Satellite TV: How Does This Actually Work?

Satellite TV is TV delivered by way of orbiting communications satellites located 37,000 km above the earth's surface. To start a Satellite TV we have to locate a transmitting antenna at an uplink facility. Uplink satellite dishes go towards the satellite on which its signals are transmitted to & are very large in diameter, say about 9-12 meters or 30-40 feet. This large diameter gives a perfect positioning & a clear signal reception at the satellite. The satellite signals are retransmitted to Earth through transponders with a different frequency.

Satellite TV is much similar to the broadcast TV. Satellite TV is a wireless system for delivering television programming directly to a viewer's house. But in broadcast TV the major problem is of range because due to Earth's curved surface the signal line of site is broken many times. The other problem which broadcast TV gives is that there is much interruption in signal or the picture is distorted in the viewing area. Satellite TV solves all these problems of the range, broadcast signals, etc.

As due to Earth's surface the problem comes in signal but as satellites are high in the sky, the coverage scope for the customers is much more. They transmit & receive radio signals through satellite dishes which are a sort of specialized antennas.

The first Satellite TV was relayed from Europe to the Telstar Satellite over North America in 1962.Canada's Anik I, launched in 1973, was the first domestic North American Satellite to carry television. When Satellite TV was launched in the market, home dishes converted a lot of space in yards. Everyone was dying hard to have their own dish. Satellite TV has gifted today's generation with thousands of entertainment channels. They cannot imagine the tedious stage of people before the launching of Satellite TV.

Satellite TV is not only popular in America but it is equally popular in other civilized countries around the world. It is not only a channel but is actually huge information resource which is a source of entertainment as well as an important source of education.

Satellite TV is the best source we can rely on for entertainment. It gives us variety of channels some filled with comedy, laughter and drama, some of sports which take up each and every type of port, some on cartoons, some on news taking in view the news of both, national as well as international news and moreover the most awaited movie channels. Even for children it is not only that they give cartoon films but they also give channels of general knowledge and educative information like Discovery Science, National Geography, etc. Satellite TV gives us a gala gift of music channels where we can listen to all types of favorites. Recent independent searches carried out came of a conclusion that Satellite TV is a far more better option than Cable TV because it is better to install a necessary equipment without paying rental for it rather than pay rental for Cable TV, which too is very expensive& see disturbed transmission &that too limited.

There are 3 choices of Satellite TV available in America: DirectTV, Dish Network & Voom. To buy Satellite TV equipment, you have a number of retailers offering you various types of schemes also. To make comparisons among all the retailers just be online & nave all sorts of information in front of you. There is tremendous competition in retailers as the graph of popularity of Satellite TV is increasing day by day. Thus you can enjoy a selective choice of package according to the need of your family.

James Croydon, Satellite Installation Engineer and Dish Network Offer advisor - focusing on DirecTV HD and DirecTV HD

What makes satellite TV so great anyway?

#TITLE#Will You, Too, Join the Cult of Satellite TV?#/TITLE#

Have you ever noticed how satellite TV subscribers seem to live in groups? Really...take a look at a subdivision, and notice how 5-6 dish owners all live next to one another - it's like some sort of weird cult when you think about it! I have seen entire subdivisions go "the way of the dish" in a few short months. So why does this "grouping" phenomenon seem to happen with satellite TV?

There aren't any doctoral theses on the subject, but I would like to offer an educated guess: Basically, people are fed up with cable. And hey, an odd-looking satellite TV dish perched atop your neighbor's roof one day is bound to spark your curiosity. After striking up a conversation and hearing about all the great things that a dish satellite TV system has to offer subscribers, it is easy to see how a domino effect could start in a neighborhood. Once one brave soul decides to take the plunge and subscribe to satellite TV, the rest will soon follow. It's just a theory, but I think we might just have a story here, Houston.

Are you bored with the selection offered by your cable provider or just plain tired of paying through the nose for the channels you actually watch? A dish satellite TV system provides viewers with a greater selection of channels for less money than cable - period. Cable companies may try to lure customers in with low introductory rates, but they always rise after a few short months - and hey, why should you pay more for worse selection with cable, when satellite TV gives more for less?

Oh come now...there has to be a catch around here somewhere!

Hey, that's smart thinking! And yes, there are always tradeoffs when choosing satellite TV over cable. The first is that a dish satellite TV system tends to lose signal during storms. Without question, that could really put you in a bad mood if you get cut off while watching the latest episode of 'Desperate Housewives'. But the good news is that satellite TV technology continues to improve, so the weather will cease to be an issue within a very short time. Although subscribers to satellite TV do have to put up with lost signal every once in awhile, the same can be said of cable - and the extra channels and lower cost more than compensate for this inconvenience.

