OpenView Channels List 2026: What You Get Free in Yzerfontein

This guide covers the full OpenView channels list Yzerfontein homes can watch for free in 2026. We set up OpenView every month on the West Coast, from holiday homes on the dunes to farm cottages on the Darling road. Below we explain what you need, how to get every channel on screen, and what to do when some are missing.

What you need before the OpenView channels list shows up

You need three things: a dish pointed at the right satellite, an OpenView decoder, and a phone to activate it. That is the whole kit.

The equipment checklist

• An OpenView decoder. OpenView lists it at R799 on its own website at the time of writing (October 2026), without a dish or installation.
• A satellite dish. OpenView recommends an 85cm dish in South Africa.
• An LNB on the dish arm and good RG6 coaxial cable to the decoder.
• An HDMI cable to the TV. Any TV works, old or new.
• A cellphone to dial the activation code.

You do not need a TV licence to buy or watch OpenView, according to OpenView's own help page.

Already have a DStv dish?

If your dish already points at the IS-20 satellite for DStv, you can often plug the OpenView decoder straight in. If you want DStv and OpenView on one dish, a dual LNB lets both decoders run at the same time. Our OpenView HD installation service covers this, and we check your dish on site before we change anything.

Some homes in Yzerfontein have an old dish facing the wrong way, or a dish left behind by a previous owner. Those need repositioning before any OpenView channel will appear.

The full OpenView channels list for 2026

Here is the full OpenView channels list, taken from every TV channel on OpenView's official channel page at the time of writing (October 2026). OpenView says it adds or removes channels from time to time, so your decoder guide is always the final word.

Channel 100 is not a TV channel on the OpenView channels list. It is the information channel, and you will use it during activation, because it shows the number to dial.

OpenView radio stations on 600 to 625

Many people never scroll past 135. Keep going and you reach the radio range. OpenView's help page counts 28 radio channels. Stations on the official list include:

• Good Hope FM, 5FM, Metro FM and Kaya FM
• RSG, SAfm and Radio 2000
• Jacaranda FM, Heart FM, Gagasi FM, OFM and YFM
• Ukhozi FM, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Lesedi FM and other SABC language stations

It is a handy extra for a braai area speaker or a quiet morning at the beach house.

Which channels on the OpenView channels list are in HD?

Not every channel is high definition. OpenView names e.tv, eToonz, eReality, eExtra, eMovies, eMovies Extra, Star Life and SABC Sport as HD channels. If one channel looks softer than another on a big TV, that is usually the broadcast, not your dish.

How to get every channel on screen: 6 steps

This is the order we follow to get the full OpenView channels list on screen. Doing it in this order saves a lot of head scratching.

1. Connect the dish cable first. Screw the LNB cable firmly onto the decoder's input. Then plug in the power.
2. Connect the TV. Run an HDMI cable from the decoder to the TV and select that HDMI input.
3. Let the decoder search. A new decoder scans for the satellite on its own. Wait until channel 100 appears.
4. Write down your STB number. Press the HELP button on the OpenView remote. The STB number shows on the help screen.
5. Activate by phone. Dial *120*6843*1# from your cellphone and follow the prompts, using your STB number.
6. Wait and check. The decoder may reboot and update its software. Give it a few minutes, then press GUIDE or EPG to see the 8-day TV guide.

If you want more detail on scanning and saving channels, our step-by-step guide on how to add channels on OpenView walks through the menus.

Troubleshooting each step when OpenView channels are missing

Most calls we get about a short OpenView channels list come down to one of four problems. Match your screen to the step below.

Step 1 and 3 problems: no signal or E52

Messages like "No signal", "No satellite found" or E52 "Searching for signal" mean the decoder cannot see the satellite. The fix on OpenView's help page is simple:

1. Unplug the power and the dish cable from the decoder.
2. Plug the dish cable back in first.
3. Plug the power back in and let it reboot.

If nothing changes, press HELP and read the strength and quality bars. If both sit at 0%, the cable, the connector or the dish is the problem, not the decoder.

Step 4 and 5 problems: only channel 100, or an error code

If channel 100 works but nothing else does, the decoder needs activation. Errors such as E04, E06, 20, 69 and 200 also clear through activation. Dial *120*6843*1#, pick option 2 to clear errors and follow the prompts. OpenView says it can take 5 to 10 minutes to clear.

Picture breaks up when it rains

Heavy rain weakens any satellite signal. OpenView calls this rain fade, and it clears once the rain eases. If your picture breaks up in light rain, your signal is too weak to begin with. Our guide to signal strength versus signal quality explains what healthy numbers look like.

Yzerfontein conditions that affect your OpenView channels list

The OpenView channels list is the same in every town. What changes is how well your dish holds them. Our coastline is tough on outdoor gear.

Wind, salt and sand

The south-easter blows hard along the West Coast in summer. A dish on a weak bracket shifts a few millimetres, and that is enough to lose quality. Salt air also eats into unsealed F-connectors over time.

• Use a solid wall bracket, bolted into masonry, not a fascia board.
• Seal every outdoor connector against salt and moisture.
• Clip cables tight so they cannot flap in the wind.
• Check the dish after a big storm, especially on exposed roofs facing Dassen Island.

We explain why this matters in more depth in our article on why coastal installs are different.

Holiday homes and complexes

Many houses here, and around Grotto Bay and the Jacobsbaai side, stand empty for months. OpenView suits them well, because there is no bill while nobody is home. The catch is that a decoder left unplugged for a long time may need its errors cleared when you return. Keep the STB number on a note next to the TV.

Complexes that already have a shared DStv dish can usually receive OpenView too. Speak to the body corporate first, then ask us to check the distribution system.

Farms on the Darling road

Further inland, long cable runs from a shed or outbuilding lose signal. We often fit the dish closer to the house to keep the cable short. Our local DStv installers in Yzerfontein cover these farms as part of our normal West Coast area.

Only want SABC channels?

Some people only watch SABC news and soapies. A properly fitted aerial may be enough, although terrestrial reception varies a lot in our area. Our TV aerial and antenna installation starts with a signal test on site, so you know before you spend.

OpenView or DStv: what the free list does not include

The OpenView channels list is a strong free line-up, but it is not DStv. Be clear about the gaps before you buy a decoder.

If Saturday rugby is not negotiable, OpenView alone will disappoint you. Many families run both: DStv in the lounge and OpenView in a bedroom, sharing one dish. Our full comparison of OpenView vs DStv in Yzerfontein sets out the costs side by side.

For a whole new setup with either service, start with DStv installation in Yzerfontein and we will tell you honestly which suits your house.

Before you buy, check that the channels you watch most are on the OpenView channels list above. If they are, OpenView is one of the best value TV options on the coast.

OpenView channels list Yzerfontein: FAQ