it. Maybe Android does allow it: if power plugged in, then if receiver plugged in, then wake and receive; but maybe this would be so error-prone on third-party devices that to be sure it works right they're building their own.
Click to expand...

If a simple app like Tasker can reliably wake my tablet and phone every single time I've set it to (on various ROMs), then I don't see why DSTv's wake command would be any different. And one could very easily understand the delay in receiving push content if the DVB-H connector isn't plugged in. If they're sacrificing mass market rollouts in favour of proprietary niche markets for the sake of being able to reliably push content at their leisure, then they're morons in my honest opinion. Perhaps they just don't want to have to support multiple Android and iOS versions?

Nobody wants to duplicate their tech arsenal simply because one of their providers chose to go the proprietary route instead of thinking of solutions to what appear to be simple problems. All they're really doing is opting for the safe route with no doubt a stripped down tablet with an antiquated operating system version for the sake of not having to invest much into this project. This is the cheap option.

I'd be impressed if they opted for a dual DVB-H attachment system to allow for viewing and downloading (if that's even necessary), that works with your DSTv login for authentication instead of a smart card or sim card specifically for this purpose, that simply told the Android device that an external modem had been connected and to ignore all other data connections. And then watch. Would be awesome if it had an HDMI out as well to allow for connection to a screen, but I imagine that's a lot if data to be transferring via one port on the tablet.

I can see where they're coming from in opting for the cheap and easy route, and no doubt they've done their homework and realised that people watching on their tablets are probably already a niche market and therefore a niche product is suitable. The cost of developing a proprietary piece of hardware like I'm suggesting is probably also rather high, so maybe it does make sense.

Wait, did I just convince myself that I'm wrong?

:D
 
DJ... said:
Wait, did I just convince myself that I'm wrong?
:D
Click to expand...
It happens to the best/worst of us. Don't let a certain crowd know though - infallibility is sacred and being sceptical and discursive even about your own position to be frowned upon ...

More to the point: I honestly think they are looking at making a "better" Kindle Fire than Amazon for the same purpose that Amazon went that route. I am not convinced that they have done the best proper homework on the subject and expect large corporate stupidity to prevail
 
Why would I want to enrich this monopoly paytv provider any further? They can't convince my to stop watching my movies,series and reality tv
from the World Wild Web.
 
When I still had DSTV the remote wouldn't even work unless pointedly fairly accurately. Maybe it has improved, but why would anyaone buy a device with such limited use?
 
I already have a powerful tablet that runs Android and I regularly watch streaming content on it. MC, being their usual greedy self, do not want to authorize their apps for my device since it is not "popular". Those that are authorized do not work since my Tablet is rooted.

All this drama and expense just to prevent a couple of people from maybe broadcasting your online streams to others without a subscription? Penny wise, MC.
 
I suspect this is a research project. The best way to understand tablets (or any machine) is to try and build your own. They can afford to burn a few R and build up a good body of knowledge. Then go back and see who can offer you better solutions off the shelf.
Do we have any info on whether the Drifta is profitable? Unlikely then that an upgraded one would.
 
I would be astonished if the software does not disable the WiFi connection in the thing.

And if it actually had an android version higher than Gingerbread, I would also be really surprised.
 
lcbxx said:
I already have a powerful tablet that runs Android and I regularly watch streaming content on it. MC, being their usual greedy self, do not want to authorize their apps for my device since it is not "popular". Those that are authorized do not work since my Tablet is rooted.

All this drama and expense just to prevent a couple of people from maybe broadcasting your online streams to others without a subscription? Penny wise, MC.
Click to expand...

I also have a tablet. Why can't they just do what is already done for Apple's iPad and iPhone?
 
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