DSTV PVR, Decoders

[Bernie]

Does anyone know if there is any truth to the story that the PVR decoders "call home" informing DSTV what channels you were watching, for how long etc, etc which is then used for marketing/advertising purposes.

Technically, can these decoders even do this?

 

[milomak]

I guess that would mean our dishes would have to have transmit functionality wouldn't it? I don't know. I will be in the doubting thomas camp in the meanwhile.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Unless you have the thing hooked into a phoneline/permanent internet connection, its not possible. The dishes DSTV use are not large enough to project a signal, they can only receive.

 

[GavinMannion]

As said, not possible....

Would be cool if they could though. True interactive tv

 

[psivius]

They can still keep track of who is tuned into which channel and for how long using the smart card information can they not?

 

[ToxicBunny]

They can't get the information because there is no way for that information to be transmitted back to them.

 

[bwana]

They can still keep track of who is tuned into which channel and for how long using the smart card information can they not?

Doubtful but how often do they get physical access to your smartcard?

 

[PostmanPot]

I've seen the Poker Channel (121) going on about how many people were watching the channel on given month.

How?

 

[Nick333]

Doubtful but how often do they get physical access to your smartcard?

It would certainly be possible for your PVR to log info to your smartcard, but theres really no reason that Multichoice would ever have the opportunity to stick it in a reader and download said info. Speaking from experience they would very likely hand you your card back if you handed your machine in for repairs with the card still in it.

Edit: sorry, I see now thats what you were saying. :0

 

[bwana]

I've seen the Poker Channel (121) going on about how many people were watching the channel on given month.

How?

Nielsen ratings? http://www.nielsen-netratings.com/intl.jsp?country=za

 

[Juggy]

Yeah, the way they do this is install a box that monitors what you're watching and feeds back to them.

 

[Nick333]

I've seen the Poker Channel (121) going on about how many people were watching the channel on given month.

How?

Well, seeing as how they are a South African monopoly, maybe they are just talking ****.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Has to be neilsen ratings, or based off those daft SMS competitions that they run occasionally.

 

[Skeptik]

We've discussed this before. They give a representative sample of people some equipment in their home which reveals what channel they are watching. Maybe connected to a phone line too. That's the simplest method.