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When people look at the cost of satellite TV meters, they generally ask if it's really worth it. Generally, I say yes. Here's why. It saves you time. It makes it easy. It's worth the money. Even if you don't click through to the rest of the article, there's something for you right there.

Diving a little deeper

One of our more common questions is why people would need a satellite meter. Obviously not everyone does. If you don't do any of your own satellite repairs, even in your own home, you probably don't. If you never go RV'ing or camping with your dish, you probably don't. But if you do any of your own maintenance or travel even once a year with your dish, it's worth the money for a full-featured meter.

If you're a DIRECTV customer, the one and only option is the AIM 2.0. The good news here is that this meter has built-in help screens and a guided mode that makes it easy for practically anyone to check signal strength or even manually align a dish. If you're into reading manuals, this is one of the better ones. It's basically the equivalent of a full course on satellite installation for DIRECTV.

If you're a DISH customer, the choice here is the Applied Instruments Turbo S2. Unfortunately this meter is big, heavy, hard to use, and expensive. Really, though, it's the only meter which will properly measure signal on DISH's Western Arc and Eastern Arc satellites. I understand how the price is a big factor, but if you need it you need it.

People often ask if they can use "satellite finders" like this one. If you have a very simple, older system, and if you're on DISH Western Arc or standard-definition DIRECTV, this little device will help you at least find the right location to aim. However, it won't do any more than that. It won't help you lock in the signal or know if it's even any good. I generally don't recommend this part to people at all, since the built-in satellite meters on the receivers are better.

Speaking of the built-in meters…

You might be tempted to use the built-in signal meters on your receiver, considering the high price of a pro-quality meter. It absolutely can be done. However, it will take you a lot longer and it's generally better if you have two people.

Using the aiming instructions on the receiver means setting up the TV and receiver out by the dish, or having a second person read you the numbers. This can be confusing and waste a lot of time. A signal meter that sits right there, powers the dish for up to 30 minutes and gives clear audio feedback can get you going much more easily.

Another thing you need to know is that there can be a several second delay between moving the dish and getting the feedback on screen. Several seconds can really add up. If this is the sort of thing you only do once a year, and if you have a friend or partner who's up for it, I'd say go for it. If it's any more than that, a real meter is going to really pay for itself in time and hardship.

One more thing about using the meters on the receiver. Take it from me, get a cheap Bluetooth. You'll want your hands free. You'll want to keep your phone secure. You won't be happy if you lose a $250 Airpod or drop your phone off a roof. This is the voice of experience talking to you here, folks.

Get what you need from Solid Signal

Why ruin your happy vacation with a frustrating install that takes longer than the time you plan to watch TV? Get a meter — they cost less than you think — and relax! Solid Signal has everything you need, including the same parts that the professionals use. Not finding what you want? No problem! Call us at 888-233-7563 and an expert in our Detroit-area office will be on the line to help. Want to talk over email? No problem! Just fill out the form below.


The post Do you REALLY need a satellite meter (Spoiler alert: YES) appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.

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