DSTV down!

D

Debbie

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Who is currently experiencing problems with their DSTV?

Over the past few days or so, DSTV seems to go down for no reason whatsoever. I get the following message:

"E16 Service is currently scrambled"

Strangely, sometimes certain channels are available when this happens. ESPN and BBC News channels in the past have been available whilst all other channels were down.

I would very much appreciate it if those reading this thread can tell me if their DSTV is working right now.

Decoder: Standard one (not dual view or PVR)
Location: Cape Town City Bowl

Could this have anything to do with bad weather in JHB perhaps interrupting the signal? Or could this maybe be a deliberate interruption to encourage more PVR subscribers?

I don't know what to think. I know I don't trust Multichoice though.
 
E16 means that the smartcard doesnt have the correct 'Keys' to descramble the channel... this usually happens when the decoder is off for extended periods (24hrs or more) , or the smartcard is not inside the decoder for long periods.

This *should* clear itself in a few minutes, if not, then you have to phone the help-less-desk and get them to re-send the keys to your card.

This error is not due to bad weather.

R


Debbie2 said:
Who is currently experiencing problems with their DSTV?

Over the past few days or so, DSTV seems to go down for no reason whatsoever. I get the following message:

"E16 Service is currently scrambled"

Strangely, sometimes certain channels are available when this happens. ESPN and BBC News channels in the past have been available whilst all other channels were down.

I would very much appreciate it if those reading this thread can tell me if their DSTV is working right now.

Decoder: Standard one (not dual view or PVR)
Location: Cape Town City Bowl

Could this have anything to do with bad weather in JHB perhaps interrupting the signal? Or could this maybe be a deliberate interruption to encourage more PVR subscribers?

I don't know what to think. I know I don't trust Multichoice though.
Click to expand...
 
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in JHB seems to work fine too ... way too LOUD sometimes !!!!!!!!!!!!
 
friend of mine told me in Europe you can get around 600 channels ... holy cow! I didn't know there are that many in the world ... :eek:
 
Thank you for replies so far. DSTV still not working. Smart card removed and put back in. Not so sure this has to do with smart card, as I am receiving certain 'interactive' channels - FIN24 and News24. Interesting, channel 10 (PVR channel) is also working.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, huh?

Anyone in Cape Town got a problem, or is DSTV working for others in CTN?
 
Debbie2 said:
Thank you for replies so far. DSTV still not working. Smart card removed and put back in. Not so sure this has to do with smart card, as I am receiving certain 'interactive' channels - FIN24 and News24. Interesting, channel 10 (PVR channel) is also working.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, huh?

Anyone in Cape Town got a problem, or is DSTV working for others in CTN?
Click to expand...

Most of the Interactive channels are FTA (Free to Air) - also the PVR intro, Verify etc are all open channels. an E16 error is a key failure on YOUR smartcard... (or as the previous poster mentioned - a hard reset)
The DSTV stream is broadcast from Satellite to everyone, there is no geographical seperation from a person in Zimbabwe to Cape town, so it cant be a localised error if the Key system has failed.

You might have to do the dreaded and phone DSTV (there is now an automated system so you dont have to speak to a hapless-moron)

Richard
 
Thanks a lot Rich for the info. If it is a smartcard problem, then why on earth would it periodically stop working for a few hours, then work again flawlessly for a few days, then stop working again.... It doesn't make sense to me (I admittedly don't know much about the technicalities).

I have done a 'hard' reset, and still nothing!
 
LNB Config and Network Setup?

I had several problems last month where the DSTV recorder somehow lost the frequencies on the LNB Config and Network Set-up.

Factory Reset configs sorted me out.

The guys at Multichoice said that this happens when there is a lot of power outages.
Check to see that your LNB Config and Network Set-up frequencies are the same as in the link above.
Otherwise it may be best to phone them as stated on the Troubleshooting page. Your problem may be something else completely.
The Cape Town number is 021-5082222
 
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Debbie2 said:
Thanks a lot Rich for the info. If it is a smartcard problem, then why on earth would it periodically stop working for a few hours, then work again flawlessly for a few days, then stop working again.... It doesn't make sense to me (I admittedly don't know much about the technicalities).

I have done a 'hard' reset, and still nothing!
Click to expand...

The keys dont get updated all the time, DSTV might change them from 1hr to 1 month.... if the keys changed every month, then only one keychange is needed and your card will work for the next 30 days without an update ... its the same with every hour, thats the longest the card will work *without* an update.

If the card is missing updates, then this will happen, but the card relies on the decoder to pass it the correct information. Maybe the decoder is suspect or card. But I can definitely say its not weather related.

Richard
 
ok now channel 66-68 (at least) are down in JHB, presumably due to tunderstorm
 
Hi Debbie 2, I have been having a sinilar problem. DSTV just goes down except for TV 1 2 and 3 (on SAT). My TV screen just goes blank. I did a soft reset (press 2 buttons next to power button simultaneously) and picture came back. Its been happening since Friday between about 1400 and 1500. Today I checked signal quality and strength and found that inexplicably signal quality suddenly dropped to about 20% and then came up again after about 10 to 15 Mins. Does this problem seem familiar?
 
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