Satellite antenna installation for receiving channels from satellites consists of several steps:
- Choosing a channel list
- Choosing television broadcasting satellites and determining the diameter of satellite antennas
- Choosing equipment for installing antennas for 4 satellites
- Choosing the location for installing satellite antennas
- Assembling the satellite antenna
- Installing brackets on the wall
- Configuring satellite antennas and converters for satellites
- Connecting the diseqc switch to antennas and receiver
- Laying and connecting the TV cable
To install the antenna and configure it, you will need some quite affordable tools, fastening connections, hands and head :)
Choosing a channel list
First of all, you need to decide which channels you would like to watch on your TV. Channel lists in Russian and Ukrainian, you can view on our website on the page «Channel lists without a subscription fee ». This page lists only channels that broadcast in the open access, or are opened using Biss keys, which are supported by any modern receiver. If you are not satisfied with the provided channel lists without a subscription fee, you can familiarize yourself with the lists of paid channels from Ukrainian providers XTRA TV or Viasat, where the terms of their viewing are spelled out.
Choosing television broadcasting satellites and determining the diameter of satellite antennas
According to the channel list you have chosen, you can decide on the choice of satellites from which these channels broadcast. By clicking on the name of the satellite on the channel pages, you will see the corresponding coverage map of the satellite you are interested in. Having found your region on the maps, you can choose the diameter of the antenna for reliable reception of channels from a certain satellite. For the central spot on the map, an antenna diameter of 0.6m will be enough for you, for the next zones you need antennas with a diameter of 0.9m, 1.2m, etc.
Using special side holders (multifeeds) allows you to attach not one, but several LNB heads to the antenna at once, and accordingly, install the antenna to receive channels from several satellites at once. The multifeed is attached to the carrying bar of the antenna, and allows you to easily adjust the position of the side converters to achieve maximum signal.
However, it should be borne in mind that the difference between these satellites relative to the central one should not be more than 15 degrees in areas of reliable reception of these satellites. It should also be borne in mind that the further the additional converter is located from the central holder, the weaker signal it will give out.
The larger the antenna diameter you choose, the more signal will go to the converter and, accordingly, the more stable the reception from satellites will be in bad weather. Since water is a poor conductor of radio waves, then with dense clouds in the direction of the satellite, with heavy rain or snowfall, you will notice a signal drop in the form of a scattered image on your TV screen, or the inscription «no signal». The accuracy of tuning the antenna to the satellite also affects the high stability of the signal. If you still can't tune the antenna yourself, don't be discouraged, you can always call a professional installer who will accurately tune the antennas using special devices. Of course, in this case, you will still have to part with some money, but now you can be sure that the antenna is tuned as accurately as possible.
The most popular and economical type of installation today is installing two antennas for 4 satellites: Astra, HotBird, Amos on one antenna,
and any additional satellite of your choice on the second antenna.
Choosing equipment for installing antennas for 4 satellites
To install the antenna for 4 satellites, you need a diseqc switch for 4 ports, 2 antennas, 4 converters (heads), 2 side converter mounts, 2 brackets, 10 connectors (F-nuts) for the cable, and the amount of cable required to lay from the diseqc switch to your TV and from each converter to the diseqc switch. You can find out more about the equipment needed for different installation options by following the links below:
Satellite antenna
For reliable reception, in many cases, antennas with a diameter of 0.9m are sufficient. The best choice (price-quality) in Ukraine today is antennas from the Kharkiv plant «Variant».
Diseqc switch
Diseqc switches exist open,
and in a protective cover. The casing helps protect the switch from the effects of atmospheric phenomena. When choosing a manufacturer, we recommend consulting with the seller.
Converters (LNB head)
For installing the first antenna, you need 3 universal linear polarization converters.
For the second antenna, in many cases, the same converter is installed, the exception is the Eutelsat W4 36E (NTV+) satellite - in this case, a converter with circular polarization is required.
Bracket (wall mounting)
Brackets should be chosen according to their length so that the wall to which the antenna is attached does not interfere with the antenna's rotation in the desired direction.
Cable
When installing an antenna, special attention should be paid to the cable, as it has to lie or hang outside for its entire «life». We recommend the FinMark F-660BV TV cable. A poor quality cable may have a unexpectedly short «life». Don't skimp on cable, as poor cable quality can damage the diseqc switch at best, and the converters and receiver at worst. When laying the cable, it should not be kinked or bent at a sharp angle. Currently, there are a lot of special cable fastenings for various surfaces, making installation much easier and more practical. All cable connections should be easily accessible. A good salesperson will always advise you on a suitable cable.
Satellite receiver
Choosing a digital satellite receiver should be done as responsibly as
possible. It determines your satisfaction with watching your favorite
channels. Currently, there is a huge selection of manufacturers and
receiver models, but a few recommendations can still be given.
