MultiChoice may have to share decoder with rivals

[rpm]

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Telecoms/1302.html

 

[stoke]

So that wrather ugly clock in me tv-room may actually be used for something other than just a clock one day?
Cool bananas.

 

[morkhans]

I totally agree with this. After all you pay for the decoder, you should be able to do with it what you like. If Cell phones can be sold without network locks, then why not decoders?

 

[Highflyer_GP]

I'm just glad that they didn't name just one, but instead all

 

[Syndyre]

I totally agree with this. After all you pay for the decoder, you should be able to do with it what you like. If Cell phones can be sold without network locks, then why not decoders?

True but is the decoder subsidised I wonder?

 

[Ricard]

Mulitchoice Share?!!! Bwhaaaaahaaaa! DSTV subsidises the purchase of the decoder, why should others beifit from it?

DSTV sent updates to the decoders so that you couldnt use it with other pay-tv provider

 

[stoke]

@Richard, if ICASA so decree, they can make it illegal for DSTV to stop other providers from reprogramming the DSTV decoder.

 

[Moederloos]

Hmm, this may be an attempt to prevent a competitior from gaining an advantage by actually selling a USEFUL decoder....

 

[Highflyer_GP]

I wouldn't necessarily say that it's a DSTV decoder, it's manufactured by UEC. The way I see it, UEC and Multichoice have some sort of exclusivity agreement. ICASA should get their act together and render all such agreements null with immediate effect, or if ICASA is too useless to do so then maybe the competition tribunal should start imposing some fines.

 

[Ricard]

@Richard, if ICASA so decree, they can make it illegal for DSTV to stop other providers from reprogramming the DSTV decoder.

ICACA force them!.. just like they force Telkom to lower costs I am just remembering a scenario with DontPanic TV in S.A. DSTV sued them for anything under the sun.. and when the case started going bad - they sent firmware updates which locked out any non-DSTV smartcard.

Now they locked the decoder to the smartcard too!

 

[Syndyre]

I wouldn't necessarily say that it's a DSTV decoder, it's manufactured by UEC. The way I see it, UEC and Multichoice have some sort of exclusivity agreement. ICASA should get their act together and render all such agreements null with immediate effect, or if ICASA is too useless to do so then maybe the competition tribunal should start imposing some fines.

Its manufactured by UEC but if its subsidised by DSTV then why should DSTV's competitors benefit from that subsidy? If it is subsidised and this does come into effect its just going to make decoders more expensive for everyone buying them. Either that or they'll offer you a free/cheap decoder but only if you sign a contract.

 

[derekc]

Cellphone providers subsidise phones as well when signing a 2 yr contract but the phones aren't locked so the same should apply to Multichoice regardless if they subsidise or not.

 

[stoke]

@Richard, the toothlessness of ICASA seems to be only related to Teklom, and we all know that poison Ivy has other plans for Africa domination by means of a cable, so, a decree may actually be upheld.

But, yea, i doubt it.

SiteNote: If it is at all possible to hack a DSTV decoder to use it to pickup the other pay-tv services (and pay for them), and I want those services, welll then, pass me my screwdriver, that DSTV decoder is a louzy looking clock anyways.

 

[Ricard]

Its manufactured by UEC but if its subsidised by DSTV then why should DSTV's competitors benefit from that subsidy? If it is subsidised and this does come into effect its just going to make decoders more expensive for everyone buying them. Either that or they'll offer you a free/cheap decoder but only if you sign a contract.

UEC is owned by Altech
DSTV is owned by Naspers

Naspers and Altech have allways been in each others pockets.

 

[Shadow Dragon]

Not that i like multichoice and dstv all that much but i do believe you guys are a tad ungrateful. without them we would have to be content and fed up with the rather crap programming the sabc forces upon us.

 

[Syndyre]

Not that i like multichoice and dstv all that much but i do believe you guys are a tad ungrateful. without them we would have to be content and fed up with the rather crap programming the sabc forces upon us.

True, then again they're not a charity.

 

[Highflyer_GP]

Its manufactured by UEC but if its subsidised by DSTV then why should DSTV's competitors benefit from that subsidy? If it is subsidised and this does come into effect its just going to make decoders more expensive for everyone buying them. Either that or they'll offer you a free/cheap decoder but only if you sign a contract.

Cellphone providers subsidise phones as well when signing a 2 yr contract but the phones aren't locked so the same should apply to Multichoice regardless if they subsidise or not.

^^ What he said

It's not exactly as if UEC's decoders are top quality anyway. If anything this should hopefully open up the way for a broader range of decoders. It's kind of like being stuck with black and white screen Motorola's for 10 years, and now we might see the introduction of Nokia, SE, etc.

Anyway to be honest I don't see a UEC decoder being worth more than the R2000 that they charge you for it, so I don't see how Multichoice is subsidising anything.

 

[Shadow Dragon]

i didn't say they are a charity. yes they are expensive but atleast there is something worthwile to watch every now and again.

 

[stoke]

Not that i like multichoice and dstv all that much but i do believe you guys are a tad ungrateful. without them we would have to be content and fed up with the rather crap programming the sabc forces upon us.

Or:
- perhaps when "sanctions" were lifted fox could have pulled in.
- perhaps we could have subscribed to any of the other european sattelites, without being blinded by DSTV propoganda.
- perhaps SABC is pay-tv, and we demanded better content for our money.
- perhaps E-TV would have been a totally different product, filling in where the DSTV was missing?
- perhaps conjecture is lame, and we should demand the best from the future?

 

[ToxicBunny]

AFAIK Multichoice do subsidise the decoders to a small degree, I think its a couple of hundred rands. Like the PVR costs roughly R3k to buy, but costs about R3400 to make or something like that.

I definately want !CASA to force them not to stop other providers using the same decoder.
Then again, the multichoice decoders are now old technology and I'd prefer to get a decoder that can handle H.264 etc etc etc...