BAMBA runs into high voltage headwinds

 @danmuhuni

Digital TV platform Bamba TV is scrambling to save its business amid widespread protest from agents and customers over malfunctioning of its decoders.

Some of their top agents, on Wednesday confirmed having returned 1000 and 400 decoders respectively.

The problem would seem to be the decoders voltage specification which is set at 5V rather than 12V.

This means that whenever an agent/trader tests using a 12-vold adaptor, the decoder blows.

Currently, Bamba TV is taking back decoders for software upgrades and promising consumers and agents that the process will take ‘2 weeks’.

The problem first became apparent a few weeks ago when Nakumatt’s management ordered its branch managers to withdraw the decoders from its shelves after receiving numerous complaints from dissatisfied customers.

"There has been several and numerous customer complaints on Bamba...because their decoder has a voltage of 5 instead of 12," Operations Coordinator Wilfred Kimani said in a letter to managers.

"Am therefore urging all to withdraw these decoders from the Shelves with immediate effect. Radio Africa will pick them up and replace with those that [sic] has Voltage of 12."

Daniel Gachanga, 32, of Kikuyu said he took his decoder back to the supermarket he bought it from when it experienced problems.

“At first I thought it was because of the power outages happening due to the rains,” Gachanga said.

“But the guys at the supermarket told me there were many complaints about Bamba. They are telling us to wait but I want my money back.”

Bamba TV is ran by Lancia Digital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Radio Africa Group.

It runs on a tier-2 broadcast signal distribution license issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).

CA when queried said it was not aware of the problem with the Bamba TV decoders raising questions as to the thoroughness of its Type-approval process.

Loaned decoder wins a million shillings for mother of five

After staring on a dark screen in her living room for more than a month, Nancy Mudecha, 35, a green grocer from Musasa village in Chavakali, decided to borrow five hundred shillings to top-up and buy a set top box.

“I had only five hundred shillings and so I borrowed another five hundred from a friend as it was getting boring in the house without a television. I was only listening to radio but missed TV news and programmes,” said Mrs. Mudecha.

On 24^th March 2015, the mother of five went into a friend’s shop and asked for the decoder on credit as she didn’t have the total amount of Sh1, 399.

“I talked to the shopkeeper and he allowed me to take the decoder and pay the balance later,” Mrs. Mudecha explained. “I had overheard on radio a discussion that was promoting GOtv saying it was the best for local and international channels,” she said.

The shopkeeper allowed her to take the decoder home after she paid Sh1, 000 and allowed her to pay promised to pay the balance of Sh400 in two weeks’ time.

“He helped me register the decoder using my mobile phone and also connected it,” she said.

 However, it was an unexpected call from GOtv that surprised Mrs. Mudecha who explains that her husband could not help her pay up the debt due to other family commitment.

“I was called on Tuesday by GOtv staff and informed I was the lucky winner of Sh1million. I was shocked and couldn’t believe it,” she said excitedly. “They explained to me that it was true and helped me book a bus to Nairobi to receive the cheque,” she added.

Samsung launches Digital Variable Multi System (DVMS) in the Kenyan market

 @DanMuhuni

The insatiable appetite for high-end office and residential blocks in Nairobi has seen Kenya’s construction industry enjoy a sustained boom, with both the commercial and residential real estate markets growing steadily to keep up with the country’s push to attain higher economic growth.  
To meet industry demand for smarter, faster, higher capacity air conditioning systems, global electronics company Samsung Electronics on Wednesday launched the 3rd generation Digital Variable Multi System (DVMS).
 Speaking during the product launch Robert Ngeru, Vice President & COO of Samsung East and Central Africa, said the new DVMS air conditioner was especially suited for the price sensitive East African market due to its energy and space efficiency capabilities.
 “According to a recent report, Nairobi has been named as one of Africa’s best cities to invest in, which we are currently seeing judging by the number of multinationals and local companies setting up and expanding in and around the Central Business District and areas such as Upper Hill and Westlands,” said Mr. Ngeru.
“With the boom in both residential and commercial real estate we see an opportunity to provide powerful yet energy efficient air cooling systems, designed with the local high costs of energy and efficient space usage in mind, both of which this DVMS considers.” he added.
The dual smart inverter has two compressors that operate simultaneously, providing balanced oil distribution and therefore quick cooling and heating, which in turn results in better energy efficiency and hence lower energy spends.
“The upgraded vapour injection system within the compressor increases the refrigerant flow rate by 20% compared to the conventional products, while innovative, clean design not only decreases the space occupied by the unit, but allows for the customisation often required by contractors developing high rise buildings in limited spaces.” added Mr. Ngeru.
The reduction in footprint gives the property developer more space to put up other facilities such as solar panels, as per a 2014 directive by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) requiring homes and commercial buildings that consume more than 100 litres of water daily to fit solar panels.
 In addition to weighing 25% less than conventional air conditioning system units and therefore costing less to install, the smart system air conditioner also has a multi-step diagnose function that enables the end user to easily detect any malfunction in the system and recover the last 30 minutes of operation data.