DStv

Company name	DStv
Company logo
Company type	Public
Company slogan	so much more
Foundation	1995
Location	Ferndale, Randburg, South Africa
Industry	Telecommunication
Products	Direct broadcast satellite
Homepage	www.DStv.com

DStv ("Digital Satellite Television") is MultiChoice's multi-channel digital satellite TV service in Africa, launched in 1995. It operates from two satellites over Africa, broadcasting on K_u band via Eutelsat W7 and Intelsat 7 , which only requires a small satellite dish. Subscribers in South Africa also receive the South African Broadcasting Corporation's three terrestrial channels, SABC 1, 2 and 3 and the privately owned free-to-air terrestrial channel e.tv. These are not available to subscribers elsewhere, for rights reasons, although until August 1, 2008, they could receive the SABC Africa channel, until it was dropped by DStv due to poor performance.

Other countries are also able to receive their terrestrial channels, including Namibia's NBC, Uganda's UBC and Mozambique's TVM. For rights, reasons these terrestrial channels are not available to subscribers outside their respective countries.

In 2005 DStv introduced its own Personal Video Recorder (PVR). On 24 July 2008 they introduced the High Definition Personal Video Recorder (HD PVR) which allows the subscriber to record DStv's content. This functionality is similar to that found on set-top Digital Video Recorder units in other countries, such as Britain's Sky+ PVR. However, neither of these systems allow viewers to download or archive the recorded content.

History

Pay-television came to South Africa in 1986, when an analogue, single-channel service, M-Net, was launched by Naspers. For almost seven years, all M-Net's operations were handled by a single company. Then, in 1993, Naspers created a subsidiary company, Multichoice, which was to handle the business arm of M-Net, such as decoder sales, subscriber services and account management.

In 1995, Multichoice announced that it was launching a new digital, satellite service in South Africa and, on October 6, 1995, DStv was officially activated to subscribers. A digital satellite decoder cost between R4,000 and R4,500, while the monthly subscription fee was R175.

The original video channel bouquet consisted of 17 channels: M-Net, Movie Magic, TNT Classic Movies, Sci-Fi Channel, SuperSport, ESPN, Hallmark Channel, SelecTV, Travel Channel, KTV, Cartoon Network, BBC World, CNN International, Sky News, Trinity Broadcasting Network, VH-1 and TV5 Afrique.

Channels

DStv has expanded its offering to nearly 100 video channels and 78 audio channels. In August 2008 Multichoice introduced its first HDTV channel, M-Net HD on channel 170. On 15 December 2009 the second HD channel, a documentary channel, Discovery HD Showcase started on channel 172 and a sport channel, SuperSport HD started broadcasting on 26 December 2009 on channel 171.

General entertainment and movies

100 – dish 101 – M-Net 102 – M-Net Africa 103 – M-Net Movies 1 104 – M-Net Movies 2 105 – M-Net Stars 106 – M-Net Action 107 – Mzansi Magic 108 – Universal Channel 109 – TCM 110 – M-Net Series 111 – KykNET 112 – Magic World 113 – Sony Entertainment Television 114 – Africa Magic 115 – Africa Magic Plus 120 – BBC Entertainment 121 – Discovery Channel 123 – Vuzu 124 – E! Entertainment 125 – Zone Reality 126 – Sony Max 131 – SABC 1 132 – SABC 2 133 – SABC 3 134 – e.tv 137 – Botswana Television 144 – e.tv Africa 150 – Soweto TV 151 – Lesotho TV

HD

170 – M-Net HD 171 – SuperSport HD 1 172 – Discovery HD Showcase 173 – iConcerts HD – Sub-Saharan Africa 174 – SuperSport HD 2 175 – M-Net Movies 1 HD 176 – SuperSport HD 3

Lifestyle

180 – BBC Lifestyle 181 – Travel Channel 182 – The Home Channel 183 – Style Network 184 – Fashion TV 185 – Food Network 198 – BBA (Big Brother Amplified) 199 – Idols SA 7

Sport

200 – SuperSport Update 201 – SuperSport 1 202 – SuperSport 2 203 – SuperSport 3 204 – SuperSport 4 205 – SuperSport 5 206 – SuperSport 6 207 – SuperSport 7 208 – SuperSport Maximo 209 – SuperSport Select 230 – ESPN 231 – ESPN Classic 232 – TellyTrack 247 – SuperSport Action

Documentary

250 – Discovery World 251 – BBC Knowledge 254 – The History Channel 255 – Crime & Investigation Network 260 – National Geographic Channel 261 – Nat Geo Wild 264 – Animal Planet 265 – Ignition

Children

301 – Cartoon Network 302 – Boomerang 303 – Disney Channel 304 – Disney XD 305 – Nickelodeon 306 – BBC CBeebies 307 – Koowee 308 – KidsCo 309 – Disney Junior 319 – Mindset Learn

Music

320 – Channel O 321 – MTV Europe 322 – MTV Base 323 – VH1 324 – MK 325 – Trace TV 326 – AfroMusic 329 – C Music TV - Sub-Saharan Africa

Religion

331 – One Gospel 341 – TBN 343 – Rhema 344 – Daystar 347 – Islam Channel 350 – Inspiration TV

