These are the ones that come up most often from readers testing setups on fibre, mobile data or a second-hand decoder. Short answers, no fine print.
Most smart TV boxes and soundbars stay on the bench for at least three weeks. That covers a firmware update cycle, a few load shedding events and enough evening viewing to see whether buffering shows up under real conditions.
Both. We log hourly data use on a prepaid bundle as well as on a fixed fibre line, because a 1080p stream that runs fine at home can chew through a phone bundle faster than people expect.
Yes. Second-hand OpenView and DTT boxes are welcome, especially if the channel list is outdated. We rescan, note signal strength and tell you which free channels still broadcast in your area type.
Every subscription write-up includes how PIN locks behave across profiles, what a child account can still reach, and the exact steps to cancel or pause a plan without a phone call.
From our own accounts and devices, not from press packs. We list what we paid, where we bought it and how support responded when something broke after an update.
Send the device model and your line speed, and we will point you to the closest test we have run. You can also read how we handle reader data in our privacy notes or reach the desk through contact.
Three ways households and small installers use the desk. Pick the one that matches what you already own and what you still need to figure out.
You already have a fibre line and a TV, and you are deciding between DStv, Netflix, Prime Video or a smaller platform. We map what each one costs you in data per hour, how subtitles hold up on local content, and how the cancellation flow actually behaves.
For smart TV boxes, soundbars and second-hand decoders. We time the unboxing, check the remote layout, look for gaps in the app store, and see what breaks after the first firmware update. Antenna and signal readings included where relevant.
A written walkthrough for a specific home: which room gets which device, how the Wi-Fi holds up at peak hours, where the mobile data bundle fits in, and what to do when the power drops mid-episode.
What we do
We keep a small bench of devices running for months at a time: a 50 Mbps fibre line in Johannesburg, a second-hand OpenView decoder, a mid-range soundbar and two smart TV boxes. Everything we publish comes from that setup, not from a press release.
Latest hands-on write-up: a review after the first month.
We log every stall, resolution drop and recovery time during peak hours, then compare DStv Stream, Netflix and Prime Video on the same router.
From unboxing to first channel: how long it takes, which apps are missing from the store, and whether the remote makes sense without the manual.
Measured consumption for HD and 4K streams, plus notes on mobile bundles and what happens when a subscription keeps counting during load shedding.
PIN setup, profile locks, and the exact steps to cancel a monthly plan. We note where the process is buried and how long it actually takes.
What breaks after an update, which free-to-air channels survive a rescan, and what we paid for used decoders. If you want a device tested, send it to our desk.