Consumer satellite television initially was an option chosen only by viewers in remote areas, with no access to traditional broadcast or cable signals. The only way these remote viewers could receive television programming was to pick it off from the networks’ private satellites—the same satellites that transferred programming from network headquarters to local affiliates.
The dishes used to receive this early satellite programming were huge things, 6 or 8 feet in diameter. These dishes received signals in the C-band frequency range, between 3.4GHz and 7GHz.
Unfortunately, the attractiveness of satellite programming didn’t outweigh the bulkiness of the large dishes. In addition, the networks started to encode their satellite signals, so less and less programming was legally available for free—although subscriptions were often available.
The next stage in satellite television came with the advent of smaller direct broadcast satellite (DBS) systems. These systems use more powerful geosynchronous satellites, which enable the use of smaller satellite dishes on the ground. DBS satellite dishes, offered by DIRECTV and the DISH Network, are about the size of a pizza box and can be mounted on the side or roof of a house.
Unlike the older C-band satellite signals, DBS signals are digital and are transmitted in the Ku-band range (from 12GHz to 14GHz). The digital signals make for superior picture and sound quality (compared to broadcast television or analog cable), as well as provide hundreds of specialized channels. And the geosynchronous satellites mean that dishes have to be aimed only once; they don’t have to track moving satellites (or be positioned differently for different satellites), as did the older big-dish systems.
Like cable subscribers, DBS subscribers pay for various tiers of programming. DBS subscribers also have to pay for the satellite dish itself and to have it installed. This initial investment is often subsidized by the satellite providers, who provide attractive equipment packages with prepaid subscriptions.
