Step Two:
Getting Permission
Before you have a small satellite dish (one meter, or 3.3 feet wide or less) or a rooftop antenna installed, make sure you get permission from your spouse. Adding either product may not fit with your home’s decor. If you’re worried about your landlord (if you rent) or a homeowners association, don’t be: The FCC has passed laws that allow you to install small dishes or antennas on property that you own or have exclusive access to unless the landlord or homeowners association makes a communal one of comparable quality available to you (visit
www.FCC.gov/cgb/
consumerfacts/consumerdish.html). This includes separate patios and balconies, but doesn’t include such shared areas as a joined patio or roof. A landlord can’t even require you to get permission or pay an extra security deposit (unless you have to drill holes in the walls). If you have any trouble, call the Federal Communications Commission at 888.CALLFCC (888.225.5322). Of course, the FCC can’t help you if your balcony faces the wrong direction for receiving the satellite or terrestrial signal. In such an instance, you may need to negotiate with the landlord or homeowners association.
Step Three:
Satellite
If you have satellite already, you’re in luck because part of the effort to get HDTV is already done. If you don’t, you might think about getting it. Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer nationwide access to several premium HDTV channels, including HBO, Showtime, Discovery HD Theater, ESPN-HD, HDNet sports, HDNet movies and a pay-per-view HD movie channel. Dish Network adds a national feed of CBS and NBA TV to that list, while DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket will offer some CBS games in high definition this year. Other satellite services and additional networks may be available by the time you read this. You might need a new, wider dish, or an additional dish, or maybe just an additional LNB head (that’s the little knob-head that hangs in front of the dish and collects the data) to receive the extra channels. In extreme cases, you might have a tree or a building blocking your view of the necessary satellite location, but it’s rare. You’ll want to speak with your installer about adding the requisite hardware. Once the dish is in place, you need only to purchase an HD-enabled DirecTV or Dish Network tuner. Then just add the HDTV channels to your satellite service. Since most HD satellite receivers also offer terrestrial HD reception, you should consider adding a rooftop antenna, particularly if you want local digital channels.
