DStv cut channels while Openview gained in the last 3 years

Bit hard to compare. Some of DStv's losses are chanels that closed themselves, and all of Openview's channels are cheap commercial options with too many ads.
 
@Jan , interesting article though. But a couple of mistakes I can point out;

Dropped by DStv:

History — 1 November 2019 Still going on ch. 186
Lifetime — 1 November 2019 Only just closed a week ago (you mentioned it twice here)
 
DSTV can cut 60% of their channels and barely move the needle on what the vast majority of people watch on it.

Wonder which of DSTV or OpenView will be the first to realize that channels mean nothing and content on-demand and live sports are all that matters and that ads suck for consumers and it has no business in a paid subscription platform.
 
Supply and demand for DSTV. No one watching?... they will cull it.

Whatever we can pickup for cheap for OpenView... you get what you get.
 
genetic said:
Supply and demand for DSTV. No one watching?... they will cull it.
Click to expand...
I think there's more to it these days though, definitely some cost cutting and also a mad local-content push taking priority (especially stuff from Nigeria).
Their internal support is also at the worst ever. So methinks going downhill fast anyway then.
 
History channel has not been dropped.

Also they added a second horse racing channel lol :laugh:
 
Brian_G said:
I think there's more to it these days though, definitely some cost cutting and also a mad local-content push taking priority (especially stuff from Nigeria).
Their internal support is also at the worst ever. So methinks going downhill fast anyway then.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna play devils advocate here.

DSTV has a limited bandwidth on Intelsat 20 (the satellite they rent capacity from). My theory is that they are preparing for 4K delivery.
4K needs a lot more bandwidth than HD, and they obviously have limited bandwidth on the satellite... so by dropping the bandwidth hogging channels that no one watches and aggregating the additional capacity to the more popular channels like M-Net / SuperSport etc. for their big 4K launch - DSTV now has 4K! Maybe only a few channels with 4K at first, but they at least have the 4K badge under their belt to drive up more subscriptions.

The channel purge is Multichoice prepping for 4K capacity.
 
wbot said:
Also they added a second horse racing channel lol :laugh:
Click to expand...
And then dropped the original one. Or they were dropped, more likely given past known fights with them :giggle:

genetic said:
...The channel purge is Multichoice prepping for 4K capacity.
Click to expand...
I only saw the other thread about their profit losses just now - according to them they're suffering from bandwidth costs on the satellites, so maybe rather that but I heard somewhere that they have a good share in ownership of the newer IS36 bird... that said, the desire for 4K is small in their orbital market and smaller still in other southern African countries plus our economic hardships going on and their lack of support for Premium these days so can't agree.
 
Brian_G said:
@Jan , interesting article though. But a couple of mistakes I can point out;

Dropped by DStv:

History — 1 November 2019 Still going on ch. 186
Lifetime — 1 November 2019 Only just closed a week ago (you mentioned it twice here)
Click to expand...
Thanks, fixed that.
 
Brian_G said:
I only saw the other thread about their profit losses just now - according to them they're suffering from bandwidth costs on the satellites, so maybe rather that but I heard somewhere that they have a good share in ownership of the newer IS36 bird... that said, the desire for 4K is small in their orbital market and smaller still in other southern African countries plus our economic hardships going on and their lack of support for Premium these days so can't agree.
Click to expand...

Yeah, DSTV pretty much own Intelsat 36. They are losing competition in the premium market, so they will always somehow try maintain that competitive niche. They pretty much offer every service under the sun (HD, Internet, VOD, PVR, Dolby Atmos etc)... everything other than 4K. It's their next logical upgrade.

They will try remain ahead of the mass-market curve. I bet you we will see DSTV releasing 4K very soon... M-Net and SuperSport being first.
 
Brian_G said:
And then dropped the original one. Or they were dropped, more likely given past known fights with them :giggle:
Click to expand...
Hey? I wouldn't know. I don't usually go past the supersport channels where there's nothing but crap
 
genetic said:
I'm gonna play devils advocate here.

DSTV has a limited bandwidth on Intelsat 20 (the satellite they rent capacity from). My theory is that they are preparing for 4K delivery.
4K needs a lot more bandwidth than HD, and they obviously have limited bandwidth on the satellite... so by dropping the bandwidth hogging channels that no one watches and aggregating the additional capacity to the more popular channels like M-Net / SuperSport etc. for their big 4K launch - DSTV now has 4K! Maybe only a few channels with 4K at first, but they at least have the 4K badge under their belt to drive up more subscriptions.

The channel purge is Multichoice prepping for 4K capacity.
Click to expand...
They did that for the HD push back in the day, getting rid of scifi, animax and a few other channels apparently no one was watching.
 
genetic said:
They will try remain ahead of the mass-market curve. I bet you we will see DSTV releasing 4K very soon... M-Net and SuperSport being first.
Click to expand...
Lupus said:
They did that for the HD push back in the day, getting rid of scifi, animax and a few other channels apparently no one was watching.
Click to expand...
Thing is, mass-market has become the online streaming game and they're certainly attending to that. For instance, all their new decoders are mostly focused on that. And as a result, to cater for that market's tastes for simpler menus they've just retarded the older Exploras' software badly - quite a lot of complaints in another thread.

They've discussed satellite 4K before, on their old forum, considered beyond reach financially and apparently only a few countries or cities ever went for it like Dubai.
 
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Brian_G said:
Thing is, mass-market has become the online streaming game and they're certainly attending to that. For instance, all their new decoders are mostly focused on that. And as a result, to cater for that market's tastes for simpler menus they've just retarded the older Exploras' software badly - quite a lot of complaints in another thread.

They've discussed satellite 4K before, on their old forum, considered beyond reach financially and apparently only a few countries ever went for it like Dubai.
Click to expand...
4k is on the road map still apparently.
 
Just looked at their online DStv Now service - top quality is 1080p HD @ 2.3 GB/hour, about 10% of what 4K uses.

On satellite it's only up to 1080i, but plenty use of 720p last checked.

There was talk of giving 4K online during the 2016 Olympics, presume they did and would think for the 2020 one too.

@Ivan Leon @krugie @ijacobs3 anything you can add?
 
4k would be nice to have, afaik only the Explora Ultra has 4k capabilities. Maybe with a major software upgrade, the HD single view and other Explora models can support 4k content. What I would like to see, is the launch of a Sport only package or the much awaited Flex package with a Sport add on. Also drop the access fee and the rediculous high subscription fee of Premuim, and you will see a sharp uptake.
 
MEG101 said:
afaik only the Explora Ultra has 4k capabilities.
Click to expand...
Correct, and only advertised for online streaming of 3rd party content that has it.

DStv Explora Ultra

Our new Explora Ultra decoder adds more depth to your viewing experience with built-in streaming apps and the Explora features you’ve come to love.
www.dstv.co.za www.dstv.co.za
 
So crappy free channels to ones that cost money and no one watched?
 
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