Openview HD launching 15 October 2013

This is the only FTA platform in South Africa to keep its promise. Many have come and gone including paytv platforms. What is interesting on their channel line-up is the this channels:

etv
emovies+

and

Glow tv

Glow tv seems to be HD with promo video above showing blockbuster line-up programs and movies. Hopefully should be this channel.
Retail prices for the decoder plus installation is R1599 and decoder alone R999.
Will wait and see come 15 October 2013.

Vivid to relaunch as FreeVision

Sentech the South African television signal distributor will relaunch its Vivid bouquet on Dstv satellite to FreeVision. The relaunch will happen at the end of September 2013 and further info on the channel line-up will be released prior to launch date. This is another Free to Air initiative after Openview HD promised to launch in October 2013. It seems the Free To Air game is about to start but will it live up to its expectation, is left to be seen. Currently the Vivid bouquet has been beefed up by scrambling their channels and upgrading its decoders to accommodate DVB-S2 broadcasting and nagravision encryption for conditional access control. The new decoder comes standard with USB interface for hopefully PVR functionality at a later stage. This service is an answer to citizens who cannot access the Digital Terrestrial Television signal.

Openview HD test signal live on SES 5 satellite

Openview HD started its roadshow in Port Elizabeth to installers about the new satellite DTH Free To Air channels on SES 5 satellite at 5 degrees east, the same satellite TOP TV is broadcasting its pay tv service. The launch is anticipated to be in October 2013 and will be broadcast in DVB-S2 with minimum of 15 channels and 5 of them in High Definition. The set top box will be encrypted with NDS for control access and thus will require activation. The head-end and uplink station is situated at e-tv broadcast center in Cape Town. Some of the channels that will launch will be SABC 1-2-3, etv, e-kasi, e-africa, e-movies and setanta sport to name few. It is anticipated that the retail price value for set top box including installation with an 80cm dish will be R1899.00 once off with no monthly subscription. It is also anticipated that an enabled PVR set top box will be launched in second term of 2014 as access control is still in development.

Sentech launched New Vivid decoder

The new Vivid FTA decoder is currently on sale at major satellite equipment distributors in South Africa and currently retails for R399.00. It features DVB-S2 but not HDMI thus not HD. Product Information reads:
Ideal for Free to Air public Television and Radio Services in Rural Outlying Poor Terrestrial Signal Coverage Areas’s in South Africa.
* For activation, please fill in CAS number and not the STB number.
* Customers ID/proof of residence required for activation
* For sale in South Africa only

Openview HD launching soon

The new Satellite DTH FTA channels to launch soon. Details are sketchy at this moment especially with the launch of the new Vivid decoder that is DVB-S2 complaint on sale at two big satellite equipment distributors in South Afirca. The website only showcase SABC 1, 2, 3 and e-tv and other existing FTA channels will be showcased on their Bouquet. This seems to be the reaction to the pirated Vivid bouquet.

DVB-T2 Coverage Map

According to Sentech website:

As at 28 March 2013, SENTECH had recorded an 80.43% DTT population coverage, thus exceeding the targeted 80% coverage; four days before the deadline. This was achieved though the installation of 62 additional sites mostly located in rural areas.

Eutelsat successfully launched Eutelsat 3D on 14 May 2013

EUTELSAT 3D has been built for Eutelsat by Thales Alenia Space using its established Spacebus 4000 platform. With a baseline design equipping it to strengthen Eutelsat’s overall in-orbit flexibility and back-up from multiple orbital slots, EUTELSAT 3D will initially be located at the 3° East orbital position to address high-growth video, data, telecom and broadband markets. Through its configuration of Ku and Ka transponders connected to three footprints, the new satellite will serve customers in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. A fourth service area in the Ku-band will address markets in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tanzania switched off its analog signal in the Dar es Salaam region to DVB-T2

It was reported back in January by Kenya's third largest newspaper - The Star- that the East African nation of Tanzania switched off its analog signal in the Dar es Salaam region. Details have since emerged from DVB Member Harris Broadcast in a recent press release that it is the supplier of video headend and transmitters to the Tanzanian Sahara Media Group, which has announced its intentions to develop a wide-ranging DVB-T2 digital television service across the country to provide the country's first free-to-air digital broadcasting services.

Press release: Top TV drops Top Movies 24 and Top Junior as of midnight of 17 April 2013

NEW CHANNEL STRUCTURE RESULTS IN LOSS OF TWO TOPTV-PACKAGED CHANNELS

As TopTV continues to operate under the business rescue plan, announced in October 2012, it has become necessary to review the pay-TV operator’s current channel line-up and make certain adjustments in the interim period. The effect of this is that two of the TopTV channels, Top Movies +24 and Top Junior, will be discontinued with effect from midnight on Wednesday, 17 April 2013.

StarTimes proposes expression of interest to buy an equity share of On Digital Media, Top TV mother company in hope to rescue business

As set out on ODM website the business rescue plan proposes a buyout of equity stake of Top TV financier by StarTimes, a Chinese telecom company that has a strong foothold in African pay TV market.

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