Nairobi, Kenya: Even as the Kenyan TV market awaits the expected switch-over to digital broadcasting, manufacturers are already providing solutions that will make it convenient to users, besides providing a better viewing experience.
Although both free-to-air and pay television options will be available to Kenyans, digital smart television owners will have an advantage over their counterparts with traditional TVs.
When the government finally switches off analogue television broadcasting signals, digital terrestrial television (DTT) will surely herald a new era for Kenya’s television industry and consumers alike.
To begin with, if the current position banning set-top-box providers from broadcasting some free-to-air channels is upheld during the switchover, the implication is that a big number of Kenyans will not have access to three of the country’s leading TV stations.
This, after Royal media Services, Nation Media Group and the Standard Group moved to court to stop pay TV providers from airing their content over discrepancies in carriage contracts.
On the other hand, smart digital television owners will have access to all free-to-air channels without having to purchase a separate set top box. Smart digital television sets have in-built set top boxes, therefore saving consumers on additional expenses.
When it comes to picture quality which has remained a hugely important differentiator in the television industry, smart digital televisions offer better quality images. Analogue signal is weak and causes snowy pictures.
Although picture quality in traditional televisions will also have been enhanced due to digital terrestrial television’s ability to improve reception signals, the quality can never come close to smart digital sets which are in offer as LED LCD, OLED, HD and Ultra HD (4K)televisions.
LED LCD TVs use light-emitting diodes to light up the screen and offer the widest array features and good quality images. OLED sets use organic light emitting diodes to light up each picture element individually, translating into a much brighter, more colourful picture. Ultra HDTVs are LED LCD models that “cram” more pixels onto the screen. With more pixels in a given area, images are sharper and more detailed.
Picture quality remains one of the foremost criteria for most consumers. This has seen LG, Sony, Panasonic and Samsungthe key players in the Kenyan TV market recently introduce new television sets.
Samsung recently rolled out its F series TV range and an expanded line of curved TV. It is LG however which seems to be ahead of competition in the race for ultimate TV having increased its investment in the category and recently announced new OLED TV models becoming the first electronics manufacturer to commercialize 4K OLED TV. OLED TVs have unparalleled display quality.
Lastly, with a smart TV one can browse, see YouTube videos, and check the weather.
With the vast majority of TVs released this year being smart and this likely to be the trend, at some point we may all just end up with smart digital TVs.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join