The Technology Behind Satellite TV

Anyone who has gone through the process of trying to choose a new television provider knows how frustrating it can be to try to understand how the different television systems work. One of the best to use but more difficult to understand systems is satellite TV. However, even satellite service can be broken down into basic terms.

If you take a drive around the United States these days you will see satellite dishes all over the country. Rural farms, college dorms, suburban homes, and big city apartments are all set up with small personal dishes- nice improvements over the massive dishes from the past. Satellite service is rapidly expanding because of the quality it offers to users.

Television providers who broadcast via satellite are known as direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers. They purchase content from major television channels, including local channels, premium sports channels like ESPN, and movie channels like HBO and Cinemax. Channels are then packaged into different batches so consumers can purchase content packages to fit their preferences.

Channels are broadcast using radio waves, which travel straight and thus need a line of sight connection between broadcaster and receiver. Because of the curvature of the earth there is no possible direct ground-based line of sight connection between DBS providers and the personal receivers all over the country. This is where the satellite comes in.

"Geosynchronous" satellites orbit the earth at the same speed as it rotates. Thus, they stay in relatively the same place above the earth all the time, allowing a personal dish to always be directed straight towards its geosynchronous satellite, which is approximately 22,000 miles up in the sky. DBS providers route their programming up to the satellite, which then bounces the signals down to thousands of personal dishes across the United States.

The signals that are sent between the personal dishes and the geosynchronous satellite are Ku band radio waves. Signals used to be a lower frequency radio wave but in order to provide crisper images and sharper sound the switch was made to Ku band radio waves. These communicate at a higher frequency. What this means to consumers is that it allows higher quality signals to be sent back and forth. This allows viewers to receive high definition television signals.

Satellites can distribute high-def television signals across the country much more easily than other providers can. This provides a home TV experience that's like being in a movie theater. With digital surround sound, incredibly crisp images, and a cinematic aspect ratio, there's a huge boost for every football game, TV show, or movie.

One of the more common concerns that consumers have with satellite television has to do with the quality of the signal. However, inclement weather should rarely affect it much. Studies have shown that the satellite should provide a clear digital signal 99.96% of the time. A bigger concern is satellite placement. For a clean signal, the satellite needs a clear view of the sky.

As a consumer, it's always preferable to know how something works before deciding whether or not it's right for yourself. Hopefully this makes satellite service just a bit clearer.



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The Evolution of TV Programming

Television has entered what some may call a golden age, at least with regard to the variety of content and picture quality now available. One of the best things about television in recent years has been the explosion of quality interesting content available. Cable and satellite TV providers offer consumers dozens of different packages filled with interesting content to suit anyone's tastes. Hundreds of different channels mean that it's possible to find something for everyone.

In the past television was broadcast TV, which was transmitted via an analog signal with limits on picture and sound quality. Originally black and white, broadcast TV eventually changed to color and offered viewers a couple dozen channels to choose from. This allowed for broadcast of movies, sitcoms, news channels, and sports events, but the overall variety of content was limited. Still, a lot of great and treasured programs came out of that era. It's still possible to catch reruns of beloved shows like The Wonder Years, not to mention shows that are loved all over the world like The Simpsons.

Cable TV brought huge changes to the television industry. A couple dozen channels turned into dozens and eventually even hundreds. People could opt to pay for certain channels or packages, giving them freedom to choose between content they wanted and content they didn't. This gave producers unprecedented flexibility in the types of shows created.

Satellite television helped bring about further leaps forward in TV programming. As a new delivery system it was a perfect way to transmit hundreds of channels to houses all over the country, even in places that lacked the infrastructure for cable TV. Certain content producers emerged as real stars of the satellite and cable TV era.

A couple of the top producers of original TV series today are HBO and Showtime. Households and apartments full of people tune in via satellite and cable to shows like The Sopranos, The Wire, Weeds, and Entourage. Some of the latest popular and independent films can be found of movie channels. News networks bring in the latest information from all over the world. Sports fans can opt for packages that bring them every NFL or college football game, soccer matches, and more baseball than they have time for. Along with all these programming options, technological developments have made watching television a much more pleasant experience than it used to be.

In the days of analog television the picture and sound quality on TV were limited. The development of digital TV allowed for huge improvements in quality. All TV is now broadcast in digital. The highest quality signal available is called high definition television, which has incredibly sharp images and crisp digital surround sound. It also has a different aspect ratio, meaning that the picture can appear in the same form that it would in a cinema. These signals are especially easily transmitted by satellites to home receivers throughout the country.

New means of transmitting TV signals allowed consumers to access hundreds of new channels. Quality content producers arose to fill the new demand. At the same time, further technological developments improved picture and sound quality. It's an exciting time in the world of TV; it just begs the question: "what's next?"



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Living the NFL Dream With Satellite TV

Some fans identify with their local basketball team more than any other: being able to sit in an arena that allows you to be so close to the players, the floor, the coaches and the action is terribly enticing and you were hooked from the first time you went to see a game played live. For others, it might be baseball that tickles you where you itch: heading out for a nice and long, relaxing evening out at the ballpark is the perfect way to cap off a stressful day in the office. Giving yourself the chance to take in the summer air, wolfing down some delicious ballpark hotdogs and pretzels, all while your favorite team plays a baseball game in the backdrop is your ideal sports night, and understandably so. There are even those of you out there that are addicted to the sights and sounds of a live hockey game: the players whizzing by on their skates, gliding effortlessly as they chase down the puck is something that you can never get enough of. Regardless of which of these specific categories you fall into, it can be understood and accepted that you love to watch, listen to, and follow sports as much as anybody else.

