How to Receive Sat TV With Old Dish Equipment
By Marshal M. Rosenthal
Satellite television is available to anyone with an existing satellite dish in place, a satellite receiver able to accept the dish's signal, and a subscription to a satellite service. You can receive satellite TV from old dish equipment that is already mounted on a roof, balcony or another location. A satellite receiver will be needed, as will a few cables. The procedure is straightforward and should not require realigning the existing satellite dish.
Wipe off the satellite dish with a rough cloth to remove loose dirt and other contaminants from its surface. Check that the coaxial cables connected to the transponder or transponders that area already in place; loosen and then tighten the end of the coaxial cables by hand to secure them.
Make a note of the satellite service that provided and installed the satellite dish --- the name of the satellite service provider will be imprinted on the satellite dish in one or more places.
Contact the satellite service provider whose name you found on the satellite dish that you wish to begin satellite TV service --- this can be done by leaving them a message on their website or by calling them directly (the phone number being available on their website). Provide details about the old satellite dish that is already in position, such as how many transponders there are on the dish, and how many coaxial cables attached to old satellite dish are entering your home. You will also need to provide personal and credit card information and to choose the level of satellite TV programming you want.
Unpack the satellite receiver box when it is received. Place the satellite receiver next to the TV. Insert one end of the included HDMI cable into the HDMI output on the back of the satellite receiver. Plug the other end of the HDMI cable into the HDMI input on the back of the TV.
Turn the TV on. Press "Menu" on the remote. Select "Video," then "Video Input," then "HDMI." Press the "Menu" button.
Connect the end of the coaxial cable from the old satellite dish that is in the home to the "Sat" input on the back of the satellite receiver; two coaxial cables entering the home need to first be connected to the two coaxial inputs on the included coaxial adapter, and with the other end of the coaxial adapter then screwed onto the satellite receiver's "Sat" input instead.
Plug the satellite receiver into a wall socket for power. A series of screens will appear, with one providing details as to the number to call in order to activate the receiver.
Call the number and speak with a satellite service provider representative in order to activate the receiver --- needed details regarding the receiver will be available on the outside of the box that it came in, for example, the receiver's serial number.
The satellite receiver will now activate, install needed software and update the TV channel guide --- this process can take up to a few hours to complete, so the TV can be turned off.
Turn the TV back on after three hours have passed. Press the "Menu" button on the satellite receiver's remote. Press "Settings," then "Video." Select a resolution for the receiver that matches that of the TV from the choices presented onscreen, for example, "720p" or "1080p." Press the "Back" button on the remote and select "Audio." Select "Dolby Stereo" from the choices presented onscreen. Press the "Menu" button repeatedly until the TV screen displays a television show.
Warnings
- A professional installer can be called out if you are unsure whether the old satellite dish is still in good working order.
Writer Bio
Marshal M. Rosenthal is a technology maven with more than 15 years of editorial experience. A graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography with a Bachelor of Arts in photographic arts, his editorial work has appeared both domestically as well as internationally in publications such as "Home Theater," "Electronic House," "eGear," "Computer and Video Games" and "Digitrends."