| German TV in the U.S. - Tips | |
| Tipps - Wie macht man das eigentlich? | |
 Photo: GlobeCast |
How Do I Install German TV? (Old info!)
Once the box with your German TV equipment (see photo) is delivered, it's time to install the system.
You can either install it yourself or have it done by a local satellite dish installer. GlobeCast offers a list of installers at their Web site: GlobeCast - Local Installers (Tel: 1-866-284-5623). You can also check the Yellow Pages for installers in your area.
Since I had previously installed a DirecTV system myself, I felt that I could probably do the same for the German TV system. No special tools or training are required, but you should have good "handyman" skills and know your way around a basic power drill, hex wrenches, screwdrivers, and similar tools. But be forewarned! Installing the German TV system requires a bit more effort than the more consumer-oriented (and more powerful) DirecTV or Dish satellite systems. However, I found GlobeCast's tech support to be very friendly and helpful. One call to their toll-free support number solved the few problems I had during installation.
This is important because I found the installation manuals that come with the German TV satellite dish and receiver to be less than ideal. Although almost everything you need to know is there, it is poorly organized and offers far less detail than I would have liked. (The receiver manual is the worse of the two.) The manuals could use a bit of editing (step one, step two, etc.) and the addition of more detailed illustrations in some cases. The GlobeCast package also fails to include the RG6 coaxial cable required to connect the dish to the receiver. You have to buy that yourself. You'll also need to get your own bolts, screws, or other materials required to mount the dish to a wood surface, a chimney, or elsewhere. I bought what I needed at Radio Shack. For about $15.00 they had a sat TV installation kit that includes a compass, caulking, bolts, grounding wire, and 100 feet of the vital RG6 cable. (Don't use normal cable TV cabling; it's inadequate for sat signals!)
Delivery Time - I had ordered my system from GlobeCast (in Miami, Florida) on Friday, March 14. Eleven days passed before UPS left the German TV box on my doorstep in Reno, Nevada on Tuesday, March 25. I felt that was a bit too long, but it was only a day later than the promised "7 to 10 days."
Local Installers - While I was waiting for delivery, I decided to check out a local installer recommended by GlobeCast. If the cost wasn't too much, I reasoned, maybe I could save myself a lot of work by having a professional install the system. But when I called, the phone rang many times before some bozo finally answered, only to tell me that he couldn't tell me anything about pricing and to call back the next day. Forget that! If that's how they run their business, I was on my own. (I could have called other local sat installers, but I chose not to.) I certainly hope that local installers in your area are much better.
The Dish - The elliptical German TV dish is larger than a DirecTV dish! It's a yard wide and about two feet tall. (In the photo above, the scale is distorted. The indoor receiver is less than a foot wide.) Because of its elliptical shape and the technicalities of direct broadcast satellite TV, in addition to the azimuth (compass heading) and elevation (angle to the sky), you also need to set the "skew" of the dish, depending on your location. By following the instructions, I was able to assemble the dish and its supporting arm, and then mount it on the front of my house, which faces south. I had previously scouted out several possible dish locations using a compass. I could have installed it on the roof, but we get high winds from time to time, and I wanted to avoid that.
Fine Tuning - Once the dish has been installed and the cable connected to the receiver, the real fun begins. Using the receiver's on-screen signal indicator, you have to locate the precise elevation and azimuth that will bring in the satellite signal at its highest possible power. This can be a frustrating experience and the instructions don't make it at all clear just how you should interpret the "signal power" and "signal quality" readings. The receiver manual fails totally to describe how you use these readings! A call to tech support revealed that the so-called "signal quality" indicator bar I saw on the screen was actually the "signal strength." Once I knew that, I knew how to proceed (only because of my previous experience with DirecTV), but a first-time installer will get zero help from the manual. GlobeCast could avoid a lot of calls to tech support by simply having a better instruction manual for the receiver!
TIP: Pros use a satellite signal detector, but a small portable TV can help you avoid a lot of yelling between you (outside) and someone else (inside), as you attempt to locate the Telstar 5 satellite signal. Hook up a portable TV to the satellite receiver (ANT OUT) using a normal TV cable. Move the TV to where you're working, then tune it to channel 3 (or 4) and you'll see the receiver's signal indicator, which you can use as you adjust the dish. A battery-powered set is best, but you can also use an extension cord. Using my small portable TV saved me a lot of time and trouble, not to mention a lot of shouting!
Activating the Smartcard - Once you've located the satellite signal and done your fine tuning, the last step is to activate the smartcard that comes with the receiver. Insert the card, turn on the receiver and your TV set, and then dial the toll-free GlobeCast number. (There is some "press 1 for, press 2 for," but it's not too bad.) You'll be asked to provide some information about you and your receiver, and in a few minutes you'll see German TV on your television screen.
If you still have any questions, the German TV and GlobeCast Web sites are very helpful.
NOTE: This information is provided for historical information only! Current installation info is on this page: German TV - How.
NEXT > 5: German TV - Alternatives
> 1: German TV - Intro
> 2: German TV - Why
> 3: German TV - How
> 4: German TV - Tips (Old info)
> 5: German TV - Alternatives
German Newsletters
Subscribe to a free newsletter!
OUR GERMAN FORUMS