OpenView Channels List 2026: What You Get Free in Wellington

You switch on the TV, open the OpenView channels list in Wellington, and something looks wrong. Half the channels are missing, the screen says "No signal", or you are stuck on channel 100. This guide shows what you should see, why channels go missing, and how to get them back.

We set up and repair OpenView in homes, flats and cottages across Wellington every week. The same few problems come up again and again. Most of them take minutes to fix once you know where to look.

The full OpenView channels list for 2026

Here is the line-up as published on the official OpenView channels page in October 2026. OpenView notes that it adds or removes channels from time to time, so check again if a number looks different on your screen.

Entertainment and movie channels (101 to 115)

Channel	Name	What it shows
101	SABC 1	SABC general entertainment and news
102	SABC 2	SABC drama, news and family shows
103	SABC 3	SABC series, movies and entertainment
104	e.tv	Local and international family entertainment
105	eExtra	Romance, drama and action series
106	eMovies	Family movies, 24 hours a day
107	eMovies Extra	Action, sci-fi and horror movies
108	eReality	Reality, adventure and DIY shows
109	eSeries	Sitcoms, drama and crime series
110	Star Life	Bollywood shows dubbed in English
111	Zee One	Indian drama and movies in English
112	ePlesier	Turkish telenovelas in Afrikaans
113	The Home Channel+	Décor, food, property and lifestyle
114	Star Khanya	Drama and movies dubbed in isiZulu
115	eXplore	Nature, survival and real-life mysteries

News, sport, kids and learning (121 to 135)

Channel	Name	What it shows
121	France 24	International news in English
122	DBE TV	Department of Basic Education channel
124	SABC Sport	Local and international sport
125	SportyTV	LaLiga, Serie A, basketball and MMA
130	eToonz	Kids' cartoons and stories
134	Mindset	South African school curriculum
135	SA Music	South African music only

Channel 100 is not a TV channel. It is the information channel your decoder uses for setup and activation messages.

Radio stations from channel 600

Your OpenView channels list also includes radio, starting at 600. The official page shows stations such as 5FM, Metro FM, Good Hope, RSG, SAfm, Radio 2000, Umhlobo Wenene, Ukhozi FM, Jacaranda FM, Kaya FM, Smile FM and Radio Pulpit. In Wellington, Good Hope and RSG are the ones families tune to most.

Which channels on the OpenView channels list are in HD?

OpenView's own FAQ lists the channels that carry HD content. At the time of writing, they are:

• e.tv
• eToonz
• eReality and eExtra
• eMovies and eMovies Extra
• Star Life
• SABC Sport

The rest are standard definition. On a big TV the difference is easy to see, so do not worry if SABC 1 looks softer than e.tv. That is the broadcast, not your dish.

If you want the whole line-up to stay sharp, the first step is a solid OpenView HD installation with the dish aligned on a meter, not by eye.

Why your OpenView channels list looks short in Wellington

A short list or a blank screen is a symptom, not a fault on its own. Here are the causes we find most often on call-outs between Newton, Hillcrest and Dalsig.

The dish has moved or lost its view

OpenView uses the same IS-20 satellite as DStv, high in the north east sky. Wellington sits under the Hawequa mountains, and tall oaks, ridges and new double storeys block that view more often than people expect. Our guide on line of sight in the Winelands explains why a dish that worked last year can struggle now.

The winter wind is the other culprit. One strong north westerly can nudge a dish a few millimetres. That is enough to drop some channels and keep others.

The decoder was never fully activated

If the screen shows only channel 100, the decoder is getting signal but has not been activated. This is common with a decoder bought at a shop and plugged in at home. You can activate an OpenView decoder by WhatsApp, SMS or the app in a few minutes.

Rain, old cable and loose connectors

Heavy Boland rain causes rain fade, and the picture breaks up until the storm passes. OpenView itself advises waiting for the rain to stop before calling anyone. If the picture keeps breaking up on dry days, read our notes on signal drops in the rain.

Water inside an old connector does slow damage. On farms in Bovlei and Hermon, we often find cable runs of 30 metres or more with connectors that were never sealed.

How to restore missing OpenView channels

Try these steps in order before you book anyone. They come from OpenView's own help page and from what works for us on site.

Reboot the decoder in the right order

1. Pull out the power cable and the dish (LNB) cable from the back of the decoder.
2. Wait about a minute.
3. Plug the dish cable back in first. Make sure it is straight and tight.
4. Plug the power back in and let the decoder restart on its own.
5. Check if your channels are back.

If you only see channel 100 after the restart, the decoder needs reactivation, not a new dish.

Check the signal on the HELP screen

Press HELP on the OpenView remote. The signal strength and quality show at the bottom of the screen. OpenView says both should be above 75% for uninterrupted viewing.

