About Satellite TV
How it Works
The way it works is by broadcasting
digital audio and video signals from satellites in the sky that are
in a stationary position orbiting our planet to satellite dishes that
are located on the surface of the Earth. The satellites that are used
for television broadcasting are in orbit of the earth in a cosmic
region that is known as the Clarke Belt. The Clarke Belt is located
about 22,000 miles above the equator of the Earth.
Each of the satellites that are used
in order to send television signals back to Earth have several transponders.
Each of the transponders send a separate signal back to the Earth.
The signals that they send are mostly on the C Band, Ku Band, or Ka
Band frequencies. The signal must travel over 20,000 miles from the
satellite tv progrgamming provider to the satellite in the sky. Then
these signals are sent back (another 20,000+ miles) where they are
received by a satellite dish.
The satellite tv dish that receives
the signal is as small as 18" across and as large as 9 feet across,
or more. The satellite dishes that are used by Dish Network and Directv®
are only 18-20 inches across. The satellite tv dish collects the signal
and reflects it to the feedhorn. The feedhorn then sends the signal
to the LNB. The LNB then amplifies the signal and converts it to a
more suitable frequency that can be used for transmission over a cable.
The signal is then sent to the satellite tv receiver. The satellite
tv receiver then sends the signal to your television set. The signal
is then sent from the television set to your eye balls and then, eventually,
to your brain.
How to Get It
The easiest way to get satellite tv
is to subscribe to the programming services that are offered by Dish
Network or Directv®. If you are not sure which of these services
would be best for you then you can compare Dish
Network vs. Directv® before placing your order. You
can order services online or via a toll free phone number that is
listed on our "Ordering
Information" page.
Satellite TV History
Satellite TV was launched in the early
1990's by four large cable companies. They decided to call this new
technology Direct Broadcast Satellite, or DBS. The first system was
named Primestar and used an existing Ku-band satellite that had a
medium amount of power. This existing satellite was used in conjunction
with a 36 inch dish.
The Hughes Directv® system was
launched in 1994. It used a higher powered Ku-band satellite that
was newly designed and an 18 inch dish. These newer systems were able
to provide astonishing picture quality as well as stereo sound and
were broadcast on 150-200 video and audio channels. This was truly
the beginning of the era that would see the popularity of the small
dish soar.
In the following years, the popularity
of satellite tv systems was gaining by leaps and bounds. Large television
programming companies like HBO began to realize that they were giving
away their programs for free to the millions of satellite dish owners
that were scattered across the United States. So, they decided to
scramble their signals.
1996 saw the launch of the Dish Network
satellite tv systems. Directv® now had some direct competition
in the satellite tv market. Both of these companies would now compete
with cable television providers throughout the United States. EchoStar
One, the first Dish Network satellite, was launched on the 28th of
December in 1995.
Today, Dish Network and Directv®
are the main two solutions for customers who would like to bring satellite
tv systems into their homes. Both of these satellite tv providers
offer a viable alternative to cable television.
