OpenView Installation & Repairs
Free-to-air TV with no monthly fee: a dish, a decoder and a signal that holds up in the wind.
- 38 Google reviews from customers
- 3+ years Installing across the Western Cape
- Every tunerTested with a signal meter before we leave
- From R450 Call or WhatsApp for your price
How we work
- No monthly fee, ever
- New dish or your existing one
- Meter-aligned for a solid signal
- Runs alongside DSTV
OpenView is free-to-air satellite TV. You pay once for the dish, decoder and installation, and there is no monthly subscription. It suits a holiday home, a granny flat, a rental, or any household that wants free channels without a contract. We install the dish and decoder, repair weak signal and set OpenView up alongside DSTV if you want both.
OpenView and DSTV broadcast from the same satellite, Intelsat 20 at 68.5 degrees east. That means a DSTV dish can often feed an OpenView decoder as it is, and one dish can run both. This page explains how, so you know what to expect before you call.
No monthly fee, explained
With DSTV you pay DStv every month. With OpenView you pay once, for the hardware and the installation, and that is the end of it. There is no subscription, no contract and no account to cancel.
The channels are free-to-air, so the line-up is set by the broadcasters and is not the same as a paid DSTV package. If you want premium sport and movies, DSTV is the better fit, and our DSTV installation page covers that. If you want news, entertainment and free channels in HD, OpenView is enough for many households. It is also a sensible choice for a house that is empty for much of the year, since there is nothing to pay while nobody is watching.
Dish and decoder installation
A full OpenView install is a dish, an LNB, cable and the decoder. OpenView uses the same satellite as DSTV, so the dish points the same way: roughly north-east from the Western Cape, fairly high in the sky. We pick a spot with a clear view, fit the dish on a galvanised bracket, run weatherproof RG6 to the TV and align it with a signal meter until the quality is solid, not borderline.
Then we connect the decoder, scan for channels, set the TV to the right input and show you how the remote works. We tidy the cable as we go. A second room needs a second decoder with its own cable.
On the coast, wind and salt are the usual enemies, so we brace the mount and seal the connectors the same way we would for DSTV.
Using your existing DSTV dish
Yes, in most cases. If you have a DSTV dish and have cancelled DSTV, the dish, bracket and cable can be reused as they are, because OpenView comes from the same satellite. We check the alignment with a meter and the condition of the LNB, bracket and cable, and replace anything corroded or cracked. That is much cheaper than a full new install.
Before we quote, we check the dish size, the bracket and the cable. A rusty bracket or old, cracked cable is replaced, because there is no point reusing parts that will fail next season.
OpenView signal repairs
OpenView faults look like DSTV faults: pixelation, a no signal message, missing channels, or a picture that breaks up when it rains or blows. The causes are the same too. The dish has moved, the LNB has failed, a connector has let water in, or something is blocking the view.
Before you call, switch the decoder off at the wall for a minute and start it again, check that the cable is tight at the back of the decoder, and run a channel scan from the menu. If the signal is good and channels are still missing, a re-scan often restores them. If not, we meter-test the dish and cable, find the fault and quote the repair. For the DSTV side of things, see DSTV repairs.
Running DSTV and OpenView together
Many households want both: DSTV for sport, and an OpenView decoder in the spare room or granny flat, so nothing extra is added to the DSTV account. Because both come from the same satellite, one dish can feed both. We check that your LNB has a free output. If it does, we run a separate cable to the OpenView decoder. If not, we swap the LNB or add a multiswitch.
Each decoder has its own cable, so a fault on one decoder does not take down the other. If what you actually want is a second DSTV decoder, Extraview links two decoders on one DSTV account on the same dish.
What customers say
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The service person arrived 100% on time for our appointment and the DSTV problem was fixed within minutes. Thanks for your great service.
Nico KoekemoerGoogle review, a year ago -
Every moment of dealing with this team, from the 1st phone call to them leaving my premises after a clean, successful and problem-free installation was professional, friendly and a winner. I had the incorrect problem diagnosis but they arrived with all the tools and replacements for and instance.
June SterlingGoogle review, 3 months ago -
Thank you for the excellent service received from Digitech today in fixing my DSTV signal. Your technician, Warren, was friendly and efficient and of great help. I will strongly recommend Digitech to anyone in need of DSTV installation.
Estelle MeyGoogle review, a year ago
What it costs
No surprises: you get the price before we book, and before any work starts.
The price depends on whether you need a new dish, a decoder on your existing dish or a signal repair, plus the roof, the cable run and how many decoders you want. Call or WhatsApp 081 232 2249 for a price.
Send a photo of the dish, the fault or the wall on WhatsApp and we’ll come back with a price, usually within working hours.
OpenView installation questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most. Anything else, WhatsApp a photo and ask.
Can I use my DSTV dish for OpenView?
Yes, in most cases. OpenView broadcasts from the same satellite as DSTV, so a DSTV dish can feed an OpenView decoder without being re-aimed. We check the alignment, LNB and cable first. Jobs start from R450, and you can keep DSTV on the same dish if the LNB has a spare output.
Is OpenView really free?
There is no monthly subscription. You pay once for the decoder, dish and installation, and the channels are free-to-air. What you get is the broadcasters' free line-up, which differs from a paid DSTV package. Call or WhatsApp 081 232 2249 for a price for a full install with dish and decoder.
Do I need the internet for OpenView?
No. The channels come from the dish, not the internet, so OpenView keeps working during a line outage or when your data runs out. That makes it a good fit for holiday homes and rentals where nobody wants to pay for a line that is only used part of the year.
Can I have OpenView and DSTV at the same time?
Yes, on one dish. DSTV and OpenView use the same satellite, so one dish can feed both. We check that the LNB has a free output, run a separate cable to the OpenView decoder, and swap the LNB or add a multiswitch if there is no spare output. Each decoder has its own cable, so a fault on one does not affect the other.
Why is my OpenView signal poor or pixelating?
The usual causes are a dish that has moved, a failing LNB, water in a connector or something blocking the view. Restart the decoder, check the cable and run a channel scan first. If it persists we meter-test the dish and cable and quote the repair. Jobs start from R450.
How much does an OpenView installation cost?
OpenView jobs start from R450. A full installation with a new dish and decoder costs more than adding a decoder to your existing DSTV dish, and the final price depends on the roof, the cable run and how many decoders you want. Call or WhatsApp 081 232 2249 for an exact price. A photo of your dish helps.
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Need OpenView installation? Call or WhatsApp.
Call or WhatsApp with your area and the problem, or send a photo of the dish. You get a clear price before we start, and a technician who arrives with the parts.
Mon to Sat, 07:00 to 17:00. Emergency callouts 24/7