StarSat

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
On Digital Media
StarSat
TopTV (previously)
Company typePublic
IndustrySatellite television
Founded1 May 2010; 13 years ago (2010-05-01)
HeadquartersBlock C, Riverview Office Park, Halfway Gardens x, 100 Bekker Road, ,
ProductsDirect broadcast satellite, Pay-TV
ParentStarTimes
Websitewww.starsat.co.za

StarSat (formerly TopTV until 31 October 2013[1]) is a South African direct broadcast satellite television service that began broadcasting on 1 May 2010.[2] StarSat is operated by On Digital Media,[3] who were granted a pay-TV license by ICASA in September 2007.[4] On Digital Media is currently 20% owned by Luxembourgish satellite operator SES and 20% owned by Chinese company StarTimes.[5] StarSat's service is aimed at the LSM 6-9 demographic, targeting middle class viewers.

History

Previous logo as TopTV

On Digital Media (Pty) Ltd launched TopTV on 1 May 2010.[2]

On 30 April 2013, shareholders of On Digital Media voted to approve China-based company StarTimes taking over a 20% share of ODM. By doing so, StarTimes effectively acquired a 65% economic interest in ODM.[5] The vote also included adoption of a business rescue plan.[1]

TopTV was officially rebranded as StarSat on 31 October 2013.[1] The new packages and channels associated with the new brand were made available on 1 December 2013.[1][6]

Broadcast and reception

StarSat services are broadcast via satellite, using the SES-5 satellite at the 5° east orbital position, and 3 of the six 36 MHz transponders in the "Sub Saharan Africa Ku-band" beam providing coverage of the whole sub-Saharan Africa region.[7] Transmissions are in the DVB-S2 MPEG-4 digital TV format with reception using a simple set-top box and with the Combo3 PVR decoder launched in 2011.

Conax is used as conditional access system.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Goodbye TopTV, Hello StarSat" (Press release). TVSA. October 31, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "TopTV Launch - Rise Up South Africa!" (Press release). On Digital Media. 29 April 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  3. ^ "On Digital Media website". Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  4. ^ de Lanerolle, Indra (2011). "Convergence and regulation in South Africa: in search of a new public interest paradigm". info. 13 (3): 47–63.
  5. ^ a b "More delays in store for TopTV as shareholders head to court". City Press. 22 October 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  6. ^ "About Us". StarSat. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  7. ^ "Astra 4A". SES. Retrieved January 26, 2012.

External links