DSTV HDTV

The new HD service and content will be free of charge to subscribers and MultiChoice said that concrete decisions had yet been taken on when additional channels would be added and whether or not they would attract additional subscription charges.
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... those additional subscription charges had better only be directed at owners of the HD PVR's .... I'm not going to pay more without being able to access the HD content.

The HD PVR allows for one viewing environment, two background recording environments and one channel for EPG data and video on demand downloads.
Users can, however, extend the viewing and recording environments by using MultiChoice’s recently launched XtraView service.

By combining two HD PVR decoders .............
Click to expand...
... @ 2.5k each, they expect people to lay out 5k just for extra viewing channels :eek: Madness.
 
Any news on non-PVR HD decoders becoming available?
 
"vertical length of the screen"

That is known by a very specific, not very well known word called "height".

I know these articles tend to avoid such exotic words, but I think we could benefit from a larger vocabulary.
 
Qwikslver said:
"vertical length of the screen" That is known by a very specific, not very well known word called "height". I know these articles tend to avoid such exotic words, but I think we could benefit from a larger vocabulary.
Click to expand...
Good point – when I did the article I immediately thought it was the horizontal length and hence the idea of height did not even come up. Will try to eliminate unnecessary complicated descriptions…
 
Can anyone confirm that they will be available from tomorrow (01/08)? And whether its only gonna be available from multichoice, or will places like Game etc also have them?
 
Me see's current 2/3 port HDMI telly's running out of HDMI holes pretty quickly.

Those with a Home Theatre system how many HDMI LINE INs are there available on yours? (that will do both video + audio)?

My tv's only a 2 HDMI model & already running xbox + dvd via HDMI.

If i wanted to stick to running all on HDMI is going mean HT unit or a switch

Is there HDMI splitters/switch's on the market in S.A yet?
 
Switches are available:
http://www.wantitall.co.za/5-port-HDMI-switch-with-Remote-Control-5-in-1-out__B000FHQMFK

Another R1000.

What I would like to know is will the new LNB fit on the old dishes? I have a single view decoder and dish I suppose. Will I be able to fit this LNB on this dish?

Gonna take allot of rewiring. Not sure if I want to go through this effort just yet. First want to see somebody else do it and if is worth it as the HD are going to be very limited. And i dont see everything running smoothly from day 1.
 
I have the normal "Dualview" decoder with the twin LNB and a Proline LCD thats only got DVI or that 3 other cables for HD and no HDMI. Costwise what am i looking at to get High Definition ? Also will i need to install a newer capture cards in my media center to record anything if i can record at all ? (I have a Hauppage 150 card at the moment)

Moonie
 
DVI and HDMI as just about the same thing. Just buy a HDMI to DVI cable and to replace the one that comes with the decoder. Or you also get a converter. Wont be expensive cause I don't think it converts any signals. +/- R100.

I also have a media centre. Thing is you don't get just a normal HD decoder, you have to get the HD PVR which does almost everything that media centre does. I would rather just get a HD decoder and not the PVR and still use media centre. But I cant seem to find any HD TV Tuners for Media centre.

But still you will have to buy the HD PVR. So dont see the point of using media centre when you are already paying R2500 for the decoder.
 
Using mediacenter to watch all my stuff that i dl from the net cause the crap on dsat is horrible ;-)

Moonie
 
If you go to the DSTV website you'll find alot of "little information available" if you know what i mean.

The xtraview setup seems the way to go if you have a dualview or SD PVR already.

You go to the XtraVieaw "Setup options" page and you see some of the "layout diagrams" which simplifed things for me!

HDandSDxtraview.jpg


I then phoned DSTV's customer care department and grilled one of their consultants. I eventually got put through to someone who sounded like he knew his stuff.

What I came up with, seems to be the easiest way to go.
1) Get a HD PVR now before the price goes to over R4000
2) Price EXCLUDES installation (fine print ppl)
3) You can join your new HD PVR with the dual view or SD PVR via an RF connection. THIS is what makes XtraView possible. Your terrestrial antennae RF cable comes in from the aerial, and enters your SD PVR decoder and then the RF out carries "TV 2 + terrestrial TV" you then feed that "RF OUT" into the HD PVR decoder. You can then connect your HD TV via the HDMI and then your "TV 2" option comes from the "RF out" like normal with BOTH TV 2 channels.
4) LNB configuration seems to still be a mystery to the tech department at DSTV, but they're under the impression that one LNB goes to the HD PVR and another one goes to the SD PVR. This gives 3 independent viewing environments and TWO INDEPENDENTLY Recordable environments.
I have the sneaky suspicion that there might have to be a third or possibly even a forth LNB (ie 2 going to each decoder) to get EVERY CHANNEL independently on 4 viewing environments.

