Plain-English guides to DStv signal problems, error codes, decoders, XtraView and planning an installation, written for South African homes and businesses.
Start with the problem you have. Each guide explains what you can safely check yourself and when it is time to call an installer.
There is no single fixed price for a DStv installation. This guide explains what drives the cost up or down, so you can compare quotes properly and ask the right questions.
Read the article: How Much Does DStv Installation Cost in Gauteng, South Africa?
E48-32 means your decoder is not getting a usable satellite signal. It is a symptom with several possible causes, and this guide shows you how to work out which one you are dealing with.
Read the article: Understanding the DStv E48-32 Error and Possible Solutions
A no-signal message has a handful of usual suspects. Here is how to narrow them down from inside the house, what is safe to check, and when an installer is the sensible next step.
Read the article: Common Reasons for DStv No-Signal Problems
A plain-English guide to how a DStv installation works, which choices are yours to make, and what to sort out before a technician arrives.
Read the article: DStv Installation in South Africa: What Homeowners Should KnowA DStv dish only works when it is aimed precisely at the satellite. Here is how to tell when yours has moved, what usually moves it, and why putting it right is a job for an installer.
Read the article: DStv Dish Alignment: Symptoms, Causes and When to Get Help
What changes when you move to a DStv Explora or Explora Ultra, what the installation actually involves, and what to do once the decoder is switched on.
Read the article: DStv Explora Installation and Setup Explained
XtraView lets two or three DStv decoders in the same home share one subscription. Here is how the linking works, what the installation involves and where people usually go wrong.
Read the article: What Is DStv Extra View (XtraView) and How Does It Work?
Losing DStv in a downpour is normal and usually brief. This guide explains why it happens, what to do while the storm passes, and how to tell when the weather has left a real problem behind.
Read the article: DStv Signal Problems During Heavy Rain and Bad WeatherMost signal faults do not need a new dish, but some do, and a worn LNB is one of the most common parts to fail. This guide explains how to tell the difference and which LNB suits your decoder.
Read the article: When Should You Replace a DStv Dish or LNB?A surprising number of signal faults start in the cable, not the dish. Here is what you can safely check yourself, what the warning signs look like and what an installer will usually replace.
Read the article: How to Identify Damaged DStv Cables and Connectors
Missing channels can come from your account, the dish, the decoder or the TV. The pattern of what is missing usually tells you which, and who can fix it.
Read the article: Why DStv Channels May Be Missing and What to Check
Before you buy a new decoder, make sure the decoder is really the problem. This guide covers the warning signs, who handles what, and what to expect when the new one goes in.
Read the article: DStv Decoder Replacement: What You Need to Know
Most DStv remote problems can be sorted at home in a few minutes. Work through these checks before you buy a new remote or call anyone out.
Read the article: Troubleshooting Common DStv Remote Control Problems
Getting DStv into a flat, townhouse or sectional title unit is mostly about permission and the building's existing setup. Here is what to check before anyone drills a hole.
Read the article: Installing DStv in an Apartment or Complex
The best time to plan DStv in a new home is while it is still on paper. A few decisions made before plastering give you hidden cables, TV points in the right rooms and a dish that is not an afterthought.
Read the article: DStv Installation for New Homes and Newly Built Properties
Moving a DStv dish is more than unbolting it and putting it up somewhere else. The new spot needs a clear view of the satellite, a solid mount and a sensible cable route, and the dish will always need realigning.
Read the article: What to Consider Before Moving a DStv DishA little preparation before installation day saves time on site and avoids a cable point ending up in the wrong place. Here is what to sort out, and when.
Read the article: Preparing Your Property for a New DStv InstallationA satellite setup that is planned once, documented and written into the lease saves landlords and tenants a lot of back and forth. This guide covers the practical side.
Read the article: DStv Installation for Landlords and Rental Properties
A guesthouse with eight rooms or a salon with one screen in the waiting area needs a different setup from a family home. Here is how to plan it so it works and stays tidy.
Read the article: DStv Installation for Guesthouses and Small Businesses
There are three main ways to get DStv to more than one TV, and they work very differently. The right one depends on whether each TV needs to watch something different and how big the property is.
Read the article: DStv Signal Distribution for Properties With Multiple Viewing PointsWhere your dish goes affects signal, reliability, maintenance and even how your home looks. These are the things to weigh up before the bracket goes on the wall.
Read the article: Choosing the Right Position for a Satellite DishJohannesburg's mix of older houses, apartment blocks, security estates and leafy, hilly suburbs means the right DStv setup depends heavily on the property. Here is what tends to matter.
Read the article: DStv Installation in Johannesburg: Common Property ConsiderationsFrom estate townhouses in Centurion to large family homes in Pretoria East, a little planning before installation day gives you a setup that suits the property and how you watch.
Read the article: DStv Installation in Pretoria and Centurion: Planning Your Setup
Some DStv jobs are fine to do yourself. Others involve ladders, roofs and fine alignment work that rarely goes well without the right equipment. Here is how to tell the difference.
Read the article: Professional DStv Installation Versus DIY InstallationA DStv setup needs very little looking after, but a few simple checks at the right time of year can prevent many of the signal dropouts that catch people out in summer.
Read the article: DStv Maintenance: Practical Ways to Reduce Signal and Connection ProblemsIf the checks in our guides have not solved it, an authorised DStv installer can trace the fault properly.