DStv no longer makes 4-tuner decoders like its old HD PVRs because the chips needed to make them aren\u2019t produced at scale anymore.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the word from Nyiko Shiburi, group general manager for broadcast technology at MultiChoice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat actually drives the decoder roadmap is the chipsets that become available,\u201d said Shiburi.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember, for us it is about finding a balance between creating a decoder that satisfies most of our customers and getting the right price.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shiburi said there are currently two main chipset blocks: 3-tuner chips and 8-tuner chips.<\/p>\n
If they decided to go with an 8-tuner decoder instead of the 3-tuner chip inside the DStv Explora, that could have made the decoder quite expensive, he said.<\/p>\n
Shiburi said that when designing a decoder, they also track international trends closely.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t want to find yourself running a very bespoke product.”<\/p>\n
Since South Africa is a relatively small market, MultiChoice must try to\u00a0benefit from others\u2019 economies of scale, said Shiburi.<\/p>\n
If South Africa was to become the only place in the world using a particular chip, the product based on it would become very expensive.<\/p>\n
Trade in your old DStv decoder for up to R500 off a new one<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Why DStv stops supporting decoders<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n DStv Compact subscribers get new channel for free<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n