OpenView HD free satellite TV decoder details

Future satellite TV operator, Platco Digital has confirmed four suppliers for its free OpenView HD service; only one decoder model will be available from two different manufacturers, a spokesperson for Ellies has told MyBroadband.

This will be a high quality, single view unit, Ellies said.

“The marketing aim initially is to produce a model to best meet a price point to accommodate a wide LSM audience, without sacrificing basic functionality,” Ellies said.

OpenView HD is new subscription-free satellite TV service from Platco Digital, a sister company to E-tv, which is set to launch in South Africa during October 2013.

Ellies, Space TV, Switch Digital, and ABT will all be supplying OpenView HD, and according to Platco they may all offer their own decoders as long as they conform to a certain minimum specification.

The Ellies decoder will have HD support, but no personal video recorder (PVR) functionality.

“Initial pricing is paramount and user sentiment and demand will be evaluated in the future,” Ellies said regarding their decision not to support PVR.

Asked whether they will have an Internet-connected decoder, Ellies said that such a decoder would need 3G capability, which defeats the initial objectives.

Ellies also said it will only be targeting one price point to start with, but added they anticipate other retailers will follow their own agenda.

“As this is a new offering, we only expect to accommodate future user and market demand as we are able to better access consumer needs,” Ellies said.

No comment from Space TV, Switch Digital, and ABT

Space TV and ABT did not respond to questions about their decoders or decoder plans by the time of publication, while Switch Digital said that they do not wish to comment about their plans for the moment.

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