I receive a lot of questions through this blog and by email on a regular basis, about digital TV services. I have chosen the following email from one Kwame, to answer all similar questions:
Digital TV
Hi, love your website. I have a philips 42″ full HD tv with DVB. I only receive two digital channels,ie BBC and GODTV. Is there a way to receive more digital channels? My friends in close by areas receive more channels (FIESTA, GTV SPORTS, SKYYTV ETC ALONG WITH BBC AND GODTV). I am wondering if TVs with DVB-T can get digital signals to close-by satellite dishes
Is there a way to connect a satellite dish directly to the TV without additional set top box?
Kwame is mixing-up 3 different things here: Skyy Digital, Smart TV and digital satellite TV. I hope my explanation below clarifies things for you.
1. Skyy Digital: this is Ghana’s first terrestrial digital TV service. Whilst you do not need a satellite dish to receive the signals, an external TV antennae would ensure that your TV is fed strong signals. You need to pay a monthly subscription to enjoy the service, in addition to using Skyy Digital’s digibox. Kwame, chances are that your friend is subscribed to Skyy Digital.
Skyy Digital offers the following TV channels: Skyy One, Music World, Channel D, Sports24, Cinimax, Heaven, Planet Kidz, Fiesta, Skyy World and e.TV Ghana. In addition, they offer two radio channels: Skyy Power FM and Citi FM.
2. Smart TV: the model is similar to that of Skyy Digital. The exception is that Smart TV offers a different set of channels:
- pay channels – FOX Entertainment, Showtime, Hi Nolly, Homebase, Setanta Africa, BBC World News, GOD TV, Kiss and KidsCo
- free to air – TV3 Ghana, Viasat 1, GTV, TV Africa and NET2
I suspect that Smart TV is the one broadcasting the two channels BBC World and GOD TV unencrypted. Thus, anyone with a flat-screen TV that has DVB-T capability within the coverage area in Accra and Kumasi can watch BBC World and GOD TV for free.
3. Digital satellite TV on the other hand, requires a satellite dish and at least, a satellite receiver. One is spoilt for choice where satellite TV is concerned. From the premium DStv that offers over 70 channels, through to the free Multi TV among several others.
Whilst Skyy Digital and Smart TV both use DVB-T technology, digital satellite typically uses DVB-S. They are not exactly related.
I hope this helps.
Related posts:
- A review of Smart TV (a digital terrestial TV service in Ghana)
- Multi TV Ghana, a new free digital satellite TV service [updated]
- SMART TV, Ghana’s latest digital terrestrial television service launches
- Infinity TV, a new Direct-To-Home Digital Satellite TV service
- free2view, another free digital satellite TV for Africa
- Making Money Online: Getting Paid via Paypal
- Why is CRTV (Ghana) off-air?
- Multi TV Ghana to offer HD TV channels
- Mobile TV in Ghana
- e.Tv now in Ghana
Twitter Updates
Hey Guys
I have a samsung DTV and just as Kwame said I can only receive BBC on the SmartTV Bouquet of Channels. After a lot of research I got to know that the SmartTV Bouquet uses MPEG-4/H.264 Compression whilst most Digital Televisions use MPEG-2 Compression. In fact the dealers do not know anything about the specifications for Terrestrial Digital TV standards adopted by Ghana and therefore cannot tell you whether the DTV they are selling will work in Ghana or not.
I figured that the BBC signal being received was coded in MPEG-2 and it is presently not scrambled.
It is a pity because when TV went colour, everybody knew that the colour system was PAL.
Thanks for MPEG4 vrs MPEG2 clarification. The same thing happens with satellite receivers. A MPEG2 receiver cannot decode MPEG4 signals but a MPEG4 receiver can decode both MPEG4 and MPEG2.
One can hardly blame the TV importers. MPEG4 is still a new technology and most of the DVB-capable TVs can only handle MPEG2. The only way around this is to buy a MPEG4/DVB2-compatible setup box. One of such is the box offered by Smart TV in Ghana.
is the multi tv digibox an mpeg4 receiver and also how do i add tv channels that i have access to their frequency and polarization.
