Introduction

Satellite television is television programming delivered by the

means of satellite communications and received by an outdoor

antenna, usually a parabolic reflector generally referred to as a

satellite dish.

In many areas of the world satellite television provides a wide

range of channels and services, often to areas that are not

serviced by terrestrial or cable providers.

Direct-broadcast satellite

television comes to the general

public in two distinct flavors –

analog and digital.

This necessitates either having

an analog satellite receiver or a

digital satellite receiver.

Analog satellite television is

being replaced by digital

satellite television and the latter

is becoming available in a

better quality known as high-

definition television.

Types:

The first satellite television signal was relayed from Europe to

the Telstar satellite over North America in 1962.

The first geosynchronous communication satellite, Syncom 2,

was launched in 1963.

The world's first commercial communications satellite, called

Intelsat I, was launched into synchronous orbit on April 6,

1965. The first national network of satellite television, called

Orbita, was created in Soviet Union in 1967.

History of Satellite TV

Syncom IITelstar

The first commercial North American satellite to carry

television transmissions was Canada's geostationary Anik 1,

which was launched in 1972.

ATS-6, the world's first experimental educational and Direct

Broadcast Satellite, was launched in 1974.

These are contributed to the development of satellite TV.

History of Satellite TV

ATS 6

Anik 1

Satellite television, like other communications relayed by

satellite, starts with a transmitting antenna located at an

uplink facility.

Uplink satellite dishes are very large, as much as 9 to 12

meters (30 to 40 feet) in diameter

The uplink dish is pointed toward a specific satellite and the

uplinked signals are transmitted within a specific frequency

range

These signals received by one of the transponders tuned to

that frequency range.

The transponder 're-transmits' the signals back to Earth.

The satellite receiver or set-top box de-modulates and

converts the signals to the desired form

Technology of Satellite TV

Technology of Satellite TV

Many satellite television customers in

developed television markets get their

programming through a direct broadcast

satellite (DBS) provider.

The provider selects programs and broadcasts

them to subscribers as a set package.

Basically, the provider’s goal is to bring

dozens or even hundreds of channels to the

customer's television in a form that

approximates the competition from cable

television.

Unlike earlier programming, the provider’s

broadcast is completely digital, which means

it has high picture and stereo sound quality.

Direct to Home television

The commercial DBS service, Sky was launched in 1989.

Sky TV started as a four-channel free-to-air analogue service on

the Astra 1A satellite, serving both Ireland and the United

Kingdom.

By 1991, Sky had changed to a conditional access pay model,

and launched a digital service, Sky Digital, in 1998.

Prime Star began transmitting an analog service to North

America in 1991, and was joined by DirecTV in 1994.

At the time, DirecTV's introduction was the most successful

consumer electronics debut in American history.

Commercial DBS services

As of 2013, India has the most competitive

direct-broadcast satellite market with seven

operators (six private DTH and one

Government-owned DTH) vying for more

than 110 million television homes.

Subscribers to India's six private direct-to-

home (DTH) satellite television providers

have now reached 56.5 million, according to

the latest figures issued by the Telecom

Regulations Authority of India (TRAI) on

31st March 2013.

The six private DTH operating in India are

Dish tv (Zee network), Tatasky (tata group),

Sun direct (sun network), Digital tv (Airtel).

D2H (Videocon), Reliance(digital tv)

Commercial DBS services in India

Programming sources

The broadcast center

The satellites

The viewer's dish

The receiver

Components of Satellite TV

High Definition

Simple User Interface

Internal Drive

Remote Management and Playback

Digital Video Recorder

Detailed program information

Keyword search

Favorite lists

Features of a Satellite TV

Cable TV vs Satellite TV

Cable TV is very similar to terrestrial television with the

exception that the signal cable goes all the way to the provider

where as terrestrial television goes over the air. A few drawbacks

of cable TV include subscription costs as well as availability.

Very few if any cable providers offer any basic cable service free

of charge. Also the user is limited to whatever is provided from

their cable operator

The main advantage of satellite TV over cable is the ability

to freely explore free-to-air channels provided on a wide range of

satellites. This is where a custom built satellite system becomes

very useful particularly when accompanied by a multi dish setup.

While custom built systems can work out rather expensive, the

user gets far more features than a Sky receiver when it comes to

exploring foreign satellites.

Conclusion

Satellite TV receivers are often manufactured by satellite TV

programming providers. In many cases, they can only work with a

certain programming service. However, many of them are versatile

and can be used to receive free satellite TV signals. Modern satellite

receivers combine with HDTV sets and home theaters to create

modern live entertainment systems. Although they can be complex

mechanisms, the average user expects them to perform simple

functions: program watching and recording.

Features like a DVR and some internal memory can eliminate

the need to purchase a recorder and an external drive, while also

reducing clutter around the TV set. Mobile management and a simple

user interface make the user experience more comfortable, while HD

capabilities guarantee the best viewing experience. Knowing about

some of these basic features helps consumers make a more informed

decision when trying to select a satellite TV receiver for their home.