Without the skills, choosing a satellite system can=20 be a technological nightmare. Annicia Reddiar=20 guides you through the labyrinth
MORE than a month after the MultiChoice satellite=20 launch, the equipment needed to access its system=20 is not widely available. Most retailers complain=20 that they have no stock of the two MultiChoice- compatible receivers, and people are hestitant to=20 buy.=20
MultiChoice says that the integrated receiver=20 decoders (IRD) are available at its outlets and=20 that the Panasonic factory in Cape Town is meeting=20 overseas demands. Still, most retailers have not=20 received stock of either the Pace or the Panasat=20 IRD, and expect them only by the end of this month=20 or in December.
It all seems reminiscent of the cell phone debacle=20 which showed that modern technology is not=20 foolproof, prices can go down as well as up and=20 choosing among competing systems could require a=20 fair amount of technical knowledge.=20
Two satellite companies _ African Satellite=20 Entertainment Corporation (Asec) and MultiChoice _=20 are bidding for the business of South African=20 consumers. Both are providing satellite television=20 options to transmit international programming. But=20 they are using different technology. This means=20 buying different equipment for different prices.=20 And just as the technology and prices differ, so do=20 their services.=20
So when choosing between the two companies you have=20 to keep in mind the specific services _ basically=20 deciding on what type of channels you want, and the=20 particular equipment _ and that means deciding just=20 how much you want to dish out.
Asec has opted for analogue technology, which is=20 used by most satellite broadcasters. MultiChoice=20 has gone for digital technology. A digital system=20 has compression techniques allowing for more=20 channels to be transmitted; it’s why MultiChoice=20 irritatingly calls it its “satellite bouquet”. It=20 is viewed as the system of the future. The United=20 States and the Middle East have been using digital=20 satellite technology for a year, and many other=20 countries around the world since the beginning of=20 this year have moved in the same direction.
“From the viewpoint of the people, analogue is=20 cheaper,” says managing director of the SABC’s=20 technical division, Sentech, Neel Smuts. “And for=20 the provider, digital is cheaper.”=20
However, once the industry opens up in South Africa=20 and more companies begin selling satellite=20 equipment prices will go down. In about three years=20 the difference in price between analogue and=20 digital will be competitive and probably equally=20 affordable.
Asec is transmitting channels using the Intelsat=20 704 satellite, and MultiChoice is using the PAS-4=20 satellite. MultiChoice has already signed up for=20 the PAS-7 satellite, positioned at the same degree=20 as PAS-4, which will be available in two years.=20 Another Intelsat satellite is also planned, at the=20 same degree as Intelsat 704.=20
Satellites transmit their signals in two types of=20 frequencies _ C-band and Ku-band. The difference=20 between these two frequencies is the “footprint” of=20 the satellite which is the size of the area the=20 signal covers. C-band, used at the moment=20 throughout Africa, has a Loch Ness Monster=20 footprint, but its signal is weak so you need a=20 large satellite dish to receive it. Ku-band, which=20 is used by both Asec and MultiChoice, is focused=20 and powerful although its footprint is much=20 smaller. This means that even a 90cm satellite dish=20 as well as bigger dishes will be able to pick up=20 the frequencies.
However, to receive the channels offered by Asec=20 and MultiChoice you will need a satellite receiver=20 as well as the dish. It works on the same principle=20 as the pay-channel M-Net. If you have the M-Net=20 decoder you receive M-Net; and depending on which=20 receiver you have, you receive either MultiChoice=20 or Asec
The dish’s antenna receives the signal and reflects=20 it into a feedhorn _ which directs the signal into=20 the low noise block converter (LNB), the instrument=20 that amplifies the signal and converts it into a=20 lower frequency that can be read by the satellite=20 receiver.=20
The IRD receives and decodes encrypted satellite=20 signals. Digital signals have to be converted into=20 analogue because that’s what the TV set takes.=20
When buying this satellite equipment make sure that=20 the dish, feedhorn and LNB are compatible. Clashing=20 personalities are not satellite reception-friendly.=20 The feedhorn on the dish must have both horizontal=20 and vertical polarization or the picture on your=20 screen will not be clear. The digital satellite=20 receiver will have a classification number on it to=20 grade its effectiveness and the receiver you buy=20 should read 17,5 or higher.=20
Rain and wind affect the Ku-band signal causing=20 reception to disappear in areas which receive heavy=20 storms. In certain parts of the Cape a larger dish,=20 1,2m or bigger, will be needed to withstand the=20 weather.=20
Satellite dishes are made from various materials.=20 However not all of them will be compatible with=20 your system and weather conditions. Your safest buy=20 would be an aluminium or metalised polymer dish.=20 Steel dishes will rust, especially in rainy areas;=20 and mesh dishes are not compatible for Ku-band=20 signals.