Multi TV’s digibox is essentially a branded MPEG4 satellite receiver. Search this blog for help with adding other TV channels.
are u saying that when u buy the smart decoder, u are going to get access to both BBC and CNN on separate channels? and if yes as at now how many channels are o the decoder?
Read SMART TV, Ghana’s latest digital terrestrial television service launches.
is the Setanta Africa on the smart TV decoder different from the one we have on the analog?
They are one and the same.
i also have this LG dtv and i get some of the channels on smart tv namely fox entertainment,showtime,hi nolly,homebase,god tv,kidco and bbc.Yet only bbc and the god tv comes.what can i do to make the others appear.i don’t use smart tv.
I also have a usb dvb-t dongle or stick and I am able to get 18 channels but bbc is not coming I am able to get Hinolly, Homebase(hb), Gtv sports plus but I do I unlock bbc
i have a skyy digital decorder; how to i add more channels to the ones i currently receive
skyy digital tv is not good at all,dont try scanning ur digibox at all,if u do so u will loose all the channels,to get thm back u have to send the digibox to their office at dzowolu for them to restore it for u.buy a multi tv.cos i had one and their programming is very poor,i mean POOR
He’s right Sam… Skyy digital has poor picture and sound quality.. they also go off air almost everyday… You pay 10ghc a month right??? Why don’t u go in for DSTV access.. single view decoder 84ghc with a dish probably 135ghc.. they offer 25 channels for 15ghc
i’v heared of more channels on multi tv recently which is around 45 channels
i love ur tv
u said setanta sports on the digital tv is the same as the analog one, but why is the one on the analog not able to telecast the leagues u have campaign above?
Metro TV broadcasts Sentata Africa on analogue UHF in Ghana. Sentata Africa might be different from Sentata Sports you’re seeing on satellite.
Hi what i am I hearing Multi tv hav upgraded to 45 channels. WHAT CHANNELS ARE THESE AND ARE THEY FREE OR ENCODED. WHILST GOING THROUGH THE ASTRA tRANSPODERS I CAME ACCROSS AN UNKNOWN FREQUYENCY OF 12616 MGZ SYMBOL RATE 10000 CAN SOMEONE TELL ME THE CHANNELS THAT ARE TRANSMITTED THERE .
do u have an idea when Ghana will have its free to air digi box? and how many channels will Ghana be having when it finally goes digital?
can u tell us how u had the digital channels, the frequency and everything necessary, i just bought a digital television but i can get those channels. please tell me something,
Nii, I am not sure I understand your question. Are you implying that you CANNOT receive the digital TV channels? Please confirm.
yes please,i don’t know whether is on UHF or any other. do u have an idea of it?
please why are u not responding to my messages, i have told u i can not get the digital channels on my now digital TV. can u help me please?
pls. am form nigeria my name is victor i like to knwn if the network is fee or will pay for the service at time go on, and what are the fig and the syeborate that we can use to get more Gana channel.
i have a TV that has the DVB-T technology and actually am receiving fiesta,BBC world news, GOD TV,SKYY ONE,SKYY word,only and whole lot channels are present in the list but no picture and sound and also the signal level is full.I will like to know if there is anything way to receive the rest of the channels or do i need to go and buy their digibox and antenna again?
I suspect you need to buy their digital receiver, to be able to view the other channels. What you are viewing is just an appetizer meant to draw you into being a paying customer. If in doubt, just enquire from Skyy Digital, directly.
what is the brand of the tv you are talking about?
please am still waiting for your answer
I’m in ghana-accra.Where can i get smart tv decoder to buy.
please help, I have boman dvd_dvb-t. I receive bbc, God tv, fiesta, sky one, sky news, e tv.the other channels skyy tv are on it but they are not coming. how am i going to receive channels from smart tv since it dvb-t? thank you very much.
Does it mean if I am using smart TV I can add more channels to my current channels? or what, please let me know.
