Beware of Dstv's new decoders

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Goodlucktoyou

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Did you know that Dstv no longer allows you to use your smart card in other decoders (e.g. when on holiday)?

We finally made the leap and joined Dstv in April this year having purchased a decoder shortly before that. In June we went on holiday and found that our smart card could not be read by other decoders. When we called the call centre, we were told that the new decoders (DSD 1110) are 'paired' to their smart cards and can not be used in other decoders. This little amendment to the way they operate had not been pointed out to us by the retailer or by Dstv when we signed up.

I called the call centre, I registered a complaint and provided feedback to Hellopeter.com -all to no avail. I still don't have a sensible explanation other than - 'it reduces fraud'. I am so glad it helps them so much, but for the rest of us suckers we get a less flexible service for the same monthly subscription and they seem to think this is all ok!

By the way, those of you who have the older model of decoder, you can still shift your smart card around. Those of you who have a a Type DSD 1110, I suggest you get yourself an older decoder if you want the flexibility because Dstv sure ain't going to provide it! :D
 
Just remarry. takes < an hour, and you only need to send an SMS. Yeah its a pain, but at least it's possible.

Edit: found it.
SMS your smart card number to 32443
 
As all of us know - DSTV FTL

South African Competition Commission FTL
 
Actually it was heavily advertised sometime last year.
 
MarionS said:
Did you know that Dstv no longer allows you to use your smart card in other decoders (e.g. when on holiday)?

We finally made the leap and joined Dstv in April this year having purchased a decoder shortly before that. In June we went on holiday and found that our smart card could not be read by other decoders. When we called the call centre, we were told that the new decoders (DSD 1110) are 'paired' to their smart cards and can not be used in other decoders. This little amendment to the way they operate had not been pointed out to us by the retailer or by Dstv when we signed up.

I called the call centre, I registered a complaint and provided feedback to Hellopeter.com -all to no avail. I still don't have a sensible explanation other than - 'it reduces fraud'. I am so glad it helps them so much, but for the rest of us suckers we get a less flexible service for the same monthly subscription and they seem to think this is all ok!

By the way, those of you who have the older model of decoder, you can still shift your smart card around. Those of you who have a a Type DSD 1110, I suggest you get yourself an older decoder if you want the flexibility because Dstv sure ain't going to provide it! :D
Click to expand...

This isn't a new thing and as far as I know its not specific to the 1110. Where did you hear you can shift your smart card around with older decoders? I don't think that's possible.
 
Is possible on the older decoders. Have a new one at home and an old one on the farm and the smart card work in the old one without being re-married.
 
carudden said:
Just remarry. takes < an hour, and you only need to send an SMS. Yeah its a pain, but at least it's possible.

Edit: found it.
SMS your smart card number to 32443
Click to expand...
Please elaborate on this procedure.

My guess is:
1. You write down your smart-card number.
2. You put the smart card into the unmarried decoder.
3. You reset the decoder and then wait for it to do all that boot carp.
4. You then send the sms to 32443, any time of day or night?
5. You then wait for about an hour and suddenly, miraculously, you'll be able to watch DSTV on that unmarried, and now married decoder.

The reason I ask is that surely there has to be a step where they get the unmarried decoder's details from you.

And, how much does that SMS cost?
 
Nick333 said:
This isn't a new thing and as far as I know its not specific to the 1110. Where did you hear you can shift your smart card around with older decoders? I don't think that's possible.
Click to expand...

it is possible
 
They've done something with the 1110...

They were pretty blunt about it in the SmartCard adverts they've run for the last year or so....

If you have a 1110 you need to take the decoder with you when you go on holiday.. otherwise just re-marry the smartcard to the new decoder...

Like always it irritates me when people jump on their highhorse and attack a company without actually having a clue... MC were very forthcoming about this whole process. Yes its carp, and its totally unnecessary if you ask me, but they weren't secretive about what they were doing.
 
Last edited:
ye it is happening with all future decoders, HD included. all decoders before 1110 (dual view, SD PVR, 990 etc.) will be fine but even SMSes will not fix the marriage on the 1110 and if you have extra view its gna f@ck it up BIG time.
 
hsmnel said:
Is possible on the older decoders. Have a new one at home and an old one on the farm and the smart card work in the old one without being re-married.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm. Didn't they allow you to link the card with more than one decoder at one stage? Is it a case of not being allowed to do this anymore?
 
C'mon people! Don't you know you need to maintain a seperate DSTV subscription for every address? :sick: You can be sure the new bonehead of communication has a DSTV account for each palace, much like he has two beemers...
 
Madman88 said:
Actually it was heavily advertised sometime last year.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the adverts ran on Dstv? Don't remember seeing it on SABC...
If so that means new subscribers (like me) won't get that message unless provided by the call centre or retailer.
 
davemc said:
Please elaborate on this procedure.

My guess is:
1. You write down your smart-card number.
2. You put the smart card into the unmarried decoder.
3. You reset the decoder and then wait for it to do all that boot carp.
4. You then send the sms to 32443, any time of day or night?
5. You then wait for about an hour and suddenly, miraculously, you'll be able to watch DSTV on that unmarried, and now married decoder.

The reason I ask is that surely there has to be a step where they get the unmarried decoder's details from you.

And, how much does that SMS cost?
Click to expand...

My understanding from the call centre is that this re-marrying process does not work for smart cards attached to new decoders - they have done some kind of encryption/ chip thing. If anyone has in fact tried this using a smart card attached to a new decoder I'd be interested to hear about it!
 
I have an issue where I have the A1110 as my primary decoder and my HD-PVR as my secondary (as per MC's preference) just about every day I have to reset the A1110. The errors for resetting range from a random single digit number to the lights on the unit strobing as if it's having some sort of stroke. Anyone else have this issue?
 
Nick333 said:
Hmmmm. Didn't they allow you to link the card with more than one decoder at one stage? Is it a case of not being allowed to do this anymore?
Click to expand...
I think this is allowed. I'll have to check.
If you have an older card, it gives you an advantage. I'd like someone to check a version 2 card in a new decoder.
Also, the older cards work better with 3rd party decoders. No marriage or that rubbish with one of those!!
 
One question...who wants to go on holiday and watch tv? :/
 
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