FTA Fever Free-To-Air Satellite Learning Center

Getting Started With Free-To-Air (FTA)
Satellite TV

Is FTA satellite easy to set up and use?

Yes! Installing and using a Free to Air satellite TV system is simple. You should be up and running the first day. The only tools you'll need to install your satellite dish are a drill driver and screwdriver bits. (For a step-by-step dish installation guide, see Installing and Positioning Your Satellite Dish.)

And setting up your Free To Air satellite receiver should be a cinch, assuming you purchased an authentic receiver built by one of our brand-name manufacturers.

If you're a satellite TV newbie, you may want to investigate our Receiver Packages, which contain everything you need to get started in satellite TV.

What kind of cable is required to hook up my FTA satellite TV system?

High-quality coaxial cable, which is designed to handle higher frequencies. Don't chintz on the cable! Inferior cables can result in signal loss or weak signals.

What dish setup is required for viewing Free To Air channels?

Free-To-Air satellite TV receivers are programmed by the manufacturer to receive FTA satellite TV channels. In order to view FTA channels, you'll need three basic components, which are available on this website.

It's possible that you will ultimately require a more complex setup, but this is the basic required setup:

• A Free To Air satellite TV receiver
• A 30" KU Band Elliptical Dish with assembly. (Assembly pieces include 2 arm mounts, yolk, screws and bolts)
• One single linear Low Noise Block (LNB)

How does the LNB switch work?

The LNB, or Low Noise Block converter, is a small box which attaches to the end of the arm that extends from your satellite dish, also known as a parabolic reflector. The LNB receives the signal from the satellite, converts the signal to a lower frequency, and transmits the signal through the coax cable. Your satellite receiver receives the signal and transmits it to your television.

You can use a LNB switch to connect more than one LNB to your satellite receiver. The LNBs may be attached to one dish, or attached to two or more dishes.

When you select a channel, your receiver sends a signal to the LNB switch, telling it to select the correct LNB and/or dish for that channel, depending on which satellite is sending the signal for your chosen channel. Don't worry — LNB setup is handled via a simple, menu-based interface. You'll choose the proper settings when you first set up your satellite receiver.

For an in-depth education about LNB, visit our LNB Primer.