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The old LNB tested first
So we prove it has failed rather than assuming.
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LNB replacement
LNB replacement — the cheapest fix for the most common DStv fault
If your DStv has degraded gradually, lost channels one at a time, or started collapsing in light rain, the LNB is the first thing we will check. It is the part that fails most, and it costs the least to put right.
The #1 DStv fault
Quick replacement
Inexpensive
What an LNB is, and why it has such a hard life
The LNB — Low Noise Block downconverter — is the small unit mounted on the arm at the front of your satellite dish. Its job is to catch the faint signal the dish reflects onto it, amplify it, convert it to a frequency the cable can carry, and send it down to your decoder.
It is an active electronic component. It contains an amplifier and an oscillator, and it needs power to run. And it sits outdoors, permanently, exposed to Highveld sun, summer hail, driving rain and the induced surges of a Gauteng thunderstorm. Nothing else in your DStv installation works that hard in those conditions.
So it degrades. Rarely all at once — usually gradually. The picture starts pixelating occasionally. Then it breaks up in rain that never used to bother it. Then a few weak channels disappear. Then more. People live with it for months, assuming DStv is just like that. It is not, and replacing the LNB restores it completely.
The detail
How to tell your LNB is failing
It rarely dies suddenly. It fades.
Channels disappearing one by one
The weakest transponders drop out first while the strongest keep working. If you have gradually lost channels over months, this is very probably why.
Breaking up in rain that never used to bother it
The LNB has lost the margin it once had. Light rain that previously had no effect now pushes the signal below the threshold.
Intermittent pixelation on a clear day
A degrading LNB produces an unstable signal. It works, then it does not, then it does.
Signal that gets worse as the day heats up
A classic sign of a failing LNB. Thermal degradation means it works in the cool of the morning and fails in the afternoon sun.
Complete signal loss, suddenly
Less common than gradual failure, but it happens — particularly after a lightning storm. The LNB is the most exposed electronic component in your installation.
Corrosion visible at the connector
Green or white deposits on the connector at the LNB. Water has been getting in. Usually the LNB has suffered and the connector needs replacing too.
What you get
What LNB replacement involves
Quick, cheap and thoroughly worthwhile.
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A quality replacement fitted
Single, twin or quad, depending on your setup.
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The connector replaced and weatherproofed
Because it has usually corroded too.
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The dish realigned with a meter
Fitting a new LNB is the ideal moment to optimise.
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Signal strength and quality confirmed
Both readings, both optimised.
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Every channel tested
Including the weak ones that failed first.
Included
Every LNB replacement includes
Done properly, so it lasts.
LNB output measured before replacementTo confirm it is genuinely the fault
Correct LNB type fittedSingle, twin or quad, matched to your installation
Connector replacedIt has almost always corroded alongside the LNB
Proper weatherproofingSealed correctly, not wrapped in tape
Full dish realignmentStrength and quality both optimised
Complete channel testEvery channel, including the weakest
Our process
How an LNB replacement runs
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Describe how the signal has degraded
Gradually? In rain? Losing channels? It all points at the LNB.
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We measure the LNB output
To prove it before we replace it.
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We fit a quality replacement
Along with a new, properly weatherproofed connector.
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We realign and test everything
A new LNB is the perfect moment to optimise the dish.
FAQ
LNB replacement — 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 0971What is an LNB?
It is the small unit on the arm at the front of your satellite dish. It catches the reflected signal, amplifies it, converts the frequency and sends it down the cable to your decoder. It is an active electronic component that lives outdoors permanently, which is why it is the most common failure point in any DStv installation.
How do I know if my LNB needs replacing?
The classic signs are gradual degradation: channels disappearing one at a time, breaking up in rain that never used to bother it, intermittent pixelation on clear days, or signal that worsens as the day heats up. Sudden complete failure happens too, often after a lightning storm.
How much does an LNB replacement cost?
It is one of the cheapest DStv jobs there is. The LNB itself is not expensive, and the work — fitting it, replacing the connector, realigning the dish and testing — is typically under an hour. We quote a fixed price upfront.
How long does an LNB last?
On the Highveld, a good LNB with a properly weatherproofed connector can run for many years. What kills them early is lightning — and Gauteng, particularly the East Rand, takes a great deal of it. Poor weatherproofing shortens the life of any LNB dramatically.
Will you realign the dish when you replace the LNB?
Yes, always. Fitting a new LNB is the ideal moment to optimise the alignment with a signal meter, and it costs nothing extra. It is how you get the maximum margin against rain fade.
What is the difference between a single, twin and quad LNB?
The number of decoders it can feed. A single LNB feeds one tuner, a twin feeds two, a quad feeds four. If you have Extra View, or an Explora with two tuners, you need at least a twin. We will fit the correct type for your setup.
Book a TV technician
Losing channels one at a time?
That is the LNB, almost certainly. It is the most common DStv fault and one of the cheapest to put right.
LNB replacement and dish realignment 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 →