DStv: How do you double up?

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Merlin

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Hi all,

We will soon be moving into a new place. There is one satellite dish and we will have two 'standard' DStv decoders.

We don't have any need for fancy PVR functionality, etc., so if we can avoid spending more than we have to, great.

Is there any way to run two decoders independently, from one dish? If so, how?

Thanks.
 
Yes it's called xtraview and its R65 extra a month :-)
 
Looks like nobody can give you a real answer.

You need the satellite dish to have a dual LNB. Then you can run both decoders independently.

I assume of course you have 2 subscriptions. Otherwise Xtraview. But AFAIK, you'd still need dual LNB on the satellite dish even though you won't need an extra decoder
 
Hi AR,

Excuse my ignorance, but the LNB is the 'receiver' on the satellite, right?

Is this something I can buy and do myself? I am adept with DIY.

We would like to run one subscription, so it looks like Xtraview is in order.

If there is no second decoder, how does one change channels in the second building? Surely you need the second setup?

Thanks.
 
Merlin said:
Hi AR,

Excuse my ignorance, but the LNB is the 'receiver' on the satellite, right?

Is this something I can buy and do myself? I am adept with DIY.

We would like to run one subscription, so it looks like Xtraview is in order.

If there is no second decoder, how does one change channels in the second building? Surely you need the second setup?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The LNB is the round receiver on the end of the arm on the dish outside your building (The sattelite sits in space with transponders).

It is possible to do it yourself but a word of caution. It needs to be aligned with the correct polarity.
So the FIRST thing you need to do it to clearly mark exactly how the current one sits in the bracket, in case something goes horribly wrong and you have to put that back.

Then you need to install the twin-LNB with a cable running to each decoder.

Then you need to keep in mind that with the Extra-View you will need to run a co-axial cable between the two decoders as well because they will be polling each other to confirm that they are indeed in extra-view mode and are not in the neighbours house. DStv did this to prevent one subscribtion going to two houses. They want MAXIMUM profit. So I beleive the distance between the two decoders could become an issue if it is very far appart (in two buildings as you mention). Also keep in mind that lightning can use that path to travel from the one decoder to the other, but seeing as both will be fed from the same Dish, that would happen in any case.

Good luck though. I always found it cheaper and less stressfull to get a qualified installer in to do the work. That was before I kicked DStv out of my house for becomming way too expensive.
 
Ag, fark, my terminology mistake. :lol: It's been a rough day at the office. ;)

This definitely sounds like a real ball-ache. Hello .avi and .mkv.

I'll get some quotes in JAN...

Thanks chaps.
 
Installers rip you off, they charge a fortune for the lnb, the cabling and every little bit, if you are diy adept like you say it's 20 to 30 minutes work. As common sense said you need a dual lnb,
http://www.hdcabling.co.za/band-dual-twin-legacy-ports-p-276.html
Cabling of course, depending on distance
http://www.hdcabling.co.za/rg6u-coaxial-cable-braid-cost-meter-white-p-216.html
http://www.hdcabling.co.za/barrel-type-type-compression-fconnector-nickel-plated-p-362.html
Cut the cable to length, strip it for the connector
Run the two cables from the dishes LNB, one to the main decoder and another to the secondary, then run the heartbeat cable from RF-out on the main decoder into RF-in on the secondary decoder. Phone multichoice to get them to sort out xtra view. Bam should be done.
 
Merlin said:
Ag, fark, my terminology mistake. :lol: It's been a rough day at the office. ;)

This definitely sounds like a real ball-ache. Hello .avi and .mkv.

I'll get some quotes in JAN...

Thanks chaps.
Click to expand...

I found it easy to do especialy if you have a dish and LNB already set up, swaping the LNB is tricky but not very dificult.

Also what decoders do you currently have because only the dsd 1110 and later models are xtraview capable
 
Gold stars all around! Thank you, especially for those links. That'll come in very handy.

The decoders model issue worries me. I have no idea how old ours are, but it's a good few years, to be sure.

The cabling between the two buildings will, by far, be my biggest challenge. It's a tricky environment.

Much appreciated.
 
There are installation tips on the DSTV forum. Lots of patient people to tell you how to do it. The physical installation side is fairly straightforward, especially if you have an existing dish pointing correctly with the LNB at the correct angle. Getting the two devices to talk to each other can be fiddly. See http://forum.dstv.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16 for the installation manual.
 
The first one looks familiar...

Many thanks.

I think I shall dabble only later in January, because if I muck it up and miss the Dakar, I'll never forgive myself.
 
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