How to Add Channels on OpenView: 6 Easy Steps for Worcester
Quick answer: You do not buy extra channels on OpenView. Every channel is free, so adding channels means letting the decoder scan the dish, then activating it with your STB number by dialling *120*6843*1# on your phone. If channels are still missing, press HELP on the remote and check that signal strength and quality are above 75%.
This is our plain guide on how to add channels on OpenView Worcester homes can follow at the TV tonight. We get this call every week, from Worcester West to farms past Rawsonville. Most of the time the fix takes ten minutes and costs nothing.
Below you will find what you need, the exact steps, what to do when a step fails, and the local things that trip people up in the Breede River Valley.
Key points: how to add channels on OpenView
- OpenView has no monthly fee, so there is no package to upgrade.
- Channels appear after the decoder scans the dish and you activate it.
- Activation is free: dial *120*6843*1# and use the STB number on the HELP screen.
- Signal strength and quality should both sit above 75%.
- Most missing channels come down to signal, a loose cable or a skipped activation.
How to add channels on OpenView: what it really means
On DStv, more channels means a bigger package. On OpenView, the line-up is the same for everyone and it costs nothing each month.
So when channels go missing, nobody has switched them off. The decoder has simply lost them, or never saved them in the first place.
At the time of writing (October 2026), OpenView's own help page lists over 20 TV channels and 28 radio channels. It also says channels are added or removed from time to time.
If you want to see what should be on your screen, our OpenView channels list for Worcester sets out every channel number.
That list is your yardstick. Knowing how to add channels on OpenView starts with knowing what should be there. If your decoder shows far fewer, something in the steps below needs attention.
What you need before you start
Learning how to add channels on OpenView is easier with a few things in hand. It saves you running between the lounge and the yard.
- Your OpenView remote with working batteries.
- A cellphone with airtime or signal, to dial the activation code.
- A pen and paper to write down your STB number.
- The decoder's user manual, if you still have it, for the factory reset page.
- A dish that is already pointed and connected, either an OpenView dish or a shared DStv dish.
Which decoder do you have?
Look at the sticker under the decoder for the model number. OpenView's setup guide covers the KSTB 6168, which can also connect to Wi-Fi for extra +More content.
Some steps differ when the decoder is connected to a Smart LNB, so it helps to know your model before you begin.
Do you have a working dish?
No amount of scanning helps if the dish is missing, loose or pointed wrong. If you are starting from scratch, our OpenView HD installation service supplies, fits and aligns the dish in one visit.
At the time of writing (October 2026), OpenView says its decoders start at R799 at large retailers. That price is for the decoder only, not the dish or fitting.
How to add channels on OpenView in 6 steps
These are the same steps for how to add channels on OpenView on any current decoder. Do them in order, because each one depends on the one before.
- Connect the dish cable. Screw the cable from the dish into the LNB IN or DISH IN port on the back of the decoder. Make it finger tight.
- Connect the TV. Use HDMI if your TV has it, then pick the matching HDMI input on the TV remote.
- Switch on and let it scan. Plug in the power. The decoder starts a channel scan by itself. Leave it alone until channel 100 appears.
- Find your STB number. Press HELP on the OpenView remote. Write down the STB number shown, then press EXIT to go back to channel 100.
- Activate the decoder. Dial *120*6843*1# on your cellphone, follow the prompts and enter your STB number. Our guide on how to activate an OpenView decoder walks through every menu option.
- Wait, then check. OpenView says it can take up to 5 minutes for channels to show. The decoder may reboot and update its software, so do not pull the plug.
Once the channels appear, use P+ and P- on the remote to move through them. Then press GUIDE or EPG to see the 8-day TV guide.
Local tip: On a holiday home in Brandvlei or De Doorns that stood empty for months, leave the decoder on overnight after activating. OpenView's setup guide says the KSTB 6168 runs its automatic software upgrade at 1:30am.
Channels still missing after all 6 steps?
Our local team can check the dish, cable and decoder in one visit, anywhere from the CBD to the outlying farms.
Troubleshooting each step when channels will not appear
Most people who ask us how to add channels on OpenView are really stuck on one step. Match what you see on screen to the right fix below.
Steps 1 to 3: "No signal", "No channels" or E52
These messages mean the decoder cannot hear the dish. OpenView's help page gives a simple reset that works more often than you would expect.
- Pull out both the power cable and the dish cable from the decoder.
- Plug the dish cable back in first.
- Then plug the power back in and let the decoder reboot by itself.
If that fails, press HELP and read the signal strength and quality at the bottom of the screen. Both should be above 75%. Our article on signal strength versus signal quality explains what those two numbers really mean.
If both read 0%, OpenView advises a factory reset using the steps in your decoder's user manual. A brand new decoder does not need this.
