Satellite TV Guide

Today's satellite systems are easy to use, maintenance-free, and give you the very best all-digital picture and sound available. In fact, many satellite channels are HDTV compatible - so you can enjoy sound and picture quality that's simply top notch.

Satellite TV has gone from big dishes that dominate your backyard, to 18 inch dishes and small discreet receivers that require practically no maintenance. With the competition between satellite and cable providers heating up, you have more choices than ever when it comes to which system to use.

Satellite TV is straightforward. The dish picks up a signal that's broadcast by an orbiting satellite. The satellite decoder then turns the satellite signal into a digital channel - it's that easy.

This means satellite channels are 100% digital, and you get 100% digital sound - whereas Digital Cable is only 60% digital. Satellite digital sound is CD quality - so no low volume shows or crackling voices. Moreover, due to technological improvements, satellite signals rarely experience interruptions - they are virtually non-existent. For more information visit Satellite TV Vs Cable TV comparison

There are a few things to consider when purchasing a satellite system. Satellite systems are designed so that each outlet needs its own receiver. So if you have several TVs in your house, you probably need more than one receiver. You also need to buy the dish and receiver to get access to the satellite network, known as a "system".

Of course, once you invest in a satellite system, you get to enjoy all the benefits with no maintenance hassle. Plus you can put together channel packages that are not only more affordable than digital cable, but also have 100% of the channels broadcast digitally.

Channel Selection

Satellite systems come with a selection of channel packages or you can simply choose the channels you want. With over 375 Audio and Video channels to choose from, there is no shortage of options. With multiple start times you aren't limited to one set time to watch your favourite weekly program or movie. And with optional receivers, you can keep up with the latest in HDTV technology. Some satellite providers also offer high-speed, satellite-based Internet - up to 400Kb per second - so there is more to satellite than just television.

Satellite systems also offer access to pay-per-view programming so you can watch your favourite movies. Ordering it is simple, and you get the same digital quality as all the other satellite channels.

Time shifting is another convenient feature that satellite offers. With so many channels you often will have access to both East and West time zones of popular TV networks - so you have an option when it comes to watching your favourite show. You don't need to rush home to catch the latest episode. In short, you have more choices with satellite, so you can fit your shows into your busy lifestyle.

So if you want more channels, more value, more variety, and more control over what you watch, consider satellite.

United States consumers interested in setting up a small satellite-dish-based, direct broadcast television system in their homes now can select from three competing companies.

DirecTV and Dish Network are the two major players. Both have been around for several years and are well established. The newcomer is Voom, offered by Rainbow DBS, a subsidiary of New York-based Cablevision Systems Corp.

Although the specifics of each service vary because of the programming packages offered, they all work generally the same way in electronically delivering television into your home.

Each using their own networks of satellites, fiber optic lines and cable systems, the direct broadcast firms gather programming from the major broadcast and cable companies to at least one central location and then transmit the signal up to specially designed, high-powered satellites orbiting 22,300 miles above the equator.

Millions of households all over the planet receive their television programming from space today. In the United States, according to information released by the companies, DirecTV has more than 11.2 million subscribers and Dish Network has surpassed nine million.

The Competition

DirecTV came first. Launched in June 1994, the El Segundo, Calif.-based company offers more than 225 channels. It is a unit of Hughes Electronics Corp.

A key sales advantage for DirecTV is its exclusive agreement with the National Football League to make every regional game on Sunday afternoon available to subscribers. This makes it possible for a Minnesota Viking fan who lives in Florida to never miss a game, and during timeouts see what's happening around the league.

Company officials credit the longstanding NFL deal for being a significant factor in consumers choosing DirecTV over the competition. The company reached its first million customers by the end of 1994.

Dish Network, meanwhile, continues to hold its own. Launched in December 1995, the company gained its first million customers by the end of 1997 and currently having more than 10 million customers.

A subsidiary of EchoStar Communications, Corp., the Littleton, Colo.-based company offers more than 500 channels of digital programming throughout the United States, including an extensive array of foreign-language programming.