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DStv dives into world of TV gadgets again
Almost a decade after DStv first ventured into the world of mobile TV devices, it is refreshing its lineup of gadgets, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
If you remember brands like the Walka and the Drifta, you must have been a dedicated customer of DStv’s products and services at the start of the past decade. Launched by DStv parent company MultiChoice in 2011 and 2012, these names represented a range of gadgets that provided access to satellite TV via portable devices that took your entertainment to where you were at any given moment.
Because these were extensions rather than replacements of existing decoder technology, their use tended to be confined to bathrooms or showing off in restaurants, and they didn’t become household names.
Now, DStv is back with a 2020s take on the topic. It has unveiled an array of new devices intended to integrate the world of steaming video-on-demand into the linear scheduled world of broadcast TV. These include:
- Explora Ultra: Introduces 4K support and 3rd party streaming apps to the Explora decoder box. This prepares DStv for MultiChoice’s new deal with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, which will be integrated into the DStv platform. It will still allow recording, renting movies from BoxOffice and binge-watching on Catch Up. It means one will only need the single device to follow both streaming and satellite services.
- DStv Streama: A set-top box similar to Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast, it provides a DStv-curated range of content options via dedicated apps, including Showmax, YouTube, sport, entertainment, news and kids’ content.
- An upgraded DStv Now app: It finally promises liberation from the decoder. The app will allow customers with broadband to sign on to DStv without the need of a satellite dish or set-top box. One signs up for a DStv package on dstv.co.za, downloads the app, logs on, and starts streaming immediately. It is offered via Smart TV, browser, mobile phone or gaming console.
Click here to read on, as we look at the fundamental difference between the Streama and existing streaming devices.
Click here to read about Showmax Pro, which is the first SA streaming service to offer live sports and news.
