SABC sends warning to analogue viewers

j4ck455 said:
Amusing I found that, so you go to the local SAPO and do what exactly, stand outside the closed doors until you kick the bucket?

A significant number of SAPO shops have been closed by the mall landlords for SAPO's failure to pay the rentals, maybe some of those have been paid now but I would bet that there are a lot that are still closed. Maybe this will not be a problem in rural areas where SAPO probably does not pay rent, or the chieftan has given up waiting for his rental fees and allows the local SAPO office to stay open.

A couple of weeks back I walked past the SAPO at Cedar Square in Fourways, there was a notice on the door saying something to the effect of a labour dispute had resulted in the SAPO office closure (I did not bother reading the fineprint).


I have been saying exactly that for a few years: as soon as analogue gets switched off, it is going to be even more difficult for the SABC to collect TVLicking fees.

It would be a completely different matter if the SABC had decided to go for decoders that are capable of decrypting encrypted content, and a remote decoder kill switch for anyone that failed to pay their TVLicking fees.


That assumes that the majority of operational and regularly used TVs in SA are digital.

I suspect there are a significant number of analogue tuner TVs still being actively used, and maybe the people using them will be joining the SASSA etc queues outside their local SAPO office to get their free digital decoder to use with their old TV.

People registering for a free SABC digital decoder will just change their cellphone number when the threatening calls start rolling in about not having paid the TVLicking fees.
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A typical ignorant rant response with just enough truth to make it look as if it is a genuine well thought out argument.

Not going to comment on all of it except for the part about WHAT the original purpose of a STB was supposed to be.
And that was simply as a bridging measure between old analogue TVs and digital TVs.
The ONLY purpose was to allow older TVs to be used inna digital environment until digital TVs became available with built in multi standard digital tuners.
The STB was never supposed to be a control measure of any sort since the issue was about FTA reception.
The idiots that saw this as a way to "control" technology development and even licence fee collections were the stupid ones that wanted to make millions out of the exercise.
 
I don't want a digital decoder because I don't want it. Surely they cannot force people to pay for this? Don't have DSTV and if they cancel the analogue signal, then it's just streaming which is what I want.
Then surely a TV license is no longer required?
 
Utterly Confused said:
And they are still selling flat screen TVs without digital tuners. Doesn't make sense.
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Yes that was and is a true travesty. This country did all sorts of things to try and "force" a situation where no broadcast reception would be possible without a STB regardless of how the result would be delivered, via a TV, a monitor, a tunercard, PC etc. As if anyone has ever succeeded in controling technology innovation.
Another symptom of totalitarian state control.
The problem is even now the country is still full of idiots that can't see the grand communist philosophy plan driven by the ANC.
 
JohnStarr said:
I don't want a digital decoder because I don't want it. Surely they cannot force people to pay for this? Don't have DSTV and if they cancel the analogue signal, then it's just streaming which is what I want.
Then surely a TV license is no longer required?
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DStv doesn't use it (only Multichoices' Go TV or whatever that's called in SA), and has nothing to do with the internet. You won't need it, nor is anyone forced to get it, where did you get that idea? It's for those with aerials only (not about dishes) and they still have other usage options.

TV license - about using a tuner, any tuner. Everything else about it is just speculation, including the nonsense coming from SABC characters.
 
Brian_G said:
DStv doesn't use it (only Multichoices' Go TV or whatever that's called in SA), and has nothing to do with the internet. You won't need it, nor is anyone forced to get it, where did you get that idea? It's for those with aerials only (not about dishes) and they still have other usage options.

TV license - about using a tuner, any tuner. Everything else about it is just speculation, including the nonsense coming from SABC characters.
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Anything's possible with the SABC. One day you don't need a digital decoder (we don't now!), the next SABC have arranged you have to have one even if you're not going to be using it.
 
Brian_G said:
DStv doesn't use it (only Multichoices' Go TV or whatever that's called in SA), and has nothing to do with the internet. You won't need it, nor is anyone forced to get it, where did you get that idea? It's for those with aerials only (not about dishes) and they still have other usage options.

TV license - about using a tuner, any tuner. Everything else about it is just speculation, including the nonsense coming from SABC characters.
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Can't imagine what the discussion is about.
But the point is IF you want to receive over the air terrestrial broadcast TV in SA, in the future, after the analogue switch off, the only way will be via a device that has a DTT tuner in it.
That is only available via a STB or via a digital TV equipped with a DTT tuner.
IF you don't want it then ignore the technology.
But for us who were very active in the industry, it remains interesting purely from the technology point of view.
IF you want to still watch public broadcasts in SA, AND you still have an analogue TV, or a digital TV with no DTT tuner, THEN AND ONLY THEN, will you need to get a STB.

From a purely technical viewpoint, who wants to go and get, even for free, a 15-year old STB, that has been in storage?
 
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Geoff.D said:
A typical ignorant rant response with just enough truth to make it look as if it is a genuine well thought out argument.

Not going to comment on all of it except for the part about WHAT the original purpose of a STB was supposed to be.
And that was simply as a bridging measure between old analogue TVs and digital TVs.
The ONLY purpose was to allow older TVs to be used inna digital environment until digital TVs became available with built in multi standard digital tuners.
The STB was never supposed to be a control measure of any sort since the issue was about FTA reception.
The idiots that saw this as a way to "control" technology development and even licence fee collections were the stupid ones that wanted to make millions out of the exercise.
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No worries, I know only too well that you refuse to entertain opinions that differ from your own.

Be sure to click the angry old bird thing when you read this.

e4f7bf495202c8f8df928d1ef2b663c3d1e40bc6bcb6e1283e2928bc873223dc.png​
 
The big switch off takes place today in OFS.
ANC at its best, any excuse for a party and a platform for BS transfer.
Edit: Correction, BLM transmitter. Only Eastern Free State today.
As I said, the switch off is just an excuse for another party.
 
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