How long does it take to get your VAST box activated?

[lameboyadvance]

We recently got a SatKing VAST box to use in our motorhome.

I have read about people getting their activations passed almost instantly, while the website states it may take up to 2 business days to do it.

How long on average does it take? We signed up through the website a few hours ago. Its a Monday so maybe they have to work through a weekend backlog. Maybe traveler regos get less priority than house ones.

Also, does the box need to be a) on channel 800 or b) on at all to be activated? Is it OK to leave it on one of the deactivated channels so you will see when it starts working? Is it OK just to leave it in standby?

[mtv]

Activation time varies.

It seems requests are processed in order of receipt, so you may be correct they are working through the backlog from the weekend.

Theoretically, an update/activation could occur with the box even in standby, but I find it's best to be turned on and the tuning channel selected.

That way you know for sure you're receiving signal.

You can then periodically change channel to see if activation has occurred.

What you MUST do is ensure your decoder has signal BEFORE you send your activation request, as I've seen a few happen within a minute of sending a request and if the box isn't ready.... it misses the activation.

[gordon_s1942]

First, have everything connected, STB turned ON and on ch 800 (default, you cant select channels until it is authorised as far as I know), press submit on the completed form and count to 10 !!!
By the time I turned around from the computer to face the TV, it had started the authorisation procedure.
The last one I did was on a weekday, never tried over a weekend.
It took me longer to go through each channel to ensure all were running than it did for all channels to be opened.

[OSIRUS]

one post I remember took nearly 2 days to get the activation,

myself, it has happened, one within about 2 or 3 hours, & one nearly instantly ....... (so it may vary)

I usually have the STB turned on (receiving pictures) on channel 800 (with the UEC STB)

(of course with the Card in the STB ......) better not to take it out .....

when it is activated, if I remember correctly, (it automatically goes to an activated channel ..... e.g channel 1, if you are activated to receive this channel)


If nothing happens within 2 days, I would then start checking up, a few things

[lameboyadvance]

I just went into the box options and noticed the region was not set to 'NSW/ACT'.
Would it being set to the wrong region stop the box from activating at all?

[mtv]

No, the region will change to what you have requested in your traveller application when activated.

[gordon_s1942]

If it hadnt been activated by 'Close of Business' time on the day of applying (weekday), I would be asking why the next day.
Go over your application and ensure you have filled in all the relevant information and if it all looks ok, ring the Activation number.

As MTV said, if you didnt have the STB on and receiving ch 800 when you made the application (online?) , you could have missed the signal.

[transit]

If you are still not activated there is no reason why you can't also try to do a rehit. Last box I activated I gave them my info but they were having technical problems so after a couple of hours it still wasn't activated. I just did the rehit a couple of times and bingo it was working.

AFAIK doing a rehit will cause no harm whether you are activated yet or not. Try it:

[LeroyPatrol]

Of course the box has to be on. How else will the smart card be updated if the box is off???

Leroy

[gordon_s1942]

Thats why its 'safer' and surer to have the STB showing ch 800 when you submit the application.

[ags_]

Never had to wait more than 10mins, most times less than a min. 28th Satking box today, 200+ UEC. Only sell Satking now as I have run out of std UEC psu's ! and prefer the Satking for multiple reasons.

[Panwest]

It depends entirely on where you live.
Remote areas and eastern states are usually "within a Few Hours"
Other areas state "within 48 hours of working day" and usually take at least 24 hours.
If you get the following message then expect to wait the full 3 weeks before you can watch most channels.

You may be eligible to be issued with a Reception Certificate which
authorises commercial VAST reception and your application has been
forwarded to the terrestrial commercial TV broadcasters in your area
for their assessment. They will advise us in the next 15 business days
if a Reception Certificate is to be issued in your case.

After 3 weeks you get this and lots of agro people.
Thank you for your recent application to receive VAST television services.
You have been issued a Reception Certificate authorising reception of commercial
VAST services.

[transit]

You may be eligible to be issued with a Reception Certificate which
authorises commercial VAST reception and your application has been
forwarded to the terrestrial commercial TV broadcasters in your area
for their assessment. They will advise us in the next 15 business days
if a Reception Certificate is to be issued in your case.

Presumably this doesn't apply in lameboyadvance's situation as he will be registering as a traveler.

As to other's ideas about keeping it on channel 800 and having the unit ready etc. I don't reckon that it really matters as you can do a rehit anytime -- rehits are an automated process. Getting registered on their computer is the tricky bit and doesn't require anything to be powered on. Once registered rehit at your leisure. Less pressure on everyone.

[lameboyadvance]

I saw the rehit option when I was signing up.

Anyway I just tried it and got the following message:

This decoder has been registered in our system but may still be waiting processing. Please allow time for processing.

Maybe since I'm getting a traveller rego it takes them longer.

[lameboyadvance]

Well I did the rehit page a few times. It gave me that message each time, however I then found that my box was apparently working.

...Are you only supposed to receive the channels for your region?
It seems the NSW channels are in the lower (<100) slots, however I seem to be receiving channels from all the states in the higher ranges.

[Smacca]

Basically, VAST are happy for you to watch all local and interstate ABC and SBS channels from anywhere, but the commercial channels are restricted to only those that are local according to your registered VAST address.

So, channels 1-100 are local. Channels 200-399 are ABC and SBS channels which aren't local (interstate). You'll find your state's ABC and SBS channels up the top in their usual places (Ch 2, 3, 22, 30 etc). If you re-register your travellers authorisation with a different state, the channels up the top will change to match that state, and the left over ABC and SBS channels will always be in the 200-399 channel range.

See for a full list of the channels available on your box. Make sure you set the bouquet to VAST NSW and timezone to EST in the top-left menu.

[gordon_s1942]

From what I see the channel numbers you see are purely subjective and are selected by this LCN system the same as for Terrestrial channels.
If I remember correctly from other postings , the Eastern side see 7,9&10 etc but either all or part of WA see 5,6&8 instead, the same as numbering for the regional terrestrial channels which still makes no sense to me when the ABC and SBS use the same number country wide for both VAST and Terrestrial.

[kabammi]

Why are the commercial channels restricted to only those that are local, according to the registered VAST address?
Why do they care?
Do they pay some sort of fee to Optus for using the C1 satellite, depending on how many people are registered or something? Why would it matter? It's weird that the government channels are blanket across the country, but the commercial ones are not.
It would be great for getting some interstate AFL matches if it were the case.

[mtv]

Why are the commercial channels restricted to only those that are local, according to the registered VAST address?
Why do they care?

It's an ACMA licensing regulation.

Broadcasters care because they pay millions of $ each year for their licenses, so they want you to watch their advertising.

Somewhat silly I know with VAST, as most of the advertising is from remote areas... fine for those who live in those areas of course.

[crabber]

I feel for you guys in Oz, sitting smugly here in Europe with the majority of packages still sharable, it is hard to get my head around the fact that you are discussing what should be free to air channels!!!! Surely anyone advertising would want the widest audience possible?
I have said before I just don't know how we have let this situation arise, even here the Sky package encrypts and charges for some channels that are free to air on freeview, (terrestrial) talk about having their cake and eating it, people pay a subscription then have to put up with adverts. The programs are mostly repeats of ones the BBC has made, a 40 minute program is extended to an hour by adverts. HTF have they got away with it?