DSTV: Explora or HD PVR

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Sideshow Bob

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Hello All,

Few questions and would really appreciate if members can guide me on this.

Excuse my ignorance but we never had DSTV before but are now thinking of getting this. So, we will need a decoder (I got this part - LOL).

I read up on http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/584896-DStv-Explora-vs-DStv-HD-PVR and does not look like explora is worth going for. So,

1. Which one to get? Explora or HD PVR?
2. Previous owner has kept satellite dish and dual-LNB cable in place as they don't need it. So, is it just a matter of buying decoder from shops and call DSTV to activate service? Or do we need to call up installation guys? (Perhaps I need to connect to see if it works and call installation guys if it doesn't?)
 
Neither. Get 4 Meg ADSL with 100GB cap, a Roku or AppleTV and Netflix, especially if you are leaning towards getting the Explora. If you shop correctly you can get all that for just under what DStv w/PVR access will cost monthly.
 
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Why would you want to get DSTV? If its only for sport, maybe, else look at this ^
 
lcbxx said:
Neither. Get 4 Meg ADSL with 100GB cap, a Roku or AppleTV and Netflix, especially if you are leaning towards getting the Explora.
Click to expand...
:) Thanks, we apparently (well, we are paying for it at least) have 4Meg line from Telkom. As per speedtest it is about 1 Meg, couple of calls logged with Telkom - technicians came twice but no improvement.
 
surface said:
:) Thanks, we apparently (well, we are paying for it at least) have 4Meg line from Telkom. As per speedtest it is about 1 Meg, couple of calls logged with Telkom - technicians came twice but no improvement.
Click to expand...
A 2 meg line (or 1) will also work. 4Meg allows you to get the Netflix content in HD. 2Meg will allow for 480/576p, which is DVD Quality (including Dolby 5.1).
 
bob1 said:
Why would you want to get DSTV? If its only for sport, maybe, else look at this ^
Click to expand...
Thanks, both of us are not interested in watching sports and streaming not an option. Telkom 4Meg line not working out for us in our area (1 Meg as per speedtest) - area is Midrand.
 
surface said:
Hello All,

Few questions and would really appreciate if members can guide me on this.

Excuse my ignorance but we never had DSTV before but are now thinking of getting this. So, we will need a decoder (I got this part - LOL).

I read up on http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/584896-DStv-Explora-vs-DStv-HD-PVR and does not look like explora is worth going for. So,

1. Which one to get? Explora or HD PVR?
2. Previous owner has kept satellite dish and dual-LNB cable in place as they don't need it. So, is it just a matter of buying decoder from shops and call DSTV to activate service? Or do we need to call up installation guys? (Perhaps I need to connect to see if it works and call installation guys if it doesn't?)
Click to expand...

Explora is definitely worth it as it has a much bigger hard drive and so you can record and save more on the device than on the normal HD PVR. Also your catch up service and box office (if you are going for the premium account) is a lot bigger and stores more.

As long as the dish has not been moved you should be able to connect it up and be ready to go. The Explora though needs 4 cables into the back of it (but I cannot remember now if I got the cables in the box with the Explora or if I had to buy them myself. Also the Explora uses a special splitter that the satellite lnb's go into and then they come out of the splitter and go into the back of your Explora (this splitter though is in the box with the decoder).

Hope it helps
 
If you are getting a decoder get the Explora, like everyone said it's got more storage space and more functionality than the older decoders
 
I bought the HD PVR 2 months ago; if I could go back, I would have bought the Explora. The HD PVR isn't bad but the Explora is really cheap, saw it for 1975 from game I think and obviously comes with better catch up options and recording space.
 
walterl said:
If you are getting a decoder get the Explora, like everyone said it's got more storage space and more functionality than the older decoders
Click to expand...
Yeah the enhanced Catch Up functionality means you wont need to watch live TV much anymore as the decoder automatically records virtually all popular content e.g. movies, series (multiple episodes) and sport events (highlight packages), and presents it to you in a easy to use Netflix style interface (incl cover art). Its the Explora's defining feature.
 
Before you buy check if your dish is compatible since the Dual-LNB maybe only support SD (correct me here guys). You may not just be able to plug and play. Ask your oldies what decoder they had there. I tend to watch more movies from the rental shop and online than on DSTV but I do love TCM and MGM, so I can't really comment on Catch-up and Box Office. If you like sports, DSTV is your one and only, assuming you can produce the dough. Good for kids too.
 
jansdejager said:
Before you buy check if your dish is compatible since the Dual-LNB maybe only support SD (correct me here guys).
Click to expand...

Wrong. He will need a quad for changes happening in 2017. No need to worry about that now, unless you are doing a new install or replacing a faulty twin. 80cm dish is however recommended.
 
surface said:
:) Thanks, we apparently (well, we are paying for it at least) have 4Meg line from Telkom. As per speedtest it is about 1 Meg, couple of calls logged with Telkom - technicians came twice but no improvement.
Click to expand...

Either your line is crappy or you forgot to connect POTS filters to the phone boxes. Call 10210 and tell them you have a noisy line but don't ever mention "ADSL" word.
 
Spend a bit more and get the Explora. Also ignore the anti-DStv brigade, if you want something hassle free that works, then get the Explora.
 
DarkSpectre said:
Either your line is crappy or you forgot to connect POTS filters to the phone boxes. Call 10210 and tell them you have a noisy line but don't ever mention "ADSL" word.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I called for the third time yesterday and apparently as part of last week's fault repair investigation, they had reverted line to 1Meg (as per person in call centre). He did some fiddling on the other side and set it back to 4Meg. Still getting about 2.15 as per speedtest though - the best I am going to get as we seem to be away from exchange. Well, it is better than 1 Meg I was getting :)
 
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Thanks guys, will be getting Explora. I was also enquiring about cost of installation and one installer tentatively said 1300 but he can confirm only after looking at the existing setup. Previous owners have left their dstv satellite dish and cabling as is (dual-LNB) but he said we may not be able to use this as explora needs a bigger dish and cabling etc. If someone can post their installation costs, it will be great. Thanks.
 
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