Dear DStv - technical faults thread

[DeTector]

Very good response. And yes we all agree. The service has degenerated into something only just above what the original SD PVR service was after the beta version was released.

Would be interresting to also know on what device you use the service as I sometimes think maybe it is my setup.

I had a Samsung 4K LCD before and can't remember it being this bad, unless the service detiorated.

I am currently having these issues on the new Chromecast w Google TV on a Hisense 55U8QF.

I will try the Hisense DSTV app on Vidaa during the day as well to see if all issues are also present there.

On what are you using it?

 

[Brian_G]

Can't agree re the abused streaming being throttled to protect them - I mean that could be part of it, but that's cutting off their nose to spite their face.
Why I say only part of it - these poor online experiences have been going on for decades, and some of us here have witnessed it and challenged them about it from the start.

At one point a Forumite here managed to help them with some of that technically, and they eventually actually listened and the service improved greatly to everyone's relief... for a few months, then they reverted to their otherwise thinking again.

Anyway, not much of a user of online from them these days so I'll leave my contribution there.

 

[HAL 9000]

I access DSTV Now via 3 options:

1. eMatic AGT419 4K Android TV Box connected via HDMI 1 & Optical Digital Audio cable to a Sony Blu-Ray Home Theatre System, and then via HDMI Out from the HTS to a Hisense 24" FHD TV set

2. Intel i7 desktop PC with 16GB of RAM - Windows 10 Enterprise Insider Edition (Build 21382.co_release.210511-1416) - using Google Chrome 90 - it is also connected to the HTS via HDMI 2 only

3. An old 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (SM-T211) running Android 4.4.2 with the DSTV Now app

I have noticed issues with DSTV Now not loading the 'most recent channels' listings almost every time I access it on any device - which means you have to scroll through ALL the channels to get to a program lower down the listings, for example on NatGeo (181) or IGNITION (189).



Also, quite often - the CatchUp menu option does not appear either on the Menu Bar...

 

[Brian_G]

A new weekend authentication problem - just found my Explora 1 on ch. 100, and that's inaccessible with an E16 message.
How can a permanently free for all channel ever be E16, and why am I on it?????

Unbelievable...

 

[Brian_G]

Noticed that both the 2A and 3A updated software last night. Hopefully that will solve the E16 problem.

Hope you're right. They appear to know more about it, had been about a week here without loss of pic / recording until last night's incident.

Just noticed my "1A" indicating software (s/w) ready to download. First time it's ever not done it automatically.

Also not going to carry on with the separate update thread, so...
Had L144, now received L146
User Interface (UI) version is now "Zeus3"
The Home screen is no longer a mosaic, now a row of box office and a row of showmax, and nothing for catch up (CU) there but all looks similar to the CU screen.

 

[Brian_G]

Weirdly the Home screen now has its own VOD Status page, maybe for a future unique use. It's inaccurate though - says my screen should have 67 items but it has 65.

Interface speed seems improved. Fingers crossed.

EDIT: CU+ history's bandwidth usage info has reset, but downloaded titles still intact.


EDIT 2: Home screen now sometimes shows a same copy of the Showmax (SM) thumbnail pics on its Box Office (BO) line, and when moving to that line it suggests there's only one item So more rubbish s/w, put on your hard hats

 

[geezer]

Since yesterday when we switch on our Explora (1st generation), we are getting a message that there is a software update. When we select the option to continue, we get a message a couple of seconds later that the download of the update failed. even when selecting a manual update, we get the same message. Getting pretty annoying!

Other than that the decoder is working.

 

[Geoff.D]

Since yesterday when we switch on our Explora (1st generation), we are getting a message that there is a software update. When we select the option to continue, we get a message a couple of seconds later that the download of the update failed. even when selecting a manual update, we get the same message. Getting pretty annoying!

Other than that the decoder is working.

The normal reason for this issue is poor signal levels on the tuner used for the sw download.
Check the screens where the signal and quality levels for all tuners are listed and let us know what the values are.

 

[Brian_G]

A couple of hopefully infuential enough people at MC have now been alerted about this thread.
It will be up to them to continue monitoring.

 

[geezer]

The normal reason for this issue is poor signal levels on the tuner used for the sw download.
Check the screens where the signal and quality levels for all tuners are listed and let us know what the values are.

On our Explora's signal quality page I see three tuners, 1 & 2's strengths are about 80% and signal quality about 97% . Tuner no 3 is off from the first two, strength is about 65% and quality 75%. What could be the cause for this, its using the same LNB and dish?

 

[HAL 9000]

Check if there is any issue with the co-axial cables running between the LNB and your Explora - it might be a loose cable connector that isn't making a proper connection at one of the ends of the cabling, causing a dropout in signal strength for the one tuner.

 

[Geoff.D]

What LNB are using and is there a 5-1 or 5-2 switch involved?
Brian and I had a discussion today about whether the signal levels and quality values are still reliable.
There is no reason why this situation should be happening if the other two tuners are okay.
Any other decoders involved in an XV combination?

 

[Brian_G]

Agreed guys, my suspicion would be a not quite optimum dish / LNB alignment, tuner 3 is a cow but not that sensitive.