Whether you are using an installation company or=20 doing it yourself, make sure it’s set up right, or=20 you can forget about watching satellite TV. The=20 dish can be installed almost anywhere on your=20 house, except the roof, as long as it is a stable=20 and solid surface. It must have a clear view of the=20 satellite without any obstructions _ a tree or a=20 building could block the signals.=20
Don’t mess with the position of your dish or the=20 satellite will ignore you. For an Asec system your=20 dish has to be 66 degrees east, and with the=20 MultiChoice system the dish has to point in the=20 direction of 68,5 degrees east. If the direction of=20 the dish is even slightly out the picture will be=20 poor.=20
The dish has to be earthed or lightning could=20 damage the equipment it is connected to. If you=20 already have a dish make sure that it is Ku-band=20 rated before subscribing for satellite television.=20 If it isn’t, you need a new dish. You will also=20 need to get a Ku-band LNB to receive the signals.=20
Asec has two channels at the moment (and plan on=20 setting up another two) which are broadcasting=20 international programmes. If you want the Asec=20 services you will need a satellite dish and an=20 analogue receiver. Asec marketing and public=20 relations manager Ockert Van Den Berg says: “Once=20 Asec starts encrypting, the viewer will need to=20 have a Videocrypt IRD. At the moment all the viewer=20 needs is an analogue receiver.”=20
The IRD, dish and LNB _ will cost you around R1=20 000.
Until Asec does begin encrypting its channels, a=20 system of free viewing is in place. Van Den Berg=20 says: “Free viewing in the interim means that the=20 channels will remain free-to-air until such a time=20 as Asec decides to encrypt its signal. This=20 decision will be dictated by the number of IRDs in=20 the market. Asec does not envisage this decision to=20 be made before at least June 1996.”
A pay-per-channel system has been introduced by=20 Asec. You pay R70, excluding VAT, for all four=20 channels, while a single channel will cost R35.
All Asec’s satellite transmissions will be in=20 English. A programme guide will only be printed in=20 December. Van Den Berg claims that roughly 45 000=20 people have installed Asec systems.
MultiChoice is offering the subscriber a package,=20 but some of the channels will only be available in=20 the next two months. The monthly subscription for=20 this package is R175. Currently there are 12=20 television and three radio channels available.=20
If you decide on the MultiChoice system, besides=20 the satellite dish you will need an IRD which will=20 cost you about R4 500. The choice of IRDs seems to=20 be between the manufacturers Pace and Panasat, and=20 retailers say that both are reliable.=20
The MultiChoice IRD has to be accessed with a R120=20 smartcard which looks like a credit card and=20 enables your IRD to decode the signals. Hackers=20 have cracked systems in other countries which have=20 satellite television and it seems quite logical=20 that they would come into South Africa as well. But=20 MultiChoice says that this is not considered a=20 problem.
MultiChoice’s chief executive officer advises:=20 “Consumers must ensure that the equipment they=20 purchase bears the Starwalker mark of approval.=20 This guarantees that the equipment meets minimum=20 technical specifications and is capable of=20 receiving the PAS-4 satellite.”=20
MultiChoices programming is mainly in English and=20 some Afrikaans. They plan to introduce a system of=20 pre-selecting languages in January. MultiChoice’s=20 general manager of group marketing Cobus Scholtz=20 says: “We are thinking about Portuguese and French,=20 maybe German and Swahili for certain countries.”=20 And maybe as an afterthought, they might even=20 provide us with Zulu and Sotho.
SABC channels are not available through=20 MultiChoice’s digital system but through analogue.=20 So if you opt for the MultiChoice system you will=20 have to buy an analogue receiver as well to receive=20 SABC channels.=20
Well, dish out them bucks if you feel the need.=20 Another choice could be to wait a few years until=20 prices are affordable, and the services proved=20 worthwhile. Replacing your equipment somewhere down=20 the line does not seem a pleasant thought.
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