Getting DSTV in rented property

[SA-UK]

Right, as a follow on to my earlier thread > https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showth...ting-dstv-at-property-I-am-renting-short-term
where i received scant response, perhaps the DSTV fundis out there can assist with a follow up:

Briefly:
I have recently moved into a property where I rent the seperate self contained cottage out.
There a a single view DSTV decoder w/out smartcard left there by previous tenant (I assume)and a single line feed coming in from main house (once again i assume ).
The reason I assume is because the woman who let the cottage ( is a friend with POA acting on behalf of owners who are overseas long term) cannot advise me further.
DSTV was never offered in the rental agreement so don't wish bug her further on that score.

I've finally managed to locate and purchase a s/h HD PVR 2 P decoder with smartcard and remote and will shortly be doing the txfer ownership at local DSTV agency which I got from seller.

My q simply is:

If there is no seperate sat feed or dish on my cottage would i still be able to access dstv from current main house feed if I sign up to a dstv package? or will I need a whole new installation and dish for the cottage?

P.S I did hook MY decoder with single feed up to my TV andIi can see channel 100 and other channels are listed but obviously cannot confirm and watch any other channels as I am not subscribed with my purchased decoder and smartcard.

Thanks in advance

 

[SA-UK]

oh and before anyone jumps on their high horsesjust want to say I've only recently returned to SA after 15 years overseas so it's taking a bit of time to get to grips with all the new laws,beaurocracy and red tape around things..

 

[isie]

oh and before anyone jumps on their high horsesjust want to say I've only recently returned to SA after 15 years overseas so it's taking a bit of time to get to grips with all the new laws,beaurocracy and red tape around things..

not sure what that has to do with anything but OK.

with the decoder connected can you go to settings to check and see what signals you are getting.
the thing is if its just a single feed (universal or legacy) then you might have issues with the 2P might be able to get to watch 1 channel but not be able to record.

If its a SATCR or UNICABLE then you cool s you will be able to record etc.
any chance you can see what the story is with the DIsh and LNB?

 

[SA-UK]

not sure what that has to do with anything but OK.

I've noticed quite a bit of smarmy and aggressive,cocky replies to many posts on mybb(not my own).
Just a disclaimer for those who might be having a crap day.

with the decoder connected can you go to settings to check and see what signals you are getting.

Perfect sig - 95%.I already checked.
But that doesnt answer my q as to if I can have control over what I view from feed from main house,if at all.

the thing is if its just a single feed (universal or legacy) then you might have issues with the 2P might be able to get to watch 1 channel but not be able to record.

Aware of that. For right now it'll do...

If its a SATCR or UNICABLE then you cool s you will be able to record etc.
any chance you can see what the story is with the DIsh and LNB?

no dish on my cottage ,but i see one on main house.
is there a way to check end of cable to confirm SatCr or UNI??

 

[isie]

I've noticed quite a bit of smarmy and aggressive,cocky replies to many posts on mybb(not my own).
Just a disclaimer for those who might be having a crap day.

Meh :wtf:

Perfect sig - 95%.I already checked.
But that doesnt answer my q as to if I can have control over what I view from feed from main house,if at all.

Snarky comment here
yes you will have control - you thinking sort of incorrectly if yo didn't have a decoder and just had the RF out the decoder to the cottage then you would have to watch what they watched in the main house - if you getting signal any signal that means you getting that cable directly from the dish

Aware of that. For right now it'll do...



no dish on my cottage ,but i see one on main house.
is there a way to check end of cable to confirm SatCr or UNI??

not from looking at the cable there may be a way by changing the settings on the decoder but i doubt its a good thing to do and may damage it, from what you descring it might just be a standard and no SATCR.

 

[SA-UK]

Bl**dy hell...!!!

The one day I make plans to go into dstv agency they tell me after 30 mins that Multichoice system is down countrywide and so won't be able to process ownership txfer!!!! I went in specifcally as doing it any other way can take ages...
One more night with no tv. Not even the *****ing News!

More waste of my time and money on this DSTV saga.

DSTV rep anywhere on this site?

 

[Geoff.D]

Right, as a follow on to my earlier thread > https://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showth...ting-dstv-at-property-I-am-renting-short-term
where i received scant response, perhaps the DSTV fundis out there can assist with a follow up:

Briefly:
I have recently moved into a property where I rent the seperate self contained cottage out.
There a a single view DSTV decoder w/out smartcard left there by previous tenant (I assume)and a single line feed coming in from main house (once again i assume ).
The reason I assume is because the woman who let the cottage ( is a friend with POA acting on behalf of owners who are overseas long term) cannot advise me further.
DSTV was never offered in the rental agreement so don't wish bug her further on that score.

