The great DStv rip off!

[PCW]

The only sport you get on DStv you don't get in UK is Saturday 3pm Premiership games. That's down to the English FA to protect attendences.

So what about the fact Vodacom or ANother Firm sponsor most sports programming here?

When Sky first started they had a million subscribers and have increased their services from about 20 channels to around 250 whilst only doubling their price in 10 years - have you ever seen their interactive services?

The Rand is strong, DStv have no excuses. It's milky milky the SA people.

 

[Kropotkin]

ok what more could you do?

what other channels are missing?

come tell me

remember its 400 rand

OK my choices, first of all remove the following channels:
Remove all the kid channels, remove all the current music channels, remove the foreign language channels (from 90 on). Everything in the 70s.

Now add:
1. Proper Discovery channel
2. Proper History channel
3. Comedy Central
4. Sci-Fi channel
5. MTV2
6. Kerrang
7. Get Jon Steward's show, not just the omnibus on Sundays
8. Don't replay Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno over and over, just delay by a week from the US broadcast dates if you have to
9. More movie channels so you don't have to see every movie 20 gazillion times on the same channel
10. Up the picture quality and broadcast in 5.1
11. Turn DOWN the volume during ads.

I'd be willing to pay more than the current R400 for this, as it is I don't think I'll be keeping DSTV much longer.

 

[UtterNutter]

The Rand is strong, DStv have no excuses.

The Rand will forever be a convenient excuse for businesses to charge high prices in SA.

The Rand will stop being a scapegoat when apartheid stops getting blamed... i.e. never!

 

[ipodmusicman]

I heard that a lot of the money we pay to DSTV goes to R&D. I ask the question, what R&D? We haven't seen any revolutionary innovations from them since they launched 10 years ago.

I think the next best thing is going to be the PVR decoder they are releasing later this year.

And since it is their birthday this month, are we going to get new channels because of this? HECK NO! But just a blab full of ads how 'good' they have been over the last 10 years.

I can't wait until they decide to broadcast in HD with 5.1. That is why I haven't bought a plasma screen yet. But we can only look at other countries like the US and only dream! Apparently SkyHD is starting next year plus some of the Europian countries are going to start broadcasting in HD next year too.

 

[RolandD]

I'd like to see DSTV where you pay a basic price (say R100) plus x amount for each channel you select. From the 50 or so channels I only watch 2 or 3, not worth R400 to be honest. I just can't go back to SABC, I'd rather watch the grass grow.

I think if Multichoice had some decent competition we could get much better value for money.

 

[ajax]

I think the price is reasonable. I like listening to radio, and DSTV has a number of radio stations including 702, Classic FM, BBC, and all the SABC stations (if you do some advanced tuning of course). You can even tune into Antowan's show on weekends on Jacaranda
The series on MNET (24, CSI, ER) are very good, and the sports channels too.

But ditto Kropotkin on upping the picture quality, broadcasting in 5.1 and BRINGING BACK THE SCI-FI CHANNEL! If 5.1 audio comes out, it will significantly enhance the home theatre experience.

 

[Captain Beer]

I have kids so the kids channels need to stay, but they could have better kids channels.

I would also like to see:

mtv2
kerrang
scuzz
comedy central
paramount comedy
discovery science
men & motors tv

Before I had Sky in the UK I thought DStv was excellent, but **** I was wrong!

 

[morebroadband]

I have no problem with SA companies making money. Where I do have a problem is when a company has a monopoly and they then use this monopoly to inflate their prices.

The Mobile operators and MWEB are perfect examples.

No doubt that the programs on offer at DSTV are superior, but all we have to compare this with is SABC.

DSTV are charging approx $60 for something that costs $30 in USA, and offers 100's more channels. It is too expensive for the average citizen, and once again there is nothing they can do about it. I personally subscribe and enjoy the product, but it does not mean I have to be Apathetic about consumerism!

 

[Ekhaatvensters]

Definatley need MTV 2 on there, I mean we got MTV base right?
Then I'd sign up right away... not really that worth it for me at the moment, dont watch sport.

Ok theres probably some big flaw in my logic, but cant Multichoice provide Cable internet access? Or maby the new tv services that are apparently coming to SA soon to end Multichoices monopoly could try it... or is there some problem with the technology? They could do it quite cheaply as they already have tens of thousands of clients so they would reach a huge customer base right away, and it would merge two accounts into one, maby a discount for cable internet and TV.

 

[Captain Beer]

For anyone that is interested in mtv2, kerrang or scuzz:

www.petitiononline.com/kerrang1

 

[RichardP]

But ditto Kropotkin on upping the picture quality, broadcasting in 5.1 and BRINGING BACK THE SCI-FI CHANNEL! If 5.1 audio comes out, it will significantly enhance the home theatre experience.

LOL!!!!!!!! 5.1 channels!!!! they cant get 1 channel audio working. got an optical-out from my decoder waiting for ac3.... but I doubt it will ever happen

 

[adsl3g]

Definatley need MTV 2 on there, I mean we got MTV base right?
Then I'd sign up right away... not really that worth it for me at the moment, dont watch sport.

