Your DStv installation may need some changes in future

Who else read the "Don't Panic" and the first thought that popped in their head was the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? Only me? :p
 
Electric said:
If that's what helps you to sleep at night then ok.
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No. Please explain what you meant, because I don't understand... They are thinking about expanding their services. They are preparing people way in advance. What exactly is the problem with that?
 
Quantum Theory said:
No. Please explain what you meant, because I don't understand... They are thinking about expanding their services. They are preparing people way in advance. What exactly is the problem with that?
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I don't trust any of these large corporations to do anything other than look out for themselves and their profit.
It may be a conspiracy theory but I don't believe for a second that this is a requirement.
 
Electric said:
It may be a conspiracy theory but I don't believe for a second that this is a requirement.
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Do you understand the technology? If not, rather don't make statements like that... It is very definitely necessary, if they move to the high band polarities.
 
Quantum Theory said:
Do you understand the technology? If not, rather don't make statements like that... It is very definitely necessary, if they move to the high band polarities.
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I understand the technology, I made a statement that I believe.
I'm not asking you to believe me.

It's my conspiracy theory.
 
Quantum Theory said:
This is all about satellite capacity and using all 4 polarities, instead of the 2 currently used. It is so they can offer more content, especially HD. This has nothing to do with the STB's. Please put away your tinfoil hat.
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I am sorry I don't trust MONOCHOICE. Hence my bias.
 
YingYang said:
What exactly does this mean?

"Connect 4 cables to the DStv switch and then use the relevant outputs from the switch to the decoders" (Explora and single view decoder)

Do I need to get another two cables to come from the dish? Which would then mean I need a quad LNB vs the dual I currently have?
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Yes

Technically, the are 2 bands of frequency, a "high" and "low" band along with a vertical and horizontal polarization.
An LNB switches between modes to provide a decoder with the frequency in the band it requires. In a PVR and Xtraview combination. It is possible to receive signals in more than one polarization which is why a Dual LNB is needed. The introduction of the higher band means the need for Quad, which can then receive High/Low with Ver/Hor offset. Currently DStv only using the low band of frequencies, but the need to introduce High band for additional capacity in the future.

This is future proofing installs which will allow DStv to add additional capacity in time to come in the next few years (at least a year or 2 before the additional capacity is in place). This is DStv getting the installers to a min standard going forward.
 
Koosi said:
Inside information- some people in SA make insane profits on STBs. I know who they are but if I mention it here I will have people knocking on my door.
Multichoice makes a lot of money, as does a few well-connected individuals.

This is an old sport, they always come with an "upgrade required" thing whenever a new decoder comes out. They are pushing sales of the Explora harder than they did the previous one, because they want to render the previous one obsolete soon. The ads are in your flippen face all the time. I have seen this happen numerous times but not so severely as now. They are making a substantial profit on the Explora, because its locally manufactured. The previous PVR (which I have) is made for DSTV by Pace, which is a UK company.

The Explora is a minor upgrade to the previous model, they've basically just made the menus better (but still nowhere near as good as it can be- not surprised given the TOTAL LACK of embedded talent in SA) and it has a massive hard disk. From the one I have played with, not much to write home about.
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I am not sure of your inside info, but MC are subsidizing the cost of the STB's, what manufactures charge and make profit is for them. They are a business not charity to make a profit. What is classed as insane profits, is a subjective thing. If you want open market or communism then I vote open market. Bringing profits into an argument, and then the word insane just shows how off the mark you are.

Marketing and sales is the life blood of any business or business unit. You will always sell your latest model.

The Explora is NOT a minor upgrade, it is a new generation decoder and software. It has a new backend system which allows for the future. The front end may be the same with some UI tweaks and more capacity but it is nothing like the older models especially from the backend, i.e. the servers. It was a complete rewrite from scratch, what it meant is to use talent from SA and not have third party modules and codes.

If you take a Hybrid car for example, it still has 4 wheels and steering wheel and pedals. How the engine works and how power is sent to the wheels is very different from fuel only models. To the person driving it, they think the car is just quiter and uses less fuel. It is still a car at the end of the day. Same with the Explora decoder, it is still a decoder but under the hood and back at the base very little is the same.

Maybe spend more than 3 mins with a Explora and then come talk as you clearly have no idea
 
Electric said:
I don't trust any of these large corporations to do anything other than look out for themselves and their profit.
It may be a conspiracy theory but I don't believe for a second that this is a requirement.
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Well conspire along. The reality there is the guys there to make money but there is also there to think technology and how to keep the technology relevant and future proof.
 
This could be an opportunity for Multichoice to dump some of its 'unwatched' channels (give them to Open View) and use that space on the satellite? No?
 
qwertydudeza said:
I am not sure of your inside info, but MC are subsidizing the cost of the STB's, what manufactures charge and make profit is for them. They are a business not charity to make a profit. What is classed as insane profits, is a subjective thing. If you want open market or communism then I vote open market. Bringing profits into an argument, and then the word insane just shows how off the mark you are.

Marketing and sales is the life blood of any business or business unit. You will always sell your latest model.

The Explora is NOT a minor upgrade, it is a new generation decoder and software. It has a new backend system which allows for the future. The front end may be the same with some UI tweaks and more capacity but it is nothing like the older models especially from the backend, i.e. the servers. It was a complete rewrite from scratch, what it meant is to use talent from SA and not have third party modules and codes.

If you take a Hybrid car for example, it still has 4 wheels and steering wheel and pedals. How the engine works and how power is sent to the wheels is very different from fuel only models. To the person driving it, they think the car is just quiter and uses less fuel. It is still a car at the end of the day. Same with the Explora decoder, it is still a decoder but under the hood and back at the base very little is the same.

Maybe spend more than 3 mins with a Explora and then come talk as you clearly have no idea
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When you consider the cost of hard drives these days + the fact that MC throw in the unicable multiswitch you have to wonder how much MC are actually making off a decoder that they are now selling for R2000. And who cares really? If you want the latest and greatest you should be prepared to pay. Not too mention that you can get a 2P pvr for around a grand or less now. Or, a complete single view system installed for less than R600 (heavily subsidised my MC).

I'm not a great Multichoice fan but, the accusations being made in this thread are way off the mark. If people really want to complain about MC their subscription fees are a prime target. But, then again, you can add extraview, HD channels and PVR functionality for an extra R70 a month all of which (especially the extraview) starts making DSTV not that expensive a service. Yes, DSTV is still relatively expensive but, MC have added quite a bit of value to their product in recent years.

Also, they're hardly trying to con anyone into buying an Explora. They're selling way more 2P decoders than Exploras at the moment I'm willing to wager.

I could actually go on giving reasons why and how MC have jacked up their game and how competition (however weak it is) has been very good for the country and the industry but, suffice it to say, all the grumblings you hear about them these days sounds positively geriatric to me. They really are one of the better SA companies in terms of products, services and ethics these days. Not because they are a company of saints but because they have responded well to market pressures and competition.
 
Can a single LNB be upgraded to a quad LNB as a self-install or does one need to get an accreditated installer to do it?
 
You'll need to run cables. Probably satcr? But no reason not to diy if you're not scared of that
 
StrontiumDog said:
Can a single LNB be upgraded to a quad LNB as a self-install or does one need to get an accreditated installer to do it?
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Just upgraded my single lnb to quad about two weeks ago.
They had to run 4 cables from dish to point and had to check signal strength using a small machine after removing the single lnb and replacing with quad. The quad looks exactly the same as the single with the exception of having 3 additional connectors for the cable (rg6u)

IMO, It could be done DIY if you prepared to climb roof and crawl thru the ceiling.
 
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