DISH has launched a new Over-the-Air (OTA) Signal Meter. It is available to retailers for $119. The DISH OTA Signal Meter is the lowest-priced solution to help you achieve optimal signal reception of Over-the-Air TV broadcasts.
This portable and water-resistant meter is designed to measure and maximize signal strength and quality of OTA TV antenna installations. Since the introduction of digital technology in the U.S. in 2008, most areas of the country broadcast free, crystal-clear HD OTA TV signals. The OTA TV broadcast signals vary on a number of factors. Such factors include:
● Distance from OTA TV broadcast tower (longer distance = weaker signals)
● Terrain factors that influence line-of-sight to broadcast tower (mountains, hills, trees)
● Objects adjacent or near OTA TV reception antenna (walls, construction materials, power lines, electronic equipment, cars, and even people)
● Weather conditions
This meter is designed to help determine whether a location is suitable to receive OTA TV signals, the optimal location to install an OTA TV reception antenna, and to fine-tune the direction and orientation of the OTA TV reception antenna itself to obtain maximum TV signal strength and quality.
This product is extremely important for the custom install community, who has embraced over-the-air video content for many years. This affordable meter will help installers configure antenna systems with optimal performance AND in less time.
The OTA Meter wirelessly communicates with the Android or iOS DISH OTA Signal Meter App on your phone, giving you real-time signal measurements from your Over-the-Air antenna.
In addition to measuring OTA TV signals, the meter can also be used to measure signal strengths (power) for channels distributed in QAM, which is typically used for multiple-dwelling-unit structures such as apartment complexes and hotels. QAM is a digital television standard and stands for quadrature amplitude modulation—the format by which digital cable channels are encoded and transmitted via cable television providers.
The OTA Meter wirelessly communicates with the Android or iOS DISH OTA Signal Meter App on your phone, giving you real-time signal measurements from your Over-the-Air antenna.
Product Connections
The OTA Meter has 3 ports:
Antenna Input Coax Port: this coaxial port is labeled Antenna and is where you connect the OTA Antenna to.
TV Coax Port: this coaxial port is used to connect to a TV or receiver. It allows the pass-through of the TV signals so you can use the meter to measure TV signals while also seeing the live channel display on a TV.
USB Type C Port: this port is used for 2 options. First, it can be used as backup power option for the meter by connecting a phone or 5V power bank to provide power whenever the meter’s batteries are dead. Second, it can be used to provide power to the OTA TV Antenna’s amplifier using a portable 5V or 12V power bank or your phone instead of connecting the amplifier directly to an AC electrical power outlet.
There is a renewed interest in over-the-air broadcasts. Luxury clients will demand enhanced content, and custom integrators are ideal partners to deliver it. Tools like the Over-The-Air Signal Meter will be invaluable to the channel and DISH is eager to provide this tool.
To order your OTA Meter from DISH, please contact your DISH-Authorized distributor or DISH Inside Sales at 1-800-521-9282. The DISH OTA Signal Meter App is also available to DISH sales partners through https://mobilemarket.dish.com. Use your PartnerHub credentials to log in.
To view a brief overview video on the OTA Meter, click here.