My multi tv digibox picks some channels from Nigeria, to be precise infinity but the sound is not comming. What do I do? Are there other channels I can get from my digibox (multi tv)?
Read Infinity TV, a new Direct-To-Home Digital Satellite TV service and the comments, for help.
Ghana has adopted dvb-t with mpeg4 encoding. All smart tv channels are currently free to air. They will be scrambled in the near future. I do not know what standard skyy is using cos they’ve been in operation before nca came up with the standard. With the smart tv decoder you can receive any unscrambled dvb-t signal with mpeg4 or 2 encoding.
I am inclined to agree with you. The problem is, I don’t know Skyy Digital’s frequency and so can’t make my Smart TV decoder tune-in to Skyy Digital.
Does that mean that smart tv decorders can pick skyy digital channels? I am asking because if smart tv is using mpeg4 and skyy is mpeg2 it sould be possible to view channels from mpeg2 on mpeg 4. can anyone with smart tv confirm this?
yes it is possible to receive skyy digital’s channels on your smart decoder….i think they are around 629MHz,channel 40 on your smart decoder.You just have to move your antenna to the right position,preferably taking the antenna outside will do.
i have a USB DVB-T attached to my PC and currently have 30 channels all from SMART TV and SKYY DIGITAL.
What’s the name of the DVB-T card? Is your PC a desktop or a laptop? Does the DVB-T card have a slot for a smart card?
its an Azurewave DVB-T USB and it can be used for both desktop and laptop its the size of a pen drive and therefore quite portable , hopefully i’ll be buying a DVB-S soon so i watch free-to-air satellite channels too on my PC.
hi Rich can u pls tell me where to get that type of usb reciever and the price and also that of the DVB-S one…..thans
Hi Clement, a friend bought mine from the USA for me because i couldn’t get one here …. you can order one
it doesnt have a slot for smart card
I really want to confirm… is Smart Tv far better that Multi tv… Please i want an answer David???
I cannot give you a direct answer as to which is better. I would simply suggest you check both from your friends who have either, before making your choice.
You can check Multi TV from any of those road tents.
Also, do well to read my detailed review of both services.
Will multitv strong decoder be able to recieve infinity tv?
I’ve a multi tv decoder with a smartcard slot. I was wondering if could get strong tv pay channels like Fox, Kidsco when i use their smartcard?
You are mixing orange with pineapples. What you seek is impossible.
that will nt work
I want code which can unlock etv A
I just bought a samsung LA40C530 and to my surprise the guy at the Melcome plus shop knows nothing about DTT,the built in turner is analog and i was very disappointed,i thought i was going to received free to air channels via Digital broadcasting…Though the t.v is of a high quality i believe the sales guys over there can do us a favor by knowing what the specification are before you make a choice..Everything you ask them they will say yes but in fact they do not know what exactly you are talking about,that is a typical Ghanaian attitude..
would it be o.k. if i suggested channels to make it more interesting?? if yes, where and how do i do that??
Hello sir,
Please do you have an idea of the specific parts of eastern and western region where smart tv signals can be received?
Also, does the signal cover every location in greater accra as well as ashanti region?
Thank you.
i have a new smart tv..but i dont have the f-plug,i did not find one in the box
Hi David, i understand some people are receiving some CCTV channels with the SMART Tv boxes. If u are receiving it, kindly let me know the channel number and frequency. Thanks.
hi David, i want to know how i can get in contact with sky digital TV and their location. Thanks
if you want a skyy decoder i have one for sale at a reduced price call 0206694141…you can get them at abelenkpe accra
Please i want to know if i can watch DVB-T stations in Nigeria with a DVB-T antenna?
hello,
i have an lg tv that has digital tuner and is able to get all the smart tv and skky tv channels including their scrammbled channels. but i want to know if sky tv can open the scramble channels on my tv since my tv also support usb updates.
From my own observation, i think skyy digital and multi tv are the best in ghana so far.they own their own channels and do not rely on any other networks for contents, unlike smart tv,which has almost all their pay channels owned by international partners.We should remember that if these channels decide to broadcast on a new network.Smart tv will collapse. Smart tv must try to own their channels and later look for the international ones.skyy operates music world,planet kids,fiesta and other channels on their own.
