Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Vodacom’s Maziv deal gets makeover ahead of crucial hearing

      18 July 2025

      Cut electricity prices for data centres: Andile Ngcaba

      18 July 2025

      Takealot taps Mr D to deliver toys, pet food and future growth

      18 July 2025

      ‘Oh, Ani!’: Elon’s edgy bot stirs ethical storm

      18 July 2025

      Trump U-turn on Nvidia spurs talk of grand bargain with China

      18 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Samsung’s bet on folding phones faces major test

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      OpenAI to launch web browser in direct challenge to Google Chrome

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025
    • In-depth

      The 1940s visionary who imagined the Information Age

      14 July 2025

      MultiChoice is working on a wholesale overhaul of DStv

      10 July 2025

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | Samsung unveils significant new safety feature for Galaxy A-series phones

      16 July 2025

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025
    • Opinion

      A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

      15 July 2025

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Editor's pick » New Explora, HD channels from DStv

    New Explora, HD channels from DStv

    By Staff Reporter27 September 2016
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    new-dstv-explora-640

    MultiChoice is introducing a new DStv Explora personal video recorder (PVR) decoder and debuting 10 new high-definition channels following the recent successful launch of the Intelsat-36 satellite, on which it has leased capacity.

    The new Explora is an update to the original Explora PVR, launched in 2013. Manufactured in East London in the Eastern Cape, the new product has a smaller hard drive (1TB against 2TB previously), but adds other features, including a new back-lit remote control whose keys light up when it’s picked up from a table or couch.

    MultiChoice said the new Explora uses a new compression technology, called High Efficiency Video Coding, or HEVC (also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2), which is 50% more efficient than the compression scheme used before.

    This helps to offset the reduction in the size of the Explora’s hard drive, though there will still be less capacity available for user recordings compared to the original Explora. MultiChoice said its research shows that subscribers are recording less content on their PVRs in favour of on-demand programming via BoxOffice and Catch Up.

    The new Explora, which goes on sale in mid-October, with the old one to be phased out, does not support 4K broadcasts.

    The new remote control can be used as a universal remote. It has low-battery detection for the first time in a DStv unit and includes a ShowMax button, allowing easy access to MultiChoice parent Naspers’s video-on-demand platform. It will also work with all older, currently supported PVRs, should consumers want to upgrade to it.

    The new decoder has a recommended retail price, excluding installation, of R1 499 — that’s the same price as the first-generation PVR.

    At the same time, MultiChoice has announced plans to expand the number of HD channels on its platform, while rationalising the total number of channels. Channels getting the HD treatment include M-Net Movies All Stars, M-Net Family, Vuzu Mzansi Wethu, kykNET & Kie, BBC First, History, Crime & Investigation and Food Network.

    The number of movie channels is being reduced in effect to lessen the number of repeats, MultiChoice said. CBS Action and CBS Drama are also being terminated, as is AMC and True Movies.

    A number of channels will, however, be expanded to lower-priced bouquets. These are Mzansi Music (launching on EasyView), JimJam and M-Net Movies Stars (launching on Family), Lifetime (coming to Extra) and ITV Choice (also coming to Extra). Specialist language channels, until now only available on DStv Premium, MultiChoice’s most expensive bouquet, will be available on Extra, too.

    The company has announced a number of enhancements to its video-on-demand movie rental platform BoxOffice, with a total of 30 movies now available to rent, including a number of Bollywood titles.

    By December, the broadcaster will have a thousand movies in its online movie store at all times, it said.  — © 2016 NewsCentral Media



    DStv Intelsat MultiChoice ShowMax
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleICT white paper may be out this week
    Next Article Musk lays out his plan to get to Mars

    Related Posts

    MultiChoice: We can’t afford to compete without help

    17 July 2025

    South Africa loosens media ownership rules – but keeps one hand on the remote

    16 July 2025

    South Africa begins complex job of overhauling media laws

    13 July 2025
    Company News

    Vertiv to acquire custom rack solutions manufacturer

    18 July 2025

    SA businesses embrace gen AI – but strategy and skills are lagging

    17 July 2025

    Ransomware in South Africa: the human factor behind the growing crisis

    16 July 2025
    Opinion

    A smarter approach to digital transformation in ICT distribution

    15 July 2025

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.