How to Search and Find Missing Channels on GOtv

GOtv is a pay-TV decoder that brings a variety of local and international channels. It gives you access to sports, movies, news, cartoons, and more channels to your home entertainment setup. But sometimes, you may find several of their offering missing in your listing.

So, what’s the procedure on how to search and find missing channels on GOtv? Well, you should first verify your GOtv account and package status and confirm that your antenna and cables are properly set up.

Once done, initiate a full channel scan on the decoder to restore any channels that were lost or changed.

Read on to learn more about the common causes of missing channels and the detailed steps you can take at home to restore them. 

Step-by-step guide on how to search and find missing channels on GOtv

Here are the steps you should follow to recover missing channels on GOtv:

1. Confirm your subscription package

Ensure you’re subscribed to a package that includes the missing channels. GOtv offers several bouquet packages, and each bundle has its own channel lineup. If a channel is not in your subscribed package, it will show up on your decoder but with an E16 error. 

This also happens when your GOtv subscription has expired. When a subscription lapses or is overdue, the decoder will display an error on all channels except the free ones. 

Solutions:

• Log in to your GOtv account on the MyGOtv app or website.
• You can also dial the GOtv USSD code, which is *423# in many countries, to check your account details.
• Find the section showing your current package name and expiry date. Confirm that it is active and not expired.
• If it has expired, pay or renew promptly so channels can resume. 
• If it’s active, look up the channel lineup for that package. You can view our guides on GOtv for more information
• If the missing channel is not in your current package, consider upgrading to a higher package so you can view it.

2. Check your antenna setup

Poor signal reception is a common reason channels go missing. If the GOtv antenna is misaligned, blocked, or connected poorly, the signal to your decoder will drop.

Also, a loose or frayed cable will have the same effects. This means some channels will disappear or freeze. 

Solutions:

• Check that the antenna is pointed in the correct direction. You can check your neighbors’ antennas and point yours in the same direction as theirs.
• The antenna must have a clear view of the transmission tower. There should be nothing obstructing the antenna, like buildings or trees. 
• Confirm if it’s mounted steadily and winds or rain won’t sway it out of position. 
• Tighten the coaxial cable connections at the antenna and at the decoder.
• Replace the cable if it’s frayed or damaged.
• If you have wire junctions or joints, check that you have connected them tightly and correctly. 
• Turn on your decoder and press MENU > Installation > Signal Information to view the signal strength. 
• The signal bars should be full. If not, try adjusting the antenna’s angle or height to improve reception. For this, you need help. One person should stay by the TV to monitor the signal while the other adjusts the antenna. Communicate by shouting when the signal is full.

3. Inspect your decoder and connections

Sometimes, TV input errors or cable faults make it seem like channels are missing when they’re just not displayed. Also, the decoder might have frozen due to software issues, leading to lost channels.

Solutions:

• Unplug the decoder’s power cable, wait about 30 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on. This reboot clears temporary glitches.
• Check the power light on the decoder, it should turn on and display normally. If it stays off or shows an error ( usually blinking orange), try a different power outlet or cable.
• Ensure your HDMI or AV cable between the decoder and the TV is fully inserted on both ends. Also, check that the TV is on the correct input. 
• If this fixes nothing, use new cables to connect your decoder and TV.

4. Be aware of updates and the need to rescan

GOtv changes channel frequencies or lineups during maintenance or reshuffles. After such updates, channels vanish from your list until you let the decoder update. 

Your decoder usually prompts you to scan when it detects these changes, but if you missed it, you’ll need to do the scan manually. 

Solutions:

• Turn on your decoder and TV. Using the GOtv remote, press HELP or MENU on older remotes to access the menu.
• Navigate to Advanced Options or Setup/Installation and select Installation.
• Tap Automatic Scan and press OK to start the scan. This tells the decoder to search for all available channels in the area.
• Let the scan run without interruption. It will automatically tune frequencies and list all found channels. Be patient, as this will take a few minutes. You will see a progress bar or channel count on screen.

• When the scan is complete, press EXIT to leave the menu. Your channels list will now be updated. Scroll through your channels to verify that the missing ones have reappeared.

Tip: If you still don’t see the channels after one scan, you can repeat the process and instead of Automatic Scan, try a full Reset or First Time Installation option in the menu. This will do a clean re-setup of the decoder, which can fix any stubborn issues.

5. Check for parental control or locked channels

GOtv allows you to block individual channels or entire categories, such as adult content, with a PIN code. If the global blocking is on or a channel is marked as blocked, it won’t show in your list even though you have access. Solutions:

• On the GOtv remote, press MENU and navigate to Parental Control 
• Enter your PIN. The default is 1234 unless you changed it.
• Ensure Global Blocking is turned off or set to Personalise rather than All Channels.
• Go to Block Channels or Channel Lock. Scroll through the list and find any channels that have a padlock icon next to them. Select each locked channel and press OK to unlock it.
• Exit the menu, and the previously locked channels should now appear normally.

When to Contact GOtv

If you have carefully followed all the steps above on how to search and find missing channels on GOtv and still cannot retrieve your missing channels, or if you face certain special issues, it may be time to contact support. Reach out to customer care in case of:

• Persistent error messages or issues: You see error codes on your screen (such as E16, E31, E32, E37, etc.) that do not go away after rescanning, resetting, or power-cycling.
• Channels missing despite valid subscription: Your account shows an active package that should include those channels, and you have a strong signal, but the channels still won’t return after scanning.
• Decoder malfunctions: Your decoder is physically damaged, won’t turn on, or repeatedly crashes.
• Subscription/account discrepancies: You have paid, or your auto-renew went through, but your account balance or package status is incorrect and affecting channels.

GOtv offers multiple support channels, but note that contact details vary by country. To get the correct contact details, always verify via the official GOtv website for your region. 

You can also use the MyGOtv app, their USSD code, or the online chat service on the GOtv website to report problems.