News and commerce

400 – BBC World News 401 – CNN International 402 – Sky News International 403 – E News channel 404 – EuroNews 405 – Russia Today 406 – Al Jazeera English 407 – NDTV 24x7 408 – Parliament Channel 409 – CCTV-9 410 – CNBC Africa 411 – Bloomberg 412 – Summit TV 415 – Weather Channel and News24

Specialist and separate subscription

430 – Rai Italia 3 431 – BVN 432 – ERT World 440 – RTL Television 441 – Sat.1 442 – Das Erste 443 – ZDF 444 – ProSieben 445 – 3sat 446 – Deutsche Welle 447 – CCTV-4 450 – Sony Entertainment Television Asia 451 – B4U Movies 452 – Zee TV 454 – Sun TV 456 – Saffron TV 457 – SET Max 501 – RTP Internacional 502 – SIC Internacional 510 – Rede Globo 607 – TV5 Monde Afrique

Audio Channels

DMX Music

101 – Adult Contemporary 102 – Euro Hits 103 – Hot Traxx 104 – 70’s Hits 105 – 80’s Hits 106 – Familiar Favourites 107 – Soft Hits 108 – Love Songs 109 – Metro Blend 110 – City Scapes 111 – Groove Lounge 112 – Subterranean 113 – Power Hits 114 – Dance 115 – Electro Sphere 116 – Campus Rock 117 – Alternate Rock 118 – Hard Rock 119 – Classic Rock 120 – Golden Oldies 121 – Rock N Roll 122 – Classic R & B 123 – Urban Adult Contemporary 124 – Urban Beat 125 – Reggae 126 – Modern Country 127 – Traditional Country 128 – Gospel 129 – African Rhythm 130 – Italian Contemporary 131 – Smooth Jazz 132 – Jazz 133 – Blues 134 – Beautiful Instrumentals 135 – Contemporary Instrumentals 136 – New Age 137 – Light Classical 138 – Arias And Overtures 139 – Chamber Music 140 – Symphonic

Radio Stations

150 – BBC World Service 1 151 – BBC World Service 2 152 – BBC World Service 3 153 – Voice Of America 154 – World Radio Network 155 – Trans World Radio 156 – Talk Radio 702 157 – Classic FM 158 – Jacaranda 94.2 159 – YFM 160 – Chinese Radio International 161 – Kaya FM 162 – Raitalia Radio 163 – Radio Nederland Wereldomroep 164 – Radio Nederland Wereldomroep 2 165 – Channel Islam International 166 – Radio France Internationale 167 – Radio Wave 168 – Radio Energy 169 – 1485AM Radio 170 – Radio Veritas 171 – Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal 172 – TransAfrica Radio 173 – Jhankaar 174 – KL 175 – Link FM 176 – Radio Kosmos 178 – Jozi FM 179 – 94.7 Highveld Stereo 180 – 94.5 Kfm 181 – Metro FM

Free to Air Channels

There are several free-to-air channels available on DSTV simply by adding settings onto the decoder (excluding any of the HD Decoder models). More details can be found at the rites blog

Sentech Vivid

11170V 26657 S/R 5/6 FEC

This bouquet carries the SABC channels as well as e.tv. These services are encrypted and require a Vivid decoder and smart card. It also carries several free to air TV and radio services including SABC News International and God TV. The SABC radio channels are available FTA.

Packages

Currently MultiChoice and Vodacom offer DStv subscriptions:

MultiChoice Packages

DStv Premium

DStv Compact Plus

DStv Compact

DStv Family

DStv Access

DStv Bué

Vodacom Packages

DStv Select 1

DStv Select 2

Decoders

DStv has range of decoders (set-top box) manufactured by Altech UEC and Pace. The latest decoders allow subscribers to use XtraView. This allows a subscriber to link two decoders under a single subscription at a cost R65, to increase the viewing environments (similar to Sky‘s multiroom).

Standard Decoder

The Standard Decoder (DSD 1110 and DSD 1131) is DStv’s entry level single view decoder, manufactured by Altech UEC. It has XtraView capability, where it can be linked to itself or the HD PVR.

HD PVR

A High Definition PVR which was first released in 24 July 2008. It contains a 500GB hard drive, allowing recordings of 150 hours standard definition content and/or 50 hours of high definition content. The HD PVR is XtraView cable being able to link to itself, the standard decoder or the SD PVR.

They are currently two versions available of the HD PVR:

HD PVR (4 tuner) was the initial HD decoder, it’s manufactured by Altech UEC and Pace. It allows to view one channel and concurrently record another two channels.

HD PVR 2P (2 tuner) was released in May 2010, a cheaper version to the 4 tuner currently only being manufactured by Pace but a Altech UEC version is expected. It allows to view one channel and simultaneously record one channel.

Discontinued decoders

These are decoders which DStv no longer produces:

SD PVR, DStv’s first personal video recoder which allowed to view two and record one concurrently. It was manufactured by Altech UEC and has XtraView capability with the HD PVR.

Dual-View decoder is a decoder which allowed two separate viewing environments. It was manufactured by Altech UEC.

References

External links

DStv homepage

DStv Africa homepage

Vodacom DSTV Select Homepage

M-Net homepage

Category:Television in South Africa Category:Direct broadcast satellite services