If you are considering building a home entertainment system that includes a satellite television subscription, then it is a good idea to get a little background information on the service that you are signing up for. While it is not necessary to know every single fact and detail about the history and technology behind satellite service, you may find it helpful to be aware of the basics. To start with, you should know that the satellite service that is available for home television reception is called direct broadcast satellite (sometimes abbreviated as DBS) and uses geosynchronous communications satellites to transmit direct-to-home signals. Satellite TV has been around for over fifty years now, but has only recently become competitive as an alternative to traditional cable-based home entertainment. Its sharp rise in popularity has come about for a number of different reasons that have to do with cost, programming variety, and customer service, among other factors.
One thing that many first-time satellite subscribers find very appealing is the superior reception quality. People who have not tried out the service often have misguided questions and hesitations regarding the reception quality of satellite TV. They think that, because satellite signals must travel so far from the satellite where they originate to reach your home (around 20,000 miles), the signals must suffer. However, as long as you have a clear view of the southern sky (if you live in the northern hemisphere, your satellite dish must be pointed in that direction because the satellite that it communicates with orbits the earth near the equator), then you really do not need to worry about weak signals. However, to ensure maximum signal strength, it is always a good idea to have a technician set up your system, rather than trying to do it yourself. Luckily, most satellite TV providers these days offer free professional installation when you sign up for a service plan through them.
You may be surprised to learn that, under the right conditions, satellite reception quality actually has the potential to be much better than cable reception quality. The main reason for this is that advanced satellite technology sends all its signals in digital format, which makes for images that are much more vivid and audio that is much crisper than what analog format is capable of delivering. With digital signals, you also have the possibility of receiving channels that are broadcast in top-of-the-line high definition resolution. This resolution quality is the best there is at the moment, and many people liken the experience of viewing these channels to going to a movie theater. In fact, with the right equipment, you can get the same booming surround sound and lifelike pictures that seem to jump off the screen at you that you get in a movie theater. Currently, satellite subsribers have access to about a hundred high definition channels. When you sign up for service, make sure you ask your provider about getting a DVR (digital video recorder) upgrade so that you can also record programs in same high-quality format they are broadcast in.
One thing that many first-time satellite subscribers find very appealing is the superior reception quality. People who have not tried out the service often have misguided questions and hesitations regarding the reception quality of satellite TV. They think that, because satellite signals must travel so far from the satellite where they originate to reach your home (around 20,000 miles), the signals must suffer. However, as long as you have a clear view of the southern sky (if you live in the northern hemisphere, your satellite dish must be pointed in that direction because the satellite that it communicates with orbits the earth near the equator), then you really do not need to worry about weak signals. However, to ensure maximum signal strength, it is always a good idea to have a technician set up your system, rather than trying to do it yourself. Luckily, most satellite TV providers these days offer free professional installation when you sign up for a service plan through them.
You may be surprised to learn that, under the right conditions, satellite reception quality actually has the potential to be much better than cable reception quality. The main reason for this is that advanced satellite technology sends all its signals in digital format, which makes for images that are much more vivid and audio that is much crisper than what analog format is capable of delivering. With digital signals, you also have the possibility of receiving channels that are broadcast in top-of-the-line high definition resolution. This resolution quality is the best there is at the moment, and many people liken the experience of viewing these channels to going to a movie theater. In fact, with the right equipment, you can get the same booming surround sound and lifelike pictures that seem to jump off the screen at you that you get in a movie theater. Currently, satellite subsribers have access to about a hundred high definition channels. When you sign up for service, make sure you ask your provider about getting a DVR (digital video recorder) upgrade so that you can also record programs in same high-quality format they are broadcast in.
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