I'm doing this one myself boys and girls... I'm getting some LNB cable today, The HD PVR decoder tomorrow... some creative drilling and tacking... and will be ready to go!

Just a side issue for all of you.
If you guys have a fancy Digital Amplifier, where you plug all your DVD players etc then into your HDTV... you do not have to plug the HD PVR decoder in via HDMI to get 720p.
The HD PVR will have component video/SCART out with progressive scan. This format is capable of 720p. So no need to get that HDMI splitter. HDMI becomes necessary for 1080i and above.

we are many years away from DSTV with 1080i and 1080p...
 
Will the HD PVR give a picture at 720p or above on component?

Probably not, if they are implementing the HDCP stuff, then its pretty much HDMI only
 
OK, so where 'bouts in CT will I be able to pick one up - are they already available or only from tomorrow?
 
I have little faith that their 720p will be any good anyway, the quality of their current channels is terrible, I can see the blocky decoding on my 51cm tv in my bedroom, thats dispicible.

Its all just for marketing again, oooh we do HD, ooh we have PVR.
Well the channels are ****,content wise.
The quality is ****,audio/video.
The pvr software is ****(mine still glitches all the time)
 
I cannot find a picture anywhere on the interwebs showing the rear of the HD PVR decoder.

But proggresive scan component video can do true 576p. ie "720 x 576". This is where the confusion comes in. Many HDMI DVD players use this resolution to UPSCALE to HDTV resolutions.

this is already 2x the resolution that DSTV broadcasts at right now. If DSTV claims they can get true "HD 720p" that is a massive "1280 x 720" in widescreen mode.

I have the sneaky suspicion that their signal will be 720x576 that will use the decoders HDMI to upscale to 720p... but i might be pleasantly surprised.

At the end of the day, ANYTHING is better than the existing CRAP picture i get on my big screen from DSTV.

***********************
EDIT
***********************

The HD PVR decoders will be on sale at the Multichoice Customer centres on 01/08. I assume that includes CT as well. The sales personnel on the phone said that its up to the stores (Stax, Game etc) when to make them available and at what price. RECOMMENDED price is R2499.
I'm going to Randburg and picking my bad guy up for that price... not waiting for "Sorry, no stock" to ruin my chi.
The price will increase when the MNET broadcasts in HD.

As a side bonus:
Movies with AC3 audio will have Dolby 5.1
I'm excited because my PVR decoder is miles away from my Home theater system. I have been tempted to re-wire the entire house's RF and LNB conduiting to accommodate 3 or 4 movies a month with AC3 audio (which I probably already own on DVD).
But now, with XtraView, I can bring BETTER picture quality and BETTER sound quality to my Home Theater system. The DSP's on the decoder will be much better than mono audio i get at the moment via RF cable!

I'm sure you've noticed that I'm more than just a little amped ;p

You're all invited to come watch the rugby at my house!
 
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I can't help but think that the HD PVR decoder is a step backwards. Why remove the second channel viewing support? That was the great thing about PVR/Dualview, being able to watch 2 different channels at once. Now they come up with Xtraview so you have to have 2x decoders to view 2 channels!

Nice easy way to make money I guess. I don't know of many people who would be worried about recording 2 channels (4 if you buy 2 HD PVR's) simultaneously but do know of many households where 2 different channels would want to be watched at the same time.
 
HD PVR is dualview...

TV 1 is HD capable and interactive features capable... TV 2 is SD with no interactive features.

XtraView is to hook your new HD PVR to your existing SD PVR or Dual View decoder to get ANOTHER viewing environment! IE 3 IN TOTAL.

@ Hades
You've been to my house...
 
hmmm so why not 2 HD viewing channels?

6 months down the line: DSTV to release proper HD PVR for another R2500 or whatever it is by then.

B@stards!
 
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