All About Satellite TV

Satellite TV is exceptionally versatile since you have access to a very large number of channels, wonderful picture quality and good deals on digital video recorders. You're in for a new experience in how you watch and record television programming. In order to benefit from the many advantages of satellite TV, you will have to have the entire system installed which is a piece of cake if the correct wiring is already in place. However, if your home is not wired properly, then you'll need to have it installed.

Assuming you are Pre-Wired

Most modern homes in the United States are already properly wired for cable TV. In this case you probably have the necessary wiring for satellite TV. You should be able to watch your many new television stations once the satellite TV wiring from the outside is brought inside by your installer. Keep in mind that, unlike some cable systems, your receiver can only tune in to one channel at a time in the house, whether you’re trying to watch a program in your living room only, or have two TVs going at once. To watch different channels on different televisions at the same time, you will need at least two receivers.

What if you are not Pre-Wired?

This will require a little additional wiring, if your house lacks readiness for cable TV or if the wiring is old and needs replacement. Your installer will need to run cable from the outside of the house to the inside just as with the standard installation. You will also need to ensure that the cabling you use can reach the location of your television. Of course, keep in mind that should you want to add another satellite-ready television in your home, you’ll want to have satellite TV wiring run to that room as well as a second receiver.

The TV Antenna

Don't worry - you can choose to keep your existing TV antenna that is hooked to your television for reception of local channels, assuming your service plan will include your local TV stations. In the past, this tended to be more of a problem when the majority of satellite television providers did not include local stations. If you do choose to keep using your TV antenna for local programming, you can ignore competing wiring with your satellite TV in the back of your television. You should be able to hook up the cable from your TV antenna into a coaxial cable jack in the back of your satellite receiver, allowing you to watch both local and satellite TV. Wiring for your satellite TV should be as simple as this, or no more complex than calling your local installer. Once you do, you’ll be on your way to enjoying a wider range of television programming.