I've finally managed to locate and purchase a s/h HD PVR 2 P decoder with smartcard and remote and will shortly be doing the txfer ownership at local DSTV agency which I got from seller.

My q simply is:

If there is no seperate sat feed or dish on my cottage would i still be able to access dstv from current main house feed if I sign up to a dstv package? or will I need a whole new installation and dish for the cottage?

P.S I did hook MY decoder with single feed up to my TV andIi can see channel 100 and other channels are listed but obviously cannot confirm and watch any other channels as I am not subscribed with my purchased decoder and smartcard.

Thanks in advance

Not a DSTV rep but maybe I can help.

(1) The previous owner probably had a system installed whereby two decoders were activated under the Xtraview arrangement at some stage. That would have required two cable from the main house. One for the LNB feed and one for the Heartbeat signal. Alternatively, the arrangement may have been nothing more than a TWIN LNB Universal feeding into a 2x 4 MS which would have provided 4 LNB feeds, two for use in the main house and one for the cottage with two separate subscriptions.
(2) Your current decoder's network settings will confirm what sort of LNB you have connected. As the decoder works and tunes to channel100 successfully, the network settings will confirm what type of LNB is available. BUT the best would be to climb up and have look.
(3) The HD PVR 2P requires two universal feeds minimum to work IF the LNB is a TWIN Universal LNB. If only one cable is available in the main house, and another in the cottage, you would have to upgrade the installation to be able to run HD PVR 2P properly.

In that case, the best would be to invest in a new Smart LNB (SLNB for short). This arrangement would require only a single cable feed for each of the house and the cottage.

The HD PVR 2P can run on SATCR on one cable feed if the network settings are set to SATCR Universal or SATCR standard.

 

[SA-UK]

(2)Your current decoder's network settings will confirm what sort of LNB you have connected. As the decoder works and tunes to channel100 successfully, the network settings will confirm what type of LNB is available.

How would I check that on my Dstv decoder settings? Which of the myriad of info screens?
I've noticed that putting the single cable coming out the wall directly into either sat1 or sat 2 input on decoder works.

(3) The HD PVR 2P requires two universal feeds minimum to work IF the LNB is a TWIN Universal LNB. If only one cable is available in the main house, and another in the cottage, you would have to upgrade the installation to be able to run HD PVR 2P properly.

In that case, the best would be to invest in a new Smart LNB (SLNB for short). This arrangement would require only a single cable feed for each of the house and the cottage.

I really hope not-as I explained in my original post the main house has nothing to do with me. Neither do I wish to be a nuisance to the occupiers as we all rent seperately...

The HD PVR 2P can run on SATCR on one cable feed if the network settings are set to SATCR Universal or SATCR standard.

Set where? In main house or on my decoder?

Thanks Geoff

 

[Geoff.D]

How would I check that on my Dstv decoder settings? Which of the myriad of info screens?
I've noticed that putting the single cable coming out the wall directly into either sat1 or sat 2 input on decoder works.



I really hope not-as I explained in my original post the main house has nothing to do with me. Neither do I wish to be a nuisance to the occupiers as we all rent seperately...



Set where? In main house or on my decoder?

Thanks Geoff

Okay, I think we have enough to confirm that the feed you have at the moment is from a single universal port on a MS located in the main house somewhere.

On the decoder, press <menu/advanced settings/network setup. Option 3 should say "Universal". That will confirm that the LNB is a universal LNB. If it says "SATCR Universal or SATCR standard" it is a SATCR LNB.

The former feed type will not allow for all the functionality on the HD PVR 2P to work. The latter will.

Your only option would be to either contact the owner/letting agent for more info and/or permission to install an antenna on the cottage with a SLNB and a single cable feed.

 

[SA-UK]

Going to check as advised..

Should the cable be connected to sat1(SaTCr) or 2?

Update :

With cable connected to Sat1 when i change the LNBMode to Std or Universal and press "scan this network" I get channelsfound... .

If its set to SatCr or SatCr universal i get error "connect to DSTV signal could not be established..etc,etc@

Which all means what????

By the way the guy at the local DSTV agency promised toc all me tomorrow morn once he has done the txfer of ownership (i left the forms/docs with him this afternoon).

Hopefully whatever feed I currently have I can sign up for the Compact or Compact+ package and watch some sat tv finally!

