Here’s how much money Multichoice makes from each DStv subscriber

So if the ARPU is R347, that means they're milking Premium (and probably Compact/Compact+) subscribers for a 50%+ profit in order for that to be the average...
 
Funny how they charge you for the PVR function. So you have to pay to record.
 
I don't mind paying to use their PVR functionality. They're a broadcaster and it gives me time-shift capability I wouldn't otherwise have. I'm using their software and their published schedule to quickly and easily program the decoder/PVR. It's a convenience and a value that their system enables, and I'm prepared to pay for it. It's only fair and right, in my view.
 
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I have a BIG problem with them being a monopoly in the Sat TV market.

That needs to end.
 
Arthur said:
I don't mind paying to use their PVR functionality. They're a broadcaster and it gives me time-shift capability I wouldn't otherwise have. I'm using their software and their published schedule to quickly and easily program the decoder/PVR. It's a convenience and a value that their system enables, and I'm prepared to pay for it. It's only fair and right, in my view.
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I'm old enough to remember the day that "time shifting" was a given, when every household had a VCR, so I'm willing to agree with you if multichoice still allows one to record video in a suitable format, such as your own DVR. Do they?

Arthur said:
Monopolies are not per se bad. Only State-enforced or State-protected ones are.
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Out of curiosity, what would be an example of a benevolent monopoly in SA today? One that actually benefits the consumer?

EDIT: for the sake of it assume that consumers aren't shareholders. And no, Multichoice doesn't count. ;)
 
Arthur said:
I don't mind paying to use their PVR functionality. They're a broadcaster and it gives me time-shift capability I wouldn't otherwise have. I'm using their software and their published schedule to quickly and easily program the decoder/PVR. It's a convenience and a value that their system enables, and I'm prepared to pay for it. It's only fair and right, in my view.
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Yes PVR facilities is worth paying for! I make extensive use of the available PVR capability. Really P-d off about the fact that they no longer support the SD PVR, and are fast making the 4 tuner PVRs redundant. I still have two 4 tuners in XV, giving me record 4, view 2 capability.
And PVR capability is independent of package at the moment.
The Explora decoders are a step backwords as far as I am concerned and ultimately are going to lose them customers in my view.
 
I'm pretty sure you can record their broadcasts on your own equipment ... or at least one used to be able to before they came out with their integrated PVR.

My point is simply that their integrated decoder+PVR has software that makes scheduling easy. That's a benefit I don't mind paying for. I don't work for free, and neither do I expect other people to work for nothing. That PVR scheduling software and the infrastructure that enables and supports it has value.

Monopolies? The critical issue for me is compulsion, ie legally forced economic relations. I'm strongly opposed to using the law to force commercial terms on people, and one way of doing so is to legally ban competition or to erect legal barriers to entry, or to legally prevent people from entering into otherwise perfectly normal commercial contracts.
 
bwana said:
I'm old enough to remember the day that "time shifting" was a given, when every household had a VCR, so I'm willing to agree with you if multichoice still allows one to record video in a suitable format, such as your own DVR. Do they?

Out of curiosity, what would be an example of a benevolent monopoly in SA today? One that actually benefits the consumer?

EDIT: for the sake of it assume that consumers aren't shareholders. And no, Multichoice doesn't count. ;)
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No they don't in principal. Only available on older decoders and only via RF and AV connections on those decoders. Still works on the 4 tuner PVRs via RF and AV, Not sure about the Explora decoders. The 4 series single view HD decoders (4U, 4S) do allow record once via RF and AV last time I checked. The new 5 series single view decoders (5U, 5S) DO NOT allow record once via AV , and, RF has been removed from these decoders. All record on external devices is only SD quality. No record capability via HDMI as far as I know.
 
Arthur said:
I'm pretty sure you can record their broadcasts on your own equipment ... or at least one used to be able to before they came out with their integrated PVR.
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I'd be interested in a definitive answer as to if you can or, as I suspect, if they've taken steps to prevent it.

I'm still waiting to hear on that consumer beneficial monopoly... because at the end of they day we're [typically] consumers, after all. :)
 
Yes, I doubt whether one can record HDMI. RF and composite video shouldn't be an issue.

Geoff.D said:
No they don't in principal. Only available on older decoders and only via RF and AV connections on those decoders. Still works on the 4 tuner PVRs via RF and AV, Not sure about the Explora decoders. The 4 series single view HD decoders (4U, 4S) do allow record once via RF and AV last time I checked. The new 5 series single view decoders (5U, 5S) DO NOT allow record once via AV , and, RF has been removed from these decoders. All record on external devices is only SD quality. No record capability via HDMI as far as I know.
Click to expand...
 
Geoff.D said:
No they don't in principal. Only available on older decoders and only via RF and AV connections on those decoders. Still works on the 4 tuner PVRs via RF and AV, Not sure about the Explora decoders. The 4 series single view HD decoders (4U, 4S) do allow record once via RF and AV last time I checked. The new 5 series single view decoders (5U, 5S) DO NOT allow record once via AV , and, RF has been removed from these decoders. All record on external devices is only SD quality. No record capability via HDMI as far as I know.
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So basically if you want to record in the same quality that they broadcast in, it's their way or the highway.
 
There is no enforced Monopoly. BUT competitors have had a very hard time getting off the ground as they have to entice customers to move to a different satellite in a different orbital slot which means another antenna. Nowhere in the World was this very well received by the public. MC have effectively locked up access to the 68.5 East position by either owning ALL available transponders in the SA/Africa footprint or at least having FRR on any transponders that become available. OVHD is about the only viable FTA operation going on at the moment.
 
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Arthur said:
Yes, I doubt whether one can record HDMI. RF and composite video shouldn't be an issue.
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Most new decoders do not provide for composite outputs. The SD PVR was the last. And MC have deliberately implemented a block on the 5 series decoders, eliminating the option they had which they referred to as "record once".
 
Geoff.D said:
There is no enforced Monopoly. BUT competitors have had a very hard time getting off the ground as they have to entice customers to move to a different satellite in a different orbital slot which means another antenna. Nowhere in the World was this very well received by the public. MC have effectively locked up access to the 68.5 East position by either owning ALL available transponders in the SA/Africa footprint or at least having FRR on any transponders that become available. OVHD is about the only vi able FTA operation going on at the moment.
Click to expand...

So how come in the UK for example one can choose from Sky, Virgin, BT just off the top of my head...?
 
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