Best to use a signal strength meter now @geezer, Explora readings are too weird beyond that these days.

 

[Captain Beer]

Not quite a technical fault, but just a quick rant.
I get one free Box Office rental a month from DStv Rewards, but my ****, the picture quality is abysmal, and that's on my 40" TV, I'd hate to see what it looks like on anything bigger. I have a DVD player hooked up to the same TV via component inputs and the quality is vastly superior. They must have to compress the hell out of these movies to fit 40 of them on the Explora 2A's tiny 1TB hard drive along with all the other unwanted Catch Up nonsense.

 

[geezer]

What LNB are using and is there a 5-1 or 5-2 switch involved?
Brian and I had a discussion today about whether the signal levels and quality values are still reliable.
There is no reason why this situation should be happening if the other two tuners are okay.
Any other decoders involved in an XV combination?

The LNB is a LMX501 if I am not mistaken, no switches and not other decoders. But the problem seems to have sorted itself out. I left the decoder on last night and this morning I saw that the software was updated last night.

 

[Brian_G]

Not quite a technical fault, but just a quick rant.
I get one free Box Office rental a month from DStv Rewards, but my ****, the picture quality is abysmal, and that's on my 40" TV, I'd hate to see what it looks like on anything bigger. I have a DVD player hooked up to the same TV via component inputs and the quality is vastly superior. They must have to compress the hell out of these movies to fit 40 of them on the Explora 2A's tiny 1TB hard drive along with all the other unwanted Catch Up nonsense.

I've done some experiments with these signals, also seen that Explora Box Office is by far the worst re quality oddness although I don't suspect a compression issue, IMO it's extra layers of hidden security.

One of the problems with MC is that they're in partnership with the Irdeto security company they helped create, so they're obliged to make security a max priority.
Shouldn't ever interfere with service though

The LNB is a LMX501 if I am not mistaken, no switches and not other decoders. But the problem seems to have sorted itself out. I left the decoder on last night and this morning I saw that the software was updated last night.

Watch out for missing Catch Up and Box Office titles, probably worth fixing either way before the next rainy season.

 

[Geoff.D]

The LNB is a LMX501 if I am not mistaken, no switches and not other decoders. But the problem seems to have sorted itself out. I left the decoder on last night and this morning I saw that the software was updated last night.

There is absolutely no benefit in switching the decoder off or placing it in STBY. There is no power saving, or any other benefit in doing so. In fact if anything, it just slows down normal operation. There is just too much background fiddling going on and hidden downloads taking place for things like BO and CU, as well as MCs never ending fiddling with service authentication.
Back to your setup. With all the LMX LNBs make sure the decoder is always connected to the primary port which is port A. With any secondary decoders connected to the other ports in order.
A - primary decoder
B - secondary decoder 1
C - secondary decoder 2 (where still possible)

 

[geezer]

There is absolutely no benefit in switching the decoder off or placing it in STBY. There is no power saving, or any other benefit in doing so. In fact if anything, it just slows down normal operation. There is just too much background fiddling going on and hidden downloads taking place for things like BO and CU, as well as MCs never ending fiddling with service authentication.
Back to your setup. With all the LMX LNBs make sure the decoder is always connected to the primary port which is port A. With any secondary decoders connected to the other ports in order.
A - primary decoder
B - secondary decoder 1
C - secondary decoder 2 (where still possible)

Thanks for this, I'll keep the decoder on from now. It's just always been a habit of mine to switch the decoder off at night when going to bed.

I'll go and confirm if the decoder is connected to Primary Port A, but I think it is connected to that one.

Thanks for making the time to respond, appreciated.

 

[Geoff.D]

Not quite a technical fault, but just a quick rant.
I get one free Box Office rental a month from DStv Rewards, but my ****, the picture quality is abysmal, and that's on my 40" TV, I'd hate to see what it looks like on anything bigger. I have a DVD player hooked up to the same TV via component inputs and the quality is vastly superior. They must have to compress the hell out of these movies to fit 40 of them on the Explora 2A's tiny 1TB hard drive along with all the other unwanted Catch Up nonsense.

There are supposed to be dedicated partitions for BO and CU. Your own recordings can't access those partition/s.
The quality issue is related to whatever MC has chosen to set BO and CU at which is mostly 720p?
Brian can you confirm?
Or, it is affected by what your TV has available.
BO and CU is almost certainly not downloaded at the top of the pile.

 

[Brian_G]

The quality issue is related to whatever MC has chosen to set BO and CU at which is mostly 720p?
Brian can you confirm?

Most of their better channels are apparently in 1080i now, but no idea how it's stored - I suspect much in 720p to save space, hours-capacity seems to suggest it as well, all their compression efforts alone doesn't explain that good ability - my Explora 1 (2TB HDD) can happily keep about 150 movies based on the averages seen.

Or, it is affected by what your TV has available.

Yes, possibly Nativity has an effect but we were told that 720p is better for under 50'' else to use 1080i.
Also, I prefer the 50Hz choices over 60Hz, my eyes believe it anyway.