Orbit TV

How a review gets from unboxing to publication

Every write-up on this desk follows the same order of work. Nothing is published from a spec sheet alone, and no test is skipped because a device is awkward to set up.

  1. Week 1

    Sourcing the unit

    We buy most boxes and soundbars ourselves at retail, which is why the notes include what we paid and where. Readers also send in second-hand decoders, and those arrive with their own history: missing remotes, old firmware, a channel list from three years ago.

  2. Weeks 2 to 4

    Setup and first impressions

    We time the unboxing to first working picture, then log the awkward parts: account sign-in loops, app store gaps, remote pairing that needs a second attempt. Subtitle accuracy and parental control menus get checked here, before the novelty wears off.

  3. Months 2 to 5

    Long-term viewing on real lines

    This is where buffering behaviour shows up. We run the same services across peak evening hours on fibre, note resolution drops, and measure data use per hour. Load shedding gets its own log, because a decoder and a fibre ONT rarely recover the same way after a power cut.

  4. Month 6

    Firmware updates and support

    We push every available update and watch what breaks: audio sync, HDR switching, an app that quietly disappears. Where something fails, we contact support and record how long a reply took and whether the answer actually solved it.

  5. Final stage

    Comparison tables and publication

    Findings go into the comparison tables for DStv, Netflix, Prime Video and the smaller platforms, with the cancellation process described step by step. Anything we could not test, such as behaviour on a generator, is stated plainly rather than guessed at.

How a device gets tested here

Every review on this desk follows the same route, whether it is a smart TV box bought second-hand in Reddyshire or a soundbar sent in by a reader. Nothing gets published from a spec sheet alone.

  1. Step 1

    You describe the setup

    Tell us the fibre line speed, the TV model, whether the box sits on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and which subscriptions you already pay for. A photo of the back panel saves a lot of guessing.

  2. Step 2

    We log the baseline

    Before changing anything we record current picture quality, data use per hour and how long the device takes to boot. This is the number everything later gets compared against.

  3. Step 3

    Setup, timed and filmed

    We install the box or soundbar ourselves and time each stage: unboxing, account sign-in, app store gaps, remote pairing. Firmware updates get installed mid-test, not skipped.

  4. Step 4

    Two weeks of evening viewing

    Peak-hour buffering, subtitle accuracy, parental controls and what happens during a load shedding cycle all get noted. We watch live sport, series and free-to-air channels on the same line.

  5. Step 5

    Support and cancellation tested

    We contact support with a real fault and time the reply. Then we try to cancel the subscription and note how many screens and clicks it takes before the plan actually stops.

  6. Step 6

    Write-up and comparison table

    Findings go into a plain spec table alongside DStv, Netflix and Prime Video, with the limits stated openly. What we could not test, such as generator-only setups, is listed as a gap.

Want to see the format first? Read a completed review after the first month or send the details of your setup through the contact page.

How we test, and what you get out of it

Every device and subscription on this desk goes through the same routine before it earns a write-up. We watch it for weeks, not an afternoon, and we note the parts most reviews skip: what happens on a 20 Mbps line at 8pm, how long a firmware update takes, and whether the cancel button is where you expect it.

Orbit TV method

  • Long-term testing, not first impressions

    We keep each box and app running for at least a month. Buffering, resolution drops and remote lag show up in week three, not on day one.

  • Numbers you can plan around

    Data use per hour, setup time from unboxing to first stream, and what a subscription costs you in bundle top-ups when the fibre drops.

  • Load shedding and recovery steps

    Which devices restart themselves after a power cut, which need a manual reset, and the order to bring a decoder, ONT and router back online.

  • Parental controls and cancel paths

    We check PIN setup, profile limits and how many clicks it takes to cancel. If a service makes leaving hard, that goes in the review.

  • Receipts, not just opinions

    Each write-up lists what we paid, where we bought it, and how support responded when something broke. Start with our first-month review or see how the desk works on the home page.

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