What you need

Remember, in order to receive any kind of satellite programming, you'll need a subscription, a dish, and a receiver (also called an IRD or a tuner). There are a few different types of receivers, and which one(s) you'll need depends on two things:

• Do you want to watch shows in high-definition?
  • Remember to choose a receiver capable of pulling in HD programming. You'll also need an HD-capable dish and a subscription to high-def programming.
• Do you do a lot of recording?
  • Consider a receiver with a built-in DVR. Today's DVRs are capable of recording hundreds of hours of your favorite programs. And don't forget the added benefits of a DVR, such as the ability to pause and rewind live TV.

Some receivers offer both HD and DVR capabilities (HD DVR recording capacity is typically around 50 hours for high-def shows; 200 hours or more for standard-definition).

Usually, you need one receiver for each room. So if you have a TV in the family room, bedroom, and kitchen, you would need three receivers. However, some receivers have two tuners, letting you feed a satellite signal to two televisions using a single receiver. For added convenience, these receivers also include two remotes (one remote operates via radio frequencies, letting you control the receiver from the second room).

You might also need additional accessories. Common ones include RG-6 cable, the type of cable that's best-equipped to carry satellite TV signals. Also, if your dish doesn't have enough outputs to accommodate all your receivers, you might need a multiswitch to enjoy multi-room viewing. Multiswitches enable you to split the satellite signal among a number of receivers without compromising signal quality.

Also, if you plan on buying or leasing a DVR or HD DVR satellite receiver and would like to be able to record two shows at once, or watch one show while recording another, you'll need to run two separate satellite feeds to the unit — that's two RG-6 cables running from your satellite dish to your DVR. Depending on the number of outputs on your satellite dish and the number of receivers you want to hook up, you might need to use a multiswitch.

Installation

Most people prefer to have trained professionals perform their installation to ensure that the dish is properly mounted and aimed directly at the satellite. However, if you are interested in finding out more about what the installation involves before you decide, see DIRECTV's installation page or DISH Network's installation page.

If you choose to install a satellite system yourself, you will need to accurately aim your dish so it can receive the satellite signal. Aiming the dish will require you to know the correct left-to-right positioning and up-and-down positioning (known respectively as "azimuth" and "elevation") for your location. To find your azimuth and elevation, visit this page and enter your zip code.

Getting connected

When hooking up your satellite receiver, you'll want to use the highest quality video connection your receiver and TV have in common in order to get the best picture. If you're not interested in high-definition, any of the familiar analog connections will do, but component video is the best. See our article on audio and video cables for more information on component video and other analog connections.

If you would like to watch shows in high-def, HDMI is the best connection to use. This all-digital interface yields the best picture and also carries audio, letting you make a simple, one-cable connection between your receiver and TV. Plus, HDMI is backwards-compatible with the older digital video connection, DVI. For more information, read our article on the ins and outs of HDMI.

What if your HDTV doesn't have digital inputs? Don't worry — component video is also capable of carrying a high-def signal, so you're not necessarily losing anything if your TV doesn't have a digital input.

Of course, the picture is only half the experience, so you'll need to make an audio connection as well. If you're connecting your satellite receiver directly to your TV, audio patch cables will do the trick. However, a lot of satellite programming is broadcast in surround sound, so why not take advantage of it? Just connect your satellite receiver to a home theater receiver via an optical or coaxial digital audio cable. Keep in mind that most satellite receivers have an optical or a coaxial digital audio output, but not both.

According to DIRECTV and DISH Network, satellite receivers require a connection to a phone line for uninterrupted service. The phone line is used to update the interactive on-screen program guides. It's also needed to purchase pay-per-view events. The receiver will only dial a toll-free number, and this call does not interfere with your regular phone service. The receiver will automatically disconnect if someone picks up the phone or you receive a call.

A few final notes on satellite HD

There are a couple of things to be aware of regarding satellite and high-definition. First is the concept commonly known as "down-rezzing" — that is, not showing a high-def program in its full resolution. For example, many 1080i programs are not shown in their full 1920 x 1080 resolution, but in a "down-rezzed" 1280 x 1080. Satellite companies do this to maximize their available bandwidth, so they can send more channels into people's homes. Down-rezzed programs may not look as clear as pure HD, but they still look great — much better than their standard-definition counterparts.

Also, the quality of high-def programming can sometimes be inconsistent. For example, some shows might have recorded different scenes at different times with different equipment. We've seen this before in some nature shows. That scene of a gazelle recorded back in the '80s may be fuzzy and grainy compared to the sequence showing lion cubs recorded earlier this year.