I’m not new to the Skylife decoder because I have recommended it many times to guys who have a particular problem that I will explain towards the end of this post. So lets get started
What is Skylife? Skylife is the latest digital terrestrial receiver brand to enter the Kenyan market. The brand Skylife has several Decoders with the same name but today I will be reviewing the latest decoder, SL-500T2. Before I go further let me mention that the Skylife decoder comes with 2 Years warranty. That in itself speaks about the quality of the product. No company will ever give you 2 years warranty if they are not 100 percent confident about what you are buying.
Physical features and whats in the box
The Skylife SL-500T2 is one of the smallest decoders I have ever encountered. It only has 3 buttons at the front namely CH+, CH- and standby button. The best feature by far is that the USB port is located at the front and not the back like most decoders in the market.
It is powered by an external 12 Volts adapter at only 1A which is very little electricity in tech talk.
Included in the box are the following items
- Skylife decoder
- Remote control
- RCA cable
- Pair of triple A remote batteries and a very detailed
- User manual
Hands on Testing
For testing purposes I connected the Skylife decoder to an analogue TV using a HDMI cable and powered it having connected a stable and well installed antenna.
The channel scan did not take long and what’s interesting is that it skipped all scrambled channels and listed only the free to air channels. Most decoders scan everything including the scrambled channels and so you have to skip a lot of channels just to get to a free to air channel. Channels switching from one to the other is also fast compared to most decoders. The channels are a little bit better on the HDMI cable than on the normal RCA cable.
The decoder does not heat so much but whatever little heat is produced it is dissipated by the vents on top of the decoder.
Don’t let the small size fool you, the Skylife decoder can handle up to 500GB external hard drive for watching movies and listening to music. Apart from that the External HDD can be used for PVR (Personal Video Recording). What this means is that you can record your favorite programs and watch them later or alternatively you can set your decoder to record the 7pm news (or anything else) and then watch at your own convenience.
More pictures of the Skylife set top box
Verdict
The Skylife set top box is the cheapest original and quality set top box there is in the market today. Which other decoder do you know has 2 years warranty and costs Ksh2,999? The answer is none.
Another advantage is that the USB port is at the front of the STB making it easier to insert Flash drives and External Hard drives.
The downside is that it doesn’t come with a HDMI cable, but you can always buy it afterwards.
To buy the decoder visit Digital Life Electronics at the junction of Kamae Road and Luthuli Avenue. Call 0722129070, 0790912433 or visit Skylife Set Top Box Facebook page for more information.
If you are not from Nairobi check the countrywide dealers here.
how true is the feature-(record one channel as you watch another) on the same decoder? also compare it with the hotpoint one. likes your articles, thanks
You can record one channel as you watch another only on one frequency. The only difference with the hotpoint decoder is the 2 year warranty period.
How do i upgrade the decoder software?
How do you pay for tv
channels
You don’t pay anything because its a free to air decoder.
How to pay skylife 500t2
How to pay skylife 500t2
The Skylife decoder is a free to air decoder. There are no monthly payments done whatsoever.
does it have tv channels
Yes it has, all available digital free to air channels in your area will be available.
How much it costs to buy
I would like to know how much to pay
This is a free to air decoder. As such, there are no monthly payments.
guys am looking for tecnosat T-888 remote control……if anyone has it and its working e-mail me franmuiah@yahoo.com
How do I restore channels when they are scrambled
Scrambled channels are free to air channels and cannot be unlocked unless you have a CI module from either Startimes or Gotv. Check this video I made about CI Modules for more information.
Who has the channel list for this decoder?
Its a free to air decoder so the channel list is dependent on your location. Read List Of TV Frequencies Assigned To Signal Distributors In Kenya
in case of technical problem where can i find help in kakamega
Just take the unit to the vendor who sold it to you. That’s the easiest way to get help
How can i change the channels from radio to Tv without using the remote ?
That is impossible. You need the remote control for that.
There some local t.v station that are nolonger working in my are like KBS,ntv,record how do I get them back. I don’t have a remote
How can increase decorder volume with out using the remote
Are there fta channels that shows “football” and “wildlife documentaries” amongst the 70 skylife decorder channels?
I need help plz this record znt working anymore wen l put it on it shows installation guide country it shows Kenya an wen l try to search 4 channels nothing z working so help me plz
Can anyone help me to change the resolution? My screen shows a message dubbed screen resolution out of range and nothing else is able to display
I have noticed that the decoder time(clock) is no accurate and very random.
How can this be corrected? and do you send the decoder updates over the air?
I am a Kenyan staying in Botswana. Can this decoder work in Botswana and SA? If yes what are the frequency and other installation eg. which satelite to use etc?
I bought my decorder and it went off how can I get another one
Where can I buy the remote control in kisii?please help