Startimes launches advanced decorders

Digital Television Company StarTimes Media has today unveiled two sets of pay TV decoders to the local market in a move aimed at enhancing the quality of services for its pay TV subscribers.

The two decoder models will be known as StarTimes Light with one being Standard Definition (SD) while the other will be a High Definition (HD) DVB T2 decoder.

Loaded with an advanced user friendly interface, the decoders are equally sleek, stylish and come with a modern look. They are slimmer and lighter than the current decoders in the market adding to their appealing and distinguished features.

The new set top boxes, StarTimes Light Standard Definition and StarTimes Light High Definition, will be retailing at just Ksh. 199 and Kshs. 999 respectively upon subscribing to a bouquet of choice at a cost of Ksh. 1,500. With the Ksh. 1,500 subscription, subscribers will have a choice of accessing 10 months Nyota bouquet, 3 months Basic bouquet, 1 and a half months Classic or 1 Month Unique bouquet.

Speaking during the launch, StarTimes Vice President for Marketing Mr. Mark Lisboa, said the company was keen to ensure that Kenyans have not only access to quality and affordable set top boxes but also rich content noting that Kenyans using the StarTimes decoders equally have access to over 55 free to air local channels in digital quality in addition to the premium international channels subscribed for.

“StarTimes Media boasts of one of the most robust research and development teams which has enabled the company to progressively roll out improved, relevant and exciting products and services for the benefit of our subscribers. We want them to have the best experience in the broadcasting sector as they use our services while equally availing enthralling programming that will enrich their television viewing experiece,” noted Mr. Lisboa.

Kenyan subscribers using the StarTimes Light full HD decoder will currently enjoy two HD channels namely, NBA TV and Star Bollywood with the company planning to introduce more HD channels in the near future.  

The decoders offer multi-lingual support with options for English, Kiswahili, French and Portuguese making it possible for customers to use any language that is convenient to them and can equally set the parental control to block preferred channels that have parental advisory. 

The decoders will equally enable subscribers to set up to 32 program reminders using the new Auto Tune feature where the decoder will automatically tune to the channel with a reminder when the customer is watching a different channel.

“Today, we have launched StarTimes Light, decoders that are loaded with the latest technology but at the same affordable price of 199. The HD decoder is equally the most competitively priced HD decoder in the market today at just 999. This is true to our vision to drive access and enable every household afford, access, and enjoy digital television,” added Mr. Lisboa. 

With the phase 1 and 2 of the analogue switch off having already been implemented, the uptake of set top boxes has been on the rise, the third and final phase is expected to take place on 30^th March 2015 with StarTimes progressively positioning itself as the preferred brand for digital migration.

The company’s Free To Air decoder will continue to retail at Ksh 3,299 with access to one month Unique bouquet giving access to over 76 premium international channels and over 55 local channels in digital television quality upon the expiry of the one month free access to Unique without incurring any monthly charges.

 Customers will however be able to subscribe to a bouquet of choice anytime they wish to access the international channels without the need to acquire a Pay TV decoder.