Seriously done with the utterly expensive DStv

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TitanKing

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With the new raise in prices it is now time for most people to drop DStv Premium as it became unacceptably expensive for the middle class. Not only this, I believe DStv is not an ethical company, they do their utmost best to take as much money from us as possible (hungry investors?), why useless ICASA did not look at this yet is... well proclaims their uselessness.

Let me explain, even though your DSTv sits dormant over weekdays, they will not give you the option to downgrade over weekdays. You can upgrade as many times as you wish (obviously) but downgrade is limited to one, this is quite convenient isnt it, oh and mind you, you cant downgrade online, you need to spend 15 minutes on the phone to do so. DStv charges extra for you to use your already capable PVR recording. They offer a mere 5 HD channels. Is this worth the R 8, 400.00 a year, with such limited control over your DStv, to even control what you pay for, this could very well be a total breach of the consumer act. I disable about 15 channels on my PVR, yet I still need to pay for it.

Today I said goodbuy to this money cow, I paid them around R 40, 000 to date, they have taken enough money from me, I am done, R 700 PM for TV is ridicolous. Note, I dont watch sport at all, so this is not a selling point for me.

Who feels the same as me?
 
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I'm starting to share the sentiment. You could easily download all the shows you watch. Sport you can watch online. But do I really want to download all those episodes of the Kardasians for the missus?
 
TitanKing said:
... it is now time for most people to drop DStv Premium ...

even though your DSTv sits dormant over weekdays, ...

Who feels the same as me?
Click to expand...

some sweeping generalisations there, why should most people drop it?

my DSTV is active all day everyday

no, I don't feel the same way you do
 
If you don't watch sport why don't you get Top Tv?

I love my sport and so won't part with Dstv just yet even though they are expensive. Also the other bonus for me on the premium package is the Video on demand, I watch most of the programs via that (No adverts what a bonus!!)
 
I tend to agree with OMB on this one.

Yes I'm irritated by the price increase, but even so I won't be joining your little generalisation crusade and dropping my DSTV.. It still has value for me.

But your closing sentence is telling, if you are not a sports person then DSTV has no real value anymore, in my opinion.
 
Get TopTV, they now have the best ever line up of series I have experienced.

My evenings start with Stargate Atlantis at 5:30, then its Bones, then its American Dad, then Family Guy and now I see they have season 2 of the walking dead on.
 
With the new raise in prices it is now time for most people to drop DStv Premium as it became unacceptably expensive for the middle class.
Click to expand...

This was incorrectly stated, its not what I meant. Three of my friends independently decided to switch off DStv, they are also none sport watching people. I meant to say that allot of people will cancel their subscriptions. With electricity, food and fuel reaching peak hights, expensive TV will be the last thing to worry about. I think R 300 for TV is good, but paying more than that is a rippoff.
 
I canceled already. My girl is up to date with the Kardasians over the net. My wife watch her soapy on SABC one. Sport I get over the net streaming or just visit friends or bar when the important attractions hit.

So no more wasting of hard earned cash. Now only Telkom and Eskom to go.
 
wily me said:
I canceled already. My girl is up to date with the Kardasians over the net. My wife watch her soapy on SABC one. Sport I get over the net streaming or just visit friends or bar when the important attractions hit.

So no more wasting of hard earned cash. Now only Telkom and Eskom to go.
Click to expand...

Yes if the wife watches soapies then DStv select is even an option, but premium is out of the question.

Also I remind everyone of this;
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthr...-Guide-to-creating-the-Ultimate-TV-Experience
 
One small correction. The programs DSTV advertise as HD, are not really HD. For true hd go on the net. DSTV only offers half Hd - literally. Read tru one of my post in the second half of last year. There I explained at lengt why DSTV has to increase their monthly rates. And there will be a second increase later this year. TopTV hurts them more then they want to admit. DSTV has to pay huge amounts to honour their contracts. The more people are leaving the more expensive the rates will be for the remaining customers. Is a vicious circle. Let's see how far up the ladder will it go. By 2015 (in 36 months), DSTV will ask you 1k for their top package WTF :(
 
Provide me with a link for streaming sport live with no pop ups and in HD - and I will cancel DSTV (I don't mind paying a few $$$ for the streaming service)

Sport is the only reason why I have DSTV - All series and movies are downloaded
 
The video resolution of a Hi-Definition movie is 1920 horizontal pixels X 1080 vertical. Due to technical constrains and bandwith issues in the earlier stages/years of inception, a substandard of Hd was released. The resolution was roughly halved at 1280x720 pixels. To differentiate between the two, most people talk about 'Hd - ready' when they refer to this standard. Keep in mind, the 'normal' DSTV signal is 640x480 while TopTV is 682x512 (slightly better). Another important factor is the compression ratio and codec used but that is another story.
 
Actually you are wrong.

Pretty much every network that broadcasts HD broadcasts in 720p... but if memory serves me correctly DSTV broadcasts in 1080i nowadays.
 
Yeah 720P is considered the standard for HD TV broadcasts.

What you'll find though is that DSTV will lower the bitrate of the video, which makes it look worse. But they need to because they simply dont have the capacity for anything higher.
 
I'm not sure if it's too expensive (I read a pretty interesting discussion about the pricing a little while back) compared to other offerings and although I can afford it right now, I'm asking myself - when will I say enough is enough? The thing is right now I don't know any alternative so it's hard for me to judge what's acceptable and what's abuse.
I'm one of the saps that just accepts the increases every year because I'm into sport and I like the convenience. But what will it take for me to discontinue? Not sure yet, it's sad, I know.
 
At the OP, please explain to me where you'll find an alternative provider that offer as much content and channels? If you disable 15 channels on your premium, why don't you just get yourself a smaller package?
 
You could drop the TV subscriptions and get decent internet. Then download and stream everything. Everyone's doing it ;)
 
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