DStv subscribers can exchange the SD PVR, Dual View, UEC-manufacturer HD PVR 4 Tuner, or older single view decoders for various combinations of the DStv Explora, HD decoder and/or installation.

To do this, the customer has to take the particular device and smartcard to a DStv service centre or agency.

DStv customers can get substantial discounts when they swap out their old decoders for newer Explora or HD models.

Over more than 20 years of broadcasting, MultiChoice has released a number of decoders to provide access to its satellite broadcasting service.

These decoders have gradually been improved with new hardware to support additional features and channels.

Because of this, several of its older decoders are no longer suited or don’t perform well when broadcasting content.

This means that DStv customers – who pay a significant fee every month for access to its content – stand to lose out on the best the service has to offer if they choose to stick with the older models.

DStv divides the lifecycles of decoders which still support its broadcasting according to the following categories:

• Category 1 – New decoders
• Category 2 – Old but repairable decoders
• Category 3 – Old and irreparable decoders (End of support)

The category under which a decoder is classified determines whether a decoder can be repaired and such a repair will cost.

The company also offers insurance that covers mechanical or electrical damage fault and loss or damage caused by theft, fire, lightning or explosion on several of the decoders.

These fees are priced as follows:

• Explora – R35
• HD PVR 2 Tuner – R29.50
• HD DStv decoder – R20
• Single view decoder (DSD1110, DSD1131, DSD1132) – R20

The table below explains the differences between the decoder categories and the various repair options for each.

Note that this information does not yet include its latest decoder – the Explora Ultra – which was launched earlier in November.

DStv decoders
	Category 1	Category 2	Category 3
Decoders	DStv Explora (Model 3A) DStv Explora (Model 2A) DStv Explora DStv Single View HD Decoder	HD PVR 2U HD PVR 2P DSD 1132/3U/Zappa HD PVR 4 Tuner (Pace) DSD 1131 DSD 1110	Dual View decoder HD PVR 4 Tuner (UEC) SD PVR
Repairable	Yes	Yes	No
Options	Includes 12-month warranty for repairs. Add-on insurance option.	Add-on insurance covers repairs, otherwise prices are:R600 repair fee for a PVRR290 for single view decoder	Insured devices will be replaced as per terms and conditions.Uninsured items will require replacement at own cost.

Replacing older decoders

According to DStv, the latter category of decoders does not have the processing power and memory to deal with its new services.

“This means your viewing will be impacted as you won’t be able to get some of our channels or you will experience freeze-ups,” DStv stated.

It does not service these decoders as parts are no longer available.

However, it does offer a range of trade-in options for uninsured decoders that fall under this category, provided they are still in a working condition.

DStv subscribers can exchange the SD PVR, Dual View, UEC-manufacturer HD PVR 4 Tuner, or older single view decoders for various combinations of the DStv Explora, HD decoder and/or installation.

To do this, the customer has to take the particular device and smartcard to a DStv service centre or agency.

For example, trading in your old SD PVR for an Explora will cost R599, saving you R400 – or 40% – on its current retail price of R999.

You can also add installation onto this deal and pay R200 extra, compared with the typical R500 fee when bought at a retailer. This would amount to a total discount of R700 – or 46%.

Alternatively, you can exchange a Dual View decoder for two Single View HD decoders (6-series) for R799.

A single HD decoder is currently priced at R449, which means you’ll save R99 on the total package.

The table below shows the various trade-in options for DStv decoders which have reached their end-of-support.

Old decoder trade-in options
	What you get	Price
SD PVR	DStv Explora only	R599
	DStv Explora + Installation	R799
	DStv Explora + HD Single View decoder + Installation	R1,599 / R79 x 24
	2 x DStv Exploras + Installation	R129 x 24
Dual View	2 x Single View HD decoders	R799
	DStv Explora only	R799
HD PVR 4 Tuner (UEC)	DStv Explora only	R600
Single View decoder Model numbers: 660, 720, 720i, 910, 933, 990	DStv Single View HD decoder	R349