SkyTech USA - Distributor of Satellite and Electronic Products.

Welcome to SkyTech USA FAQ page:

SKYTECH USA Satellite Angle Calculator. Click Here.

For Satellite positioning location please refer: http://www.lyngsat.com/

what is free to air?

Free To Air satellite is a term used to describe satellite signals which you can legally receive without a subscription. Free To Air satellite programming is not encrypted, but it is encoded with MPEG-2. At one time, most Free To Air satellite content was transmitted on C Band, but Free To Air satellite programming has now mostly migrated to Ku Band. Unlike satellite television programming which requires a subscription, such as Dish Networks or DirecTV, Free To Air satellite channels are not encrypted and can be received with an MPEG-2 compatible FTA receiver. Free To Air satellite is often abbreviated as FTA satellite. To receive Free To Air satellite programming, you will need:

What do I need to get started with FTA?

FTA is a fun industry, and there are many channels that you will thoroughly enjoy watching on your home TV. Please read the following as it explains what free to air is and what channels you can get, and also what you would need.

What channels can I receiver with a free to air receiver?

Have a look under the "Learning Center" on the website your on, and the first topic under the "Learning Center" is "FTA CHANNEL LIST" You will be able to see exactly hundreds of channels available, for free, by using a FTA system.
Remember, in North America you can only get satellites in between 61.5 and 140 degrees West.
Here is the link for the channel list.
http://www.gosatellite.net/fta_channel_list_1654_ctg.htm

Will my current dish work with your receivers?

You would get minimal channels using a 18 inch dish.
Dishnetwork, DTV and Bell use standard 18 inch dishes.
With that said, at least a 30 inch dish is required with a low frequency lnb and preferably a motorized dish is best. Reason for that is because with free to air, there are so many satellites across the sky, you want the dish to move from horizon to horizon to get all the different satelltes across the sky. It is very important to know with free to air that signal strength does not mean a thing, as free to air is all based on signal quality. The invacom quad lnb is the best lnb to get for fta. All though the invacom quad lnb has 4 outputs, that is not the real benefit for free to air. The main benefit to the invacom lnb is the noise figure. The invacom noise figure is .3db (decibels) where a sigle or dual fta lnb is .6db. Therefore, if there is less noise happening around the lnb, then that means you will get better signal quality, and I cannot stress enough on how impotant singal quality is.

Do I have to use a rotor for free to air?

It just makes sense to use a motor for the following reasons. Since there are many satellites across the sky, you dont want to be out there manually moving the satellite dish everytime you want to change satellites.
If you do not have a rotor on your dish, then you are not using the full capablilty of the receiver. For example, if you bought a car with no wheels, you can get in it but wont be going anywhere. With a rotorized system, you can change the satellites with the remote on your receiver

Introduction

Unlike televisions, VCR's and other consumer electronic products, satellite systems are useless without a proper installation. If you can not get the signal from the satellite, located some 35,000 Km above the Earth, you might as well use your dish as a birdbath (if the dish is solid) or a dog fence (if the dish happens to be mesh).

On the other hand, if your installation is a success, you can be sure that friends and neighbors will be knocking down your door to see what the hype is all about (before they actually decide to get a system for themselves...). Satellites are ideal for broadcast and you can bet that 10 years down the road, even with gigabyte internet and digital cable, satellite will always be the king of Television distribution. Why? Because the entire television industry is based around the delivery of content through satellite.

The installation of a satellite system is not as easy as setting up an off-air antenna, but if you've done that in the past or if you are used to working around the house (and have the tools to do so), there is no reason why you should not be able to get your system up and running in no time. While the installation of a Ku band systems is not difficult, it requires that you have some experience in electrical wiring and minor construction techniques. Also, you may have to climb a ladder, so you'll want to be comfortable working with heights.

Have you installed any of these home products or completed tasks similar to them: TV antenna outside your house; Ceiling fan; Basketball goal; Dimmer switch; Garage door opener? If the answer is yes, then you can be reasonably confident that you will be able to install a Ku band system yourself.

If you are not the type of person who would like to spend his Saturday afternoon setting up a satellite system, then you might consider having a professional install your system. We offer installation services in the greater Ottawa and Montreal area. For other regions, please consult your local yellow pages under "Satellite Television" and try to find a knowledgeable satellite installer before you purchase your system. If the system you purchase is a Star Choice or ExpressVu system, then you may also rely on a Canada-wide network of installers that is at your service to perform such an installation.

So before you set up your system, please go through all the pages of this sections. The first set of pages are intended for all types of systems. Once you have gone through these pages, go to the system-specific section that covers the installation of the system you have purchased (or intend to purchase).