techafrica

Contact

Making sense of digital TV in Ghana

Oluniyi D. Ajao

·

Digital TV

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
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.

Oluniyi D. Ajao Avatar
Oluniyi D. Ajao
Oluniyi D. Ajao is an Internet Entrepreneur and Tech Enthusiast. Follow him on X (fka Twitter) @niyyie for more tech updates.

Comments

  1. leetos Avatar
    leetos

    with the smart i do not get any local channels like tv3 and the rest;also the foreign channels are encrypted, can some1 tell me why?

    Reply
  2. charles Avatar
    charles

    hi.am in adum(ksi).i use a dvb-t2 usb dongle and i get only 12 channels frm 626mhz.wid 4 scrambled.no local channelrcan i stil get more channels

    Reply
  3. FELIX Avatar
    FELIX

    Please am using stronge decorder str4663xII,and after a blind scan i get scrambled channels. please how can i get more channels and how van i also upgrade my decorder..

    from adum(ksi)Ghana….0244775067

    Reply
  4. ADINKRAH BRILLIANT Avatar
    ADINKRAH BRILLIANT

    please how can i upgrade my multi TV which support’s both MPEG 4 and 2. If i upgrade what is the news.

    Reply
  5. kwame Avatar
    kwame

    Please I have a usb dvb-t usb stick and I want to know why some channels are scrambled,and how do I unscramble them. am in accra.

    Reply
  6. lindajoe Avatar
    lindajoe

    hi im planning on purchasing a led digital tv ?smart tv (possible a sumsung model) from the uk to use it in ghana. what is the chances of it working in GH. Also if not what type of tv model bought from the uk is more likely to work gh
    thanks for time
    linda

    Reply
  7. John K Richardson Avatar
    John K Richardson

    I need more explanation into the differents between satellite tv and DVB-T. why skyy tv Ghana is giving us views this kind of sport 24 channel to be paid one and skyy digital tv is full of scatches.

    Reply
  8. Ebenezer Avatar
    Ebenezer

    Pls i have a digital tele and i don’t understand why i can’t get some of the digital televisions in ghana eg. 4syte Tv and how should i go about to get more digital televisions

    Reply
  9. michael Avatar
    michael

    sir/madam please i have a simense dvb receiver and and have about 12 chenels but i could not see pictures i hear only sound please i need help

    Reply
  10. Brown Avatar
    Brown

    I’m trying to rescan my quality digibox but its not working, can anyone give me helping hand ?

    Reply
  11. Matthew Avatar
    Matthew

    I live between ejisu- ash and konongo and want to know if dvd /dv3 will work properly please ?

    Reply
  12. paul Avatar
    paul

    plez,have uhf channels stop working in Ghana??.I get daewoo digital TV and I don’t even receive one digital channel…plz help me out.

    Reply
  13. paul Avatar
    paul

    plez,have uhf channels stop working in Ghana??I get a daewoo digital TV,and I don’t even receive one digital channel,plz help me out…

    Reply
  14. Anas Avatar
    Anas

    I got me a usb TV stick from presto in 2012. it receives digital tv transmission and analogue radio. I used to enjoy a couple of channels but it all lasted for abt 3 months. I still get the analogue radio transmission though. I have been in Kumasi, Ghana and i suspect the service providers(i don’t know them) are no longer transmitting signals in the city. I really need some answers

    Reply
  15. Fabrice Avatar
    Fabrice

    I have recently bought a samsung tv which has an embedded MultiTV decoder. A colleague installed the dish successfully but we had no luck with entering the right configurations for the transponder. Could someone tell me how it is done?

    And by the way, so far I am able to view 9 channels on DTV and 26 channels on ATV including Al Jazeera, BBC, DW, Homebase, Afrostar, Fox entertainment, Emmanuel TV, TBN and co

    Reply
  16. Daniel Owusu Avatar
    Daniel Owusu

    I have samsung PS50Q96HDX but only one of the DTV channels is showing and the rest of the channels only the sound, what could be the problem, as to why I don’t have the pictures but only the sound? The channels i have received are GTV,GTV SPORTS PLUS GTV LIFE, GTV RELIGION,VIASAT, UTV, AFROSAT.HOMEBASE,TV AFRICA,EMMANUEL TV etc but only Emmanuel Tv have the pictures but others only sound.

    Reply
  17. Frank A Avatar
    Frank A

    Is there something wrong with etv Ghana. I use HD DVB -T2 fr sometym nw when i auto scan i get Gtv govern rather. is there any way i can search for it manually

    Reply
  18. Cobby Avatar
    Cobby

    why you didn’t answer Kwesi t question am having the same problem.I have an LG digital tv after scanning i recieve homebase,afrostar’all the GTV channels fox entainm. emmanuel Tv but is only emmanuel tv that show pictures the rest shows no HD service.

    Reply
    1. Rose Avatar
      Rose

      Hi, I’m Rose I have Lg digital tv U.K brand and it use use auto tune Dtv, radio and tv but now it only tune tv. I live at community 25 -Dawhenya. Any help please, Thanks

      Reply
  19. tommy Avatar
    tommy

    i want to know if smart TV’s bought from USA can work in Ghana. Originally American tvs don’t work in ghana

    Reply
  20. Dennisarthur Avatar
    Dennisarthur

    Hi i am dennis and i wld like to know y my digihome 42 inch led tv cant show any picture or sound with the digital channels i have on it. I keep on recievn a messae sayn the video format is not supported: i need ur help pls

    Reply
  21. Las Abubakari Avatar
    Las Abubakari

    How do I make payments when the duration expires on first digital Chanel

    Reply
  22. Ken Avatar
    Ken

    Vi bought tv here in USA 48″ samsung 1080p for my family in Ghana am worried if they can use it back home.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related articles