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TV with Thinus is revealing On Digital Media's (ODM) new StarSat branded HD decoder, a white, set-top box (STB) evocative of an iPod design which TopTV - or now StarSat subscribers - will be able to buy for R599, fully installed.
Subscribers will also be able to buy just the new HD enabled StarSat decoder for R300 should they want to upgrade. No HD TV channels will be available through the HD enabled decoder. HD channels will only be added at some point in 2014.
The new white StarSat decoders are currently manufactured in China, but talks are underway with a local supplier to produce them locally. ODM declined to say how many of the new StarSat HD decoders would be available or is being imported, citing confidential company information.
ODM tells me that subscribers who already have a TopTV installation can buy the new StarSat decoder for R300.
ODM and its new backer, China's StarTimes, will relaunch its channel line-up and bouquets officially under the StarSat brand from December and has plans for HD channels although no high definition TV channels will be included at launch.
The new StarSat HD decoder and ODM and StarTimes' willingness to consider HD channels and the intent to add HD channels does however mark a big departure from the Woodmead based satellite pay-TV operator which for three years remained resolute not to pursue HD content.
ODM tells me HD channels will be introduced from 2014 onwards. No HD channels will be added in 2013.
ODM and StarTimes will not start and provide a monthly StarSat subscriber magazine and printed TV guide.
A printed magazine is standard for satellite pay-TV operators around the world, especially in developing markets which helps subscribers to get a monthly overview of channels and programming and enable them to check listings without having to use a limited electronic programme guide (EPG).
"We prefer to direct our subscribers to digital guides, such as the EPG and the website," says ODM.
ODM and StarTimes' new StarSat channel line-up will continue to include some of the existing international third-party channels such as FX. The StarSat channel line-up will add channels such as NatGeo Gold and NBA TV.
ODM promised TopTV subscribers that the channels from the upcoming new StarSat line-up will be made available during November although that has not yet happened.
ODM tells TV with Thinus that "not all of the channels will become available at once, we will introduce them as we receive them".
"We will make them available to all current subscribers, for instance in the Variety package, so that they can 'sample' the channels. Then, once we move from the current TopTV packages to the new StarSat packages on 1 December, some of the channels may disappear in a higher package."
"In essence it will give the subscribers a chance to evaluate the channels and to decide which StarSat package they would like to move to," says ODM.
ODM and StarTimes will offer the packages of: StarSat Special for R99 per month with 40 TV channels, StarSat Sensation for R149 per month for 60 TV channels, StarSat Superior for R199 per month for 75 TV channels and StarSat Indian with 7 TV channels which can be added to any package for an additional R99 per month.
ODM and StarTimes which currently has 100 000 subscribers, wants to add 700 000 subscribers in 2014 - an ambitious goal for the struggling pay-TV operator. MultiChoice which runs DStv currently has over 4,4 million DStv subscribers in South Africa.
