QUICK LOOK

• Mobile decoder which allows you to watch a selection of DStv channels on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android or Windows computers (but not Mac computers)
• Connects via Wi-Fi or USB
• Limited channel selection but great selection of sports and news channels

I cancelled my DSTV subscription some time ago, when I finally gave in to the fact having a toddler meant no time to actually watch television in the evenings. But I soon realised that I was missing a lot of news, and would love to catch some cricket in the background while I was working. Enter the DStv Drifta.

What’s in the box

For the Drifta wireless version you get a USB cable, AC adapter, the Drifta, and installation CD and a battery. The new USB version is smaller and fits either directly into your USB port, or you can use a cable to connect it to your USB port.

The device itself is small, light and sleek, with a glossy black finish. The pull-out antenna is very flimsy, as is the little plastic cover for the cable slot (which I am very surprised I haven’t broken off and lost yet). 

Setting up

To install the Drifta on my iPad I just downloaded the free DSTV mobile app from the App Store. For Windows computers, just run the install CD provided.

After some lengthy calls to DStv to set up my account and to clear various error codes I was up and running. DStv’s call centre is very efficient but several minutes of “press one for…” before you get to talk to a real person is excruciating! 

How it works

Simply run the app or software, which will look for the DStv wireless signal, and once connected, your channel guide will appear. The first time you connect it takes several minutes to load, and though not always the case, occasionally you will find the initial load time to be quite long.

The channel selection is still quite small, but covers the basics including E! Entertainment, SuperSport 1-4, eNews and CNN. In the few months I’ve had the Drifta the line-up has already expanded and improved with M-Net Series.

The image is optimised for streaming and for a mobile phone screen, so at larger sizes like a laptop screen or iPad, you will notice a degradation in video quality. Having said that, I still find the resolution clear enough to read text on a news ticker scrolling across CNN, or easily follow a sports game and read the score on the screen. I have had no problems with streaming and the sound quality is excellent.

Before you buy

If you are not a sports or news fan, take a good look at the channel selection and make sure it has channels you’d enjoy watching. It may seem obvious but I’ve seen many people complain about the channel selection and having ‘wasted their money’. 

Next, check the coverage map on the DStv Mobile website, to ensure that your area has coverage. You can type in your address and the website will tell you if you are covered.

Finally, check that your device and operating system are supported.

Turn ons

• Fairly inexpensive once you have the decoder
• Great for “background” viewing of sports and news
• Small, light and very portable to toss into your handbag with your phone or tablet – I imagine it would be a good distraction in waiting rooms

Turn offs

• Small channel selection 
• Reduced image resolution - not “TV quality” 
• Doesn’t support Apple computers (your MacBook Pro!) and device support generally is limited

Price

• Drifta USB sells for R399 (for watching on your Windows PC)
• Drifta Wireless sells for R599 (for iDevices, mobile phones)
• Subscription is R36 per month, or free if you are a DStv Premium subscriber.

(Considering what you’re getting for the price, the rating would be higher if it supported more devices)