MultiChoice unveils the DStv Explora

MultiChoice has announced its next-generation PVR decoder, the DStv Explora, allowing subscribers to record up to 220 hours of HD TV on the built in 2-terabyte hard drive.

‚”We constantly find ourselves dealing with the reality that South Africa lags behind the rest of the world in fixed broadband penetration,‚” says Collins Khumalo, CEO of Multichoice South Africa.

‚”In the absence of affordable high-speed broadband access for most South Africans, delivering our content via satellite remains a reliable way to ensure that our customers have a good viewing experience, without buffering or waiting for downloads. We want to provide our customers with a rich, high-definition video-on-demand experience, similar to what they would get in markets where broadband is a lot more accessible. We developed the DStv Explora to achieve this vision,‚” Khumalo says.

The key launch features of the DStv Explora include:

Expanded Video-on-Demand Content

The DStv Catch Up service has been significantly expanded on the Explora, and now offers three times more video-on-demand programming to DStv subscribers.

‚”We’ve expanded the number of series available and now also started to introduce series stacking (i.e. making two episodes of selected series available on demand), which will later be expanded to 4 episodes,‚” John Kotsaftis, CEO of DStv Online says.

‚”This means that viewers will always be able to catch-up with all the hot new TV series when they become ‚’water cooler talk’ at the office, and never miss being part of the conversation.‚”

The DStv Catch Up service now also includes 30 movies on demand and the content selection will be expanded to other categories such as documentaries and kids’ content in the future.

For subscribers that love DStv BoxOffice, the movie selection will be expanded to 20 of the freshest new release blockbuster movies, ready to rent from the comfort of your couch, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

New Content Discovery and User Interface

DStv Explora is packaged with a new, HD user interface, which makes finding favourite shows or movies on BoxOffice and Catch Up easier. Content is displayed using HD poster-art just like an Internet VOD service.

The Explora has powerful search features that help customers find programmes quicker and easier as it searches across the eight-day TV Guide, Catch Up, BoxOffice and their own recordings (playlist).

Explora’s remote control further enhances the experience with dedicated shortcut buttons to DStv Central, BoxOffice, Catch Up, Playlist, Search, Live TV and other viewing options.

Built with the future in mind

Khumalo adds that DStv has built this next-generation decoder with the future and the internet in mind.

‚”More features will be enabled over the coming months such as delivering content via broadband, setting of remote recordings and one-click BoxOffice rentals, just to name a few,‚” he says.

‚”We believe the DStv Explora will give our customers greater control of their viewing experience with access to their favourite programmes when it suits them. The DStv Explora is THE device that will take TV entertainment into the future,‚” Khumalo concludes.

DStv Explora will be available in retail stores from 15 August and is priced at R2 499.

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