My little Multichoice nightmare.

[Totempole]

I'm going to start of by saying that I'm not a Multichoice client and never will be after this experience.

My neighbour's DSTV decoder gave up the ghost, and since I could get a discount on Kalahari for a new one I offered to help.

When the decoder arrived today, the first thing I noticed was that the RF Out and RF In connectors were different. This meant that I wouldn't be able to connect up the second CRT TV which only had a standard aerial cable running through the ceiling.

It took a 25 Minute phone call (felt like an hour) to Multichoice, only to eventually find out that there's nothing I can do about this.

Once I'd connected everything up, I contacted Multichoice again to transfer the subsription from the old decoder smartcard to the new one. Unfortunately I had to wait for the firmware upgrade to complete first so had to phone them back.

When I contacted them for the third time, I was told that the subscription was cancelled which I guess must have somehow happened during the second call. Once everything was reinstated I was greeted with a Smartcard Pairing Error. After a very frustrating "Factory Reset" which involves detaching both the power and LNB cable, I still had the same problem.

Anyway, not sure what they did on their side, but eventually they fixed it. I should be happy that it's sorted (and I am), but I had to let this little rant out. The last time I contacted Multichoice they were brilliant and exceptionally helpful. Now they don't even know how to work their own decoders.

Very disappointing.

 

[isie]

I'm going to start of by saying that I'm not a Multichoice client and never will be after this experience.

My neighbour's DSTV decoder gave up the ghost, and since I could get a discount on Kalahari for a new one I offered to help.

When the decoder arrived today, the first thing I noticed was that the RF Out and RF In connectors were different. This meant that I wouldn't be able to connect up the second CRT TV which only had a standard aerial cable running through the ceiling.

.

why did you offer to help install the decoder for your neighbour if you don't know what you are doing?
The multi choice have used the F type connector for their decoders for years. Off hand i think since Dsd 1100 so about 8 or so years. Go to your nearest store and get a F-type to RF converter or cut the old RF connector out and put an F-type in either way they pretty cheap, don't do 1/2 a job you can still connect the neighbours second TV.

As to what happened they just didn't pair the decoder to the smart card correctly - that one had nothing to do with you not knowing what you doing that's just multichoice call centre stupidity.


#just saying

 

[Smurfatefrog]

Sounds horrific, they should offer counselling

If you had the correct equipment & did an update before calling as most installers would do there wouldn't have been any issues

 

[Arthur]

DStv shedding some load?

 

[jb007za]

I'm with Totempole on this one. They might sound professional but everything is a major effect... nothing seems to work particularly efficiently with Multichoice. Spent 45 mins on the phone with them today when the issue could have been resolved in 5 minutes flat. Another de facto monopoly too complacent to be bothered with proper customer care. My 2c worth.

 

[Totempole]

why did you offer to help install the decoder for your neighbour if you don't know what you are doing?

Wasn't an installation, was simply a replacement. Didn't think it would be rocket science.

The multi choice have used the F type connector for their decoders for years. Off hand i think since Dsd 1100 so about 8 or so years. Go to your nearest store and get a F-type to RF converter or cut the old RF connector out and put an F-type in either way they pretty cheap, don't do 1/2 a job you can still connect the neighbours second TV.

Would be even cheaper just to use an old a VCR and convert the RCA output to RF, which is what I plan on doing. Point is they took 20 minutes before they decided to tranfer me to someone who was knowlegdeable enough to understand what I was asking.

As to what happened they just didn't pair the decoder to the smart card correctly - that one had nothing to do with you not knowing what you doing that's just multichoice call centre stupidity.


#just saying

They used to be much better than they are now though. The person who helped me at the end didn't even know that the B5 remote doesn't have a menu button. Surely they should at least know how each the different decoders work at the most basic level?

Sounds horrific, they should offer counselling

If you had the correct equipment & did an update before calling as most installers would do there wouldn't have been any issues

Genius!!! Would never have thought of it. You deserve a Medal!

 

[OGroteKoning]

What did she give you for all your trouble?

 

[MR.C]

I wasn't too happy when I called on Saturday to upgrade from Compact to Premium to watch the F1 finale but they said that if I upgraded, I can only downgrade on 14th December.

Told the guy to rather leave the upgrade cos it was too expensive.

 

[Totempole]

I wasn't too happy when I called on Saturday to upgrade from Compact to Premium to watch the F1 finale but they said that if I upgraded, I can only downgrade on 14th December.

