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DStv launches BoxOffice - video-on-demand in SA

22 Jul 2011

DStv premium subscribers using PVRs will, from now on, be able to view the latest blockbusters via a video-on-demand (VOD) service, BoxOffice, that MultiChoice South Africa launched amid much fanfare yesterday, Thursday, 21 July 2010, in Johannesburg. One movie will cost R25 to rent and subscribers can pre-load this amount into their existing accounts or pay by credit card, John Kotsaftis, CEO of DStv Online, said.

John Kotsaftis

The service is initially offering 15 movies, including Black Swan and the King's Speech, Kotsaftis revealed, adding that the movie can be viewed several times within a 48 hour-period, after which it will no longer be available in the system, unless rented again.

Online version by end of year

An online version of BoxOffice is due to be rolled out by the end of this year, with 50 movies available to SA broadband users.

DStv launches BoxOffice - video-on-demand in SA

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"We are spending a lot of money to acquire this content, and as soon as we get it you also get it. And [these are] not your regular movies, but the Hollywood blockbusters that are freshly released on DVD because the fresher the better," he said.

How to use the service:

Press the green button on your PVR (high definition and standard) remote
Follow the steps on your TV screen. BoxOffice movies are readily available for viewing, as they are pre-loaded onto your PVR decoder.

Free movie free

The BoxOffice service, which will include one free movie for first-time users, is due to release approximately 150 blockbuster movies during the course of a year.

"Studios generally release VOD movies in a similar timeframe as they become available for home DVD rentals," Kotsaftis said, insisting that there will be no discount on the rental price. The number of movies is limited due to storage constraints on the current PVRs, he stressed.

MultiChoice SA CEO Imtiaz Patel said his company will continue innovating and exploring more exciting ways as the world evolves and technology progresses.

click to enlarge

For more:

SA bandwidth holds back Samsung video on demand

Issa Sikiti da Silva

About Issa Sikiti da Silva: @sikitimedia

Issa Sikiti da Silva is a winner of the 2010 SADC Media Awards (print category). He freelances for various media outlets, local and foreign, and has travelled extensively across Africa. His work has been published both in French and English. He used to contribute to Bizcommunity.com as a senior news writer.