New Internet-connected DStv decoder planned

The only interesting comment in that article is the admission that it could have other content such as iTunes.

At the moment you need a US iTunes account to watch movie,TV series on iTunes so does that mean by next year an SA iTunes account will suffice to watch this content?
 
The Thomson sat receiver available in Europe lets you download content from the net, specifically YouTube and other pay to view movie sites. My friend's daughter in Zurich has one. However, her internet is a 100mb/sec uncapped service and with her telephone, costs CHF55 a month
 
PACE HDPR

HapticSimian said:
Because the outer shell of the HDPVR has an Ethernet-shaped hole only - it isn't actually connected to anything internally. The same shell is used for more elaborate decoders internationally.
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The PACE HDPVR HD2 (TDS850IMC) launched in Aug 2008 has an Ethernet port, and it's connected on the motherboard.
It even requests DHCP address, it's disabled in software as part of the boot process.

Alberts explained that this new decoder will increase capacity for DStv’s “Catch Up” content from 20 hours to 175 hours
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The existing HDPVR decoder launched Aug 2008 has
  • Ethernet
  • USB
  • SATA
Why not allow users to replace their existing internal disk to 2TB or 3TB, or add on an external SATA/USB/NAS disk - this would allow more than 175 hours of recording.

Sounds like DSTV are too ignorant of their own technology to allow users make full use of their existing devices.

See
http://hd-pvr.pbworks.com
MF011 Unused ports (e-Sata, Ethernet, and USB)
[ Reported by: Theo | Verified by: Glen ]
Could be used to increase storage space, etc.
Note: Patrick No 1 has offered C4 an amount of R100 for any of these ports that are ever used (for a total of R300). (It is under dispute as to whether using the USB port to power a cooling fan on top of the HD-PVR counts towards this agreement.)
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The reason they want internet access is to create a back channel for anti-piracy, spying and marketing.
 
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so it sends out a view request via internet and streams via satellite? what else does it send out.....
 
Tns said:
so it sends out a view request via internet and streams via satellite? what else does it send out.....
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The internet access is for your good :-)
The internet access will allow DSTV to know which channels you watch.
It will allow DSTV to customise adverts for your viewing pleasure.
 
Allot of new TVs are slowly coming through as Internet enabled with on board media players. I would rather go for a new internet enabled tv than getting frustrated with DSTVs low tech standards.
 
HapticSimian said:
Because the outer shell of the HDPVR has an Ethernet-shaped hole only - it isn't actually connected to anything internally. The same shell is used for more elaborate decoders internationally.
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haha, what does an ethernet shape look like ? :D

did you base your view on what you observed ?

That said though, the software DSTV runs on that hardware is rather awful. Slow interface and makes no use of network functionality, which provides such cool features.

Now they want to flog us a new bad and obscenely overpriced decoder, and hail the network features like it's some cutting edge technology.

Only in south africa...
 
ajules said:
The only interesting comment in that article is the admission that it could have other content such as iTunes.

At the moment you need a US iTunes account to watch movie,TV series on iTunes so does that mean by next year an SA iTunes account will suffice to watch this content?
Click to expand...
If you live in SA, overthink things and have high hopes. You're gonna have a bad time.
 
Well, ****... so the Ethernet port is actually connected to the motherboard. Dunno where I got the proverbial wires crossed - definitely remember reading something to that effect somewhere official-like... :o
 
“if you have a fantastic Internet connection then you could have access to other content,”
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This is true but you don't need to pay DSTV a premium to get access to this other content :whistle:
 
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All DSTV wants to do is to provide their service to to as many people as possible and thus increase their revenue on products and services, just like any other company. The problem is that they refuse to offer existing customers the opportunity to upgrade their existing products and services, because that would mean charging us less money than the cost of a newer decoder plus installation. :mad:

Multichoice should have done more market research on existing infrastructure and broadband accessibility before they could actually make such stupid remarks as "fantastic Internet connection" since a fast broadband connection is still out of reach of most people in SA due to the premium pricing, thanks to the greedy nature of the broadband service providers. :twisted:
 
Ryansr said:
All DSTV wants to do is to provide their service to to as many people as possible and thus increase their revenue on products and services, just like any other company. The problem is that they refuse to offer existing customers the opportunity to upgrade their existing products and services, because that would mean charging us less money than the cost of a newer decoder plus installation. :mad:

Multichoice should have done more market research on existing infrastructure and broadband accessibility before they could actually make such stupid remarks as "fantastic Internet connection" since a fast broadband connection is still out of reach of most people in SA due to the premium pricing, thanks to the greedy nature of the broadband service providers. :twisted:
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If by broadband service providers you mean Telkom, then I agree.

What DSTV is planning to offer is access to a larger backlog of programming. At the moment they only keep 7 days which you can watch. It looks like they are planning to give access to a larger backlog via an internet connection. If you have a 1mb or 2mb line it may take a bit longer for that episode to be ready to watch. I doubt they'll offer proper VOD - they'll only do that when there is competition.

Unfortunately there is still no competition to DSTV. Hopefully InfoView.tv will get it right when they eventually launch.

Sickbeard will be the best alternative for a while.
 
dougatthewoods said:
What DSTV is planning to offer is access to a larger backlog of programming. At the moment they only keep 7 days which you can watch. It looks like they are planning to give access to a larger backlog via an internet connection. If you have a 1mb or 2mb line it may take a bit longer for that episode to be ready to watch. I doubt they'll offer proper VOD - they'll only do that when there is competition.
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Another option to Internet is allowing consumers to upgrade their PVR's with an external HD or bigger internal HD.
I'm not anti-internet, it's just that existing HD-PVR's already have ethernet - it's the crappy firmware that limits what the device can do.

The HDPVR has a small hard disk (250/500GB), why not allow a 2TB or external disk?
 
There's a Sony HD DVD player that also comes with network port and with an internet browser. Sides all the new tv's will have it in anyway.
 
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