Introductory note:
- To put this post into a proper perspective, you should read Multi TV Ghana, a new free digital satellite TV service first.
- Multi TV is at Testing Transmission phase and therefore, some of the glitches I have observed should be understandable to some extent.
- I got this installation since Thursday evening, my writing is based on the hours during which I monitored the new service only. I’m only a single human and couldn’t have watched all the time since Thursday.
I called one of the accredited Multi TV installers last Thursday morning and by 5pm, the service was fully installed.
- Duration of installation: Less than 1 hour
- Cost of multitv decoder & installation: 250 Ghana cedis
- Number of channels: 10
Channels as they appear:
- Joy TV: western movies
- Cine Afrik: supposedly African movies, but I have seen Nigerian movies only, so far
- Hits TV: Local and foreign music video. The channel occasionally hooks up to Nigerian music video channel Nigezie
- 4Kids: TV programmes targetted at children
- Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN): Christian-related TV programming
- CNN International: 24 hours news and useful information
- This channel is rotated between BBC World News and Al Jazeera English
- Joy Sports: sport-related TV programming
- Nhyira TV: gospel music in Ghanaian languages
- This channel is alternated between local TV stations TV3 and GTV
The not-so-good; I’m assuming these listed glitches would be taken care of before Multi TV gets out of test transmission
- Some of the channels simply disappeared for minutes, occasionally
- The channels crack-up sometimes, immediately after I switch from one to another
- Empty programming bar: The information bar on the lower end of the screen that’s supposed to display information about the programme one is watching, is empty.
- No programming schedule: one cannot check the next programme to be screened
- I saw a Nigerian movie repeated on Cine Afrik within a 24 hour period
- According to the installer I queried, dual-view decoders are not yet available unlike what Joy FM is announcing.
- There is no radio service on the system yet: Joy FM and other radio stations belonging to MultiMedia Group Limited are not on Multi TV. I called their customer service to ask about this and the agent I spoke with confirmed this, adding that Joy FM & others should be available on this platform in the near future. This is unlike the announcement I hear on Joy FM.
- Unlike what is widely advertised, there are only 10 channels at this time despite the 20 channels they brag about
- There are frequent advertorial interruptions on Joy TV, Cine Afrik, Hitz TV, Joy Sports. What would one expect of a free TV service anyway?
The good
- The channels are crystal clear; not unexpected from a digital satellite television service
- The decoder booting period is very short, unlike DSTV’s decoders that take about a minute to boot
My verdict
- I am a bit sceptical about CNN being retained as a full channel for ever. CNN alone is enough reason for many to hook-up. Wouldn’t DSTV be out of business?
- The service has enough local programming to attract enough audience to keep it afloat
- DSTV is still the king of satellite TV broadcast in Africa. Don’t throw your DSTV decoder into the Atlantic just yet.
Multi TV satellite information: Should you have 90-cm KU band satellite dish + a free-to-air decoder, you may attempt searching for MultiTV using the following information. Do well to let me know if it works.
Satellite: Intelsat 12
LNB Type: Type1
DiSEqC: None
Frequency: 12551
0/22KHz: Auto
LNB Power: On
NIT Search: No
Scan Mode: Sat
Related posts:
- Multi TV Ghana, a new free digital satellite TV service [updated]
- How to add more TV & Radio channels to your Multi TV decoder
- Free-to-air Ghanaian TV Stations on Satellite
- Want 6 Radio Channels on MultiTV? RESCAN your decoder
- DStv moving to new satellite Eutelsat W7
- NileSat 101 & 102: More TV Channels than you can handle
- A review of MTN Ghana Mobile Broadband service
- Movie Review: A Sting In A Tale
- Movie Review: The Perfect Picture
- Africa Magic Yoruba launches; a 24-hour Yoruba channel on DSTV
TV stations in Ghana on Satellite. GTV, TV3, Metro TV, TV Africa, Viasat 1 | Oluniyi David Ajao from Texas, United States
Twitter Updates
The details for the Multi-tv for those who does not know where intelsat 12 is are as follows:
Satellite:- ASTRA 2B/ EUROBIRD 1(28.5 E)
Frequency:- 12551
Symbol Rating :- 19519
Polarity:- V
Transmission :- DVB-S
FEC: – Auto
LNB Freq:- Univ. LNB 1
Have you attempted viewing MultiTV from a free-to-air decoder? What was the result?
Hey Bros,
That is a good job done indeed. Something is not clear hear. I called one of the operators at MultiTv and he confirmed that Joy news alternate the international news channels. The information i got from their dealers was different. the dealers are reporting something similar to your findings. so the question is which is which.