Step 3 on a Smart LNB: the scan finds nothing
Many Worcester homes share a DStv dish with a Smart LNB. OpenView's setup guide says the KSTB 6168 then shows "No Signal" on first start.
The fix is to press 0987 on the remote, open the LNB setting, switch it to SATCR and start a channel scan again. Once it finishes, the promo channel plays and you can activate.
Steps 4 and 5: only channel 100 shows
This means the decoder is not activated yet, or it has lost its activation. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with your STB number.
Error codes 200, 206, 69, 20, E04 and E06 are cleared the same way. Dial *120*6843*1#, choose option 2, enter your postal code and STB number, then wait 5 to 10 minutes. The full list is on the OpenView help and FAQ page.
Step 6: fewer channels than before
A scan that finds fewer channels than last time is nearly always a weak signal, not a lost channel. The dish may have moved a few millimetres in the wind.
A rescan will not fix that. Proper satellite dish alignment with a meter usually brings every channel back.
Worcester signal tips that affect your OpenView channels
How to add channels on OpenView is the same everywhere in South Africa. What changes is the weather, the buildings and the distance from town.
Wind, heat and dust in the valley
Afternoon wind off the mountains works on dish brackets in Langerug, Panorama and Fairy Glen. Summer heat makes bolts expand and loosen over time.
A dish that drifts slowly gives you a good picture on calm days and missing channels on windy ones. If that pattern sounds familiar, the bracket needs a check, not the decoder.
Rain fade after a Cape front
Heavy winter rain can break up the picture for a while. OpenView calls this rain fade and says to wait for the rain to stop before you call anyone.
If the picture does not come back once the sky clears, run through our checks for no signal after a storm before you rescan.
How to add channels on OpenView at a farm or holiday home
On farms near Rawsonville and De Doorns, the dish often sits on a shed far from the house. Long cable runs lose signal, and joins in the cable let water in.
When we do a DStv installation in Worcester or out on a farm, we plan the cable route first so OpenView and DStv both get a strong feed.
Load shedding and power dips
Power dips can corrupt the saved channel list without any other warning. If channels vanish straight after the power returns, do the cable reset first, then rescan.
A small surge plug for the decoder is a cheap way to protect it, especially in complexes in Somerset Park and Avian Park where many units share one supply.
Fix it yourself or call a technician?
Use this table to decide. It is based on the OpenView jobs we see most often around Worcester.
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Only channel 100 | Not activated | Dial *120*6843*1# with your STB number |
| Error 200, E04 or E06 | Activation dropped | Dial the code, choose option 2 |
| No signal or E52 | Loose cable or power glitch | Unplug both, dish cable first back in |
| Signal below 75% | Dish moved or cable damage | Book an alignment and cable check |
| Fewer channels each scan | Weak or drifting signal | Meter alignment, not another rescan |
The first three rows are free fixes you can do yourself. The last two need a ladder, a signal meter and some experience on a roof.
Our call-out and repair visits start from R550, as shown on our pricing. If you are still deciding between the two services, our DStv vs OpenView comparison weighs up the cost and the channels honestly.
When you would rather have it sorted properly, our Worcester DStv installers cover the whole Breede River Valley.
Keep your STB number written on the back of the remote. It makes every future activation quicker.
Want every free channel back without climbing the roof?
We align the dish, check the cable, scan and activate, then show you the signal numbers before we leave.
How to add channels on OpenView: Worcester FAQs
Can I add more channels on my OpenView decoder?
No, there are no extra channels to buy. Every OpenView decoder gets the same free line-up. So how to add channels on OpenView really comes down to a scan, activation and a good signal.
How do I add channels on OpenView without a remote?
You need the remote to see the HELP screen and your STB number, and to change channels. Activation itself is done on your cellphone with *120*6843*1#. Buy a replacement OpenView remote first, then follow the steps.
Why does my OpenView say no channel?
It usually means the decoder has lost signal from the dish. Unplug the power and dish cables, plug the dish cable in first, then the power. If it still fails, press HELP and check that signal strength and quality are above 75%.
How do I rescan channels on my OpenView decoder?
A new decoder scans by itself when you first switch it on. On a KSTB 6168 connected to a Smart LNB, press 0987, set the LNB to SATCR and start the scan. For other models, follow the channel search or factory reset page in your user manual.
Why are my OpenView channels not working after rain?
Heavy rain weakens the satellite signal for a while. This is called rain fade and it clears once the rain stops. If channels stay missing on a dry day, the dish or cable needs checking.
Is it free to add channels on OpenView in Worcester?
Yes. Activation and channels cost nothing, and there are no monthly fees. You only pay if you need a technician to fit, move or realign the dish.