DStv Explora teardown

Jan

Jan

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We cracked open a DStv Explora decoder to see what is of value inside

The components in a second-hand DStv Explora decoder can be more valuable than the price you pay for it, a teardown of the device by MyBroadband showed.

With the move to online streaming services like Netflix and DStv subscribers upgrading to the new DStv Explora Ultra, many people are getting rid of their old DStv Explora decoders.
 
Don’t know if I’d go through all that effort just to buy a used hard drive that’s not particularly fast and that has been spinning away for years in a decoder somewhere.
Sounds like an inexpensive way to lose your money and your data.
 
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I've got 6TB storage from doing exactly this. 2 decoders were free, the other was traded for.

Drives aren't the quickest but they're in an ancient box that can barely keep up anyway.

I didn't have the required torx driver at the time, so had to break the things apart :whistling:
 
The original Explora has the 2TB, the others have 1TB.
 
Yeah the old explora has 2TB new ones have a 1TB 2.5" drive.

Still worth it to look through market place to get them for about R350 or so especially the ones going without a remote or ones that is like R100 because it doesn't "power on"
 
Been doing this ever since the days of the old HD PVR decoders.

The power supply and fan, as well as the heatsink are useful.
 
Can u place a new hdd in the explora.
Does the size needs to match.
Will the decoder do the format and or partitions itself or you have to manually do it.
My decoder keeps asking to format every few weeks
 
Wayne2k said:
Can u place a new hdd in the explora.
Does the size needs to match.
Will the decoder do the format and or partitions itself or you have to manually do it.
My decoder keeps asking to format every few weeks
Click to expand...
Last I heard, can't DIY change the HDD in any of their decoders since the SD PVR. A main service centre can also transfer content to replacement HDD / newer models if not damaged.
 
Wayne2k said:
Can u place a new hdd in the explora.
Does the size needs to match.
Will the decoder do the format and or partitions itself or you have to manually do it.
My decoder keeps asking to format every few weeks
Click to expand...
Remove drive, hook up to PC, erase, replace in Explora and it will reformat itself...my 1 year old Explora also kept on refusing to access stored recordings or respond to the DSTV format option.....worked a treat instead of DSTV R850 for a new HD.

I suspect that as DSTV send SW upgrades they also send instructions to random subscribers to disable their HD creating a lucrative secondary "service" revenue stream for them and their service agents....add R650 if you call them out to replace.

BTW the HD is on a slide out tray retained by a single screw so it is not necessary to remove the entire cover and a zillion tiny screws!
 
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