Strength and quality are not the same thing, and the difference matters. Our guide on signal strength versus signal quality explains what the numbers mean.

• Both readings at 0%: check the cable, then call an installer.
• Strength fine, quality low: the dish is slightly off target.
• Both above 75% but channels missing: activation or a rescan is the likely fix.

Clear error codes from channel 100

Messages such as error 200, E04, E06 or "Channels not subscribed" mean the decoder needs a refresh. OpenView's help page says to go to channel 100, dial the USSD number shown at the bottom right of the screen and follow the prompts. Your decoder may restart and update while it does this, so give it a few minutes.

OpenView channels list vs DStv: what free TV will not give you

The OpenView line-up is good value, but it is not a DStv replacement for everyone. Here is the honest comparison we give customers.

Question	OpenView	DStv
Monthly fee	None	Yes, depends on package
Number of TV channels	22 at the time of writing	Many more, depending on package
Live rugby and SuperSport	No	Yes, on higher packages
SABC and e.tv channels	Yes	Yes
Recording and catch up	Not on the basic decoder	Yes, with an Explora

If live sport matters in your house, DStv is still the practical choice. Our guide to the DStv Explora vs HD decoder helps you pick the right box.

Many homes do both. The main house runs DStv and a granny flat or holiday cottage runs OpenView. That setup is a common request when people ask us about DStv installation in Wellington for a property with more than one dwelling.

Can I use my DStv dish for OpenView in Wellington?

Often, yes. OpenView and DStv use the same satellite but different frequencies. That means your dish may need a small adjustment, and sometimes a different LNB, before every OpenView channel locks in.

One dish, two decoders

OpenView's FAQ notes that each TV needs its own decoder to watch different channels at the same time. A dual LNB lets a DStv decoder and an OpenView decoder share one dish. It is a neat solution for houses in Hillcrest and Newton where the roof has only one good spot.

The cable from dish to decoder is just as important as the dish. If you are unsure which port goes where, our guide to DStv decoder cables and connections walks through each socket.

What about an aerial?

An aerial is a different system. It picks up free channels from a land transmitter, not from a satellite. Some homes keep an aerial as a backup for SABC and e.tv, especially on a second TV. Ask us about TV aerial installation if that suits your setup better than a second dish.

When to call our Wellington team

Call us when the reboot and the HELP screen check have not solved it. Also call if the signal reads 0% on a clear day, or if a dish has visibly moved after a storm.

Our pricing follows the ranges on our own cost guide. At the time of writing, these are the bands that apply to OpenView jobs too:

Type of job	Typical range
Dish realignment only	R450 to R850
Signal fault repair	R450 to R900
Relocation to a new home	R700 to R1,400

The decoder itself is a separate cost. OpenView's FAQ says decoder prices start at R799 at major retailers at the time of writing (October 2026). We always split equipment from labour on a quote, so you can see exactly what you pay for.

Holiday homes and rentals need a little extra thought. If the house stands empty for weeks, a decoder that sat unpowered may need a refresh when you arrive. We cover this in our holiday home TV setup guide.

We work from Wellington town out to Bovlei, Hermon, Mbekweni and across to the Paarl side. Speak to our Wellington DStv installers and we will tell you on the phone whether it sounds like a quick fix or a site visit.

For the latest official line-up, see the OpenView channels page and the OpenView help and FAQs. Free TV only works as well as the dish behind it.

OpenView channels list Wellington: FAQs

How many channels does OpenView have in 2026?

At the time of writing (October 2026), the official OpenView channels list shows 22 TV channels. There are also more than 20 radio stations from channel 600. All of them are free to watch.

Is the OpenView channels list in Wellington the same as in Cape Town?

Yes. OpenView sends the same line-up to the whole country by satellite. What changes from house to house is the signal. A dish with a clear view of the north east sky matters more than your address.

Why does my OpenView say no channel?

The usual causes are a dish that moved, a loose or wet cable, or heavy rain. Unplug the dish cable and power, plug the dish cable in first, then power. If the HELP screen still shows 0% signal, the dish needs checking.

Can I add channels to my OpenView channels list?

No. OpenView has no paid packages, so there are no extra channels to buy. You can bring back missing channels with a reboot, reactivation from channel 100 or a dish realignment.

Does OpenView have a monthly fee?

No. OpenView says there are no sign-up fees, no monthly subscriptions and no contracts. You pay once for the decoder and the installation.

Can I use an OpenView decoder on my DStv dish?

Often, yes. Both use the same satellite on different frequencies, so the dish may need a small adjustment or a different LNB. We check the dish and LNB on site before we promise anything.