.
i agree with philip,skyy digital operate almost their channels by themselves like cinimax,music world,planet kids and others.the music world is my best channel.and please for their program breakoff,i think it better now
hello, for searches that i made GOD TV and BBC world are MPEG2 decoded and SKYY DVB tramits on the same code.if so how can i get the two free to air SMART TV channels on my skyy digibox reciever?
Anyone using SKYY TV in accra to confirm?
Ronald, just auto scan the digibox. I use to get those 2 smart tv channels but they’ve been off air for sometime now; so yes it si possible to them on mpeg2
pls is there anyway i could receive signals for other free to air stations on my multi tv??
Does anyone knw the price of a multitv
I am living in Ghana now, and I like to know what is possible watch Spanish’s La Liga football machs live, and another main world sport events.
Please, you let me know free pay or monthly pay.
Thanks,
I want strong tv usb one to connect to my laptop……….. can anyone help me?
No such thing exists.
Who told you there is nothing like that Please check for or google for DVB-S usb dongle. They are meant for PCs and Laptops
Bright. he meant a STRONG technology usb tv stick. which is currently not in existence, but der ar a lot of other digital usb tv stick
am I getting this Right?….with the Smart TV digibox…I can get the SKYY TV channels for free…..???
A friend has a digital tv with built in Tuner that gets all the SKYYchannels plus more for free…..!!!
I have a wintv nova usb dvb-t. its for digital t.v. it worked in the U.K. but i dnt know how to make it work here in ghana. any ideas? plus how do u configure a t.v. with digital t.v. capabilities to recieve digital channels
It should work in Ghana for unscrambled channels from Skyy Digital and Smart TV.
i have installed a new storng mpeg4 decoder and i have cued in these dstv freq’s and their symbol rate bt some of the channels are nt coming can some1 help me
11747 H
tp EA2
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11785 H
tp EA4
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11804 V
tp EA5
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11823 H
tp EA6
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11843 V
tp EA8
DVB-S2
8PSK
SR 27500
FEC ?
11862 H
tp EA8
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11881 V
tp EA9
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11900 H
tp EA10
DVB-S
SR 26480
FEC 1/2
11919 V
tp EA11
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11940 H
tp EA12
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11958 V
tp EA13
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11977 H
tp EA14
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
11996 V
tp EA15
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC ?
12015 H
tp EA16
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
12034 V
tp EA17
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC ?
12054 H
tp EA18
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
12073 V
tp EA19
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
12245 H
tp EA28
DVB-S
SR 27500
FEC 3/4
can anyone help me please
God bless you
When you get digital tv can you watch some digital channels clear on it ,and tell me what digital tv is the best and do you make them search for the stations for you before you take it home.
2.Do Multi Tv show Spanish and french league,If no let know what digi box does
I have sky tv decoder which i was using in london, i have tried to install, can you help me with the frequency and other details to turn in, and also using multitv, but can to acess CRTV which i know is a free view channel. Help Me To make my holidays in Ghana, a well and celebrated time. Thnaks
it seems a new tv channels has come to ghana by name top tv how true is it?
Skyy tv is gona add more channels about 20 plus. They are also coming up with a new mpeg decoder so watch out all skyy tv subscribers from May 1st.
I tried adding more channels to my Multi tv ash digibox, using some steps provided by you sometime back, but it seems somethings have change in this ash digibox. I can’t see astra 2b and when i try adding it, it did not work. i try alongside the symbol rate, freq and polarisation and all was to not avail. Please help me.
please add tv 3, more action channel and also bring back mid9t tv
For those of you using usb dvb-t dongles, I will be happy if any of you can publish the frequency for any of the sky digital channels. I know you can get 10 channels on frequency 482000khz on smart tv and an extra 8 on frequency 490000khz on the same smart tv which makes it a total of 18 channels but some of them are free and some too are scrambled meaning you have to pay to get it unscrambled.
