Satellite TV
Here in Dalian we have access to Foreign/Western Satellite TV channels, but most Chinese people are banned from owning satellite TV receivers, luckily foreigners and residents from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan areas may apply for satellite dish installation. Some bars, clubs and the better hotels can also receive satellite TV channels. The "normal" TV only has Chinese broadcasts.
Almost all houses come with a box of some sort, you have to pay for a box even if you don't use it, bit like having a TV licence.So if you rent a house with a 'Satellite Box' you may find it's just has Chinese programs and sometimes it is referred to as 'CABLE TV'.
The top satellite channels are CNN, BBC World, HBO, Cinemax, CNBC Asia Pacific, AXN, Discovery, National Geographic, STAR Movie International, MTV Mandarin, Channel Asia, Channel V, Hallmark, NHK World Premium, Phoenix Movies, Phoenix Chinese, TVB8, TVB Galaxy, NOW, MASTV Chinese, Phoenix Infonews Channel, Bloomberg, Xing Kong Wei Shi, Euro Sports News, CETV, Horizon Channel, SUNTV, Celestial Movies, Channel NewsAsia, TV5, East TV and Cuba Vision International.
Most channels also have Chinese subtitles (these can not be turned off) 
Most people just buy a TV STB, (Satellite Top Box) and then a viewing card which enables you to get TV programs in English (Prices from 600 - 1,200rmb for the box and a card for about 100rmb every month).
You could have to apply for a permit (Show your Passport) to watch foreign channels, and this is done when you get the card and buy the decoder box which in turn just plugs into your home TV Ariel.
You don't need to buy a dish because China International Television Corporation (CCTV) work as a sole agent for transmitting the satellite signals and that's why sometimes it is blocked when some 'delicate' news stories or 'ethically motivating TV programs' are aired.Some illegal companies can give you the same service cheaper but.......
Watching Western TV in Dalian, there are basically 3 options.
1st (the best way) is cable/satellite, without installing any thing, just buy a "special STB, (Satellite Top Box)" connect it to house TV socket, there are around 60 channels including English speaking channels.
The signal is good & reliable.
Disadvantages: Cost and censored
2nd, is the outside satellite, still you need to apply for the permission to install it from the landlord and get permission to watch it.
Disadvantages: Lots of installation work and poor signal during the bad weather.
3rd, Internet TV if you only like watching news and sports programmes.
There are p2p web-tv sites like http://www.tvants.com which can be download in English (although designed in Chinese ) they have about 80 stations, mainly Chinese programmes from Hong Kong or Taiwan.
Also networks like http://www.youtube.com are usefull.
Disadvantages: Depends on the network, you need to get used to "buffering..........."
Don't bring any video cassettes because they don't have the players almost EVERTHING is DVD. many people have never seen a video cassette recorder in China.
The above facts and figures are collecting from many sources and therefore could have changed.
China is still a closed market to foreign-owned satellites, Hong Kong does have one, and with the recent technical failure of SinoSat-2, built by a Chinese manufacturer, is most likely to put some pressure on the Chinese government to reconsider the satellite service offerings of foreign operators.
Copyright rhymeroyal
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