Told the guy to rather leave the upgrade cos it was too expensive.

Should have just streamed it.

 

[Totempole]

What did she give you for all your trouble?

"she"???

Are you psychic or something?

 

[satanboy]

1. People still have CRT tv's?
2. Multichoice call centre is useless...use google next time.

 

[Totempole]

1. People still have CRT tv's?
2. Multichoice call centre is useless...use google next time.

1. She's a pensioner.
2. Hindsight....

My biggest mistake was assuming that RF in and RF Out still meant male and female antenna ports on the back of the decoder. I didn't know they changed them to F-Type.

Would something like this work on the RF out? or would I need some sort of converter box?

 

[TEXTILE GUY]

why did you offer to help install the decoder for your neighbour if you don't know what you are doing)

Thanks for helping out, we just dont help each other enough ..... It was good of you.

 

[Nick333]

Wasn't an installation, was simply a replacement. Didn't think it would be rocket science.




Would be even cheaper just to use an old a VCR and convert the RCA output to RF, which is what I plan on doing. Point is they took 20 minutes before they decided to tranfer me to someone who was knowlegdeable enough to understand what I was asking.

An f- connector or even a f to coax plug connector would be a couple of bucks. Just take off the female plug and screw on a f-connector. Using an old VCR to modulate the RCA signal when the decoder has a built in rf modulator is a little Rube Goldberg.

 

[Nick333]

1. She's a pensioner.
2. Hindsight....

My biggest mistake was assuming that RF in and RF Out still meant male and female antenna ports on the back of the decoder. I didn't know they changed them to F-Type.

Would something like this work on the RF out? or would I need some sort of converter box?
View attachment 170335

Like that except a male version.

 

[Totempole]

Like that except a male version.

Would that work without any signal conversion?

 

[Nick333]

Would that work without any signal conversion?

Signal is the same - UHF/ RF. Only the connector has changed.

 

[isie]

Wasn't an installation, was simply a replacement. Didn't think it would be rocket science.

Hindsight is 20/20 Guess a little asking before hand here might have gotten some help quicker then Mono choice = with added sarcasm

Would be even cheaper just to use an old a VCR and convert the RCA output to RF, which is what I plan on doing.

Are you an engineer?

They used to be much better than they are now though. The person who helped me at the end didn't even know that the B5 remote doesn't have a menu button. Surely they should at least know how each the different decoders work at the most basic level?

your opinon of them is higher then mine

1. She's a pensioner.
2. Hindsight....

My biggest mistake was assuming that RF in and RF Out still meant male and female antenna ports on the back of the decoder. I didn't know they changed them to F-Type.

Would something like this work on the RF out? or would I need some sort of converter box?
View attachment 170335

Thats the F=type to Rf converter i referred to initially, yes it will work and no extra converters needed.
Just make sure to strip the cables correctly.

Thanks for helping out, we just dont help each other enough ..... It was good of you.

What i offered help with a touch of Sarcasm :wtf:

An f- connector or even a f to coax plug connector would be a couple of bucks. Just take off the female plug and screw on a f-connector. Using an old VCR to modulate the RCA signal when the decoder has a built in rf modulator is a little Rube Goldberg.

I'm telling you he's an Engineer

Would that work without any signal conversion?

its basically the same as the old type connectors, just looks different + All silver and Shiny no Plastic covers that crack occer time

 

[Totempole]

Hindsight is 20/20 Guess a little asking before hand here might have gotten some help quicker then Mono choice = with added sarcasm

Well, I ordered the decoder on 24 hour delivery at Kalahari with a promo code. Didn't have time to ask questions, before I bought it I confirmed that it had HDMI, RCA and RF which it did, just not in the configuration that I thought.

Are you an engineer?

PC Techie. Audio Visual is not my strong point.

Your opinon of them is higher then mine

Credit where credit is due, the last time I helped someone solve an issue was with the UHF signal channel changeover. They were very knowledgeable and polite, and I was able to make the necessary adjustment in 2 minutes but perhaps that was because they were trained in advance in anticipation.

Now you ask them a simple question, and the response is "I don't know, I've never used that one before." At least they're honest I guess.

Thats the F=type to Rf converter i referred to initially, yes it will work and no extra converters needed.
Just make sure to strip the cables correctly.

Can't you just screw them straight onto the decoder and use the existing antenna cable that's being run through the ceiling? That's what I plan on doing.

 

[Quantum Theory]

PC Techie. Audio Visual is not my strong point.

Obviously...