The installation of Dish Network satellite TV system at your home may sound challenging, though it is easy once you go through some of the following steps. If you follow the right procedures and acquire the right tools equipment you are always in a position to get Dish’s satellite service installed at your home within no time. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up Dish Network satellite:
Choose Your Package
The first thing that requires a decision is choosing the Dish Network package that is right for you. Dish provides its customers with distinct channel packages at diverse prices. Choose whether you need just the most essential channels, more movie channels, or a lot of sports channels. You will also have to select any desired options, such as premium services like a digital video recorder or high-definition channels. Dish makes it possible for you to choose your package based on only the channels you prefer, thus avoiding having to pay for channels that you rarely tune into.
Order Equipment
After you have chosen your Dish package you need to order the relevant equipment. This consists of the dish used in satellite communication, hardware to fix the dish, coaxial cables to be used from the dish, through the walls into the house and Dish receivers to be fixed on your TVs. Whether or not Dish will offer you a free install depends on the package you take with the company. If not, the options are to hire a professional to install the system or install it yourself. It is important to note that DIY kits include all the necessary equipment and the necessary instructions on how to assemble and operate them. When ordering a DVR or a TV adapter, for instance, order any other equipment at the same time.
Select Installation Site
Selecting where to install your satellite dish is one of the most crucial aspects in the process of installation. The dish should have a clear sight of the southern sky to point at the Dish satellites. Choose an area that is outside in the southern part of the house on a wall or roof with no structures or trees that can obstruct the dish’s reception. The area should receive direct sunlight during most of the daylight since rain and snow can impact signal quality. Also make sure the distance between the dish and the receiver cable is below 200 feet.
Install Satellite Dish Mount
Once you have decided where to place the dish install site, the next step is to mount the satellite dish as instructed in the manual. Screw pilot holes for the outside lag bolts into the exterior wood wall studs or concrete fasteners into the exterior of your house. Finally, place the mast assembly in position and snug it in using bolts to make sure that it is perpendicular and horizontal. Bury a piece of coax cable from the mast down the outside of your home with a hole which will allow the cable to be brought in.
Place the Dish and fine-tune the Angle
With the mount in place, attach the Dish Network satellite dish with the help of the J-bolt on the end of the mast assembly. There should be enough play in the bolt connection to pivot and rotate the elevation angle of the dish. An inclinometer is used to assist in aligning the dish to point at Dish’s position in the orbit in the sky above in the south. For most places, the dish will have to align itself to 135° southeast and be inclined at a 40° angle. Subtle refinements can further twiddle this angle in even smaller measure.
Connect Cables and Power On Equipment
You are now ready to link all the other cabling from the dish to your Dish receiver and the TV in your house. Take the coax cable at the dish LNB arm and take it to a grounding block where it shall be connected to ground wire. Then connect the coax run split out to each receiver using F-connector compression fitting. Connect all the Dish hardware to a power outlet close to where you intend to mount the system. Do not activate receivers yet. It is equipped with a signal meter that you can use to find the peak signal when setting up the dish.
Enter Service and Begin Configuration
Calling the Dish Network will be helpful to give them your account details to activate your service. The customer service rep will then guide you through pointing your dish correctly with the signal strength indicator to get the best signal from Dish satellites. This will involve fine tuning to the azimuth of the dish, the elevation and the angle and all this while observing the meter. After going through signal peaks, you are done with your installation! The rep will then turn on your receivers which are devices you install onto your TV’s to start programming your channels, DVR and test signal reception.
Troubleshooting Tips
If after setup you find certain channels not coming in clearly or experience pixelation or audio drops during bad weather, there are a few troubleshooting steps to take:
- Go back to the dish installation site and remove new obstacles such as newly grown trees or shrubs
- Make sure that all the coaxial cables are well secured from where they should be and then fix them properly.
- Check all the Dish equipment is connected to the power source and switched on.
- Try to re-position the dish so that it is aligned to the maximum signal strength.
- Contact Dish support to review signal strength readings gathered from the receiver diagnostic displays
By following this guide you will be able to enjoy Dish Network’s crystal clear satellite TV for many years. The first thing that needs to be done properly is the planning of the site selection and installation. However the most important is dedicating effort on fine-tuning the aiming azimuth of the dish for signal reception. The setup is simple, with you getting to watch hundreds of channels as soon as possible.
Ready to upgrade your TV experience? Call us now at (877) 471-4808 to find the perfect Dish Network plan for you! Don’t miss out on great entertainment—our team is here to help you choose the best package and get you started today.
