M-Net and DVB-T ?

[Rouxenator]

Here's one that everyone seems to miss. What about the thousands of M-Net decoders that are still in use ? They are using analog spectrum for their broadcast with the sound carrier being some weird FM one (also analog). Yeah, thats why CableCrypt could only get you picture and not sound also

Will MultiChoice switch to an entirely DVB-S setup and upgrade all their terrestrial M-Net clients to satellite ones ?

I have searched around but cannot find anything on this. Would be interesting to see what they do about the digital switch over.

 

[CathJ]

MNet haven't been selling the analogue decoders for a while now, although there are people who still subscribe to it (they just haven't been accepting new subscribers).

I suspect that they're just going to cancel the MNet-only option, and force everyone to upgrade to DSTV.

 

[Rouxenator]

It should still be cheaper than the DVB-T option (provided you are not the poorest of poor). Decoders are about R400 then you just need a dish and your set.

What is the current subscription fees for M-net anyways ?

 

[CathJ]

It should still be cheaper than the DVB-T option (provided you are not the poorest of poor). Decoders are about R400 then you just need a dish and your set.

What is the current subscription fees for M-net anyways ?

How is that cheaper? They're saying the STB's will be R700 - compared to R400 for a decoder, and at least R1000 for dish and installation. Subs are around R468pm for full DSTV (which is the only one you can get MNet on) - although you can get EasyView for R20 pm.

 

[Turiko]

with the sound carrier being some weird FM one (also analog).

Wrong!

The sound on a normal m-net decoder is digital (albeit low-fi 10-bit audio). The sound is encrypted using legacy IRDETO encryption and encapsulated in the blanking lines of the video signal. The digital information is stripped off these invisible video lines and decrypted with an ASIC inside every M-NET decoder and the decrypted data is then sent into a DAC and you have sound.

Have any of you ever looked inside a DSD-990. There's hardly anything in there that can result in the total cost being more than R300 odd...

The components in a legacy M-NET decoder are actually quite more expensive.

 

[Rouxenator]

Whoops - my bad - I forgot that the dish and installation was that pricey !

The thing with EasyView is that it does not carry M-net. So if you are in the position of being a M-net subscriber and you have to face the digital cross over things are looking bad :

R400 for Decoder + R1000 dish and installation + R470 for DStv Premium (the only package with M-net) = R1870

I still wonder what multichoice has planned for their current M-net terrestrial subscribers...

 

[Turiko]

R1000 dish and installation

I still wonder what multichoice has planned for their current M-net terrestrial subscribers...

Dish these days is a DIY job. If you know where to get the dish

The question has been pondered for a long time i.e. what is monochoice going to do with the analog subscribers. Many years ago there was talk of migrating them over to the digital scheme of things- it never happened. At any rate monochoice is far too greedy to worry about a few people who refuse to migrate to DSTV.

 

[Rouxenator]

Wrong!

The sound on a normal m-net decoder is digital (albeit low-fi 10-bit audio). The sound is encrypted using legacy IRDETO encryption and encapsulated in the blanking lines of the video signal.

Whoops again !

Well that still explains why I never could get CableCrypt to do the sound on M-net

Thanks for the reply.

I am still wondering what multichoice is going to do with it's M-net subscriber base...

 

[Rouxenator]

At any rate monochoice is far too greedy to worry about a few people who refuse to migrate to DSTV.

I think you are right. Monochoice - I like that name

I guess they will just include a letter in their bill at some stage saying;
Look it's been nice taking you for a ride but you are using analog and that is so 80's. We are switching off M-net and might remember to cancel your account if you move over to DStv. Contact your nearest monochoice agent for pricing on how to get ripped off some more.

BTW, Congradulation - you are now the proud owner of a Delta 9000 doorstop.

Hehehehe - well something along those lines anyway.

