Making sense of digital TV in Ghana

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.

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Oluniyi D. Ajao
Oluniyi D. Ajao is an Internet Entrepreneur and Tech Enthusiast based in South Africa. Follow him on twitter @niyyie for more tech updates.

158 Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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?

  3. 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

    • 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

  4. 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?

  5. 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 .

  6. 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?

  7. 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,

  8. 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?

  9. 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.

  10. 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?

  11. 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.

  12. 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)?

  13. 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.

  14. 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?

  15. 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.

  16. 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.

    • 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.

  17. 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?

  18. 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..

  19. 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.

  20. 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.

  21. 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.

  22. 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.
    .

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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,

  26. 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…..!!!

  27. 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

  28. 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

  29. 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

  30. 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

  31. 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.

  32. 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

  33. 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

  34. 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

  35. 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…?

  36. 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.

  37. 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.

  38. 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.

  39. 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

  40. 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?

  41. 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.

  42. 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

  43. 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

  44. 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

  45. 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

  46. 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

  47. 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

  48. 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.

  49. 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

  50. 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.

  51. 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

  52. 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

  53. 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

  54. hi, i am so so disappointed in using skyy digital cos i can’t watch champions leagea games, EPL and the most annoying is that most of the stations do not work, like hi Noly, ASN,Fox, Showtime Sports One, because of that my decoder is off for the past six months, please let us get value for our money. thanks

  55. 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?

  56. 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

  57. 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

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

  59. 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.

  60. 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

  61. 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.

  62. 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

  63. 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

  64. 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

  65. 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

  66. 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.

  67. 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

  68. 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.

    • 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

  69. 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

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