First
of all, the receiver must support the broadcast format of the channels you
have chosen. DVB-S standard SD receivers can only receive channels in
mpeg-2 format. DVB-S2 standard HD receivers receive channels in mpeg-2,
mpeg-4, HD and 3D formats.
It is worth deciding whether you will
need to connect the internet to the receiver to update software, watch
online services (e.g. u-tube) or to get keys to some channels. For these
purposes, some receivers have a LAN input.
Pay attention to the
presence of the necessary outputs to connect your TV. If you have a
flat-screen TV, for a better picture and sound, it is worth connecting it
to the receiver with a digital HDMI cable, naturally, the receiver should
also have such a connector.
If you are well versed in computers, we
recommend buying a receiver with an open Linux operating system. This will
allow you to connect to your receiver from your computer, install various
plugins in the tuner, which significantly expand its functionality. The
presence of a USB port will allow you to record and play back your
favorite shows, as well as record programs using a timer.
Very useful
is the
Time-shift
(Time-shift) function in some receivers, which allows you to pause the
currently playing broadcast and resume viewing it later, without missing a
single important moment.
Some receivers have the ability to connect
to a wireless internet network via a USB port using a WI-FI adapter (some
models already have WI-FI built in).
Many receivers, in addition to
recording, are worthy multimedia centers that allow you to watch videos in
various formats (avi, mpeg4, mkv…). The presence of a digital audio output
spdif will allow you to connect the tuner to your audio system, allowing
you to enjoy not only a high-quality picture, but also clear digital
sound.
Don't rush to buy new, just released receiver models. Read
positive and negative reviews about the tuner you like on the forums. Find
out how often the software and firmware for this receiver is updated. Try
to find out how long the receiver manufacturer has been around and how
long it plans to release and support this model.
Choosing a location for installing antennas
The next step is to determine the location of the antenna installation. It is advisable to install antennas in a location that is easily accessible to you. This will allow you to fine-tune them accurately and, in the future, it will be easy to service them in case of unforeseen circumstances (replacement of converters, diseqc switches, etc.). Also, over time, you may want to connect additional TVs to the antennas - you will need to replace single converters (single) with double (twin), 4-output (quadro), or 8-output (octo) converters, as well as add the necessary number of diseqc switches and lay additional cables from the antennas to the TVs. If you do not have the opportunity to install antennas in an easily accessible location (for example, on the roof of a multi-story building, or on the lower floors with stairs), you can install antennas on the wall of the house near the window, if the windows «look» in the direction of the selected satellites. In this case, the side converters of the antenna should be pre-adjusted relative to the central converter in an easily accessible location. When installing from the window, you will only need to adjust the antenna to the central satellite, the side converters will already be adjusted. Since there are enough antennas installed now, the easiest way to find out which way to point your antennas is to see which way they are pointed on neighboring houses. If this is not possible, don't worry, there is a great service satellite antenna direction on the map. All you need to do is enter the country, city, street, house number and select the satellite you are interested in. In the case of an antenna on Astra 4A (Sirius), HotBird, Amos, the antenna will be initially tuned by the central converter to the Astra satellite (also known as Sirius). You will see your house on the map and the direction of the antenna installation to the selected satellite. If you don't have internet access, try to determine the south direction by any other known method (for example, in Ukraine, the sun shines from the south direction at about 2 pm, or find any compass). If you are going to install more than one antenna, you should consider that they should be located as close to each other as possible, since additional antennas will have to be connected by cable to the diseqc switch on the main antenna. You should also consider that trees and structures located in the direction of the satellite may be an obstacle, and you may not be able to «catch» the signal through them.
Assembling the satellite antenna
Once the location is determined, it's time to start assembling the antennas. If the antennas will be installed on the roof of a multi-story building, it is worth considering where to assemble the antenna - in the apartment or on the roof, since the assembled antenna may be larger than the exit to the roof. If the antenna in the assembled state does not «fit» through the entrance to the roof, and assembling it on the roof is extremely problematic, the assembled antenna can be lifted to the roof with a rope on the outside.
On the next page you will find a description and detailed instructions on assembling a satellite antenna from the Kharkiv plant «Variant».
It is extremely important to understand that all high-altitude work is very dangerous and it is necessary to observe all possible safety precautions and, of course, be well secured.
What tools are needed to assemble and install antennas:
- 13mm wrench
- 2 10mm wrenches
- Phillips screwdriver
- Pliers with cutters
- Sharp knife
- Hammer drill with a drill bit
Installing brackets on the wall
Next, you need to secure the brackets for attaching the antennas to the wall.
Mostly, the bracket is attached using plastic dowels 12x80(mm) or metal anchor bolts.
