9 things to expect: Multichoice’s ‘Explora’

Taf Makura Avatar

exploraFor a long time, Digital satellite television hardware technology has remained mostly stagnant in our part of the world. The last big thing in satellite technology was the launch of Multichoice’s PVR decoder which heralded a revolutionary (at least for us) non-linear TV viewing experience; viewers could now pause live television. Since then, a lot has changed. Television is evolving from a linear experience where viewers interact with content as it happens, towards an on-demand model which allows viewers to watch only the content they want when they want to.

While the PVR may have catered for this evolution by enabling viewers to record their favorite shows and watch them later, the PVR is still essentially a glorified VCR without the cassette (wow, “cassette”). Multichoice realized this and launched their Box office VOD service for South Africa (which means “squat” in Zimbabwe), however, the limited bandwidth and hardware limitations of the PVR decoder mean that only a few features work well. Until now that is, because DStv recently launched their next generation decoder, the Explora.

Specs
DStv call it “bigger and better in almost every way”, boy are they right “in almost every way”.  Storage wise, the Explora boasts a 2TB hard drive which means it carries 4 times more storage than its predecessor, this translates to 220hrs of recording compared to just 50hrs on the older decoder. The Explora also comes with 3 USB ports which Multichoice have promised will be used to spice things up in the future.

Software (Linux)
For a long time now, DSTV decoders have been shipped with some basic and tedious software that can be some-what updated. The Explora is different, It comes with no software at all. Only when you boot it up for the first time, does it download the latest software installation. And by ‘software’ the Explora means business.  The new software is based on a Linux Kernel, hello geeks, fancy hacking your decoder? The Explora will sport a fast and responsive brand new user interface menu titled ‘DStv Central’ which comes with new advanced search capabilities. In more ways than one, it really appears like ‘DStv central’ on the Explora is inspired by the likes of Hulu or Netflix.

Apps
The Explora will now introduce apps. Remember those interactive channels on your DSTV decoder like news 24 and weather 24? Well, you can call them apps now, thank you very much! Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Will Multichoice maybe bring an App store and advanced gaming capabilities straight to Our TVs?

Internet
The Explora comes with an IP network connection ready “for future use”, Multichoice has already hinted at 3G wi-fi extensibility for the Explora. Oh boy!!!!

Time shift aka “pause live TV”
DSTV’s time shift feature is coming back bigger and better in every way. Now time shift retains your buffer for up to 2 hours even after you change the channel. Which means you can pause a football match, change the channel, access a couple of apps and then resume ‘live’ TV where you left it.

Catchup
A viewer can now watch up to 4 prior episodes of one of the select shows at any given time.

Favourite channels
The Explora now enables each member of the household to have their own custom favorite channel list which they can activate when they watch the TV.

Box Office
Means “squat” in Zimbabwe

Pricing
And the fat lady will now sing, here ends the good news. Ladies and gentleman, the Explora is expensive. It costs an impressive R2 499 ($242.00 before ridiculous Zimbabwean profit margins and ignorant duties). As if that’s not enough assault on your bank account, Multichoice will, as usual, sell you the bun and charge you extra to eat it. Extra view, time-shift, box office (which means “squat” in zimbabwe) and who knows what else Multichoice manage to sell next, all come at an extra fee. How about that?

Think of it this way, you will pay a lot more for a more powerful decoder, then once you have it, you will pay some more money  to use the extra power. You keep on buying the damn thing! So…, even in terms of pricing, the Explora seems “bigger in almost every way”.

There you have it folks, that is the Explora in a nut shell. What I still find interesting though, is that while DStv is quietly trying to become more like the internet – it still has a long way to go for that matter – ISPs in Zimbabwe are not maximizing on the fact that they are in fact the real internet with the real Netflix, Irokotv and YouTube. What do you think?

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14 comments

  1. tk

    So how many channels can you record at a time ?

    1. tinm@n

      If its Linux-based, its as limited as they make it. But also opens it up the box to “hacking”

      1. Tapiwa ✔

        That’s highly unlikely. They will almost certainly verify the kernel signature on every boot (and refuse to boot anything not signed by Multichoice’s private key).

        Bypassing the security can be done (see the PS3 hack), but it will not be trivial. Quick, someone buy GeoHotz an Explora!

        1. tinm@n

          funny u say unlikely and geohotz in the same statement. Who did u think I had in mind?

          1. Rasta Mouse

            Even if you Hack the Hardware its not long before the Online monitor will know and shut you down…Hacking may Work for the PS3 coz it does not always require online security checks

    2. anthonysomerset

      you can record as many channels as there are dish feeds into the PVR – so i believe the answer is 2 for most people

    3. Tonde

      one

  2. anothertribe

    Wonderful for hacking and patching the kernel. Cant wait to my hands on it

  3. Tapiwa ✔

    he new software is based on a Linux Kernel, hello geeks, fancy hacking your decoder

    Haha, no. 1 word: Tivoization (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tivoization).

    In fact, I guarantee you there is no way Multichoice will let you run unsigned code run on this thing. It’s not surprising that the root word for Tivoization is ‘Tivo’, which was also a set-top box, running Linux.

  4. Chihelele

    If its Linux then it wont take a day to manipulate it. Ask the guys who have been using simple machines like DM500 or DM800. As long as a broadcaster use a Card to open channels there are bright minds out there who will take advantage and milk the company in a commercial way. £50 billion companies like Sky digital in UK have resigned to this fact that the hackers are unstoppable. Only way is to go the IP TV route, without any card

    1. ic0n1c

      True indeed man…

  5. SoTypMe

    Dude, do you blog? If so, link please!
    Seriously. You are funny.

  6. Farai Sairai

    No thank you.

    1st the price is horribly wrong. R2 500 is silly. In this day and age where content is king, hardware these days becomes useless without it. MC has a tendency of not being fast enough to build such services and apps.

    2nd, my PVR has more or less the same features and does the also the same things. What is so outstanding with the Explora to justify me dumping my PVR? Should I dump my iPhone 4s for 5? Fancy design with a UI but no services/apps with a bang to it does not make me jump. But if they had added 3D channels….

    3rd, no WiFi support. Yes there is an Ethernet port but it is currently dead. When it does become available (like the USB ports on my PVR which after all these years are still dead except to charge the odd device), we will need to run cables everywhere. The sight of cables in the home after all, does not look appealing at all.

    Bottom line, technology has evolved in that software and services have become more important than hardware. They now sell the hardware, not the hardware selling the services/software. That decoder should have being selling for R400 and then make a killing on the services offered. I would lay off this box till the full functionality of what it does is revealed. Dead USB and Ethernet ports, few movie titles on box office. So far it is just all noise but real services or full product functionality available. I will lay off this decoder till it shows us

    Also, MC is, In my opinion, just another Econet! Rip off artists.

  7. Anonymous

    My advise for you guys. Don’t buy the explorer. You won’t get value for money!

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