{"id":542769,"date":"2024-07-02T19:02:47","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T17:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=542769"},"modified":"2024-07-02T19:09:09","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T17:09:09","slug":"dstv-removes-free-channels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/broadcasting\/542769-dstv-removes-free-channels.html","title":{"rendered":"DStv removes free channels"},"content":{"rendered":"

DStv has removed the ability to receive around 100 free channels on its decoders, previously available through a simple setting change.<\/p>\n

MyBroadband previously used the tweak<\/a> to gain access to the channels on a decoder two years ago.<\/p>\n

These channels are broadcast from the same Intelsat-20 satellite that DStv uses for its satellite transmissions but are not offered exclusively on its paid-for bouquets.<\/p>\n

To receive the channels, users only require a satellite decoder that supported DVB-S and DVB-S2 modulation, as well as the MPEG4 media format.<\/p>\n

By 2022, this was available on all modern DStv decoders \u2014 including the Model 4S decoder we tested. In addition, the decoder needed to be connected to a satellite dish configured to connect to Intelsat-20.<\/p>\n

We had to change a few settings under “Satellite Settings” in the DStv menu to receive the channels.<\/p>\n

Using guides available online at the time, we set up four networks with various frequency, modulation, symbol rate, FEC, and polarisation settings.<\/p>\n

After scanning, we gained access to around 100 new channels beyond channel 1155, including religion-focused and regional channels. In addition, retailer-specific channels for Clicks, Game, and PEP were also available.<\/p>\n

While much of the content would not be widely appealing, it was worthwhile to enable, considering it was completely free.<\/p>\n

In addition, the service would theoretically not require an active DStv subscription, as the channels themselves were not part of any DStv bouquets.<\/p>\n

That means that many people with unused hardware that had become useless after terminating their DStv subscription would again be able to use their decoder and dish.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Some of the channels we were previously able to access using the simple settings change.<\/p><\/div>\n

Additional Networks option removed<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, it no longer appears to be possible to access the channels using DStv’s own decoder settings.<\/p>\n

MyBroadband tried to replicate enabling the capability on two decoders in June 2024.<\/p>\n

We tested changing the settings on the original Explora and the Explora Model 3A decoders, both of which had the necessary hardware to receive the channels.<\/p>\n

However, we were surprised to find that the “Additional Networks” option under “Satellite Settings” that previously allowed us to receive the broadcasts had been removed.<\/p>\n

We also tried to find a way to add the channels via other settings changes but did not have any success.<\/p>\n

MultiChoice subsequently told MyBroadband that it implemented a software upgrade in 2023 on all DStv decoders which resulted in channels not part of the DStv bouquets becoming unavailable.<\/p>\n

It justified this action as part of its measures to protect its content from piracy and prevent unauthorised access to its decoders.<\/p>\n

\"\"

This section of the settings previously had an “Additional Networks” option underneath “Home Network”<\/p><\/div>\n

DStv’s own channel selection shrinking<\/h2>\n

In addition to removing the option to add the 100 free channels, MultiChoice has slashed seven channels from its bouquets since December 2023.<\/p>\n

Over the same period, it has only added one new channel.<\/p>\n

DStv regularly revises its channel offering based on viewer demand, assessing whether the price its pays for sourcing and broadcasting the content is worthwhile.<\/p>\n

However, in the last few years, the broadcaster has dropped far more channels than it added.<\/p>\n

That has left many questioning whether the once sought-after service has lost some of its shine as one of the best-value entertainment offerings on the market.<\/p>\n

In one regard, DStv’s top-tier Premium package continues to dominate rival offerings \u2014 sport.<\/p>\n

Its Supersport channel line-up includes live coverage of all the major rugby, football, cricket, tennis, golf, and motorsport events.<\/p>\n

In many instances, it has exclusive rights to broadcast this content, forcing many sport lovers to stay subscribed to Premium despite seeing little value in other channels.<\/p>\n

The table below summarises DStv’s channel changes from late 2023 until the end of June 2024.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
DStv channel changes in 2024<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Date of change<\/strong><\/td>\nAdded<\/strong><\/td>\nDropped\/Lost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1 January 2024<\/td>\n<\/td>\n446 \u2014 Deutsche Welle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1 February 2024<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n264 \u2014 1Free State TV<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1 February 2024<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n266 \u2014 NWTV<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1 March 2024<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n451 \u2014 B4U Movies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1 March 2024<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n180 \u2014 People’s Weather<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1 April 2024<\/td>\n1Max<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30 April 2024<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n183 \u2014 WildEarth<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17 January 2024<\/td>\n\u2014<\/td>\n390 \u2014 Emmanuel TV<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n1<\/strong><\/td>\n7<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DStv has removed the ability to receive around 100 free channels on decoders with a simple setting change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":341042,"featured_media":523700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_status":"idle","_sma_x_autopost_error":"","_sma_x_post_id":"","_sma_x_attempts":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[85,35,14877,475,70734,427],"class_list":["post-542769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-broadcasting","tag-dstv","tag-headline","tag-intelsat-20","tag-multichoice","tag-satellite-broadcasting","tag-satellite-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542769"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/341042"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=542769"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":542917,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/542769\/revisions\/542917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/523700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=542769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=542769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=542769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}