Beware of cut-price TVs

2008-05-09 07:16

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Michael Hamlyn

Cape Town - The government is warning people who want to buy new television sets to beware of cut-price sets that will only receive analogue signals.

Deputy Minister of Communications Radhakrishna Padayachie told a media briefing in Parliament on Thursday: "We are concerned at the possibility that the industry might dump analogue televisions on our people by discounting schemes. If these televisions become available at low cost, people might be tempted to purchase them."

He said that if people are in the market for new TV sets, they must ensure that the sets they purchase now are digitally ready.

Although the migration from analogue to digital television signals is scheduled to start in November, the specifications for the set-top boxes which will allow analogue receivers to pick up and translate the digital signals have still not been sorted out with the SA Bureau of Standards.

The Department of Communications wants to pack into the set-top boxes as much interconnectivity as possible to allow people access to the e-government services, and this has delayed the design of the digi-boxes.

Ministers made it clear on Thursday that they want the boxes to be manufactured in South Africa. They seem unworried by the fact that the boxes may not be available when the digital signal is first switched on.

"We will have three years, before the analogue signal is switched off," Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri said.

Also waiting for the Bureau of Standards to complete its work on the boxes is a "migration awareness strategy", which will aim to inform the viewers all about the switchover. It too will be launched soon, ministers said.

The government is also considering how to approach the question of subsidising the cost of the boxes to the poor. At present the expected cost of the box is between four and five hundred rand.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)

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Yes, we need to adapt to new technology, but to STOP long term acquired services, investments in equipment, especially by poor / in rural areas, is just plain unfair. Someone / small groups will again get rich out of this, while the majority loose. Also, thefts of NEW technology equipment will rise, as those do not have, steal from those that can afford the NEW. What will happen to our insurance premiums?

I cant remember the last time I came across a TV that does not have AV inputs - maybe 1999. That is all that is required for the TV to be compatible with the Set Top Box that will be deployed for digital broadcasting. If I was the CEO of Hi-Fi corp I'd be making a stink about this statement as it could severely impact on TV sales. Overseas you do get TV's with DVB tuners built in but those tuners may not work with our broadcasts.

So do we expect someone in the rural areas to fork out money for a set-top boxes???/ And how much will it cost? I'd love to see them try convice someone in Umlazi that Digital is the way to go. South Africa- ALIVE WITH POSSIBILTIES. Come on now.