subject: The Complex Maze Of Technology Called Satellite Tv [print this page] Of all technologies that are in current use for delivering TV services to homes, the satellite based ones are the most efficient. Unlike in other systems there isnt any need to lay wires, erect towers and the trouble of connecting homes individually. Wires tend to be expensive in the long run; they need to be replaced once in a while due to technological changes or aging. They are also difficult to be laid in some terrain and therefore for some users accessing this type of service can pose problems. Satellite TV services, although expensive in the beginning, tends to be cheaper in the long run. And that is the reason why satellite TV plans like Dish TV Offers give better value for money.
When you watch television in your home, you may not be able to tell the means through which they have been delivered. But you can always tell the difference from the quality that satellite-based TVs deliver. First of all they are crystal clear and the sound will be great, and most important you dont have to run wires all over your home. If you are not aware, remember that behind all this is satellite technology that makes your viewing a pleasure. Understanding the technology therefore can be rewarding for you.
Did you know that the satellites that deliver signals to home travel at amazing speed? Believe, they travel 20,000 or more miles in a fraction of second to your home from geo-stationary satellites that are placed in the earths orbit. These types of satellites are seldom tracked because they remain at a fixed place in the sky and hence the name. The programs that companies make first reach the satellites and from there they are kind of reflected back to the earth. The area over which they are reflected is called the footprint of the satellite. To be able to receive these signals users have to be within the footprint.
In principle reflecting the signals may appear to be very simple, but they arent so in reality. There is a complex maze of parameter to which the satellite must be programmed. Amongst the important factors is keeping the satellite in perfect position and using the right transponder for the right purpose. The right transponders use C-Band and Ku-Band for reflecting the signals back to the earth where the dish captures them and converts them to signal forms that are compatible with your television. And that is to put them in very simple terms.
The small concave dish like receiver you see on your rooftop is the place where the signals are captured and routed to the horn; usually a small arm like structure with a bulbous structure at one end. From this horn the signals travel to the set top box that the dish TV Company had given you. The innocuous looking dish is something that has to be positioned properly and has to be in the line of sight of the satellite. Even a small deviation can mean poor quality of reception. However the good thing is there are precise information and instruments to place the dish in its right position.
The set top box is the place where C-Band or Ku-Band are converted to a form of signal that your television can understand and give you the picture and sound to hear. Satellite TV is not a free service and individuals have to pay a monthly fee to avail the service, and that is also the reason why the signals from the satellite are encoded. Encoding is a way of scattering the signals so that not everyone can capture and play. They need to be decoded at the receivers end and for that there is a card. And that is the way satellite TV companies ensure that they get paid.