OpenView HD vs Freevision vs DStv EasyView
Sentech officially announced the channels of Freevision, the replacement for its Vivid satellite TV service which was launched on its new distribution platform on Monday, 30 September 2013.
The Freevision channel line-up remains largely the same as that of the former Vivid bouquet, though Sentech promised that it had far grander plans.
According to Sentech CEO Setumo Mohapi, Freevision could offer new pay TV licensees, such as Close TV and Siyaya TV, a platform on which to broadcast their bouquets.
Sentech is also planning an online video service similar to BBC’s iPlayer, HD content, replay/catch-up services, and personal video recording, Mohapi said.
News of Freevision’s launch emerged a month after MyBroadband reported that E-tv sister company Platco Digital was launching its own free direct-to-home satellite TV platform, OpenView HD.
Platco later confirmed plans to launch OpenView HD in mid-October.
South Africa’s satellite TV giant, MultiChoice, also has an entry-level bouquet (DStv EasyView) which may be considered competition for Freevision and OpenView HD.
The below table compares the announced pricing and channels of the three services:
| Component | Freevision | OpenView HD | DStv EasyView |
| Monthly Price | Free | Free | R29 |
| Installation cost (estimate) | R1,350 (SD decoder) | R1,599 (HD decoder) | R599 (SD decoder) |
| Channels | |||
| Free-to-air channels | SABC 1 | SABC 1 | SABC 1 |
| SABC 2 | SABC 2 | SABC 2 | |
| SABC 3 | SABC 3 | SABC 3 | |
| e.tv | e.tv (HD) | e.tv | |
| SABC News | |||
| Entertainment, Culture and Lifestyle channels | Zulu TV | eKasi+ | Africa Magic Entertainment |
| SA Channel | eAfrica+ | Magic World | |
| eMovies+ | |||
| Zest TV | |||
| ASTV | |||
| Deen TV | |||
| Community broadcasters | Soweto TV | – | Soweto TV |
| Bay TV | Bay TV | ||
| 1 KZN | 1 KZN | ||
| Tshwane TV | Tshwane TV | ||
| Alex TV | |||
| Cape TV | |||
| Children and Education | Mindset Learn | eToons+ | KidsCo |
| Mindset Health | Mindset TV | Mindset TV | |
| Da Vinci Learning | |||
| English Club | |||
| Religion | Spirit Word | Spirit Word Channel | |
| CTV (TBN) | TBN | ||
| God Never Fails TV | Inspiration TV | Rhema | |
| RLW | iTV | ||
| Breakthru TV | |||
| New Generation TV | |||
| Abel Damina Ministries | |||
| The Synagogue Church – Emmanuel TV | |||
| Daystar | |||
| Starcross TV | |||
| Angel Television Africa | |||
| Kruiskyk | |||
| Tellilah | |||
| Redeemed Church of God | |||
| Ezekiel TV | |||
| Christ Embassy | |||
| World Restoration Services | |||
| Unity Broadcasting Network | |||
| Manifest Sons of God | |||
| Isambulo | |||
| Homebased TV | |||
| Sport | – | – | SuperSport Blitz |
| News, Commerce and Specialised channels | MyNews Channel | – | SABC News |
| TVC News | ANN7 | ||
| France 24 | Al Jazeera | ||
| Parliamentary service | |||
| CCTV News | |||
| Weather24 | |||
| Business Day TV | |||
| CCTV 4 | |||
| Audio channels | 16 audio channels | – | 29 audio channels |
More satellite TV broadcasting news
DStv EasyView versus OpenView HD
SABC can’t stop us: OpenView HD
Free OpenView HD channel list for SA revealed
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