The dish hasn't moved, the account is paid, yet the TV shows no signal or only some channels. Often the culprit is wrong DStv signal settings inside the decoder, not the hardware on the roof. In Hermanus we see it most after a power cut, a reset or a decoder that came from another house.
Quick answer: Wrong DStv signal settings show up as no signal on a working dish, one dead tuner on an Explora or channels that vanish after a reset. To fix them, restart the decoder, then set the LNB type to match your LNB (Single for HD, Smart LNB for Explora) and run the installation wizard again. Leave satellite frequencies alone.
These clues point to the menu rather than the dish. The more of them you see, the more likely a reset will sort it out.
If the screen shows bars at all, it's worth reading your signal strength properly before you change anything. Quality counts for more than strength.
A wrong setting and a knocked dish can look the same on the TV. This table helps you tell them apart from the couch.
| What you notice | Points to settings | Points to dish or cable |
|---|---|---|
| No picture since a reset | Yes, very often | Rarely |
| Only one Explora tuner works | LNB type set to Single | Old LNB or one bad cable |
| Picture went after a gale | Unlikely | Yes, the dish has shifted |
| Breaks up only in heavy rain | No | Rain fade, or alignment with little margin |
| Green crust on the plug | No | Yes, salt corrosion |
A message like E48-32 means no signal is reaching the decoder at all. Our guide to the E48-32 error covers that one in detail.
Work through these in order and stop as soon as the picture returns. Everything here is done with the remote.
Our post on resetting your DStv decoder explains when a full reset is worth it. It also covers when it only adds more screens to click through.
The wizard is the full DStv signal setup. It asks for the satellite, the LNB and then scans channels, and DStv's Explora guide says to wait for all three tuners to show signal before pressing OK. Here's what the installation wizard does, screen by screen.
Good to know: A reset of the settings does not reactivate your subscription. If channels show an E16 message instead, re-authorise through the MyDStv app or DStv's WhatsApp self-service and check the account is paid up.
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Many houses in Voelklip and Vermont stand empty between visits. After a long power outage someone presses every button on the remote, and the decoder lands back on its first set-up screen with the wrong answers chosen.
Holiday lets are another source. A guest swaps the HD box from the bedroom into the lounge, and suddenly an HD decoder sits on an Explora cable. Our page on DStv for holiday homes covers how to set those houses up so this doesn't happen.
Upgrades cause it too. An Explora on an old single LNB will never show all its tuners, which is why we suggest reading whether you need a Smart LNB before buying the box.
Online forums love to post DStv frequency tables. On a private home dish you shouldn't need any of them, because the satellite details come preset for Intelsat 20 at 68.5 degrees East.
The same goes for DStv smart LNB frequency settings. A Smart LNB hands each Explora tuner its own user band, and the decoder looks after that once you've chosen Smart LNB. Typing in numbers from a forum is one of the common ways people break a working setup.
Shared dishes in security estates near Fernkloof and in Kleinmond complexes are a different story. Those systems are set up by the installer and may need specific values, so leave them to whoever runs the communal DStv system.
If the settings are right and the signal is still poor, the fault is outside. On the cliff-top homes in Onrus and Sandbaai, the south-easter and winter north-westers can push a dish just off target. That's why the Walker Bay wind is such a regular cause of call-outs.
Salt air is the other enemy, eating at connectors in Hawston and along the cliff path. In those cases you need satellite dish alignment on a signal meter, plus fresh weatherproofed connectors.
Safety first: Don't climb a ladder or get onto the roof to turn the dish, and never open the decoder or touch the LNB wiring. Coastal wind makes roof work dangerous, and a dish needs a meter to line up properly anyway.
If these steps don't fix it, call a technician before you change anything else. We offer DStv installation in Hermanus and repairs right along the Overstrand, and we quote first. Phone or WhatsApp 079 754 5527, or book a visit online.
Talk to our Hermanus team
We work across Hermanus, Onrus, Sandbaai, Vermont, Voelklip and nearby. Call or WhatsApp us and we will tell you the practical next step.
Restart the decoder at the wall first. Then open the satellite settings, make sure the LNB type matches your LNB and save. If the signal still doesn't return, run the installation wizard again from the start and wait for every tuner to show signal.
On a clear day, no signal usually means wrong settings after a reset, a loose or corroded cable, or a dish that wind has moved. Check the settings first, because that is the safe part you can do yourself. If they are right, a technician needs to test the dish.
An Explora needs the LNB type set to Smart LNB, connected to a Smart LNB on an 80cm dish, which is DStv's recommended setup. The satellite and frequency details should stay at their defaults. All three tuners should show signal on the setup screen.
No, wind can't change anything inside the decoder. It can move the dish, though, and that looks like a settings fault on screen. If your picture went after a strong south-easter, the dish probably needs realigning rather than the menu changing.
No. The settings only tell the decoder how to talk to the dish. Your subscription sits on your account. If channels show an authorisation error afterwards, re-authorise the decoder through the MyDStv app or DStv's WhatsApp self-service.