Have you ever had your DStv decoder malfunction that has defiled all solutions? Maybe you have changed your DStv wires, called in several installationand service technicians, taken the decoders for possible repairs yet, the problems persisted? The solution is simple – a simple light turned off might resolve all those decoder malfunctions.
Cable and satellite TV technology engineers have uncovered some shocking revelations that infra-red light sources affect your DStv decoders as well as other TV decoders, causing them to malfunction. This effect is known as the IR Interference.
There are many infra-red emitting light sources always around us, which most times we are not aware of. Recall that virtually all satellite and terrestrial TV decoders use the Remote Control technology. These decoders are laced with IR signal receptors usually located in the front panel of the decoder. This enables the decoder to receive and respond to signal commands when you press any button on your remote control.
Unfortunately, your remote control may not be the only infra-red IR emitting source in your house or room. Your decoder is most likely to respond to all other IR emitting sources that may be active.
Following some research efforts, it was found that a certain high quality Phillips fluorescent light with a glass shield interferes with a DStv decoder, such that when the specific light is switched off, the decoder works fine. But when the light is on, such decoder misbehaves. The lighting was changed to a cheaper low energy light and problem was gone.
It has been discovered that all TV decoders – satellite TV decoders and terrestrial TV decoders alike, pick up IR interferences through their front panel remote control infra – red IR detector, which can be interpreted as remote commands that cause all sorts of decoder behavior or decoder malfunctions.
Some common infra-red IR light sources include but not limited to direct sunlight, reflected sunlight, cfl lamps, LED lamps etc. These IR sources are now technically known to cause this type of interference on DStv decoders as well as virtually all remote controlled satellite and terrestrial TV decoders..
Some cable and satellite TV technology engineers are beginning to argue that pay-TV service providers ought to put these IR interference problems into consideration when designing their decoders. Any technology that would efficiently filter out the other IR wavelength ranges and only accept the specific IR wavelength coming from recommended sources – the decoder’s remote control, would be the way forward. Until this is achieved, decoders would continue to react to all manner of IR signals hitting their receptor panels, which would cause them to misbehave during use.
As a user, you have only one solution and that is to find the source of the IR interference and eliminate it.
Interestingly, a new source of IR interference easily picked up by DSTV decoders and other decoders alike is from the backlight option on modern flat panel TVs. A subscriber who uses the DStv ExtraView always complained of occasional “No communication from primary decoder”, a DStv error E143 issue. He complained that sometimes the decoders would behave normal but mostly towards evening when room lights are turned on, the ExtraView would stop communicating.
He was asked to disable his LED TV Backlight option and turn off the heavy fluorescent light in the room. To prove those as IR sources, he disabled the backlight, then moved the TV – LINK’s eye around and placed it away form the TV, the whole problems became history.