My dvb-t stick also picks up something on frequency 580000khz but i checked it with ProgDVB and it says it is DVB-H signal from Dstv Africa
dvb-h is meant for handheld devices like mobile phones and PDA’s. That is Dstv Mobile. But it Has no channels. I seriously need the frequency for Sky digital
Sky Digital is 626000
I HAVE A USB DIGITAL TV STICK FOR LAPTOP/DESKTOP AND I GET 30-37 CHANNELS
WAS JUST AMAZED.ITS GOOD AND CAN RECORD INSTANT TO MPEG VIDEO FORMAT
Skyy digital now has a new bouquet skyy plus wit 25 channels and counting
skyy tv since yesterday have been advertising their new service skyy compact service which is going to provide 20 channels to their already 10 channels,and am thinking now that smart merged with skyy so not to disappoint their veiwers since gtv has stopped the partnership with them.and seems the only thing they could do was to merge with skyy so skyy broadcast their channels.hope this merge will be a graet relief to the smart tv subscribers and now skyy tv subcribers are going to enjoy more channels and great entertainment
skyy digital will start broadcasting on mpeg4 in Accra from may 20th. it will have 20 channels and will include the smart tv channels
CAN DVB-T RECEIVER WORK IN GHANA..?
Yes
thank you very much..and please do u know anything about this free internet on decoder…? that u can use to watch ur tv and browsing at the same…is that available..? or possible…? that u can get internet on dstv, or multi tv, mytv and more…?
I need your help. I live at tamale and will like to find out where in tamale can I get a smart digital box to buy. Thank you and hope to hear from you soon.
PLEASE HOW POSSIBLE TO USE ANY DECODER TO BROWSE THE INTERNET FREE WITH..? IS THAT POSSIBLE….?
well, i am having lG PLASMA TV. I LIVE in sunyani. the tv is filled with freewview, DTV. DTB, yet stiil i cant recieve any digital tv or radio channels in my locality. i want to know how i will be able to watch any DTV free channels.
I am not aware of any digital broadcast in Sunyani. That same TV set would receive dozens of digital TV signals in Accra.
hello ,
i have the usb-tv dongle for laptop and i used to get 30 channels but now most of the are scrambled, can anybody give me software to unlocking those scranmbled channels. thank u.
what is going on?,i can not receive BBC WORLD anymore on my tv set.is it now a pay TV?
Is there a way I can get skky digital tv channels on my smart tv digital box.
yes., adjust ur antenna well and u will recieve skyy free channels
Smart tv originally intended to broadcast their signals from Gtv masts, making it possible for any person who could receive gtv analogue signals to also receive smart tv signals in any part of ghana.
But it seems now that their infrastructure is mostly set up in Accra and Kumasi.
Dtv (digital ter. tv) in Ghana are mostly broadcasted by skyy and smart tv, who are mostly based in Accra, Kumasi and some parts of ER, ASH, CENTRAL, mostly coastal areas.
If you live in any of these parts, dtv reception is possible with a dtv tv, or analogue tv plus mpeg4 decoder and an external antenna pointed in the right direction, Viola, free digital channels
Hi,
IUpassed by an electrical shop yesterday and they had digital tv antenna(not dish) and box for sale. I am wondering with this sort of setup can one get free to air digital channels in Accra????
what are the channels that will be available to me after i purchase the smart tv dish and the receiver and also what link do you have with Quality Tv?
Well i am totally confused now , I have a sanyo 42 LCD TV.. when i search for analog I get the channels when i use strong ant .. but the picture is black and white and its not clear too no sound too .. i also want to buy the multi tv box ..but I CANT STOP WATCHING FREE ANALOG CHANNEL LIKE GTV TV3 NET2 VASAT METRO CRYSTAL TV GH1 AND OTHER STATION THAT WILL COME ON AIR FOR FREE …
your problem can be solved. what you need is quality decoder. it has multi tv, skyy and smart tv. you can watch multi tv and as well watch some of your local channels like viasat 1, net 2, tv africa, gtv, gtv sports plus ,hombase etc. for help. megethos ltd.
