The OpenView decoder price is a once-off cost, and after that you pay nothing each month to watch TV. At the time of writing, the box alone sells for R799 on openview.co.za, shop specials start from around R599, and a kit with a dish and installation voucher sits around R1,699. So is free satellite TV worth it in Simon's Town? For a lot of homes, it is.
Quick answer
The OpenView decoder price at the time of writing is R799 for the box, or around R1,699 with a dish and installation voucher. There's no subscription after that. It's good value if you mostly watch e.tv shows, soapies, news and movies. If live rugby or the big pay channels matter to you, it won't be enough on its own.
What you actually pay up front
There are three common ways to buy OpenView. Each one costs a different amount on day one, so it helps to know which route suits your house before you go shopping.
- Box only: R799 on openview.co.za at the time of writing, or from around R599 when a shop runs a special. You still need a working dish.
- Kit with voucher: around R1,699 for the decoder plus a dish and an installation voucher.
- Box plus a local installer: you buy the decoder and book someone like our team for the dish, cable and setup.
In Simon's Town the box price is rarely the whole picture. A house stacked high above St George's Street, or a flat in Glencairn with the mountain behind it, may need a careful dish position. That's why many people book a proper OpenView HD installation instead of guessing.
Free satellite TV: what "free" really means
Free means no monthly fee and no contract. Once the decoder is activated, you get 20+ TV channels and a set of radio stations. The line-up includes e.tv, eToonz, eReality, eExtra, eMovies and StarLife, and some channels are in HD.
Free doesn't mean everything. There's no SuperSport and no M-Net. OpenView also isn't a DStv product. It belongs to eMedia, uses its own decoder and carries far fewer channels.
If you're deciding between the two for a second property, our piece on OpenView or DStv for holiday homes lays out the trade-offs in more detail.
Is the OpenView decoder price worth it over two years?
The easiest way to judge value is to add up two years of monthly fees. OpenView has none, so the decoder and setup are the only costs you carry.
| Option | Monthly fee at the time of writing | Fees over 24 months | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenView | R0 | R0 | Local shows, soapies, movies, news |
| DStv EasyView | R30 | R720 | A small, basic channel list |
| DStv Starter | R150 | R3,600 | 85+ channels on a tight budget |
| DStv Select | R339 | R8,136 | Family viewing with 100+ channels |
DStv also needs its own decoder and dish, so those costs sit on top of the fees. On money alone, OpenView wins easily. The real question is whether its channels are the ones your household actually watches.
Who gets real value from OpenView in Simon's Town
We see OpenView make the most sense in a few kinds of homes around town.
- Retired couples who mainly watch soapies, news and the evening movie.
- Holiday flats and guesthouse units where guests just want something on.
- A granny flat or cottage that needs a TV without another subscription.
- Families on short postings near the naval harbour who don't want a contract.
- Homes cutting a paid package to save money each month.
For guest rooms, it's worth reading our notes on TV for guesthouses and B&Bs before you decide how many boxes you need.
When paying for DStv makes more sense
If Saturday rugby is a fixed date in your house, OpenView will disappoint you. At the time of writing, DStv Sports at R479 a month carries every Premier League and PSL match. Springbok tests stay on Premium.
The same goes for M-Net series and kykNET. Those sit on paid packages like Movies & Series. Our breakdown of what DStv packages cost now shows the current line-up, and our team can handle a full DStv installation if that's the better fit.
Need DStv help in Simon's Town?
Tell us what you need or what your screen shows. We price the job before we drive out.
Setup costs that sit behind the OpenView decoder price
OpenView broadcasts from the same satellite position as DStv, Intelsat 20 at 68.5 degrees East. That means an old DStv dish on your roof can often be reused. A technician still needs to check the LNB and the cable before you rely on it.
False Bay salt air is hard on outdoor gear. Brackets rust and connectors corrode, especially on homes near Boulders and Miller's Point. Our guide to salt air and dish corrosion explains what to look for.
Wind and mountain shadow
The summer south-easter shakes loose dishes out of line. In Murdock Valley and parts of Castle Hill, the mountain can also block the dish's view of the north-eastern sky. We explain this in our post on signal shadows and line of sight.
What our own setup budget looks like
Our standard single dish installations usually budget from around R850 to R1,400 at the time of writing. Long cable runs, a steep roof or a heritage wall can push that higher. We quote first, so ask our team for a current quote before you buy anything.
Safety first
Simon's Town roofs are steep and the wind picks up fast. Please don't climb a ladder or go onto the roof to fit or move a dish yourself. That part is a job for a technician with the right gear.
How to get the best value from the OpenView decoder price
- Check whether you already have a dish that points at the right satellite.
- Compare the box-only price with the kit price on the day you buy.
- Ask exactly what the installation voucher covers, such as cable length.
- Activate the decoder online at openview.co.za, on WhatsApp or in the OpenView app.
- Rescan channels from the menu if any are missing after setup.
If the picture breaks up later, start with our list of fixes for OpenView signal problems. Most issues come down to a moved dish or a tired connector.
Good to know
The OpenView price you see on a shelf is a box price. A cheap special only saves money if your dish and cabling are already in good shape.
Our verdict on free satellite TV
For light viewers, OpenView pays for itself within months compared with any paid package. For sport lovers and series fans, it works better as a second TV option than a full replacement.
Whichever way you lean, the dish setup decides how well it works. A well-aimed dish on a solid bracket will ride out the wind and the rain.
Book an OpenView setup in Simon's Town
We fit OpenView across Simon's Town, Glencairn, Da Gama Park and Welcome Glen, and we test the signal with you before we leave. Our DStv installers in Simon's Town will tell you honestly if your old dish is still good. Contact our team for a quote.
OpenView decoder price: FAQs
What is the OpenView decoder price if I want it installed?
At the time of writing, a kit with the decoder, a dish and an installation voucher sells for around R1,699. The OpenView decoder with installation price can rise if you need a long cable run or a special bracket. Ask our team for a current quote.
Is OpenView free after you buy the decoder?
Yes. Once your decoder is activated there's no monthly fee and no contract. You only pay again if you need repairs, a new dish or extra cabling later on.
Does OpenView need a satellite dish?
Yes. OpenView is satellite TV, so it needs a dish and an LNB pointed at the right satellite. An existing DStv dish can often be reused because both services use the same satellite position.
Is the OpenView decoder price worth it for a Simon's Town holiday flat?
Usually, yes. A holiday flat that stands empty for weeks costs nothing to keep connected, because there's no subscription. Guests get local channels and movies, and you don't pay for months you aren't there.
Can I watch OpenView without WiFi?
Yes. The TV channels arrive through your satellite dish, not the internet. The current decoder is a WiFi enabled model, but you don't need a home network to watch the normal channels.