Before you begin the satellite HDTV installation you need to determine where the best place is to mount your brand new satellite dish. You need to have an unobstructed view of the southern sky for the best reception. The Dish can be mounted on your roof, on the side of your home, on a porch, or even in your yard - wherever you decide to place it make sure you are getting a good signal to your box.



If you live in an apartment or condo, or you have a strict home owner's association, this may prove difficult to mount your dish. You may need permission to mount your satellite dish on the outside of your home, but it shouldn't be difficult obtaining this permission as satellite dishes are everywhere these days.

Once you've got your dish mounted the next step is routing the cable from the Dish to the locations in your home where the satellite TV receivers are located. If you have an especially big home then this may prove to take some time, but have patience. Dish satellite is definitely worth the wait !

After the cable has been installed it is attached to the receivers and the receivers are then connected to your TVs. Last, but not least, the Dish is aimed toward the Dish Network satellite in order to get the correct azimuth (direction), skew (rotation), and elevation (angle). This is done using the elevation indicator on the Dish, a compass, and the signal strength meter from the Dish Network on-screen menu to fine tune the Dish for maximum reception. Take care when you are going through with this step, as your reception is at stake here. You wouldn't want to fly past these steps and have to live with medicore reception for your TV.

A Dish Network HDTV systems consists of the following:

a) A Satellite TV Dish. This is the device that captures the signal beamed down from a Dish Network satellite.

b) A LNB (low noise block) converter. This amplifies and converts the satellite TV signal and sends it to a receiver.

c) Satellite TV receiver. This little box processes the satellite TV signal and sends it to a TV.

When you order satellite TV service from Dish Network all the equipment you need for satellite TV viewing is absolutely free. Installation of the systems in up to four rooms of your home is also free. The installer will even show you how to operate your system and answer any questions you may have.

Dish network HDTV takes advantage of a technologically advanced satellite in a stationary orbit over the Earth to deliver television and audio programming. This type of orbit allows the satellite to keep aligned over one place on the surface of the Earth. Once the satellite Dish is aimed at the satellite, you're completely set. You will be deligted to know that the Dish does not have to move to follow the satellite.

The only disadvantage is that heavy rain, snow, or cloud cover can block the satellite signal, which can interrupt your programming service. By aiming the satellite Dish to get the strongest signal during installation, you can help prevent rain and snow from interrupting the signal. Your service will return after the bad weather conditions have gone.

There are also natural conditions that occur twice a year that you should be aware of. The sun moves to a position behind the Dish Network satellite as it orbits the Earth. The exact time of the year that this occurs varies, depending on the location, but it is near the beginning of spring and again near the beginning of autumn. The period of solar interference lasts for a few minutes at about the same time everyday for a few days during the spring and autumn, so do not be alarmed when it happens.

This is an unavoidable natural event for all television involving the use of satellites and has an adverse effect on many program providers. During this period, you will not be able to see programs on Dish Network, but don't panic if this happens. Once the sun has moved from behind the satellite, the programs will reappear and you will be able to enjoy your programs once again.

Dish Network has 350 channels of satellite TV programming including movie channels, sports packages, Sirius satellite radio channels, news channels, weather channels, game channels, and pay-per-view movies and special events.