Satellite TV Explained

How does satellite TV work?

Visualize satellites high in the sky at 22,200 miles above the Earth. In "geosynchronous orbit," they stay anchored relative to the Earth by rotating in tandem with our planet. Think of the process as a series of signals being received and transmitted many times.

Cable versus satellite TV

Although both cable tv and satellite tv use radio broadcast technology, satellite tv offers a far superior product with better picture and sound quality. Because cable does not link directly to its destination, it requires an extra stop-off point requiring intervening wiring which inevitably brings down the quality.

Synchronicity of satellites and the Earth

This synchronicity of satellites revolving with the Earth is very important because it solves the problems of range and distortion. A good signal is achieved when a customer's satellite dish is in a direct, clear line with the satellite. More locations and thus more customers are in this line the higher the satellites are in the sky. A satellite dish on a house can remain stationary because as long as it is initially pointed at the satellite it will always be in its path.

The hub-like "broadcast center"

But let's start back on level ground with the notion of a programming source. Everything on its way to a tv screen starts here. Consider HBO, CNN and ESPN. Their channels broadcast a variety of programming.

A channel's programming follows a certain track. It first arrives at a broadcast or distribution center, a central hub as busy as a metropolitan train station, with signals arriving and departing. Digital and analog signals from several different sources bounce off the walls at these centers, distributing both national and local channels.

It is at the broadcast center where encryption and compression take place. Encryption ensures that people can't access satellite tv for free without paying and compression makes sure the signal is of a reasonable size. Thanks to digital compression, a typical satellite can transmit about 200 channels instead of about 30.

Satellite signals bounce between Earth and space

Now the broadcast center is ready to beam the signal to one of its satellites in space. The satellite receives the signal on one of its dishes and amplifies it before handing it over to another of its dishes which beams the signal back to Earth. The carriers are also known as transponders. Signals are carried back on C Band, Ku Band or Ka Band, denoting the frequency of the signal.

Viewers' satellite dishes are like antennas

Viewers' satellite dishes attached to their homes stand by ready to collect and reflect the signals. These dishes, now usually ranging from 18 - 24 inches in diameter, are extremely sensitive antennas. Their curved, concave shape accepts the signals and relays them onto a feed horn, a piece mounted on the opposite side that looks like an arm. The feed horn has what is called a low noise block down converter (LNB) which amplifies the signal, converts it to a lower frequency and filters out extraneous radio signals.

The signal is now ready for the last leg of the journey! It moves to the tv receiver/box which processes the signal, adjusts it and passes it on to the television to be broadcast on the screen. The receiver does its job of unscrambling the encrypted signal and locating the exact channel desired. The viewer then can watch tv!

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