Satellite TV


Satellite TV has exploded in popularity in the last few years. Gone are the days when satellite TV meant installing a huge expensive dish on your lawn. Instead, drive through any neighborhood and you're likely to see small gray dishes clinging to rooftops pointed to the sky.

Satellite TV that utilizes the mini (12") dish is a relatively recent service known as DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite). The older large dish is called TVRO (Television Receive Only). TVRO can still be used, with TV networks and other broadcasts received by turning the satellite dish with a motor controlled from your living room. However, today DBS has all but replaced TVRO because mini-dishes are relatively cheap and easy to set up.
In fact, the audio and video quality received from DBS satellite services are unparalleled even by digital cable. Every channel you receive is digitally compressed with Mpeg2, the same high-quality digital audio and video compression used for DVD. And, because it's a direct signal, every channel comes in with the same strength; there are no "weak" TV signals experienced with TVRO or regular antennae.

Satellite TV is the only way to receive subscriber TV services in some rural areas where no cable TV is available.

The downside to DBS satellite TV is the hardware requirements. A dish must be firmly secured to a vantage point with unobstructed access to the sky pointed in a certain direction. Apartments and certain townhouse situations might make this difficult or impossible.

Weather can also influence satellite TV reception. "Rain fade" is the total signal loss suffered by satellite services when the weather conditions block out the signal to your dish. This usually occurs for a short time during a heavy storm. Winter weather can also be bad for the satellite dish. If it gets covered in snow or ice it will need to be cleaned off to recover your signals.