Digital satellite systems deliver data for TV, internet, and radio via a small dish. They offer advantages over cable TV, such as less regulation and lower prices. They encode their signal and offer additional show data. In some areas, buyers act as illegal cable companies. Major US providers include Dish Network, Star, and DirecTV, with DirecTV also offering satellite internet. SKY in Great Britain offers on-demand and interactive material.
Digital satellite systems are used to deliver data from a satellite to a consumer. This term is mainly used to refer to systems for both television and Internet access. It can also be used to refer to satellite radio technology.
Digital satellite systems usually use a very small dish that can be installed anywhere on the consumer’s property with line of sight to an orbiting satellite. These antennas are rarely larger than three feet (0.9 m), a dramatic improvement over the television dishes of the 1980s and early 1990s, which could often exceed twenty feet (6.9 m).
In the case of television signals, digital satellite systems may also be referred to as direct broadcast systems (DBS). Digital satellite systems have a number of advantages over traditional cable television providers, particularly in the United States. In the United States, cable companies are regulated quite tightly by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), limiting what they can and cannot broadcast and setting price and competition restrictions. Digital satellite systems, by contrast, are largely unregulated, allowing them a much freer hand in deciding what content they will carry. The lack of regulation also allows these systems to offer extremely low prices that can outpace competition from cable companies.
Digital satellite systems for television encode their signal to prevent anyone from tapping into the signal. A decoder usually comes with a contract of a certain duration or can be purchased for a nominal fee. Many digital satellite providers now bundle DVR systems with their set-top box, allowing shows to be recorded for later viewing.
Satellite systems also offer additional show data, a feature not available in traditional cable television. Viewers can scroll through a digital guide to see which shows are currently on and a schedule of upcoming shows, as well as some metadata about the shows. This metadata often includes a quick summary, runtime, rating, and stars of the show.
In the third world, it is not uncommon for satellite system buyers to act as gateway cable companies in areas where cable is not available. With a small broadcast setup and a handful of dishes, one for each channel they carry, these entrepreneurs can broadcast channels from their satellite connection to large numbers of subscribers. While this practice is illegal, it is still prevalent.
In the United States, the major satellite system providers are Dish Network, Star and DirecTV. DirecTV also offers a satellite Internet access system called DirecWay. While none of the digital satellite systems offered in the United States are truly on-demand, Great Britain’s provider SKY offers on-demand and interactive material.
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