A walk through the visit from our side: the dish check, cable runs, decoder setup, linking and testing, plus what slows the job down in Wellington homes.
Booked a DStv dual view installation and wondering how the day will go? Here's the visit from our side, one stage at a time, so nothing catches you off guard. In Wellington most jobs fit into a morning, but farm cottages and older homes with long cable runs can take longer.
Quick answer: During a DStv dual view installation, the technician checks your dish and its view of the sky, fits a Smart LNB if you don't have one, and runs a separate cable to each decoder. Both boxes are set up, then linked on your DStv account. We finish by testing two different channels on two TVs.
Before anyone climbs a ladder
The job starts on the phone, not the roof. We ask a few questions so we bring the right parts and can give you a price before we drive out.
- Which decoders you have, or plan to buy, and which one is newer
- Where each TV sits, and whether the second one is upstairs, in a flat or across the yard
- How old the dish and LNB are, if you know
- Whether you live in a complex with a shared dish or rules about cabling
- The account holder's details, because the decoders get linked to one subscription
Not every pair of boxes can be linked, so check the decoder question early. Our guide on Explora vs HD decoder helps if you're still choosing a second box.
Good to know: Have both decoders, their remotes and the smartcards in the house on the day. A missing smartcard is the most common reason we can't finish the linking stage.
Your DStv dual view installation, stage by stage
Here's the order our technicians follow on a normal visit. The roof and cable stages are our job, so you don't need to do anything there.
- A quick walk round. We look at both TV spots, the dish and the shortest tidy route between them.
- Check the dish's view of the sky. DStv comes from a satellite to the north-east, so we look for trees or new walls in the way.
- Fit or test the Smart LNB. It feeds several tuners, which is what lets two decoders work off one dish.
- Run a cable to each decoder. Each box gets its own run, with sealed outdoor connectors and clipped, neat cable.
- Connect and power up. Satellite cable in, HDMI to the TV, power at the wall.
- Run the installation wizard on both boxes. Each decoder scans for the satellite and confirms the signal.
- Choose the primary decoder. This is the box the other one depends on, so we agree it with you first.
- Link and test. The decoders get linked on your account, then we play two channels at once.
All of this is part of our XtraView setup service, done in a single visit when the parts are on hand.
Picking which decoder is the primary
In XtraView, one decoder sends a regular "heartbeat" signal to the other. DStv says the secondary stops working if the primary is switched off or that signal is lost, while the primary keeps working on its own.
That's why we usually make an Explora the primary, so recordings aren't lost. If you take a decoder to a holiday house, make that one the primary instead. Most Wellington families choose the box in the lounge, where the TV is on the most.
What can make the job take longer
Most of the time goes into the cable, not the decoders. This table shows the usual situations we find and what each one adds to the day.
| What we find | What we do | Effect on the visit |
|---|---|---|
| Good dish, Smart LNB already fitted | Test it, run the second cable | Shortest job |
| Old single LNB | Swap it for a Smart LNB | A little longer, plus the part |
| Second TV upstairs or in a back room | Route cable through the roof or along skirtings | Depends on the ceiling |
| Second TV in a cottage or outbuilding | Longer run, often in conduit | Can add a few hours |
| Shared dish in a complex | Check how the building is wired first | May need the body corporate |
Unsure whether your old cables can be reused? Our article on DStv decoder cable myths clears up what matters.
Need a hand in Wellington?
Tell us what you need or what your screen shows. We give you a clear price before we drive out.
How Wellington homes shape the day
Older houses in Newton and Hillcrest often have the dish on one side and the bedrooms far away on the other. We follow the existing cable path through the ceiling where we can, so you don't end up with cable along every wall.
Out in Bovlei and the Hawequa foothills, the second decoder is often in a farm cottage or a guest unit. A long run like that loses signal, so we use good cable, keep joins to a minimum and protect it where it crosses open ground.
Summer heat matters too. Roof spaces here get very hot, and cheap cable dries out and cracks. Winter rain then finds any joint that wasn't sealed properly, which is why we weatherproof every outdoor connector.
Townhouse complexes and student housing near Mbekweni, Groenvallei and Dal Josafat are a different job. A shared system can't simply take an extra cable, and our communal DStv installation team checks the building's setup first.
Safety first: Please don't go up on the roof to check the dish before we arrive, especially on a hot or wet day. We bring our own ladders and do the roof work safely.
Linking, codes and frequency settings
People searching how to connect extraview often expect a menu code that joins the boxes. The physical link is the cabling and setup we do. To get billing right, DStv also says you must contact them to link the decoders on your account, and we can help with that call.
You may also see forum posts about dstv extraview frequency settings. On a house with its own dish and a Smart LNB, there's nothing to type in, because the wizard finds the satellite by itself. Only some shared single-cable systems use set values, and those come from whoever installed the system.
DStv lists its XtraView rules for linked decoders. One that surprises people is that both decoders carry the same package.
What we check before a dual view DStv installation is signed off
We don't pack up until both TVs work properly. You'll see each check yourself, so you know the setup is solid.
- Signal strength and quality on both decoders, not just one
- Two different channels playing on the two TVs at the same time
- The primary switched off and on, to show the secondary reconnects
- Recordings on an Explora, if you have one
- Tidy cables and a quick lesson on the remotes
If the second TV ever drops out later, our guide to XtraView heartbeat fixes covers the safe checks first.
Technician tip: If the second TV is going on a wall, mount it before the cable goes in. Then the cable can hide behind the screen, and our TV wall mounting can be done in the same visit.
Monthly costs after your DStv dual view installation
XtraView runs on one subscription. At the time of writing, linking two decoders costs your package plus one Access Fee of R125 a month. If one box is already an Explora, you're already paying that fee, so the second decoder adds nothing monthly.
The installation is a once-off cost. Because it usually includes a Smart LNB and an extra cable run, it often sits in our more complex band of roughly R1,500 to R2,400, with decoders bought separately. Ask our team for a current quote, and see our DStv installation cost guide for what changes the price.
Book your second TV setup
We're local DStv installers in Wellington and the nearby Winelands, and we quote first. Get in touch with us with your decoder models and where the TVs are, and we'll book a time that suits you, often the same or next day, depending on the schedule.
Talk to our Wellington team
We work across Wellington, Newton, Groenvallei, Hillcrest, Mbekweni and nearby. Call or WhatsApp us and we will tell you the practical next step.
DStv dual view installation: FAQs
How long does a DStv dual view installation take?
Most visits take a morning when the dish is in good shape and the second TV is in the same house. A new Smart LNB, an upstairs route or a long run to a cottage adds time. We give you an idea of timing when we quote.
Do I need to be home for a dual view DStv installation?
Yes, someone should be there for the whole visit. We need to get into both rooms, agree on which decoder is the primary and test both TVs with you. The account holder may also need to confirm details when the decoders are linked.
How do I connect extra view on an Explora?
The Explora needs a Smart LNB and its own cable from the dish, plus the second decoder on its own run. Both run the installation wizard, then DStv links them on your account. DStv suggests the Explora as the primary, so your recordings keep working.
Can you install XtraView on a farm outside Wellington?
Yes. Farms in Bovlei and the Hawequa foothills often have the second TV in a cottage, so the cable run is long. We use better cable, keep joins to a minimum and protect the run outdoors. Tell us the distance when you call so we can plan it.
What does XtraView cost per month?
At the time of writing, two linked decoders cost your package plus one Access Fee of R125. If one is a PVR like the Explora, you already pay that fee. Check dstv.com or the MyDStv app for current prices before you decide.
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