The second major drawback of satellite TV is the lack of local programming. Personally, I never bother with the local news anyway, and I'm not a big high school football fan, so the lack of these local channels on my dish satellite TV system doesn't bother me. But some satellite TV companies are making deals with local programming affiliates in larger markets to help eliminate this gripe. Still, it is another disadvantage of using satellite TV instead of cable. Can you live without those local channels? Probably...at least for a week or two!

Satellite providers are addressing the two main complaints against a dish satellite TV system. But even if you accept these two drawbacks to satellite TV, the advantages simply outweigh the problems. And besides - satellite TV is the future. So don't be surprised if you find yourself joining the Cult of Satellite TV one day - even if you are a die-hard cable fan - because the technology continues to improve, and the problems become fewer.

Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website Satellite TV Universe, which answers the most common questions viewers have about Satellite TV. Please visit us at http://www.satellitetvuniverse.com today.

The Dish on Satellite TV

The evolution of television has seen dramatic acceleration recently. Satellite TV has truly revolutionized the global viewing experience. You no longer have to rely on awkward rabbit ear antennae to bring viewing pleasure. Satellite dishes have become as ubiquitous as the roof antenna was in the early years. The world can now be accessed through numerous, and diverse channels, and programming.

The number of options available with satellite television is overwhelming. Since the broadcast signals used in satellite television are digital, as compared with old analog, the results are crystal clear audio and visual transmissions. Broadcasts can be done in HDTV, or high definition television, which is the latest television technology. Digital transmissions allow a greater degree of flexibility for broadcasters.

In addition to picture and sound excellence, there is a virtual library of movies, sporting events, and news programs to choose from. More than the basic channels of yesteryear. Satellite receivers, when put together with the properly built and positioned satellite dish, hook up with access to more than 225 digital-quality channels. The receiver can also provide an on-screen program guide that can be customized to suit viewers needs. The receiver also has a built-in "Locks and Limits" feature, which gives control to limit channels or programs.

More recently, a spectacular Digital Video Recording feature, DVR, has emerged. This gives the viewer the ability to record, replay, and splice programming scenes as many times, and in as many ways, as desired. That's what the combination of HDTV and DVR will give: complete control.

Unlike commercial television, which broadcasts free programming, satellite television is not without cost. To get satellite TV, you need a dish antenna, and a receiver designed to work with the chosen service. You can buy the hardware from the satellite company, an electronics store, or a satellite-system dealer/installer for about $100 and up. There is a monthly subscription fee, in addition to the cost of the hardware; this varies according to the level of service. In the past, bad weather could adversely effect the signals, however new technology and improvements have made this a rare issue.

All considered, satellite television is an investment well worth it. Satellite service can include you in a world revolution that is changing the face of how information and entertainment is done in this world. The sky is the limit with satellite services, literally, when it comes to speed, features, and innovation.

Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for Direct Satellite TV Network Visit http://satellite-tv-usa.net/ for more information.

A Brief on United States Satellite TV Deals

Want to know more about United States satellite TV business despite getting those 'free' satellite TV deals?

As you all may already known, satellite TV business in United States are mainly dominated by two companies, Dish Network and DirecTV. If you would like to have a satellite TV in your home, your choices are mostly limited to the free satellite TV packages that offered by either one Dish Network or DirecTV.

Here's some quick view on United States satellite TV industry: It was Hughes's DirecTV, the first high-powered DBS system, went on air in 1994 and was the first North American DBS service. In 1996, Echostar's Dish Network went online in the United States and has gone on to similar success.

You can get more free satellite TV information through out our website (http://www.satellitetvissue.com with info about satellite TV history in United States, Satellite HDTV, free satellite TV deals offered by Dish Network and DirecTV, etc.). But here, we will concentrate on these two U.S. satellite TV giants:Dish Network and DirecTV.

And as you can see now DirecTV and Dish Network, grew up to be the top satellite TV provider, offering their free satellite TV system everywhere. Apparently, with these free satellite TV deals, Dish Network and DirecTV are the primary competition of cable TV service in United States. These two satellite TV providers actually had blown up a "cut cable wave" in some of the states in U.S.

Now, lets have a closer look on these two famous free satellite TV providers: Dish Network and DirecTV.

DirecTV

DirecTV is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that broadcasts digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States.Owned by DirecTV Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, DirecTV was launched in 1994 and was the first high-powered DBS service in the world.

