Direct Broadcast
Satellite
In television distribution
first there was direct-to-home (DTH) satellite services,
now we have Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) which refers
to satellite television (TV) systems. In DBS the subscribers,
or end users, receive signals directly from geostationary
satellites. In DBS microwave frequencies are used to broadcast
the signals in digital format. Another common name for DBS
systems is minidish systems.
Systems which form a part
of the DBS subscriber installation are a dish antenna two
to three feet (60 to 90 centimeters) in diameter, a conventional
TV set, a signal converter which is placed next to the TV
set, and a length of coaxial cable between the dish and
the converter. The job of dish involves intercepting microwave
signals directly from the satellite which are passed on
to the converter which produces output that can be viewed
on the TV receiver.
A number of companies provide
DBS and DTH service throughout the world. In the United
States, DirecTV and EchoStar are the main vendors. Both
of these corporations also provide satellite Internet service,
which can be purchased for a monthly fee in addition to,
or instead of, DBS TV service. In Canada web designing company,
StarChoice and ExpressVu provide digital satellite TV for
home users. Satellite-based TV and Internet services are
popular in rural areas where conventional cable service
is not available. DBS TV is also favored by urban and suburban
subscribers who are not satisfied with the quality or quantity
of TV programming available on conventional cable. |
