Exposing the Advantageous & Understanding the Drawbacks

An Introduction to Digital Satellite TV

In the United States, the two main satellite TV service provides are DirecTV - often incorrectly referred to as Direct TV, and  Echo Star - more known through its DISH Network service.

The signal from these Satellite TV systems is transmitted from satellites that are in a geo-synchronous orbit around the earth.

This means that these satellites stay in the same relative point in the sky with respect to the earth's rotation.

Both DirecTV and DISH Network offer digital transmission of their video content using both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC.

MPEG-2 is in the process of being phased out in favor of the newer MPEG-4 due to the latter capability to cram more than twice as much HD content into the same amount of bandwidth space as the older MPEG-2 technology.

MPEG-2 is the same digital encoding technology as used in DVDs, while MPEG-4 AVC is one of the mandatory video encoding technologies supported by both Blu-ray and HD DVD high definition optical discs

This renders both digital satellite TV service providers capable of delivering crystal clear video and Dolby® Digital 5.1 surround sound for a life-like action when watching movies, sports events, news, etc. 

It is the capability to deliver the very best audio and video - complemented by a vast array of HDTV programming - that renders digital satellite TV the ideal choice to complete one's home theater system.

As already hinted earlier on, the use of digital technology has a further advantage to both satellite companies and end-users alike - digital transmission enables digital satellite TV service providers to fit more channels in comparison to analog transmission systems, thanks to the use of encoding techniques not possible over analog systems.

But as expressed in our Digital TV Guide, fitting in more content over the same allocated bandwidth space does carry its own expense. Compression gives rise to picture artifacts that are not present on analog television systems. Artifacts such as 'quantization noise' and 'blockiness' are quite common and arise out of excessive compression levels used by service providers in their bid to deliver more content than the competition. This also explains why some over-the-air local HDTV broadcasts tend to be typically of better quality than high definition satellite TV.

On the other hand, if you are after HDTV programming, then digital satellite systems still carry a relatively larger number of HDTV stations in comparison to Cable TV and over-the-air TV broadcast. The use of the latest MPEG-4 compression is making numerous HD channels a reality. It is thus only logical that many home theater owners are turning to digital satellite as their primary television source.

It should be remarked here that although both digital satellite TV service (DSS) providers in the US use 100% digital transmission, yet not all program content sent out over these two networks is digital in origin. This explains why content quality is sometimes inconsistent.

Advantageous and Drawback of Digital Satellite TV

The services as offered by both digital satellite TV providers in the US are without doubt - of exceptional quality. At the same time, there are a number of characteristics that are intrinsic to digital satellite TV and which should be well understood in order to avoid possible disappointments at a latter stage. 

Being aware of these characteristics should put you in a better position to determine whether to opt for a digital satellite TV solution, or otherwise. At the same time, one should also realize that digital satellite TV, Cable TV and over-the-air TV broadcast do not need to be mutually exclusive - it is all a question of what are your actual content requirements. 

But there is more! When opting for a digital satellite TV service, it is worth keeping in mind the following...

A Final Note - Permission to Install and Placement Restrictions:

One particular problem that may arise when it comes to installing a satellite TV system relates to whether you own your home; this can turn out to be a deal-breaker. You will have to check with your landlord prior to proceeding with a satellite TV dish installation. 

Similarly, check any building regulations that may be applicable to your area in that if your home is within the historic zone, it may be that you would not be able to install a satellite dish, in particular if it will be visible from the street. The guiding parameter here should be that the dish color and position should as much as possible, blend with the surrounding environment.  

We therefore highly recommend that you check the 'Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule' at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) web site. This FCC requirement deals with placement restrictions for the installation of antennas - including dish antennas up to one meter (39.4") diameter.