TV Satellite Dish Demystified

In order for a broadcasted signal to get from the broadcasting building to your house, it must travel a long and windy path. There are several steps involved along with some sophisticated equipment for your favorite TV show or movie to get from point A to point B. In this article, I will be demystifying the components and processes involved and what exactly they do!

When you're watching the newest flick on your big screen via a TV satellite dish, the goes through a process. Once the broadcasting service you subscribe to gets the show, it is uploaded and broadcasted to the TV satellite dish. Because you are a subscriber to the satellite service provider, you will have access to the uploaded videos. Depending on the type of cable you have (digital or analog); there are specific ways to get the channels.

Analog

Analog is becoming less and less popular. In some areas, this service isn't even available - it's digital or nothing! This is a good thing in my opinion. Let's keep the quality standard high. Analog video quality is not as good as digital and is transferred using antenna and receivers (a.k.a. a bunch of junk that is outdated). If you're watching TV that uses an analog signal, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Digital

Digital will make you want to cry after you see its clarity compared to analog. It's the best quality video and is 10 times the quality of the best analog TV systems. In order to view this kind of signal, you will need a computer monitor or a High Definition TV (HDTV). The digital signal is better than analog because of the amount of pixels the screen can put into a space. The more pixels within one inch, the better the quality.

Just what is a TV satellite dish?

A TV satellite dish is a piece of equipment that is placed on top or along side of a house in a specific location so that it can receive the signal from the big satellite that is broadcasting the signal. Your TV satellite dishes will then receive the signal, assemble it, and slap it onto your TV screen to watch.

Other Components

What is a Receiver? A receiver is a box that will decode and translate the signal of the satellite television broadcast so that your TV can display it. High Definition (HD) channels are only available for those who have a HDTV. So basically, a receiver gets the signal from the TV satellite dish and delivers it to your TV set so that you can enjoy your shows.

How does the information get to the main satellite? When a television program is recorded it is then delivered to the network station that will broadcast the show. It is then sent to either the satellite or the cable system which brings it straight to your house.

What are broadcasting stations? A broadcasting station is a place that takes a recorded program and broadcasts it out to TV satellite dishes or analog cable TVs. This station can also be used to broadcast live news, the weather and other local channels that you see on your television every night.