 

[GreenPunkt [clone of Skeptik]]

How is that cheaper? They're saying the STB's will be R700 - compared to R400 for a decoder, and at least R1000 for dish and installation. Subs are around R468pm for full DSTV (which is the only one you can get MNet on) - although you can get EasyView for R20 pm.

They should have just imported some boxes from the UK. They're cheap and plentiful and they didn't have to reinvent the wheel. Maybe it was a job creation scheme?

 

[ajax]

Isn't there an MNET only option on DSTV?

 

[Rouxenator]

Isn't there an MNET only option on DSTV?

Maybe they will introduce one - that would be very nice. Currently I only actually watch M-net but I am stuck paying R470 for the premium package of which I watch very little.

What they should actually do it charge per program. So if you watch Carte Blanche you pay the rate associated with it. If you want to save money you can watch something on TCM or Hallmark.

They pay certain prices to make programs. Why not pass that down to the end user and let them work out what they want to watch and pay only for that.

I guess once things start going the IPtv route we will have true VOD sollutions.

 

[Turiko]

I never could get CableCrypt to do the sound on M-net

Yes 'cos you don't have the encryption keys. The ASIC (DELTA 5 chip) has been reverse-engineered ad nauseum all over the internet. But without the keys, which are decrypted by the microcontroller, you will not get the sound. Monochoice updated this encryption about 5-6 years ago which put paid to many side-of-the-road hackers and consequently disabled thousands of existing modified M-NET decoders in the field. Today the people who know how to break it are unfortunately not willing to be Bubba's bitch again.

Maybe they will introduce one - that would be very nice.

Unfortunately monochoice behaves like most monopolies do- they feel absolutely bollocks for their customers/subscribers. And this is a Dutch company, which lends me to believe that a lot of what we complain about, happens in other countries too.

 

[NLBears]

Question...........

Visiting the Cape area from 8 october 2008 till 22 october 2008, can we watch TV by using a DVB-T receiver ????

Is there DVB-T TV transmision in this area ??

Please let me now !

{I have a CableCrypt box used by Multichoice Nederland, somebody want to "play" with this box ??} send my PM ;-)

Ton, Nederland

 

[Silver-0-surfer]

new mnet decoder

just thought id throw this into the conversation, mnet will be launching a new decoder(hopefully in the new year) able to pick up the new DTT transmition with, they say, a minuimum aof 6 new channels. field tests are already underway

 

[Rouxenator]

I wonder how much it will cost and if it will be cheaper than the state produced STBs which apparantly does have CAM for pay per view services like Mnet.

 

[Nod]

While in Germany, I saw this on offer from some electronic stores (Saturn). It had a price of 47Euros. This works out to approx. R658 at R14/Euro.

Why are we paying R700 (and probably more with the fall of the Rand since announcing that price), when a brand name (Siemens) dvb-t tuner cost less? I really question the governments decision with regards to the locally made set-top box.

 

[Rouxenator]

The reason it is more is because they want to build in a propaganda module.
Also, they claim the government made one will support CAM and from what I see on the Siemens page that one does not.

 

[Nod]

The reason it is more is because they want to build in a propaganda module.
Also, they claim the government made one will support CAM and from what I see on the Siemens page that one does not.

I would still like to know why they feel the need to encrypt channels that are freely available today. The whole "to curb theft" excuse does not do it for me. It sounds more like they want to control more. I don't think they'll be providing much government services either, as they couldn't even manage it over the internet yet.

A dvb-t setup, like they have in Europe, would have worked 100%, and prices for dvb-t tuners would have been much cheaper, as there are more competition in this market. With the governments plan, there would be only one provider, especially if they use a non-standard CAM/encryption.

You do get dvb-t tuners with a lot more features than the one I linked to. They probably do support a CAM.

 

[porchrat]

The reason it is more is because they want to build in a propaganda module.
Also, they claim the government made one will support CAM and from what I see on the Siemens page that one does not.

Also you get that AWESOME "Proudly South African" sticker!!