On Digital Media
StarSat
TopTV (previously)
TypePublic
IndustrySatellite television
Founded1 May 2010 (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. 1 2 3 4 "Goodbye TopTV, Hello StarSat" (Press release). TVSA. October 31, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "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. 1 2 "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.
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