Openview launches new decoder

After years of teasing, eMedia has launched a new decoder for its Openview satellite TV service.

The broadcaster said the launch of the Openview OV512 marked the “dawn of a new era in home entertainment for South Africa”.

It comes after several annual results presentations in which eMedia said it was working on a new decoder.

Priced at R799, the Openview OV512 decoder can be bought from the Openview website or by calling Openview’s customer service centre.

Among the new features that the OV512 offers is a built-in Wi-Fi receiver that eMedia said would allow users to access additional “premium content”, including international and local movies and TV shows.

The new decoder’s remote features a “+MORE” button to access on-demand content in HD quality.

The decoder also supports the ability to pause, rewind, and fast-forward on-demand content.

eMedia did not elaborate on what movies or TV shows will be available in this section.

One possibility is that it will be the same as what is available on the eVOD Premium service, priced at R29.99 per month.

eVOD is currently on offered via a browser or through a mobile app, with no support for Android TV, Apple TV, Tizen, or other smart TV operating systems.

It is unclear whether Openview will require OV512 users to pay for this subscription to access its content.

The infographic below shows the basic design and features of the Openview OV512 decoder.

There was no mention of accessing third-party video streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime Video through the decoder.

These are available on Openview rival DStv’s Explora and Streama decoders.

However, unlike the DStv Streama, which currently retails for around the same price as the OV512, the decoder still supports satellite broadcasts.

Users can connect the same cable they use with their existing Openview decoder to connect to the Intelsat-20 satellite and enjoy broadcasts without an Internet connection.

eMedia retail executive Mmatshipi Matebane said the “new, sleek, and stylish” decoder continued the trend of cutting-edge technology that Openview was known for.

“We remain dedicated to providing our customers with the best entertainment experience, and these new changes are a testament to that commitment,” said Matebane.

Openview has activated over 3.5 million decoders to date, adding hundreds of thousands of new decoder activations every year for at least the past five years.