Today I shall adopt a new approach in attending to the many technical questions asked by my too many readers on some major technical problems they have been experiencing on the DStv and other cable and satellite decoders. Although any personal question receives a personal solution and reply, there are general problems which may likely be faced by many people of which I consider it more profitable to write and publish it for our global readers to digest.
I have noticed a large patronage of some digital satellite and terrestrial TV services like the DStv, GOtv an Startimes from regions like South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique and most African countries. Hopefully, writing publicly on the solutions to these technical DStv and other cable and satellite decoder issues would make for easy sourcing of solutions by subscribers of these digital TV technological services. Here are some of the problems and their solutions;
DSTV CONNECTION FOR HOTELS AND COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS
“I am Henry from Kenya and have been following your blogs for some time now. I would like to setup
a company to install and manage satellite digital TVs for hotels, rentals, hodipitals etc. I wish to know if its possible to have the same Dstv decoder used by multiple users from different locations on multiple TVs and chose the channels of their choice. if yes, which gadgets do I require for this? thanks in advance.”
Solutions: Dear Henry, thank you for your enquiry. Unfortunately, a single decoder can only enable one channel at a time but can still be connected to many TVs as obtained in a hotel setting. You can split your decoder signal by aid of a multi-outlet UHF/VHF signal booster. There are many brands of such devices example ALCATEL or BLUEBIRD. However, if you wish to change channels independently from different rooms, many decoders would be involved and all would be stationed in a control room. For technical details of making this arrangement possible, it might require some little payment. Thank you
STARTIMES CONNECTIONS
“Hi I’m Kevin, my Star Times set top box RF IN port appears too big for the other end of the outdoor Antenna to fit in. Kindly explain.”
Solutions: Dear Kevin, at the point of purchase of your Startimes, the dealer ought to give you the decoder with the appropriate and corresponding Ariel antenna and the connection cords or wire. If for any reason you discover that some components do not fit in properly, you may need to return it to the place you purchased it. Alternatively, you may need an experienced hand to breach the cord and affix an end cable which has a well-fitting point of attachment to the decoder you have. Thank you.
RED AND GREEN LIGHTS ON THE DSTV ZAPPER DECODER
“Hi I’m Bolaji, the red and green light on my zapper decoder is on, what is the and what can I do to correct it. Thanks”
Solutions: Dear Bolaji, if the red and the green lights are both showing on your decoder panel, it could be a normal situation. These lights always show when your channels are not showing, maybe your account has expired or you may be tuned to a channel you are not subscribed to. However, if there is no information being displayed on the TV screen, then check your physical connections between your TV and the decoder. Secondly, it could also be that your TV is not on the output source where your decoder is connected through like the AV 1, AV 2, or the HDMI etc. If all is confirmed normal and yet the decoder does not come on, then I suspect that your decoder video AV output port may be faulty. Thank you
EXTRAVIEW, EXPLORA, MULTIPLE TV CONNECTIONS
“Hi Emmanuel
Your blogs are very interesting and am having difficulty with following
I have Smart LNB with 2 Explorer PVR’s with extra view . I have connected the 2 PVR to my main TV with HDMI cables. I have a cable connected to RF out on one PVR and this goes into a splitter so can view on my other TV’s. – How would I be able to connect the other PVR so I can also view in other rooms. I do get a signal but it is not good.” Stephen
Your blogs are very interesting and am having difficulty with following
I have Smart LNB with 2 Explorer PVR’s with extra view . I have connected the 2 PVR to my main TV with HDMI cables. I have a cable connected to RF out on one PVR and this goes into a splitter so can view on my other TV’s. – How would I be able to connect the other PVR so I can also view in other rooms. I do get a signal but it is not good.” Stephen
Solutions: Dear Anonymous, all Extraviews whether with Explora or normal decoders can be extended to multiple TVs with both the primary and secondary decoders being received on each TV. This is how it is done… In extraview, the primary sends “heartbeat signals” to the secondary while the secondary returns TV channel signals back to the primary. Therefore, if you connect to multiple TVs through the RF-OUT port of the primary decoder, all you need is to search those TVs for VHF/UHF channels and you will capture programs from both decoders.
However, to make the signal clear enough to be captured, you need to engage a multi-output TV signal booster. Popular brands are the ALCATEL and BLUEBIRD. Straight from the primary decoder’s RF-OUT port, connect the booster. Then the outputs from the booster go to different TVs as many as you have them. Your pictures will become clear.
STARTIMES INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
Hi mr Amadi, does it mean that after Startimes is mounted and you select Nigeria to scan the whole channels, you can start watching them? or there is still another procedure?
Solutions: Dear Reader, I advise you read up Startimes installation Guildlines