It’s super annoying when you’re trying to watch your favorite show on DStv and the picture is all fuzzy and pixelated. It’s like trying to watch a movie through a block of ice. Most of the time, this is because of a weak DStv signal. The good news is that it’s really easy to check your DStv signal strength and quality.

To check your DStv signal strength, press the "Help" button on your remote, then go to "General Information" and select "Tuner Status". This will show you the signal strength and quality for each tuner. You want to see both of these above 80% for the best picture quality. I remember the first time I did this, I was so relieved to see it was just a loose cable causing my signal issues!

How to Check Your DStv Signal Strength

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to check your DStv signal strength:

1. Press the "Help" button on your remote: This will take you to the help menu.

2. Go to "General Information": Use the arrow keys to navigate to this option and press "OK".

3. Select "Tuner Status": This will show you the signal strength and quality for each of your tuners.

4. Check the signal strength and quality: You should see two bars for each tuner. One for signal strength and one for signal quality. You want to see both of these above 80% for the best picture quality.

What do the numbers mean?

The signal strength and quality are shown as percentages. Here’s what they mean:

• Signal Strength: This is how strong the signal is from the satellite dish to your decoder.
• Signal Quality: This is how good the quality of the signal is.

You can have a strong signal, but if the quality is poor, you will still have a bad picture. That's why it's important to check both.

What to do if your signal is weak

If your signal strength or quality is below 80%, there are a few things you can do to try and improve it:

• Check your cables: Make sure all the cables are properly connected to your decoder and your satellite dish. A loose cable is often the culprit. I had a friend who was about to call a technician, but I told him to check his cables first. Turns out, his cat had been playing with them and one had come loose!
• Check your satellite dish: Make sure your dish is pointing in the right direction and that there are no obstructions, like trees or buildings, blocking the signal.
• Reset your decoder: Sometimes, a simple reset can fix the problem. To do this, unplug your decoder from the power for 30 seconds and then plug it back in.
• Call a DStv installer: If you’ve tried all of the above and you’re still having problems, it’s time to call a professional. They will be able to diagnose the problem and fix it for you. If you're having other DStv issues, you might find our guide on how to clear the DStv installation wizard helpful.

It’s super annoying when you’re trying to watch your favorite show on DStv and the picture is all fuzzy and pixelated. It’s like trying to watch a movie through a block of ice. Most of the time, this is because of a weak DStv signal. Speaking of entertainment, did you know you can earn vouchers for things like airtime and Takealot just by playing games and taking surveys on the Points Castle app?