DSTV and flashing lights

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EDIT: For some reason I’m getting a lot of hits on this page at the moment, it only addresses one element on one decoder. If you have any other hassles with your decoder check out this link.

I went home this evening for a family get together and walking into the TV room I noticed an annoying flashing orange light on our Multichoice DSTV decoder. Although others had noticed it, no one knew anything about it. While browsing through some channels my sister pointed out a small “letter” icon which had popped up in the one corner of the screen. Going to the menu and opening the “Mail Messages” option gives one a brief notice about new terms and conditions relating to Multichoice. It also stopped the flashing light.

Mentioning this to my Dad, he told me my Gran had been complaining about the light too, quick phonecall to her and problem solved, along with a set of instructions she was to pass on to her friends.

Now I like the way that Multichoice have integrated this feature into the system, it’s just a pity that I doubt anyone actually knows about it. I’m also very curious to know how many phone calls the service centre got about this flashing light that just started randomly last week.

So for anyone wanting to get rid of the flashing orange light:
Turn on your TV and Multichoice Decoder. Take your remote and push the bottom left “Menu” button. A menu should come up on your screen, scroll down to the “Mail Messages” option (if I recall it was option 4) using the cursor/arrow buttons, and use the select button to go into the Mail Messages. It should display a message with regards to the new terms and conditions. Once read, the light should stop flashing and you can press the white “Exit” button once or twice to resume your viewing.

49 thoughts on “DSTV and flashing lights”

  1. help please everytime i press any button the orange light flicker on the decorder

    • I can’t remember off hand, but there is supposed to be a light on the decoder that flickers every time you push a button on the remote. Does the decoder still respond?

      • Good Day my decoder does the same the orange light comes on when i press a button on the remote when set to tv2 but it always worked on tv1, but anyways the decoder does not respond to the remote only give me a orange light when a button is pressed.
        Please assist.
        Kind Regards

  2. Hi, we had a power outage and when the power came back on my decoder just displayed the nr 2 on the decoder screen and the tv screen remains black.
    When i reset the decoder it doesnt scan or anything, it only displays 2==2 with a red light and after a few seconds only displays 2 again.

    is my decoder faulty or what can I do?

    • Hi Albie

      Sorry, unfortunately I have no idea what those error codes mean. Your best bet would be to contact Multichoice directly, or you can try asking on the DSTV Forums.

      Good luck

    • Hi could you manage to fix it,? I have the exact same problem at this moment also because of a power outage

  3. what if after reading the message tafter you exist the orange light is still on.

    • Hi Rasheed

      Sorry, unfortunately I don’t know much about the deconders. Your best bet would be to contact Multichoice directly, or you can try asking on the DSTV Forums.

    • Hi, when the green and red light flashes on your decoder. It usually means your power supply is faulty. Just remove the power supply from wall socket and plug a new one into your decoder. This should do the trick!

  6. Hello Gareth.
    I found you by googling ‘navigating DSTV without a tv screen’
    I’m a Luddite living in the bush and do not/will not have tv in the home. nonetheless I do have a decoder to receive the radio channels. Recent visitors fiddled with the decoder and I am now music-less (classicfm). Not a happy state. Request.
    Can you list step-by-step how to navigate using only the remote once I have plugged and fired up the decoder and music system?
    The nearest multichoice office (Plett) cannot get thier heas around anyone not having a tv and are useless to me.
    Love your site.

    Michael

    • Hey Michael

      I’m sorry to hear about your problem. I unfortunately don’t have a DSTV decoder, the one I wrote the article about was my parents’. If I recall, after turning the power on, you should be able to get to the music channels by using the remote. After the decoder has been on for a minute or so, push the shift button on the remote, and then the audio/tv button on the remote. This should get you to the music channels, then you just need to determine which one is the ClassicFM channel.

      Hope this helps.

  7. Hi need some help on my decoder left for work it was fine playing,the next moment I came back later it was showing a orange flashing light and a green solid light the usual one,but the tv was off and I switched it on and the tv screen kept on showing searching for signal from ever since sunday.I would like to know what’s the pro with it?

    • Sorry, I no longer have a DSTV decoder. Trying phoning the customer care or checking out the DSTV forums linked in a previous comment.

    • Hi Sidney not sure, have you had a look around the DSTV selfhelp page to see if you come right?

  9. Hi, we had a power outage and when the power came back on my decoder 1131 just displayed the yellow,blue and red light on the decoder screen and the tv screen remains black.

    is my decoder faulty or what can I do?

    • Hi, I’m not sure, check out the link to the DSTV help forums at the top of the page.

  10. Hello,
    I have a DSD 1131 decoder. When plugged to power source is displays a red, amber and green lights and decoder does not boot.

    Kindly assist with guides to resolution.

    May I also point out that the decoder firmware was recently updated.

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