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DStv Explora Ultra
Streaming, apps, network and recording configured.
Home/DStv services/Decoder setup
Decoder setup
DStv decoder setup — connected, activated and actually working
A decoder out of the box is not a working television. It needs connecting, activating, scanning, pairing and configuring — and if it is an Explora Ultra, it needs the network sorting too.
Activated and scanned
Remote paired
Network configured
Decoders have quietly become computers, and it shows
There was a time when setting up a decoder meant plugging in two cables and scanning for channels. That decoder still exists, and it is still simple. But the Explora and particularly the Explora Ultra are a different proposition entirely.
The Ultra is a connected device. It streams. It has apps. It expects a working internet connection and it behaves badly without one. It has a hard drive that needs formatting, a network setup that needs configuring, an account that needs signing in and a smartcard that needs pairing.
None of it is beyond a patient person with an afternoon. But a great many people would rather it simply worked when they got home, and that is what we do — connected, activated, scanned, paired, networked and demonstrated, so that you sit down and watch television rather than reading a manual.
The detail
What decoder setup involves
More than plugging it in.
Physical connection
Satellite feed, HDMI to the television, power. On an Explora with two tuners, that is two satellite feeds — not one split in half.
Smartcard pairing and activation
The card has to be paired to the decoder and activated with MultiChoice. Get this wrong and nothing authorises.
Channel scan and setup
Every channel found, in the right order, with the correct package showing.
Remote pairing
The DStv remote paired to the decoder, and where possible configured to control the television volume and power too, so you only need one remote.
Network configuration (Explora and Ultra)
The Ultra in particular expects a working internet connection for streaming and apps. We connect it, test it, and make sure it is stable.
Recording and Extra View configuration
Hard drive checked, recording tested, and if you have Extra View, the decoders linked properly.
What you get
Decoders we set up
All of them, properly.
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DStv Explora
Dual tuner, recording and Extra View.
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DStv HD decoders
Simple, quick and reliable.
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Multiple decoders
Linked properly for Extra View.
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Remote pairing
Including TV volume and power control.
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Streaming and app setup
Signed in, tested and working.
Included
Every decoder setup includes
A working system, demonstrated to you.
Correct satellite feeds connectedTwo, on a dual-tuner decoder
Smartcard paired and activatedWith MultiChoice, properly
Full channel scanEvery channel in your package, in order
Remote paired and configuredIncluding TV control where supported
Network connected and testedFor Explora and Ultra streaming
Recording tested and demonstratedSo you know it works before we leave
Our process
How a decoder setup runs
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Tell us which decoder you have
Ultra, Explora and HD are quite different jobs.
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We connect and activate
Feeds, HDMI, smartcard and MultiChoice activation.
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We scan, pair and configure
Channels, remote, network and recording.
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We demonstrate it to you
So you actually know how to use it.
FAQ
Decoder setup — your questions answered
The things people actually ask us on the phone, answered straight.
Not sure what is wrong?
WhatsApp us the make, the screen size and a short video of what the TV is doing. We can usually narrow the fault down before a technician is even dispatched.
WhatsApp 063 866 0971Do I need two cables for an Explora?
Yes. An Explora has two tuners, and each one needs its own feed from the dish so that you can record one channel while watching another. Splitting a single cable between them is a very common bodge and it produces exactly the recording conflicts people complain about.
Does the Explora Ultra need internet?
It works without it for satellite channels, but the Ultra is designed as a connected device — streaming, apps and catch-up all need a working internet connection. Without one you are using a fraction of what you paid for.
Can the DStv remote control my TV as well?
In most cases, yes — volume and power at minimum. We configure it during setup so that you are not juggling two remotes. It is a small thing that makes a real daily difference.
My decoder says the smartcard is not paired.
The card and the decoder have to be paired with MultiChoice, and that pairing can be lost — particularly if a card has been moved between decoders. It is usually resolved quickly, and we do it as part of the setup.
Can you set up my decoder without installing a dish?
Yes, if you already have a working dish and feed. If the existing installation is old or the LNB is single, we may need to upgrade it — particularly for an Explora, which needs two feeds. We will tell you upfront.
How long does a decoder setup take?
A straightforward HD decoder is quick — often under an hour. An Explora Ultra with network configuration, streaming setup and Extra View linking takes considerably longer, because there is considerably more to it.
Book a TV technician
New decoder, set up properly
Tell us which decoder you have and we will connect it, activate it, scan it, pair it and show you how it works.
DStv decoder setup across Gauteng
Contact
Speak to a TV technician, not a call centre
- Call us
- 0861 995 085Open 24 hours · 7 days a week
- 063 866 0971Send a short video of the fault — it speeds everything up.
- Where we work
- Johannesburg, Pretoria, Sandton, Centurion, Midrand, the East Rand and the West RandSee every area we cover →