Poynting, South Africa’s largest wireless antenna designer and producer, has made another leap forward in innovative wirelesstechnology for Africa with the development of SunPoynt TV.SunPoynt TV offers packaged wireless television connectivity with solar charging for rural Africa that can be run on a comparatively low 12V DC charge opposed to 220 Volt AC. It comes with a HD ready LED TV monitor, two LED lights, a solar charge controller, a Solar Panel and the necessary cables and brackets with a self-installation kit. 

Poynting DTV Business unit manager, Eduard Walker, says this is a truly economical solution for Africa and Poynting is expecting a strong demand. “There are many potential users in Africa who have the means but are simply off the grid. The growth of satellite TV channels in Africa, including GOTV, DSTV and Startimes, as well as private and state-owned services offered by each country, means that plenty of content is available. Viewers just need the decoder totune in and SunPoynt TV is compatible with any 12V decoder.”

Poynting hopes to capture a special niche in a market that already offers a number of solar panel products. While Walker says competitor products are available, the televisions cannot be run on a 12V charge and are therefore not cost-effective. The end user price for the 12VSunPoynt TV is approximately $300, while other products offer less, require220V and can be up to double the price. “There are many solar panel products that offer lights and a cellphone charger, but not many that include a television. Where televisions are offered, the inverter for the required 220V costs as much as the television and is inherently inefficient, unreliable and an extra component in the system that then requires a much larger battery.”

Poynting’s innovative design and partnership with leading Chinese technology company has resulted in a top end monitor is designed to make optimal use of electricity. “We partnered with specialists on the development of the monitor to provide the greenest low power display.” says Walker. “SunPoynt TV uses a longlasting and more efficient monocrystalline solar panel rather than the cheaper, less efficient polycrystalline and multicrystalline solar panels.” 

SunPoynt TV further offers an easy installation method. “We did some creative thinking onpackaging and included an easy way to position and align the solar panel using a compass provided with the pack. We are targeting the self-install market, so have incorporated a flashdrive memory key in French, Portuguese, Swahili and English that shows a short two minute movie on installation. There is also a book with illustrations.”

A battery is not provided with the package, but Walker highlights that there is a massive battery industry in Africa so these are easy to access.

This innovation takes the business, which is focused on the development and production of antennas for wireless communications, into a new but strategic product area. “We are developing additional aspects of the broadcasting value chain,” says Walker. “This approach makes sense considering our recent acquisition of African Union Communications, which provides professional products and services to the Broadcast and Telecommunication market in Africa.”

Poynting is currently manufacturing for a major East African distributor based in Kenya and has had interest from other African countries. The company envisages selling more than 1000 units a month from April, and has the capacity to upscale production rapidly. The product is economically produced in two factories in China,

“We see enormous market potential and scope for retail distribution throughout Africa,” says Walker. “It is presently a good time and a good product to launch, with the broadcast migration from analogue to digital taking place throughout Africa making set-top boxes a necessity. Through our distribution partners, we will distribute decoders, set-top boxes and SunPoynt TV.  SunPoynt is a registered trademark and we will be providing distributors with rights to distribute the product.”

Walker further points out that all viewers needs to get new antennas. DigiAnt, another Poynting innovation as the first new TV antenna to be developed in 70 years, will in some cases be packaged with SunPoynt TV.

The innovation doesn’t stop there. “This is the first product in the range, and we are excited to be developing more useful applications including a fan, a fridge, more lights and 12V plug socket. SunPoynt Internet will be the next step, offering internet connectivity to those off the grid,” says Walker. “Harnessing wireless, broadcast and solar technology to provide the solutions that Africa needs is our passion.”