 

[Geoff.D]

Which means as I said in my previous post that the feed you have is a single universal feed, which is not suitable for use with a HDPVR 2P.

You are between a rock and a hard place. You will have to go for a separate antenna and SLNB if you want full functionality on the HD PVR2P

Two Universal feeds are required one connected to each of the ports on the decoder ( A splitter will not work), or, a new LNB, which might as well be the SLNB.

Or, you need to opt out and go for a non PVR decoder able to live with a single input such as the DSD 4 series or 5 series, or, an openviewHD decoder.

 

[SA-UK]

Thanks Geoff...all much clearer now..do appreciate your time and input.

Now it all kinda makes sense why there is this single view Model 45 decoder here in the cottage.
Obviously the feed that was originally arranged from main house with tenant was just for viewing, hence the abandoned decoder with no smartcard left here of no use to anyone.

There was an eyelink adapter left behind as well? What use if any could that be?

 

[Lupus]

Also be wary of the HD-PVR's as they'll more then likely be phased out soon, as the Explora replaced it about 4 years ago and the Explora 2 about 2 years ago.

 

[SA-UK]

Also be wary of the HD-PVR's as they'll more then likely be phased out soon, as the Explora replaced it about 4 years ago and the Explora 2 about 2 years ago.

should still work in single view mode though, no?..even the very older single view models still function i believe

 

[Geoff.D]

Thanks Geoff...all much clearer now..do appreciate your time and input.

Now it all kinda makes sense why there is this single view Model 45 decoder here in the cottage.
Obviously the feed that was originally arranged from main house with tenant was just for viewing, hence the abandoned decoder with no smartcard left here of no use to anyone.

There was an eyelink adapter left behind as well? What use if any could that be?

What that meant is that at some stage, there was an XV setup running, where the cottage viewers were able to remotely control a decoder in the main home. But to do that there should be two RF cables in the cottage, one for the LNB input and another for the RF distribution.

As mentioned, the HD PVR 2P is still supported but noi longer available new. The new range of decoders DStv wants us all to go for are:

Explora 2A ---- replaced the Explora 1 . XV via SLNB cabling

5 series single view HD decoder ---- replaces all the older single view decoders. This one departs from a few things we have taken for granted.
No RF modulator anymore, and a departure from the normal RCA ( AV outputs). It has two tuners one for live viewing and one for background streaming stuff and EPG. It works best with a SLNB but is supposed to support Universal single inputs and will work with a SATCR LNB. No support for tvLINK eyes. XV via SALNB cabling with some extra components

4 series single view HD decoders ----- last decoders with old style RCA and RF outputs. XV via SLNB cabling possible

11xx single view decoders ------ all still supported but not encouraged anymore (1110, 1131, 1132)

HDPVR 2P --- still supported, will connect to Two Universal LNB ports but also supports SATCR, and SLNB. View 1 record 1. Very poor Rf modulator and poor audio. DVB-2 and DVB. XV via SLNB possible with extra components.

HDPVR 4tuner decoders -- The Pace still supported and the UEC not supported. View one record 2 capability. Pace ahs a poor audio and poor RF modulator. UEC has superb RF modulator and excellent audio. DVB2 and DVB

SD PVR -- no longer supported and getting treated very badly by MC --- The BEST decoder MC ever released by far. Excellent Audio and RF modulator, but no HDMI outputs and does not support DVB-2. View 2 record 1

 

[isie]

Thanks Geoff...all much clearer now..do appreciate your time and input.

Now it all kinda makes sense why there is this single view Model 45 decoder here in the cottage.
Obviously the feed that was originally arranged from main house with tenant was just for viewing, hence the abandoned decoder with no smartcard left here of no use to anyone.

There was an eyelink adapter left behind as well? What use if any could that be?

you still need a smart card for the second decoder and it needs access to the LNB as well.
If they were using Xtraview they woudl still need 2 cables though 1 for LNB and 1 for heart beat,

BTW if you not bothered with recording what reason would you waste time and money on the PVR?
just buy a cheap single view HD Decoder plug it in to the cable and call dstv to activate?

 

[Lupus]

should still work in single view mode though, no?..even the very older single view models still function i believe

Don't think it would, you'd need the single view decoder for that.

 

[Geoff.D]

Don't think it would, you'd need the single view decoder for that.

The HD PVR 2P sort of works with a single connection to LNB port 1. But performance is very erratic.

 

[SA-UK]

@Geoff.D check your pm please

 

[Geoff.D]

@Geoff.D check your pm please

okay will do and reply