i am currently using SRT4669x and right now i cant watch infinity tv because of its scrambleness…please somebody should tell me whether they are about to go out of free air or not…i am currently in Nigeria and at the eastern part.and also is there new channels in it…there sym rt and frq
i want to DVB box to buy were can i get one and at what price. a friend of mine uses ALBA CDVB box and gets 9 dstv mobile channels wit a normal antenal. anyone know were i can get one. de USB DVB-T is sold at 55gh at TRIPPLESEA a stone at the kingsway builing accra
i want to DVB box to buy were can i get one and at what price. a friend of mine uses ALBA CDVB box and gets 9 dstv mobile channels wit a normal antenal. anyone know were i can get one. de USB DVB-T is sold at 55gh at TRIPPLESEA a store at the kingsway builing accra
multitv is boring
crtv and shalom tv scramble all the time. Multitv improve your service. You kids channel is very bad. Always repeatition. Can’t u show better cartoon. Joytv like showing old boring movies. Multitv improve your service
Please bring back midnight tv
I have durabrand digital dvb box only daystar come others pictures didn’t but the audio comes
You need an MPEG4-capable decoder.
I use to watch CNN, VIASAT 1 on tne NSS 7 satellite But quite sometime Time now i could not see any of them can somebody help me with the problem
Sum1 pls tel me è live leagues dat sports 24 on skyy plus broadcast.
I am told I have to purchase skyy plus @ GHc16.00 for my smart TV where can I purchase on in Kumasi
Pleas, l have accidentally entered the PIN-code to default factory settings on my multi tv SC-002CI digi box and all the channels are gone. I want you to help me to help me with the settings to get my channels back. Thank you
Please I NEED HELP.I SAW DVB WRITEN ON THE FRONT OF MY MULTITV DIGIBOX.DOES THAT MEAN I CAN RECEIVE DIGITAL SIGNAL LIKE SKYY AND SMART?
@ SOLO , NO . MULTI TV IS DVB-S AND SMART AND SKYY ARE DVB-T.
read the initial comments on this page by David.
Thanks ERIC
thanks for the good work u are doing here. Can u pls give me contact(s) through which i can reach skyy plus tv ppl in Ghana to buy one of there products? Counting on u.
how many stations does a smart tv decoder get.
which video signal type is neccesary for those in eastern region (abetifi
)
hi…..i bought this new digital tv bush dv3…can get most of the channels bt only de audio comes…..no pictures except one…..so how do i solve it….can i get a card or somethin to make de pictures come
I have a usb dvb-t usb stick. i get 18 channels only. most of thr 18 channels i get dont work. Like fox entertainment, bbc world,showtime,kidsco,homebase. why is that.
Pls i want to know if home used decoder can get channels such as ones in sky tv in ghana with tv local antena
Hi, am buying two tvs in the uk-LG 42″ LED (LG 42LV355U) and Samsung 40 LED (UE40C6510). Both have DTV Reception(DVB-T2/C). I want to know if the tv will work in ghana (I mean get the local channels) without requiring any external box. Also which free to air digital channels will I receive. Finally if I want to receive sky or smart tv, can I just pay for the subscription without installing any external box or something. thanks
You need the external box for subscription services.
but will the tv work for the local stations?
I Digital scart device for my Samsung and is able to receive dstv mobile channels,some radio channels,some of the channels comes in black with voice,fiesta,Skyy(Scrambled),Cinimax(Scrambled),Sporst24(Scrambled),GH1,Daystar,Emmanuel Tv but I was wondering why I couldnt receive channels like Viasat1,GTVplus and the others like people do
Thanks
why are you guys hate skyy tv so much let me tell you guys you will never get skyy tv it is what ia using now and its the best so far cos i have packed my multitv some where yawa multi tv
pls i wld like to have skyy tv office telephone number.for enquires on how to publish a story
Then, an i use my normal tv antenna to view digital channels?
Pls joy sports;even if u’re.nt showing more than one epl match,pls replay others not shown by ur stations.thanks
multitv is boring