Depending on the mounting you choose, don't forget to bring the appropriate wrench.
We apply the bracket to the wall with the calculation that nothing will interfere with the future antenna. In turn, your antenna should not become an obstacle to the signal for already installed neighboring antennas.
Try to choose a strong and reliable wall surface. The distance from the corner of the wall to the bolts should be sufficient so that the corner does not crack when the bolts are tightened. Mark the holes for the bracket with a pencil. Depending on the mounting chosen, drill holes in the wall of the required diameter, to a depth slightly greater than the length of the dowel or anchor.
Insert the dowels into the resulting holes and hammer them in with a hammer.
Screw the bracket to the wall. Check the reliability of the bracket fastening by applying some force to them, you need to consider that the antennas have good sail and the brackets are constantly experiencing vibration. Of course, after a strong wind, the antenna should remain in its original position.
Adjusting antennas and converters to satellites
First of all, we recommend that you read the article
"How to properly screw an F-connector onto a cable". At first glance, this is a fairly simple operation, but without
following certain rules, you can seriously damage the connected
equipment.
At this stage, you can hang the antennas on the brackets.
If you plan to install the antenna on the roof, you will need a small TV
and a tuned receiver (for example, let's take the most common «Globo»,
«Orton» or their analogues, models 4100s (or 4050s)).
Let's consider tuning the antenna to 3 satellites (Amos, Sirius, HotBird). First you need to tune the antenna to the Sirius (Astra) satellite. To do this, connect one end of the cable to the central converter and the other end to the receiver input (LNB in).
All manipulations with connectors should be done with the receiver switched off.
The receiver should be connected to the TV, press the «OK» button on the receiver remote control, go to the Sirius satellite, select a working channel, for example, «Rada» or «2+2», press the «OK» button again to switch to the selected channel.
In the lower right corner under the viewing window, information about the channel and two scales will appear: the first shows the signal level, and the second its quality. The antennas are tuned according to the lower «quality» scale. Slowly rotate the antenna in horizontal and vertical positions until a signal appears on the scale. Now move the antenna literally by millimeters, trying to achieve a stronger signal. Next, by tightening the nuts, you need to achieve the maximum possible signal. By turning the converter around its axis, you can further increase the signal (more about polarization is written on the page «Setting up a satellite antenna using a Google map»). Don't try to catch a 100% signal, it's unrealistic. Press the «Exit» button and check the signal on other channels of this satellite. Channels from the same satellite may have different signal quality - this is normal. To tune to the Amos satellite, turn off the receiver, unscrew the cable from the middle converter, connect it to the converter on the right (also the top one),
and turn on the receiver according to the previous example on a working channel of the Amos satellite, for example, «1+1» or «Novy Kanal». Using the adjusting bolts of the multifeed, and turning the converter around its axis, we achieve the maximum signal from this satellite.
Similarly, we connect to the left, bottom converter, and tune the HotBird satellite.
Connecting the diseqc switch to the antennas and receiver
Connect the cables from the converters to the diseqc switch. Write down which port of the switch (the ports are numbered) corresponds to each satellite. For example, you have connected the converter that receives the signal from the HodBird satellite to the first port, Sirius - to the second, Amos - to the third. Next, we connect one end of the cable to the diseq to the «Reseiver» port, and the other to the tuner's «LNB IN» socket and turn on the receiver. In the receiver, go to the menu, antenna settings (installation), in the top row in the drop-down list select the satellite, for example, Amos, and in the «diseqc» line select the corresponding port (in this example, 3/4, where 3 is the port number of the switch, 4 means that our switch has only 4 ports).
In some receivers, the diseqc numbering is not digital, but alphabetical in English, for example, LNB «A», LNB «B», LNB «C», etc. In the same way, we «bind» other satellites. Exit the menu with the «EXIT» button on the remote control, agree to save the settings. If properly connected, channels from all tuned satellites should show. The second antenna is tuned in the same way as the first and is connected to the remaining port of the diseqc switch.
It should be reminded that all connections are made with the receiver disconnected from the power supply.
Laying and connecting the TV cable
As we have already discussed, the cable should not kink and bend at sharp angles throughout its entire length. If you are bringing the cable into the room from the outside, the hole for the cable should be drilled at an angle so that water from the outside does not leak into the hole inside.
If the cable is coming down from the roof, secure it so that, hanging from the corner of the roof, it does not rub anywhere under the influence of wind, snow, etc.
Outside, the cable is connected to the diseqc switch to the «reseiver» port, inside - to the receiver input «lnb in».
In the end, if everything is connected correctly and the cable is not damaged, you can finally enjoy a quality image, a large number of channels and excellent sound.
Good luck! Go ahead, you can do it.