Will DSTV fight back to ensure CNN is not available 24/7 on MultiTv?
For how long will CNN continue to run?
Multimedia should come out to answer these questions.
So far so very good.
Dave, a big thank you for a good work done. I will try to see if multitv will work on free to air decorders.
Thanks for your kind words, Yaw.
I believe CNN is on 24/7 for the test transmission phase only and would be ultimately alternated on “Joy News”.
Hi David, I tried searching for the multi TV signal using the the frequency given but wasn’t sucessful. Can u please re-check the frequency, symbol rate and the polarity on your STB. Thanks
I atempted it on strong receiver, I got only the radio channels. the tv channels are not showing. I am in Nigeria
DStv is great. But I wanted to find out if it is likely GBS would ever bounce back?
GBS is gone for good. The owners have liquidated the company. The Ghanaian subsidiary had their equipment auctioned just last week to offset some of their financial obligations.
Good work Niyyie! As I young Blogger, I want to ask you. Are you paid for these reviews?
Or you gain from from the traffic it generates to ur site? Great Bloggers brag about how they monetise theblog with paid reviews. Or it’s social entrepreneurship. I mean your contribution to advancing Africa?
I do not get paid for these reviews. What I write is based on my individual assessment and opinion.
I would agree that its my contribution to mother Africa.
Will multi tv ever go scrambled?
Not to play the Devil’s advocate or anything, but from your assessment, the whole Multi TV thing rather sounds like an experiment (to me).
I’m beginning to think it just might be another GBS waiting to happen. I really hope not, cos I for one wasn’t too excited about the GBS disaster!
That said, I think I’ll get a digi box and check it out.
it’s been a week now since i purchase my digibox. So far so good. I will come out with my own assessment taken into account Mytv, GBS, and DSTV compact bouquet programming.
Hello all, i began to watch multitv a week after the launch and so far its been wonderful , i pray it would remain free as they say, multitv unlike other free to air packages in africa like sabc and mbc mauritius has more channels and is recivable in most part of africa with a min of 60 cm dish, in order to make profit i would suggest the mgt to device ways of making their reciever available to others outside ghana and by so doin be able to sustain the enterprise thank you
i got one for myself and i must say that i’m a bit disappointed cus it hasnt brought any additional excitement into my tv viewing. No local preachers, those on TBN seem to be raising funds every time. There local movies dates way back. I hope things will improve.
hey guys i tried it on my strong decoder but i’m getting only radio . whats up with that? i get all the multi tv channels on the radio on the decoder.
Well, at least you received something. I did not expect Multi TV to work well on Strong decoders since Multi TV has its on decoder. Are you in Ghana? What satellite configuration worked for you?
What model are you on? What angle did you use
It’s funny cos i keyed in the freq,sr ,pol (Frequency:- 12551
Symbol Rating :- 19519
Polarity:- V) on almost all the satellite on the decoder and it wrked just that both tv n radio come as radio.Yes i’m in ghana.
Olu, good job on the review. I am planning to change my current Cable Gold to MultiTV. I however have a challenge. Cable Gold gives me all the free-on-air including TV3 which I ordinarily don’t receive in my area. I am concerned about the switch between TV3 and GTV. What do you advice. Can I get all the other free-on-air TV stations when using the MultiTV decorder or do I have switch between the MultiTV decorder and an ordinary TV pole
Tobee, thanks for your kind words.
About making a switch, it would largely depend on your tastes. I cannot make this decision for you. However, mixing the MultiTV dish with a good antenna is probably a good combination as I doubt if MultiTV will ever offer all the free-to-air TV stations considering that those ones would consider MultiMedia Group a competitor.
please i want to know the rate multi tv shows adverts,is it in between programmes like what tv3 does or after a program.i have skyy digital,can i get multi tv on it,if yes show me,lastly i want to know if the revenue from digibox sales and adverts alone can sustain multi tv.
Apart from CRTV nad LTMtv how many chennels do have on your decoder as you promise to bring 20 tv chennels.
from OVERMARS
Please, what video format is multi tv using, mpeg 1, 2 , 3, or 4?
Hello David, i have heard rumours there are a couple of paytv stations yet 2 be launched in ghana. Do you have any idea if this is true?
Secondly, i doubt if multitv can sustain their business solely on ad revenue and digibox sales. It just doesnt make business sense unless the channels on their package are already free to air and they are not paying anything 2 the content owner.
Kofi,
1. I have no information about any new Pay TV stations.
2. I am sceptical about MultiTV’s viability too but going by Joy FM’s excellence so far, I am willing to give them a chance. I assume their risk-taking with this model is well calculated.
