What The Heck Is A USB Satellite TV Receiver?

A USB satellite TV receiver lets you watch high definition television on your computer. It basically turns your computer into a digital satellite TV tuner receiver. Despite what you may have heard, you can’t just get a USB satellite TV receiver, hook it up to your computer and you have instant free satellite television. You do still have to pay a network service provider a monthly or annual fee for the privilege of turning your computer into a digital television.

Do You Have The Right Computer?

You also can't just hook up a USB satellite TV receiver to any computer. Although most of the computers made in the last few years will be compatible with a USB satellite TV receiver, older computers probably won't be able to handle it. Most USB satellite TV receivers are best used on the Microsoft Windows platform, although some can be used for the Mac platform. Your operation systems need to be Windows XP or higher and your Windows Media Player needs to be version 9.0 or higher.

Your computer also needs a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port. A port is one of the connection holes that let you add gizmos like printers, speakers and modems to your hard drive tower. There have been a few types and shapes of USB ports over the years. You need what's called a USB port 2 in order to have any hope at using a USB satellite digital receiver.

Then, Things Get Complicated

USB satellite TV receivers are still in the realm of geek-dom, where they are manipulated by the purchaser rather than installed by a professional company. If you don’t know a port from a pixel, then forget about USB satellite TV receivers. Just watch your usual television and be lucky you aren’t insane from trying to read instruction manuals in teeny-tiny print.

You can hire a professional to install your USB satellite TV receiver, but you do have to schedule a day off from work for the person to show up. You need to ask around your techie-loving friends to see what professional service they recommend. You do also need a satellite dish. Things go haywire really quickly if you try to watch satellite TV on your computer and you don’t have a dish. You or a professional installer has to connect the satellite dish and satellite receiver to your computer. This isn’t entirely a wireless system. Some wires are involved.