How to Program a DIRECTV Receiver to FTA

"Free-to-Air" (FTA) is a type of programming that offers you certain channels with no subscription. If you have a DirecTV connection, but do not wish to pay the monthly fees, you may use your DirecTV satellite dish to connect to your FTA receiver. Note that you may need to purchase the existing satellite dish receiver from DirecTV.

Things You'll Need

• Component cable
• FTA receiver
• DirecTV dish receiver

Instructions

1. Locate the coaxial cable that is connected to the DirecTV satellite dish. The other end runs into your house where you setup your television. Connect this open end to the "In" port on your FTA receiver.

2. Use a component cable to connect the FTA receiver with your television set. Plug one end of the cable into the "Component Out" ports on your FTA receiver. Follow the color-coding. The red, green and blue cables are for video. The other red and white cable are for audio.

3. Plug the other end of the component cable into the "Components In" ports on the back of your television.

4. Turn on your FTA receiver.

5. Turn on your television. Use your TV remote to choose "Component" as your input. Wait patiently as the FTA receiver starts acquiring the free channels, one by one.

References

• Viewsat Canada Retail: User's Manual Free To Air VS2000 (PDF)
• Galaxy Marketing: What is Free-To-Air (FTA)?
• DIRECTV: Information about your DIRECTV satellite dish