Ok theres probably some big flaw in my logic, but cant Multichoice provide Cable internet access? Or maby the new tv services that are apparently coming to SA soon to end Multichoices monopoly could try it... or is there some problem with the technology? They could do it quite cheaply as they already have tens of thousands of clients so they would reach a huge customer base right away, and it would merge two accounts into one, maby a discount for cable internet and TV.

The problem is laying the cable to the subscribers.... cheaper to do it by satellite.
I'm for COMEDY CENTRAL.
....anyway, do not want to get into heated debates about DSTV again - don't know if any of you remember the za.tv.satellite usenet group - was an active follower/supporter there.

 

[dax]

OK my choices, first of all remove the following channels:
Remove all the kid channels, remove all the current music channels, remove the foreign language channels (from 90 on). Everything in the 70s.

Why would you want to remove things that OTHER people enjoy?

1. Proper Discovery channel

Whatever 'proper' means. Discovery Networks has licensed that version of the channel to this region of the world (Southern Africa). DStv will never get a license for the US version of the channel.

2. Proper History channel

Whatever 'proper' means. The History Channel has licensed that version of the channel to this region of the world (Southern Africa). DStv will never get a license for the US version of the channel.

3. Comedy Central

I get the feeling that that channel just doesn't make it out of the US, whereas the content on that channel, does. So we already see Comedy Central shows, just not the entire channel. Or perhaps the US wants too much for it. Unsure. I remember seeing somewhere that this channel can be likened to HBO. i.e. you will never get a direct feed of the US HBO service, but you can get HBO shows.

4. Sci-Fi channel

Oh god that was a load of rubbish. I love sci-fi, but I so dislike having to wade through all the rubbish of old seasons of TNG. Worst trek ever. Voyager rocked. But still. There's loads of excellent sci-fi all over the other DStv channels. You just gotta look. Just because it all gets lumped into one channel doesn't mean that it's all good.

5. MTV2

Heard of this, unsure what's on it, so I can't comment.

6. Kerrang

Rock music channel, right? Not a rock-fan, but if you want it, I guess it's worth it. What network produces it? Why not get hold of that network and tell them you want it provided in SA?

7. Get Jon Steward's show, not just the omnibus on Sundays

You mean 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart'? That's on at least once a day on CNN. Check the schedules? What's this omnibus you speak of?

http://www.dstv.com/dstv_guide/defa...e=30&keyword=daily show&channel=100&from=&to=

8. Don't replay Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno over and over, just delay by a week from the US broadcast dates if you have to

(a) That show is played out and scheduled by CNBC Europe, not by DStv.
(b) The recent repeats were because the shows took a break in the US.
(c) The current shows are only about 24-48 hours or so behind the US-airing.
(d) Get your facts straight.

9. More movie channels so you don't have to see every movie 20 gazillion times on the same channel

I almost agree with you, except for the fact that I like my DStv for the great TV series, not the movies...

10. Up the picture quality and broadcast in 5.1

Most of the channels I watch have superb picture quality. Only one that I can think of that sucks is Animal Planet, and I don't watch that.

I spoke to a DStv engineer about 5.1 about 2 years ago. He said the main problem with provisioning that sort of service is that it's very difficult for them to source the correct media, even though they try. Witness the recent introduction of subtitles.

11. Turn DOWN the volume during ads.

Hey, I'll agree with that, but turn it around. Ad volume is fine. Please turn up the programme volume.

...dont think I'll be keeping DSTV much longer.

I'm very happy with my DStv. I worked out that I watch over 40 hours of TV a week.

Bliss.

 

[dax]

ummm so they only have national geo and discovery?

tell me for the amount of sport on supersport is it not worth 400 a month?

please stop having a go at companies who charge a decent amount

if you dont watch sport dont get dstv

Did you know that SuperSport is the biggest sports television network in the world?

 

[daevor]

I'm very happy with my DStv. I worked out that I watch over 40 hours of TV a week.
Bliss.

Huh??

People work 40 hours a week. You watch TV 40 hours a week. Say, is your job perhaps to watch TV the whole day?

Regards,
D

 

[arf9999]

I have a serious issue with picture quality on DSTV. They are over-compressing the signal so that it looks like **** on any reasonable TV.

It is time they upgraded their system to MPEG4 in order to get better quality in the same bandwidth...

 

[Clipse]

I think if I had to put a number on my TV viewing hours, it would be between 1-2hrs a month.

 

[dax]

People work 40 hours a week. You watch TV 40 hours a week. Say, is your job perhaps to watch TV the whole day?

I wish!

Hmmm. Maybe I can find a job like that...

 

[dax]

I have a serious issue with picture quality on DSTV. They are over-compressing the signal so that it looks like **** on any reasonable TV.

You should email them and tell them this. And which channels it's happening on. Or post in their forums.

It is time they upgraded their system to MPEG4 in order to get better quality in the same bandwidth...

Apparently, this is what Sky has done - they use MPEG4. Unfortunately (I'm not an expert on the hardware), this would mean they would have to replace EVERY SINGLE decoder out there, across Africa...

 

[arf9999]

You should email them and tell them this. And which channels it's happening on. Or post in their forums.



Apparently, this is what Sky has done - they use MPEG4. Unfortunately (I'm not an expert on the hardware), this would mean they would have to replace EVERY SINGLE decoder out there, across Africa...

Nope..The decoders were replaced about 2 years ago, the new version is firmware updateable (possibly even over-the-air)