Free to air satellite TV, also referred to as FTA, is a free service of delivering television and radio broadcasts in an unencrypted form via satellite with no contract or monthly bill. The only equipment that you require is a free to air receiver (FTA receiver) a 31” or larger satellite dish and a low frequency (linear) LNB. What makes this kind of satellite TV service so popular is once you make a decision on the type of receiver that suits your needs best, all you do is install the dish, connect the signal to the receiver and then you have access to hundreds of channels with no monthly bill.

When you decide that you would like to have an FTA System in your home, your next decision is to select a stationary or motorized package. Let’s explain the two different options:

Stationary FTA Satellite System

Pansat 4500 FTA Satellite System

This type of package includes an FTA receiver, satellite dish, and a linear LNB. This type of package is for those who know what satellite they want too and have done research as to the channels that are available on that satellite. Let’s say for example you have cable TV and want to add some Arabic channels because they are not available from your cable company (or you don’t want to pay for them). You could get a stationary FTA satellite system and point the dish at Galaxy 19 (located at 97 degrees west) and then you will have plenty of Arabic channels. What ever the language or nationality it’s possible to find out what satellite is broadcasting what channels and then get a stationary dish package to get those channels.

 

Motorized FTA Satellite System

Pansat 4500 Motorized Package

This is the most popular type of FTA satellite system. It adds one more piece of equipment called a Diseqc motor (pronounced, “die sek”) What this motor does is attach to the satellite dish and when connected to the receiver, it will move the dish to any satellite you choose. Like we mentioned above, either you know what satellite you want to point too or get a motorized dish and point to any satellite you want to get TV. If new channels are added to the free to air lineup, having a motorized dish will allow you to get maximum TV.