I've
Got A Big Old Dish, Can I Use It?
What
has become of the old satellite TV technology that was such a status
symbol a few years ago?
It
hasn't been that long since no one had heard of Direct TV and Dish
Network and the small TV satellite dish. Instead, a few of the
wealthiest people in town could be seen installing huge parabolic
dishes outside their homes. Can these old large dishes still be used?
If you happen to be an accomplished do it yourselfer with more than a
rudimentary understanding of technical things like Direct TV and Dish
Network, you might enjoy exploring the options. An old TV satellite
dish can sometimes be found for almost nothing. Yet there are some
people out there who prefer them over the small Direct TV and Dish
Network dishes.
People
in the know about satellite TV say that the larger the dish, the larger
the amount of reception that can be accessed. The small Direct TV and
Dish Network satellite dish is only tuned to one satellite. In reality
there are dozens of satellites orbiting the earth now. If you can find
a way to tap into more than just one, it will give you access to a
wider variety of programming than one small TV satellite dish.
Much
like the old tech hobby of ham radios, some satellite TV fans have
collected a large number of the old large dishes. They have installed
them and aimed them each at different satellites. By using the older
technology and innovative do it yourself thinking, these unconventional
people have bypassed the Direct TV and Dish Network monthly bill. They
simply access the satellites themselves, and they do it with used
satellite television equipment. This really drives the bill down.
Equipment
you will need to experiment with the pre-Direct TV and Dish Network
satellite technology include the largest dish you can find with
mounting pole and wires, and an old analog type satellite receiver. It
is possible to attach a modern LNB, which stands for "low noise box."
This is the box in the center of the TV satellite dish, and it should
help you get even better reception.
It
is not within the scope of this article to give you all the
technological details about how to set up the used satellite TV
equipment as an alternative to Direct TV and Dish Network. It can be
done, however. Browse the web a bit for details, or get to know one of
those characters around town who has more than one old, vintage
looking, over sized TV satellite dish standing in a field outside his
home. They would probably love to share their tinkering ideas with you.
If you don't want to have a herd of dishes, though, some of the old
ones can be moved electronically to aim at different satellites.
The
modern way, however, is the more convenient way for those without the
interest or time it would take to set up used satellite equipment. This
way is to simply subscribe to Direct TV or Dish Network TV satellite
dish service. Direct TV and Dish Network are the most widely known
suppliers of satellite television services, but there are some smaller
companies. Sky Angel, which controls its programming to be family
friendly is one such smaller provider.
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