Welcome to the Satellite Solutions webpage. We assume you´re in search of a specialist DStv-; Top TV- and/or HDMi installer with enough integrity to at least hold the original quote without nasty surprises and the proficiency to exceed your expectations?
On this website you´ll see us calling a spade, a spade and a bull-shitter; we call a bull-shitter, regardless of who they represent. If you want the truth, we´ll give it to you. If you don´t, you should not ask. If you need advise, we'll supply it free of charge, but if you´re looking for give-aways or a discount, you´re in the wrong place — please Google "cheap dstv installers willing to compromise quality and service"
We don´t, believe in "sales talk" — our reputation precedes deception and we´d like to keep it that way, especially since 90% of our sales are generated through referrals of satisfied customers. We know nobody else can afford to offer you the same service and quality at our prices, so if someone does, you should ask what they´re compromising!
In light of what proofed to be yet another bad decision by MultiChoice, we're no longer considered Dstv / Multichoice accredited - To see why please read this article as well as our official response in this regard. If after reading the article, you still choose fiction above common sense, we're dissapointed to see you go. We are Top TV & Zinenetix accredited installers and in addition, we´re also the only recognized technician training facility! Last but definitely not least, all our employees has clear criminal records. Can you say the same about the strangers you´re inviting into your house today?
So why on earth would you even consider another installer?
We offer the best prices, we are accredited by all the credible institutions, we guarantee our work, we'´ve got an excellent reputation with references and we´ll be honest and upfront from the word go. What more do you want? Fabricated accreditation by a corporate dictator?
THE TRUTH - Things you should consider...
All these so called dstv specials and hd pvr promotional vouchers are sold with a 60cm steel dish kit (turning out to be a 55cm in most cases), although Multichoice recommends a minimum of 90cm for any dstv installation (not always) and in every instance, you´re paying the wholesaler mark-up, plus the retailer mark-up, plus the "made in whoever knows where" three times marked-up dish kit (which includes a LNB, not even stipulating the noise figure),
plus the installation fee.
Yes, all the above should have triggered alarms in your sub-conscience long ago, but since you´re a self-admitted "technology challenged" individual, you´re relying on the "specialist" in front of you to recommend the best solution for your situation, right?
Unfortunately being scammed into the exorbitant purchase of substandard equipment will not be your biggest problem today. Once you call the "toll free" (any phone number starting with 086 IS NOT toll free by the way) number on you voucher, a so-called dstv accredited installer is assigned to attend to your dstv or hd pvr installation.
The first potential problem being that your "accredited" installer is not necessarily a qualified technician, but merely accredited by the institution selling the vouchers.
The second potential problem is the fact that your cheap dstv or hd pvr installation voucher only caters for a 60cm steel satellite dish kit and if you reside in a coastal area, you really should not expect your satellite dish to last very long. Not to mention the $2.00, imported from who knows where, no-name LNB without a noise figure?
Finally, there´s the fact that your self appointed "accredited" installer is expected to drive to your property, supply up to 25m cable, connectors and consumables, plus pay the wage of his helper and complete your installation in a record time in order to make a little profit from the fee he's getting paid for your installation. Truth is, your installer is not at all concerned about the quality of the cable, the accuracy of the alignment or the neatness of the installation. He only wants to get a signed dstv or pvr installation voucher in the shortest time possible, to move on to the next unsuspecting victim!
THE TRUTH - About dish sizes...
A common misconception exist about satellite dish sizes. Just because your dish looks simular to your neigbour's, it doesn't mean it really is, trust me!. You see, we recently purchased so-called 60cm dstv satellite dish kit's from the three major supplies and this is what we found...
Anyone more interested on the "parabolic offset antenna" subject, should take a few minutes to read Geoff's explanation on the DStv Forum. Click here and scroll down to "Geoff D" posted at "13:56" on the 8th of October 2010.
Although a little more technical, the explanation on Wikipedia is definitely also worth reading to get a better perspective on the subject.
THE TRUTH - About cable...
We sometimes run into a bit of confusion about "RG" numbers--RG-6, RG-59, RG-11, etc.. Here's a little piece (courtesy of www.bluejeanscable.com") to explain just what these are, and what they really mean (or don't mean).
All of the common RG designations apply to various types of coaxial cable. Some people think "coax" or "coaxial" cable means "antenna cable," or "cable with F-connectors," or some such thing, but coax is a much more general classification. Any cable which has two conductors which share a single common axis is a coaxial cable--a center conductor, accompanied by a shield, the two being kept apart by a dielectric and wrapped in an outer jacket. All common video cable types are coaxial cables, though that's harder to see in some than in others--for example, s-video cable typically is two mini-coaxial cables combined either in a common outer jacket or a zip-cord type arrangement.
The origin of the RG designations is in old, long-obsolete military specs; RG stands for "Radio Guide," and the RG numbers are completely arbitrary. Most cables today are referred to as RG-# "type," meaning that they don't strictly conform to the original Radio Guide specifications. The result is that the RG designations are so non-specific that it's not really possible to say how a cable will perform just from knowing its RG number. We see a lot of discussions on message boards and the like where it's asserted that "RG-59 has lower bandwidth than RG-6" or "RG-59 is not as well shielded as RG-6"; statements like that are never really strictly correct. They may be correct as between one particular RG-6 and one particular RG-59, but not between others.
Take RG-6, for example. The only thing one can say generally about RG-6 type coaxes is that they have an 18 AWG center conductor. An RG-6 might be a cheap generic CATV coax, designed strictly for economy, with a thin aluminum braid and a copper-coated steel center conductor; it might be a better-grade CATV coax, with an aluminum "quad shield" arrangement; or it might be a precision serial digital video coax, with a dense copper braid and double-foil shield, solid copper center conductor, nitrogen-injected PE foam dielectric, and extremely broad bandwidth and tight impedance tolerance. When people ask, "can I just use RG-6 for this application," the only correct answer is a question: what do you mean by "RG-6"? High-bandwidth serial digital video and cable TV distribution may both use RG-6 type cable, but that doesn't mean that the cable for one is necessarily suitable for the other.
RG6 only specifies a family of co-ax cables with similar characteristics. Within the family, there are several variations such as the materials used, screening and other characteristics. To select the right cable, there is no alternative to looking at the data sheets supplied by all manufacturers.
Remember that there are quality variations between manufacturers, so if you can't get a data sheet from a supplier, look elsewhere. All of the better quality suppliers will be happy to provide a data sheet. Those who won't give you a data sheet may have something to hide or simply don't know the performance of their own cable.
RG6 quad just means 4 layers insulation vs. the two layers provided with RG6 dual. See the picture below:
What is however more significant, is the percentage coverage or braids provided. When selecting cable, shielding from external sources or interferences is probably the most significant quality to consider.
In addition, it would be wise to consider the difference between pure copper and copper clad center conductors. Although notably cheaper, copper clad will without a doubt corrode over time, even if it is properly sealed. Customers residing in coastal areas, especially those within 1km of the beach, should not even consider copper-clad under any circumstances!
