Openview, the eMedia subsidiary and free-to-air satellite broadcaster, recently released a new decoder. Dubbed the OV512, the decoder is Wi-Fi-enabled and introduces a raft of new features previously not available on the Openview platform.

TechCentral spoke to eMedia chief technology officer Junior Qwabe to learn more about the broadcaster’s strategy behind the newly launched set-top box. He said Openview needed a box that would appeal to the wide range of viewers on the platform.

“The internet is more accessible to households in the higher LSMs (living standards measures). We deal with a lower LSM than our competitor in the satellite space (DStv), so we had to figure out how to give more to our consumers by allowing those who want to connect to free-to-air content via satellite while giving those with data access to additional content via streaming,” Qwabe said.

Openview’s viewers span a wide range of income levels: all the way from LSM 3 to LSM 8, he added. This means that for many Openview customers, constant internet access is a luxury. Yet, a significant portion of Openview customers is getting improved access to the internet, even if this access is intermittent when analysed on a monthly basis.

“Most of our viewers have to buy data; they don’t have fibre connectivity where they can stream 24/7. We have introduced a catch-up feature for them so they can watch their favourite shows at their convenience via streaming while maintaining access to scheduled programming via satellite. They can also access additional movie content via streaming,” said Qwabe.

The OV512 decoder can connect to Wi-Fi via a router or mobile device. Its satellite capabilities comply to the DVB-S2 standard, the satellite equivalent of the DVB-T2 terrestrial broadcasting technology.

New interface

Qwabe said the new decoder offers an enhanced interface, which looks sleeker by making use of tiles. A “continue watching” feature helps users pick up from where they left off via streaming.

The sleek design extends to the decoder itself, which is not only smaller in size compared to its predecessor but also features more rounded corners.

Being free to air, Openview uses an ad-revenue model to finance the business. Qwabe said the broadcaster has put a lot of thought into structuring advertising breaks in a way that minimises disruption of the viewing experience. Ads are not repeated if a streamed episode is played back from the beginning or viewed multiple times, he said.

“We want people to enjoy the lean-back experience while still being able to monetise it effectively.”

The OV512 has built-in encryption, too, meaning user can opt for the Ultraview subscription bouquets – also from eMedia.

Launched in March 2023, Ultraview offers the “Spice” bouquet, which has two channels, Star Select and Zee Family, providing Hindi content for R120/month.

Qwabe said eVOD, eMedia’s streaming service, is not available via the OV512 decoder, although some eVOD content is available via Openview channels. Content is streamed in HD at 720p – and not 1080p – to maximise viewing quality while minimising data consumption, he said.

The OV512 decoder costs R799.