Last night (Thursday, 24 July 2008) DStv launched their next generation decoder, the High Definition Personal Video Recorder (or HD PVR).
The new PVR - the second version since the first one was introduced in 2005 - will allow TV addicts with ''HD Ready'' or ''Fully HD'' TV sets (watch out for ''HD compatable''!) to watch and record shows in HD quality.
The HD PVR will be on sale from the end of July for R2499 - the same price as the current PVR model. The release was moved forward by a month by DStv for the Beijing Olympics, which will be recorded and broadcast in HD on a special channel that launches at the beginning of August - on Channel 170.
At the end of August the channel will become an M-Net HD Channel. The line-up on it will include M-Net shows recorded in HD - e.g. Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? and Power of 10 - as well as HD format shows that haven't been shown in South Africa yet.
The reason HD TV offers viewers a higher quality TV picture is because its technology broadcasts double the amount of data with more densely packed pixels so the colours and images are more clear, vivid and crisp.
Fast facts on the HD PVR:It can record two different TV channels at the same time, while you watch a third. Currently you can only record one channel, while watching another.
You don't need an HD TV set (LCD or plasma) to use the HD PVR. If your TV set has the ability to plug in a HDMI (High Definition Media Interface) cable coming from the decoder, you're in business. The picture will simply be in SD or Standard Definition. The resolution gets downscaled to work on your older generation TV set so the picture won't be as clear as if on an HD TV.
If you use the HD PVR on a normal TV the broadcast quality will look like good quality, normal widescreen television content.
The HD PVR can record up to 150 hours on the hard drive, compared to the current PVR's 80 hours.
You can choose whether to record in HD or SD. An HD recording will use up more space on the hard drive than an SD recording.
The HD PVR will introduce additional functions over time, which will be downloadable eg hearing impaired subtitling.
The HD PVR boasts a new and improved electronic programme guide that can be customised and personalized with specific viewing and programming preferences.
Only the one channel on DStv will be HD. All the channels on DStv at the moment are Digital, but in SD (standard definition). More HD channels should be added over time.
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