Do you have any idea if other free to air channels apart from that provided by multitv can be recieved through the multitv decoder?
please tell me what video format is multitv. and why cant i use strong decoder.
Multi TV uses MPEG4. I learnt Strong SRT 4669x decoder works fine with Multi TV.
please can my strong decorded work with MultiTV am in lagos nigeria
There are reports that Strong decoders are not working well with MultiTV.
Anyone used a Strong decoder to receive MultiTV signals successfully? Please share your thoughts.
I believe strong decoders technically sudnt be working well with multi TV. Thats why they’ve got their own box. Getting it on any other box, strong or the others… sudnt even be published since that mustn’t be the case. E TV only changed its encryption format to nagra 3 (thats what the big FTV sat guys are telling us) because they’ve realized that the old encryption use to secure it transmition in SA has been greatly compromised. Thanks to every one who contributed to letting them know. So please, please, please watch what you all say about multi tv else they will perfect the system so quick that without the digi box, you can never crack into in.
mc_dans@yahoo.com
I believe strong decoders technically sudnt be working well with multi TV. Thats why they’ve got their own box. Getting it on any other box, strong or the others… sudnt even be published since that mustn’t be the case. E TV only changed its encryption format to nagra 3 (thats what the big FTV sat guys are telling us) because they’ve realized that the old encryption used to secure its transmition in SA has been greatly compromised. Thanks to every one who contributed to letting them know. So please, please, please watch what you all say about multi tv else they will perfect the system so quick that without the digi box, you can never crack into in. Thank you King Dave for giving us this platform
mc_dans@yahoo.com
Aside multi tv free to air channels. Can I also get other free to air channels?
If yes what should be my settings?
Thanks
multi tv is using mpeg-4 for its encryption so any decorder with DVB, MPEG-2 Complaint can watch it for free.
Can u list any available decoder with mpeg 4 in nigeria?
David i want to know if i can tune my channel to Spanish La liga Bcos it said on the Site that its Comming Soon although i havent bought Multi tv yet but i was doughting
Salim, unfortunately, I don’t dig sports that much and so don’t watch JOY SPORTS. You should search http://www.myjoyonline.com for information about this.
Best wishes.
i
need to track multi tv signal in port harcourt nigeria using a 90cm dish,plz how do i start.just a novice
Stanley, you should read How to add more TV & Radio channels to your Multi TV decoder for more information.
please are there other plate form that shares frequencies with multi tv
dear sir/madam
i have daarsat decolder. pls i want knw if multi tv can work on daarsat decolder
nnamdi….
Surely daar sat decoder can be use to install multi tv,cos iam on it and enjoying it.
Hi,
How do you install your Multi tv decoder? l bought one for my house hold and decided later to relocate the dish and decoder but I was not able to install it.
Is it true that Multi tv is another GBS in waiting?
People are afraid to subscribe to it because of that.
Dear Multi tv,
I am an International Satellite intaller in Nigeria, I will like to know if Multi tv can work legally here in Nigeria, also if it work can some one market for you here in Nigeria. Email. ollymanny1[at]yahoo.com – Tell, +2347066657712
please i want to sell some of your products .how can i become an agent
Hi,has anybody gotten free Ghana e.tv on satellite with multi tv decoder or any other mpeg4 decoder ? Indicate and share your settings please.
Pls, i would like to know how much is 250cd to naira and how can one purchase it. Also, i want to know if it will posses the power to recieve it in warri.nigeria. Thanks
hi guyz multi tv is in mpeg 4 format so any decoder that can work with mpeg4 will receive it.And also you can use your digibox to receive additional FTA channnels.
Please i send the frequency and symbol rate of joy sport channel on multi tv thanks
Please i need frequency and the symbol rate of multi tv
Why has multitv stop telecasting their midnight movies. I think is not fair! We stay deep into the night to watch this and disappointed is only ajazera that comes on the screen! we need answers.
Hi Oluniyi,please can you let me know the frequency and the symbol rate,polarity and etc where i can get Multi TV Free-to Air Satellite.Please reply me on my email
chao chao
I have a strong decoder and i’m able to watch all da multi tv channels..but can’t get da radio and crtv and other free to air channels.
any help guys…
hi chi, could you please direct me as to where i can get a strong decoder to purchase or the company’s phone number?
Thanks
Do you have any idea where i can purchase strong decoder?
Thanks
I have all da channels working and i think multi tv is just coooool…@cher well i bought mine at A&C mall..b’cos i got a dish i pay 180 ghana cedis 4 it…