A little preparation makes a big difference on installation day. When your OpenView installer arrives to a clear path, a charged phone and the decoder still in its box, the job runs quicker and there's less chance of a second visit. This checklist is built around Hermanus homes, from cliff-top houses to holiday cottages that stand empty half the year.
Quick answer: Before an OpenView installer comes, have the decoder and everything in its box, a working plug point near the TV, clear access to the wall or roof where the dish will go, any estate approval, gate codes and a phone with data for activation. Send photos of the roof and any old dish when you book.
Print this or keep it on your phone. Each item saves time on the day, and time is part of what you pay for, as our installation cost guide explains.
| Have this ready | Why it helps | Quick tip |
|---|---|---|
| Decoder, remote, power unit and cables | Setup can start as soon as the dish is up | Keep the box and slip for any warranty claim |
| Photos of the roof and any old dish | Lets us quote properly and bring the right parts | Take one from the street and one up close |
| A free plug point near the TV | The decoder needs its own socket | A surge-protected adaptor is a good idea |
| Clear access outside | The ladder needs firm, level ground | Move pot plants, bikes and the braai |
| Estate or body corporate approval | Avoids having to move the dish later | Ask for the rules in writing |
| Phone with data and the remote | Needed for activation and the channel test | Charge it the night before |
We quote before we drive out, so the more we know upfront, the more accurate that figure is. A few minutes with your phone camera beats a vague description every time.
That last point matters. If the TV is going up, our TV mounting work can hide the cable behind it on the same visit.
If you've bought your own decoder, leave it sealed or at least keep everything together. We'll need the decoder, the remote with batteries, the power supply and any cables that came with it. Don't throw away the box or the till slip.
At the time of writing, the Wi-Fi model sells for R799 through OpenView directly, and specials in shops can bring it down to roughly R599. Some buyers choose a bundle that includes a voucher for the dish and installation, which sits around R1,699. Your openview installation price depends on what's already on the house, so ask us for a current quote.
Good to know: OpenView belongs to eMedia and is free to watch, so there's no monthly bill. It's not a DStv product, and it has far fewer channels. Our comparison of OpenView, aerial or DStv helps if you're still deciding.
Think about the route from the gate to the TV, and from the TV to the dish spot outside. The installer will walk it several times with tools, cable and a ladder. Anything in the way slows the job and risks damage.
Safety first: Please don't go up on the roof to clear gutters or check the old dish before we arrive. Sea-facing roofs in Hermanus get slippery with salt and spray, and wind gusts come out of nowhere. Leave the ladder work to us.
Need a hand in Hermanus?
Tell us what you need or what your screen shows. We give you a clear price before we drive out.
The decoder needs its own socket near the TV, not a long extension cord snaking across the floor. If every plug behind the cabinet is taken, sort out a safe multi-plug before the day. Never let anyone open the decoder or tinker with wiring inside the wall socket.
Lightning and power surges do damage along this coast. Our post on decoder surge protection explains what's worth buying and what's a myth.
Many security estates around Hermanus have rules on where dishes go, how big they are and how they must look. Some want to approve the position before anyone drills. If you live in an estate in Vermont, Fernkloof or Sandbaai, ask the manager for the rules now.
The dish needs a clear view of the north-eastern sky, since OpenView is beamed from Intelsat 20 at 68.5 degrees East. In Westcliff, Eastcliff and Voelklip that view is usually open, but the south-easter hits exposed corners hard. Read why the Walker Bay wind moves dishes, and why coastal fixings matter in our salt air guide.
If an old DStv dish is already up, mention it. It can often handle OpenView too, but we'll check the LNB, bracket and cable for rust first, which may turn a full OpenView dish installation into a simple dish alignment.
The OpenView decoder and dish installation isn't finished until the channels are live. You activate the box with its details on openview.co.za, over WhatsApp or through the OpenView app. That's why a phone with data helps so much.
Before we leave, we'll show you the signal strength and quality on screen and scan in the channels. Then you flick through them with the remote while we're still there. We'll also show you how to rescan from the menu if a channel ever goes missing.
Lots of houses in Onrus, Hawston and Fisherhaven are holiday homes, and owners often book from Cape Town or further. That's fine, as long as someone can let us in and the decoder is on site. A neighbour, key holder or rental agent works well.
Tell us who that person is and how to reach them, and we'll send photos of the finished install and the signal screen. Our notes on holiday homes and guest houses cover more for homes that stand empty between visits.
Our local team fits OpenView and DStv across the Overstrand, from Stanford to Kleinmond. Have your photos and decoder ready, and we'll give you a price before we come out.
Find out more about our OpenView HD installation, or see everything we do for DStv installation in Hermanus.
When you're set, book your installation and we'll find a slot, often the same or next day depending on the schedule.
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.
Have the decoder with its remote, power supply and cables, a free plug point near the TV and clear access to where the dish will go. A phone with data helps with activation, and any estate approval should be sorted before the day.
Not always. A neighbour, key holder or rental agent can let us in, as long as the decoder is on site and we can reach someone by phone. We send photos of the finished work and the signal reading when we're done.
You need an OpenView decoder, a satellite dish with an LNB, cable from the dish to the decoder and a TV. A dish of around 80 to 85cm is recommended. An existing DStv dish can often be reused after a check of the LNB and cabling.
At the time of writing, a decoder sold with an installation voucher costs around R1,699. The decoder on its own is R799 from OpenView, and fitting costs depend on your roof, cable run and whether a dish is already up. Ask us for a current quote.
No. OpenView is free satellite TV from eMedia, with no monthly fees and no contract. You pay once for the decoder, the dish and the installation, and the channels after that cost nothing.