DirecTV typically uses smaller 18-inch satellite dishes to receive its signals. Slightly larger, 18 x 24-inch oval antennas to access multi-satellites are becoming more common as DirecTV (as well as other DBS services) are attempting to squeeze more programming onto their growing systems, particularly local television network affiliates stations as well as hybrid systems that also receive broadband satellite Internet service.

In 1998 DirecTV acquired its partner, USSB for $1.3 billion. In 1999 DirecTV acquired PrimeStar for $1.83 billion. In 2003, a merger with EchoStar, owner of DISH Network, fell through. On December 22, 2003, controlling interest in Hughes Electronics was sold by General Motors to News Corporation.

DirecTV is often abbreviated as "DTV". However, DTV has recently been used to refer to digital television, giving rise to the unofficial acronym "D".

DirecTV receivers (television set-top boxes) were originally referred to as "Digital Satellite Service", or DSS, so that services being broadcast by both DirecTV and USSB would appear to be received by generic equipment. In 1998, after the acquisition of USSB, an American court ruled that the term "DSS" was an already trademarked term that could not be used by DirecTV.

DirecTV offers standard television including local channels in most markets. Local channels are transmitted over terrestrial optical fiber networks to the Castle Rock Broadcast Center, in Castle Rock, Colorado, where they are uplinked.

DirecTV also offers high definition (HDTV); and a digital video recorder (DVR) service in partnership with TiVo. It has now more than 12 million customers in the US and 1.5 million in Latin America. 2002 revenues were USD 8.9 billion.

DirecTV

DirecTV is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that broadcasts digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States.

Owned by DirecTV Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, DirecTV was launched in 1994 and was the first high-powered DBS service in the world. DirecTV typically uses smaller 18-inch satellite dishes to receive its signals. Slightly larger, 18 x 24-inch oval antennas to access multi-satellites are becoming more common as DirecTV (as well as other DBS services) are attempting to squeeze more programming onto their growing systems, particularly local television network affiliates stations as well as hybrid systems that also receive broadband satellite Internet service.

In 1998 DirecTV acquired its partner, USSB for $1.3 billion. In 1999 DirecTV acquired PrimeStar for $1.83 billion. In 2003, a merger with EchoStar, owner of DISH Network, fell through. On December 22, 2003, controlling interest in Hughes Electronics was sold by General Motors to News Corporation.

DirecTV is often abbreviated as "DTV". However, DTV has recently been used to refer to digital television, giving rise to the unofficial acronym "D*".

DirecTV receivers (television set-top boxes) were originally referred to as "Digital Satellite Service", or DSS, so that services being broadcast by both DirecTV and USSB would appear to be received by generic equipment. In 1998, after the acquisition of USSB, an American court ruled that the term "DSS" was an already trademarked term that could not be used by DirecTV.

DirecTV offers standard television including local channels in most markets. Local channels are transmitted over terrestrial optical fiber networks to the Castle Rock Broadcast Center, in Castle Rock, Colorado, where they are uplinked.

DirecTV also offers high definition (HDTV); and a digital video recorder (DVR) service in partnership with TiVo. It has now more than 12 million customers in the US and 1.5 million in Latin America. 2002 revenues were USD 8.9 billion.

Dish Network

So, how about the Dish Network?

The Dish Network satellite TV is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that broadcasts digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States. Owned by Echostar, Dish Network was launched in March, 1996 and is DirecTV's primary competitor in the United States.

Dish Network originally used an 18-inch satellite dish called DISH 300 which allowed subscribers to receive a signal from one satellite location. Nowadays, Dish Network uses 20-inch satellite dishes called DISH 500, which allows subscribers to receive satellite TV signals from two satellite locations simultaneously. Slightly larger, 36"x20" dishes (called SuperDISH) are being introduced with capability to receive satellite signals from three satellite locations simultaneously.

Both DISH 500 and SuperDISH are becoming more common as Dish Network (as well as other DBS services) are attempting to squeeze more programming onto their growing systems, particularly local American television network affiliates stations, and foreign programming.

In 2003, Dish Network began providing in-flight satellite TV service to the U.S. airline Song. In 2004, selected music channels from Sirius satellite radio were added to DISH Network's lineup of audio-only channels. Dish Network is also partnered with Starband to deliver broadband satellite Internet service along with it's television service.

Well, that's all for the brief on satellite TVs, if you are interested to get more related information, you can always check out the articles section in http://www.satellitetvissue.com - the smart guide for satellite TV deals.

Teddy L.Cc., a successful freelance internet webmaster/writer. He is currently running 4 internet major websites including http://www.satellitetvissue.com Frequent writter on issue regarding electronics goods as well as web hosting.