Platco Digital, the company behind South Africa’s new free-to-air satellite television service, OpenView HD, has unveiled the selection of channels that it plans to broadcast from launch on 15 October.
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The company, which is owned by Hosken Consolidated Investments — the same company that controls free-to-air broadcaster e.tv — has disclosed that it will offer 16 channels grouped into four broad content categories.
The channels are:
— Entertainment: SABC1, 2 and 3, e.tv, eKasi+, eAfrica+, eMovies+
— Culture and lifestyle: Zest TV, ASTV, Deen TV
— Children and education: eToons+, Mindset TV, Da Vinci Learning, English Club
— Religion: Spirit World Channel, Inspiration TV.
Platco MD Maxwell Nonge says that e.tv will be offered in high definition but declines to comment on which other channels will be broadcast in this resolution as he is not at liberty to disclose that information given that his company is simply the platform operator.
“This is our launch offering and we will offer additional channels,” Nonge says.
OpenView HD will cost consumers an estimated R1 599 for a dish, decoder and installation voucher, though Nonge says they should “shop around as prices will differ from store to store”. The product will be available through a wide range of retail outlets and through satellite installers.
The Platco Digital platform uses the same SES-5 satellite as On Digital Media’s TopTV, which means consumers with TopTV dishes will be able to receive the service. Subscribers to MultiChoice’s DStv will need to purchase a new dish.
- See also: OpenView HD technical details revealed