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.

source

Do it Yourself Free to Air satellite dish installation

In order to install a satellite dish to whatever satellite, you need this basic tools and knowledge, I have sourced one of my first website to do an installation myself but I must say patience is needed and a lot of it. here is the link. ENJOY

South Africa DTT roll out coverage on track - Sentech

80.43% of Sentech terrestrial analogue network have been upgraded to Digital Terrestrial Television, Sentech website.

Techcentral - Sentech expects to complete the project by March 2014 when it reaches 88% population coverage. The remaining 12% will receive SABC channels via direct-to-home satellite.

Free 1GB/month Wi-Fi data service for Samsung Smartphones and Tablets

1GB/month free Wi-Fi data service for Samsung smartphones and tablets for 12 months, offer is valid for devices bought in the last 3 years. sign up and more info at alwayson.co.za

Somewhat progress in right direction

The Department of Communication invitation for registration of TV and home satellite antenna installation companies on its database. Sunday newspapers adverts put out.

Analogue TV's digital migration boxed down

The road to digital migration in local television is paved with good ­intentions, vested ­interests, legal disputes and delays.
In 2006, South Africa told the International Telecommunication Union it would switch from analogue to digital broadcasting by 2015 and the first digital-migration policy was published by then communications minister, Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, as far back as 2008.

Telkom to commercialise 20Mb/s and 40Mb/s VDSL lines on 6 March 2013

Telkom will start to commercialise its 20Mb/s and 40 Mb/s VDSL lines on 4 March 2013 which was on trial since last quarter of 2012. This will result in high speed internet connections meaning possibility of IPTV services, this will result in FTA channels being accessed online through your HDTV. With the launch of Nu Web TV and DSTV IPTV the freedom to choose what you want to watch will also soon be possible.

Mindset learning channel is FTA

This channel is a Free To Air channel streamed to schools around the country through Sentech bouquet on DSTV and can be accessed on DSTV public bouquet even when your DSTV is blocked, exactly the same as the Mindset Learn channel on DSTV and Top Learn channel on TOP TV.

GAU TV to launch soon

Gautv is running a promo channel on Intelsat 20, DSTV satellite platform. their website promises that: GTV is a community satellite television channel. The channel will be launched in September 2012.

FTA (Free-To-Air) Channels on DSTV decoder

Follow the instructions below and you will soon have the Public IS7 bouquet of DSTV decoder filled with channels. Bear in mind that most are christian channels, with at least 2 news channels - PRESS TV, F24 and 1 decent Botswana TV and soon to launch Gau TV. Cutting long story short here is the instructions below, it should apply for most DSTV decoders, with FTA decoder just run blindscan.

Nu Web IPTV promises over 150 channels and Video On Demand at launch

Uitenhage – Nuweb.tv website promises online HDTV with over 150 live tv channels, 7 day catch-up TV and Video on Demand. They are set to launch  late march 2013 according to their website, The service will be provided on a web based platform for mobile phone, tablet and PC and by purchasing a set-top box for DSL connection for your home viewing. According to Techcentral the 1.4Mbits adsl line will be required to stream this content.

TOP TV NEW SES-5 NOW OPERATIONAL AT 5 DEGREES EAST

Luxembourg – September 17th, 2012 – SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced that the SES-5 satellite is now fully operational at the orbital position of 5 degrees East. SES-5, successfully launched on July 10 on board an ILS Proton rocket, was designed and built for SES by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L). The spacecraft features 36 active Ku-band transponders, and up to 28 active C-band transponders and is now ready to deliver high performance and extensive coverage for Direct-to-Home (DTH) services, broadband, maritime communications, GSM backhaul, and VSAT applications in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.