How to choose a TV dish and connect?

Satellite television has been in high demand for many years - no wonder, because such a dish allows you to watch many different television channels. But there is one problem - which operator to choose and how to connect a TV dish so as not to overpay. This is what we will burn about today in our article.

Unlike cable television, satellite television does not involve paying a subscription fee for each channel, but connecting when buying an antenna or after a whole package of TV channels for every taste and wallet. At the same time, depending on the selected operator, you can watch from 20 to 300 channels of various types and genres. The main condition for connection is the purchase and installation of a special satellite dish, which is popularly called a dish.

Despite the simple principle of work for the layman, professionals understand how difficult it is. And therefore great attention is paid to the correct connection of the satellite dish... Otherwise, the standard fine-tuning may be damaged, and signal transmission to the receiver may be distorted or even absent. Although the TV dish is presented in various forms on the market today, the general principle of work they all have the same... But only the principle of connecting the antenna to the TV may still differ.

However, before proceeding with the independent connection of the dish to the TV, it is necessary to determine what type it belongs to. The sequence of actions will depend on this. There are several varieties of this device on the market today.

• The round antenna is the most popular type. It is available in different diameters and by different operators and companies. Their surface is smooth and solid. It is a round dish that is the best antenna option in cases where the source of the signal itself is very far away. By the way, these antennas are in the greatest demand in our country. Such an antenna is suitable for a summer cottage, for a home, and even for installation on an office building.

• Mesh models today are outdated and practically not produced. This is a simple grille on a stand that both receives the signal and simultaneously transmits it to the TV. It usually acts as an indoor antenna. A separate receiver is not provided here, such devices are not suitable for use in those regions where the coverage area of ​​satellite television is weak.

• Multi-focus antennas have several convectors inside at once. They allow you to receive a signal from several satellites at once and simultaneously transmit it to one or more receivers. For home private use, such antennas are not suitable - they receive a weak signal, and for normal operation at home, they must be made especially cumbersome.

• Oval or offset TV dishes work on the same principle as round ones. Under optimal conditions, they can reflect a signal from two sources at once. They work in tandem with the receiver. But judging by the feedback at work, such cymbals are no better, and sometimes even worse than their round counterparts.

There is no need to connect something extra here.

In order not to be disappointed in your purchase, but to enjoy high-quality satellite TV for many years, you need to choose the right antenna. To do this, you must take into account the basic purchase criteria.

• Place and frequency of use. It only seems at first glance that such indicators are unimportant. But if a satellite dish or TV antenna is purchased for a summer residence or rare viewing, then it is quite possible to get by with an inexpensive budget option. In this case, there is simply no need to purchase a powerful multi-channel antenna. In addition, a compact device, such as a mesh device, can be easily connected and disconnected by yourself, if necessary, without fear of damaging the signal quality. However, if the plate is purchased for frequent use and for a large family, then it is not worth saving here. In a city or remote village, it is better to install round plates with a strong signal that will allow you to enjoy your favorite channels all the time.

• Number of TVs. Another important choice parameter is that the more there are, the more powerful the antenna should be. At the same time, the masters say that mesh antennas are suitable only in cases where only one device will be used. In other cases, it is necessary to purchase special devices designed to transmit a signal to 2 or 4 TVs. In some cases, the purchase of additional receivers may also be required. The main thing is to make sure that the connectors of the receiver and the TV match.

• Antenna size... This indicator is also one of the key ones. And here everything is simple - the larger the area of ​​the plate itself, which receives and reflects the signal, the better the image quality will be. If the signal level in the region is weak or is often interrupted, then it is necessary to choose antennas whose main area is at least 60 cm in diameter. The more channels the dish receives and transmits to the receiver, the larger its size should be. Usually, satellite TV operators take these parameters into account on their own and offer their customers an antenna that is optimally balanced in these parameters.

• Antenna material... Most often, buyers are offered antennas made of materials such as:
  • aluminum - such dishes and antennas are very light, it is convenient to transport and connect them yourself; they transmit and receive signals from the satellite in good quality;
  • steel antennas are slowly leaving the market, more often only multifunctional antennas are made from this material; household devices made of this material are heavy and difficult to install;
  • plastic models are easy to use and install, perfectly receive and transmit a signal and have a long service life; they have one minus - their fragility;
  • antennas from fiberglass are considered today the best option, so if the device is to be mounted on the street and it is not planned to remove it at all, you should choose a television dish made of this particular material.

Regardless of what kind of television dish was chosen and purchased, there is no point in overpaying for its installation when this work can be done on your own. In this case, there is no need to possess any special specialized skills. The main thing is to prepare the necessary tools and carefully study the instructions.

Usually we are talking about installing and connecting round or oval plates. There are also options here - connect the antenna to the TV directly or use a splitter to distribute the signal to several TV screens at once. In the first case, the sequence of actions will be as follows:

• it is necessary to assemble the plate itself, strictly following the instructions supplied by the manufacturer;
• using anchors and bolts, it is fixed on the outside of the building facade in the place where the signal is strongest; the cymbal head should be turned exactly towards the strongest signal;
• then a special cable is connected to the plate, which is pulled into the house and attached to the receiver, which is included in the kit;
• now the receiver is connected to the TV through a special connector;
• you need to turn on the TV and go to the dish settings; further, following the instructions, it is worth setting the time and date, as well as choosing the broadcasting region.

If several receivers are connected to one plate at once, then several cables are connected in it, the general sequence of actions will be the same as in the previous version.

In modern TVs, there is one more the ability to configure and connect the antenna to the TV. The receiver is not needed in this case. But you need to make sure that the TV has a special connector - DVB-S2, it is he who plays the role of a built-in tuner, that is, a receiver. Using a special adapter that comes with the cymbal or sold separately, the cable is directly connected to the tuner. Then the standard channel setup is performed. This option is also suitable if one antenna will transmit a signal to several screens at once.

Here we are talking about connecting the antenna to the TV in cases where when there is no input for the receiver and a simple mesh antenna will be installed... The connection itself in this case is quite simple. Together with the purchased television antenna, a special connection diagram is also attached. All that is required from the user is to insert the device cable into the appropriate connector on the TV and turn it on. Then go to the "Menu" item and make the settings according to the instructions on the screen. In this case, install the antenna in the place where the reception signal is strongest.

In some cases, it has to be installed on the walls or even on the facade of the building. For this, special fasteners and bolts are used, with which the antenna is securely fixed in a stationary state so that the signal does not disappear. If we are talking about TVs with an already built-in tuner and antenna, then all that is required from the user is to install the household appliance in the chosen place, turn it on and search for channels. After that, the sound and signal should appear on the screen within 5 seconds. Doing all this with your own hands is not so difficult. The main thing is to really carefully read the instructions and study the assembly scheme of the antenna itself.

How to install and configure a satellite dish for three heads yourself, see below.