The new UEC HD PVR wil be here in September, with a cheaper low end HD PVR decoder model to follow in next year.
MultiChoice launched its first HD PVR decoder in August last year, in time to view the Beijing Olympics in high definition. During this launch many consumers rushed to get the new HD PVR to put they high definition TVs to better use.
The PACE HD PVR was hover plagued with allot of software bugs, which Multichoice said has for the most been resolved. According to MultiChoice CEO Nolo Letele the latest HD PVR software release, which was made available to DSTV subscribers in May, means that the decoder is now very stable and reliable. MultiChoice CTO Gerdus van Eeden added that there is another HD PVR software update on its way, which will further improve stability and fix a few smaller bugs.
So far Multichoice has only been able to sign up 41000 HD subscribers, allot les then the 290 000 SD PVR subscribers. Acording to Multichoice this is about to change as they wil be launching a agressive Dstv HD PVR campaign soon, with 3 additional HD channels within the next 9 months time.
Good news to those of us waiting for a new HD PVR is that there is two new HD PVR models on their way with the first being released in September this year. The first wil be a UAC HD PVR which will compete directly against the current PACE HD PVR, aswell as a lower end UAC model which will be more afordable than both the PACE and UAC HD PVR models.
The UAC HD PVR will ba a quad tuner decoder and you should see it in shops by September this year. This model is expected to cost the same as the current PACE HD PVR,
The lower end model will only contain a dual tuner and a smaller HDD, which should reduce the cost significantly. Although Multichoice has released any datails about availability and pricing, it is expected to retail for about R2000.
Lets just hope that the new models doesn’t also take almost a year to run stable.
When you say the new HD PVR will be quad does that mean it will be able to play two channels and simultaneously? Has it been released and where can I get it. Model number?
I recently spoke to a salesman at a high tech shop in Pretoria and he said they will also be bringing out a wireless version (no physical link between satellite and decoder) which could lead to more than 4 channels. Any info on this.
I highly highly highly doubt that there will be a wireless version as you have said. I’m pretty sure that us as a third world country would NOT have the technology for this. plus have never even heard of such technology even in first world country’s like the US or UK.
The more channels would just require more LNB inputs.