Satellite TV, Where It Stands Today

Satellite TV has become the heart of electronic media these days. In my opinion, satellite TV is the most beneficial aspect of Satellite technology for mankind. Satellite TV started as an expensive solution a couple of decades back. But now, it has become the most powerful, standardized and easily affordable form of electronic media. This article focuses on the current situation of the technology and all related areas.

As a basic architecture, a broadcasting station on earth transmits signals to the geostationary satellite in space. The satellite receives the signals and retransmits them back to earth; thus transmitting to a huge area over the planet. These signals are radio waves that can carry a huge amount of bandwidth; in other words, one signal can carry a lot of channels at a time. At the receiving end, the subscriber has to use a dish to capture useful signals up to the receiver box in home. The receiver box can have many functions. Basically, it converts the signals into channels. It could decrypt the channels if they are encrypted. It could help in managing billing issues. It could allow to perform parental control. It could convert analog signals to digital or vice versa. It could provide different output formats depending upon the output device compatibility.

If we compare Satellite TV and Broadcast TV; both are wireless forms of transmitting media. But, there are limitations in Broadcast TV. Due to the curve nature of earth, Broadcast TV don't cover as much distance as the Satellite TV do. Furthermore, with recent developments and Standardization in Satellite TV technology, there are relatively more innovations and functionalities available in Satellite TV. With Broadcast TV, one could communicate with a city or country; and with Satellite TV, one could communicate with the whole world !

It seems that Cable TV and Satellite TV are similar in their services. But in my opinion, Cable TV is something local while Satellite TV is something that is global. Although, cable TV seems inexpensive and provides huge coverage but it depicts that something is wired in this modern wireless world. Furthermore, Cable TV can't provide inch by inch coverage as Satellite TV do. Technically, Satellite TV carries more bandwidth (channels) and advanced options than the Cable TV. Normally, Cable TV is analogue and Satellite TV is digital.

With the passage of standardization, commercialization and digitalization, a term DBS Provider (Direct Broadcast Satellite) evolved. The main providers are DirecTV and Dish Network. Both have become massive competitors in USA. Comparison of DirecTV and Dish Network is very important and should be discussed separately. Providers have their own broadcast stations and satellite network to provide services. Providers such as DirecTV and Dish Network have their own programming scheme i.e. the set of available channels. They contract with local, national and international television networks to get their signals. They can also provide other services such as internet, telephony etc. A network of dealers and retailers of DirecTV and Dish Network also exist that provide various deals upon various conditions.

Subscribers purchase set of services from providers depending upon their requirements. Technology has gone so far that a user can use pay per view (to pay for a specific channel for specific time). Nowadays, all of this transmission is digital and well under control thus providing better quality.

There has been a complete line of products regarding the Satellite TV. Some are provider dependent while some are provider independent. Some basic categories are:

There are various categories and combinations in a digital display TV. Its basic difference with analog systems is its high resolution, crisp quality and better aspect ratio. HDTV or HD (high density TV) is considered to be the best.

Receiver is usually provider dependent. Its basic abilities are already discussed in this article.

DVR (Digital Video Recorder) is bringing similar or more fascination to Satellite TV as VCR brought to the Analog TV. A DVR is basically capable of recording your favorite broadcast on its built-in hard disk. Some advanced features include saving the ongoing transmission in a buffer such that one could pause, rewind, forward during a live transmission.