We tested the DStv Streama — with disappointing results

MyBroadband tested the DStv Streama box and found it delivers what was promised, only a few years late, and at a much higher price than competing devices offering open ecosystems and better user experiences.

As promised, the DStv Streama box lets viewers without smart TVs stream DStv, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and Showmax over the Internet.

However, the box runs on proprietary software and does not have an app store. For any additional services to become available on the Streama, DStv must add them.

Already, there is currently no app available for Disney+ — something that DStv advertised before launch. MultiChoice has assured us that the app will be launched soon.

Responding to questions after we discovered the Disney+ app was missing, MultiChoice told MyBroadband it would launch “as soon as possible” as it continued to develop device functionality over time.

Walt Disney Africa could not provide specific feedback but said it was working with its partners, including DStv, to bring Disney+ to as many platforms as possible.

On the hardware side, DStv has a good combination of a USB A port, an Ethernet port, and optical audio out, as well as a usable processor.

Whether MultiChoice will let users use the USB port remains to be seen.

We tested it by inserting a flash drive containing a variety of media, and there was no obvious way to access its contents from the Streama’s interface or do anything else with the drive.

The remote works through Bluetooth, which is appreciated, as the user does not need a direct line of sight to the box as with infrared remotes.

The layout is pretty standard, and we did not encounter any issues with it.

However, the DStv Streama’s software leaves a lot to be desired.

Before you can use the Streama, you must sign in with a DStv account.

You need not have an active DStv subscription, but the fact that you require an account is concerning, as MultiChoice could easily brick the device by stopping the sign-in service.

This could leave the device with a similar fate to unusable streaming boxes like the Kwesé Play and the Cell C Black box.

However, the biggest problem with the Streama’s software is how sluggish the DStv menus are.

These are also the main menus of the device, and they slow down the whole experience.

The animated images below illustrate the issue.

There is a substantial delay between pressing a button and getting a reaction on screen, especially when scrolling over the “Home” and “Live TV” screens, which makes navigating difficult.

DStv app users on other platforms, including Apple TV and Android TV devices, have complained about similar sluggishness.

You need to wait a bit after scrolling down a list to ensure you ended up on the correct item.

Alternatively, you can count your button presses and hope they all went through correctly if you don’t want to end up in a menu you didn’t intend to open.

The box performs well in apps like Netflix and Youtube, with near-instant reactions to buttons pressed on the remote.

However, things feel noticeably slower in the main menu, settings, and DStv app.

This tells us that the box hardware is up to the task, but DStv’s software is the bottleneck.

The Streama does feature 4K streaming for supported apps and content.

The USB port we were excited about seems entirely disabled, as we could not get it to pick up any external storage.

We commend DStv for the easy ordering and quick delivery, as the box was delivered within two business days.

We compared the DStv Streama to a Xiaomi Mi Box S, a device that came out a few years ago and is currently available for R300 cheaper than the Streama.

Xiaomi’s device runs Android TV and has support for a nearly infinite list of streaming apps and some light Android Games.

It also features built-in Chromecast support, which is handy when you want to stream something from another device to your screen.

The Mi Box S still receives the odd update, and all the apps we’ve tried run smoothly, although we would have liked an Ethernet port and optical audio.

Like the Streama, the Mi Box S supports 4K video. It also supports high dynamic range (HDR), and Dolby and DTS audio. The Streama supports HDR 10 and Dolby Atmos.

Overall, there is a long list of current devices on the market with more features and support than the DStv Streama for less money.

These devices are also less locked down, allowing you more freedom to add your apps for other services.

Now read: DStv kills app on some Samsung and Hisense TVs, pushes Streama box