Met decoder - it finally happened

[brianj74]

Will do when I get home

 

[jcheek]

Will do when I get home

Also, is that dish pointed basically east, at the 68˚ East orbital slot where Intelsat 20 carries DStv's normal bouquet, or is it pointed elsewhere ?
The more "downmarket" satellite TV offerings are carried on other satellites that are over to the west. Not sure where M-Net Go is being carried.

 

[brianj74]

Also, is that dish pointed basically east, at the 68˚ East orbital slot where Intelsat 20 carries DStv's normal bouquet, or is it pointed elsewhere ?
The more "downmarket" satellite TV offerings are carried on other satellites that are over to the west. Not sure where M-Net Go is being carried.

Yes, definitely east.

 

[Geoff.D]

Also, is that dish pointed basically east, at the 68˚ East orbital slot where Intelsat 20 carries DStv's normal bouquet, or is it pointed elsewhere ?
The more "downmarket" satellite TV offerings are carried on other satellites that are over to the west. Not sure where M-Net Go is being carried.

The OVHD service on the satellite to the West was supposed to be shut down at the end on November, but the date has now been moved out to end December 2017.

OVHD is migrating completely over to IS20/IS10 at 68.5 degree East, where DStv is.

 

[Geoff.D]

Thanks for the updates, brianj74 !
Whereabouts are you based ?

Interesting, so it looks like Multichoice ditched their plans to host the digital version of M-Net on the GOtv DTT platform (as was originally announced here) and instead went with something carried on satellite - at least in some areas.
Perhaps the signal quality and/or coverage on the GOtv terrestrial setup wasn't adequate in all areas ?

Apparently there are two offers on the table, both being done at no cost to the MNet terrestrial subscribers affected.

In GOtv terrestrial coverage areas, a special package on a GOtv terrestrial decoder is offered and in marginal areas such PTA East where we are and having to rely on the Menlo Park Gap filler, (considered marginal), the offer is for a DStv special package on satellite with an antenna and a decoder.

What is very important is that DStv is shutting down the analogue service early next year, so the sooner you migrate the better. There is nothing to lose as it is all being done at no cost to you.

 

[brianj74]

Yes thanks very much.
Could you be more specific about the decoder please?
Press menu, information and give us the model number on the top line?

Model 33...? I am in Rosebank jhb btw

 

[jcheek]

Model 33...? I am in Rosebank jhb btw

Thanks again, brianj74, both for the screenshot and the location.
Looks like the Multichoice "analogue upgrade" machine is rolling slowly northwards

Referring to the (nice!) picture above and this previous comment:

Ok all sorted this morning, dish needed more alignment. Looks like it's an Explora HD and mnet is on channel 902 now for some reason, csn on 490.

Is the M-Net channel you're now receiving on that [-]Explora[/-] (?) HD decoder an HD picture, or SD ?

 

[jcheek]

For the benefit of those MyBB forumites who will end up here in the next few months (or years!) with the same questions, the same issue is being discussed on the Multichoice DStv mouthpi .... err, forum, mostly in these two threads:

M-Net unveils its Digital Terrestrial Service for South Africa – GOtv
M-Net analogue decoders being replaced

 

[Geoff.D]

MC does not make it easy to find out anything about their decoders. So we normally have to get users to keep us informed.

The decoder is not an Explora (no HDD) but is HD capable . S o it should be receiving and decoding the HD version of Mnet.

 

[Nerfherder]

Are the free to air channels available on this as well ?

 

[jcheek]

Are the free to air channels available on this as well ?

Just the usual suspects (SABCx + eTV), I would think ?



(source : here)

 

[jcheek]

Apparently there are two offers on the table, both being done at no cost to the MNet terrestrial subscribers affected.
In GOtv terrestrial coverage areas, a special package on a GOtv terrestrial decoder is offered and in marginal areas ... the offer is for a DStv special package on satellite with an antenna and a decoder.

Indeed:


(source : here)

Not that I'm complaining, but I predict a certain amount of outcry about that. An "M-Net only" DStv satellite package is something that at least a certain segment of the actual/potential DStv subscriber base has been clamouring for for a long time. Making it available only to the existing M-Net analogue subscriber base (which is tiny) is gonna result in some unhappy mainstream people!
Then again, addressing what customers actually want has never featured very high on Multichoice's list of priorities

... in marginal areas such PTA East ... where we are and having to rely on the Menlo Park Gap filler, (considered marginal),

Aint that the truth!
Even with 4km Line-Of-Sight, the signal strength/quality of the M-Net (analogue) signal from Sentech's Menlo Park site is pretty dismal these days.

 

[Geoff.D]

MC have archived the forum a few times. In the archived section, you will find a number of threads dealing with the unhappiness about Mnet only being "refused" to all those with a premium package. We have always been unhappy about that. But these days it is all irrelevant to me because I have opted out over 5 years ago and only subscribe to the EasyView package, and specifically because of the poor terrestrial coverage we have here in PTA East.

 

[jcheek]

An update on this.
I've had a few calls from a local "accredited" installer (Pretoria East) over the past few weeks, and a follow-up call from Multichoice this morning.

To add to the info that Geoff.D and others have already provided:

• Apparently there are two offers on the table, both being done at no cost to the MNet terrestrial subscribers affected.

  Correct. The R100 "migration fee" that was charged previously, has now been waived in both cases (DTT and satellite). The initial cost of the hardware and installation is being carried by Multichoice in both cases.
  The monthly subscription fee will be the same as for the current MNet analogue service.
  
  
  -

• In GOtv terrestrial coverage areas, a special package on a GOtv terrestrial decoder is being offered.

  Although the signal on this package is of course digital (DTT), with much-improved picture and sound quality, the MNet channel will be offered only in Standard Definition (SD). The antenna system could use your existing Yagi or grid antenna, or it may be upgraded to a "digital-ready" version.
  Apart from MNet, the channel bouquet will be the usual FTA channels such as SABC1/2/3 + eTV. Not sure about CSN.
  
  
  -

• In areas where GOtv coverage is marginal, the offer is for a special DStv package using a satellite dish and decoder. The with an antenna and a decoder.

  Apparently it's an 80cm Elsat dish with a Smart LNB, and a Series 4 or 5 decoder. In Pretoria East at least, the installer specifically stated that they supply a Series 5 decoder.
  Like the DTT option, the MNet signal available on this special package will be SD only. The decoder itself will be single-view device that is HD-capable, but not a PVR type (no HDD storage). Should you migrate to a fancier DStv package later, HD will be possible on the relevant channels with this setup.
  Upgrade to a fancier model (like an Explora) could be negotiated with the installer, no doubt with some kind of pay-in.
  Apart from MNet, the channel bouquet will be the usual FTA channels such as SABC1/2/3 + eTV. From brianj74's post, it seems that CSN is included.
  
  
  -
• I'm led to believe that most "migration installations" done so far have gone the satellite route, not so much because of lack of coverage but because the GOtv DTT decoders are relatively scarce.
  
  
  -

• What is very important is that DStv is shutting down the analogue service early next year.

  I was told this morning that the official switch-off date for the MNet analogue signal - in Pretoria, at least - is 31 March 2018.

As regards the SD/HD aspect on both options, I received conflicting information from the Multichoice call centre, who stated that the "special" MNet channel will be broadcast in HD.
However I tend to believe the info supplied on the DStv forum here, which states SD only on both options.