However, there is another category of fans out there. These are the people who are not satisfied with simply going to a sporting even and casually taking in the home runs, slam dunks, and power play goals. These fans are obsessed with taking fan-hood to the next level, creating a sporting extravaganza each and every Sunday afternoon. All the football fans out there can agree that while the final score is all that matters in the end, there is much more to being a football fan than winning and losing.

As a result of football fans general obsession with the sport, the way in which you experience the game can make all the difference. If you are watching the game at home, a high definition TV is truly a must-have. Once you have spent a season watching your team take the field and pulverize the competition on a HD TV there is truly no comparison, and there is absolutely no going back: the picture quality you are provided on one off these TVs is simply amazing, and cannot be compared to any other TV-viewing experience out there. With a big screen TV like this, you can feel good about gathering a group of friends around in your home to watch that week's game - nobody will go home a loser in that situation. Plus, if you have NFL Sunday Ticket with your satellite connection, you can browse through every game being played so as not to miss any of the action from across the entire league!

However, if you are fortunate enough to attend a game, remember that football fans are different than other sports fans. If the game is supposed to start at four in the afternoon, be sure to arrive about five hours earlier in order to fully take in the sights and sounds that make Sunday game-day. After a couple hours of grilling and eating, drinking and talking, you can head inside the stadium for some football action.



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Curing the Dependence With Satellite TV

Among doctors, psychologists and clinical researchers, the debate has been going on for decades: what is the best possible way to get rid of a bad habit? Tossing aside cold-turkey withdrawal and overexposure, the answer obviously lies somewhere in between. Take the love of rich foods, for example. If someone wishes to lower a dangerous cholesterol level, should the proscribed diet be limited to raw vegetables? Maybe, but it's unlikely the program will be followed long enough to become effective. A better way is to mix in a gluttonous meal every couple of days, as long as it is framed by a healthier diet plan. But when the time comes to indulge, do it the right way and enjoy every second of your steak and ice cream.

The same can be said for television. While almost everyone would agree that six or seven hours a day of television is bad for you, most agree that a couple of hours per day would not be bad. In some cases, it might even be good. My suggestion is, if you are looking to kick your overwhelming TV habit, do it the right way and enjoy your viewing in the best possible format. Here's how:

Ditch Basic Cable
I'm not saying go back to public TV. Quite the contrary, upgrade to satellite TV and maximize your viewing potential. Many people spend hours just looking for a good program to watch, endlessly flipping through mediocre stations for a quality program. With satellite TV, you can get the best channels available, and easy-to-use program guides will end your dependence on the remote control. Think of it as time management. When the time comes, you won't miss the award-winning film or favorite show. In fact, by utilizing the DVR feature, you can record shows when you're not around and won't have to repeat the vicious late-night channel surfing cycle. You can simply settle in and let the technology work for you.

Quit the Sports Bars
Sports fanatics will undoubtedly be hooked on the guys' night out, spending time not only in bars -- an unhealthy environment -- but also in travel time, going and coming from the big game at the local pub. With one of the packages like MLB Extra Innings or NFL Sunday Ticket, you can relax in the comfort of your own home and get the full pub experience. Dialing up a baseball or football game at home, you don't have to throw away time looking for that out-of-market big-ticket event. You'll also save a lot of money on minimums and cab fares.

Make Cable Work For You
By getting the best material available with a satellite package, your access to quality TV will increase exponentially. Mix in a dose of educational programs, which you can watch with the kids, or watch the progress of your stocks and other world events on CNN and CNBC.

Simply put, viewing the best that television has to offer will satisfy your gluttonous cravings and free up your time when there is no reason to keep going. You'll soon see that your addiction is controllable and your reliance a thing of the past. Have the baseball bug? This case may be the most serious of all. If it has bitten you, you might want to see a hypnotist to get rid of it.

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Satellite TV Can Change Your Life

People who watch TV all day are often labeled couch potatoes. These people, we assume, lay themselves out on the couch, remote in hand and start clicking away, only getting to get to something to eat and to go to the bathroom. This lifestyle is obviously incredibly unhealthy. Not only do these so called couch potatoes tend to become morbidly obese, or at least unhealthily fat, they also don't accomplish much. That can change however, and the ironic thing about it, is that satellite TV can actually change someone's life. Satellite TV, unlike regular network TV is awash with a plethora of motivational and lifestyle programming in HD. Sure you can always catch your favorite dramas and movies in high definition, along with the NFL Sunday Ticket and other sports programs, but there's so much more than that.

Fitness focused programs, for instance, abound on satellite TV. Shows like the Biggest Loser showcase the difficult journeys embarked upon by various overweight people. Each contestant on the show has to endure some pretty difficult challenges involving physical fitness endurance tests, special exercises and food temptations. Watching the show can inspire reformed or reforming couch potatoes to reach higher and accomplish their goals. It's pretty motivating, seeing these formerly obese contestants sweating out their hearts in high definition, trying to change their lives and win the prize.

There are many shows dedicated to different types of fitness as well. You can watch shows on yoga, pilates, dance, kickboxing and more. Watch as fitness trainers demonstrate how to do each move so you can follow along too. These shows are entertaining and practical. They motivate people to get up and move. With a satellite TV subscription, anyone can find the right sort of exercise programs to get them in shape.

Cooking shows have also taken off of late. The Food Network, for example features a huge variety of different cooking shows in HD. Many of these are geared towards healthy living. Chefs like Jamie Oliver and Giada Del Laurentis show viewers how to make stylish, yet simple and delicious meals that aren't only good to eat, they are also good for you. These chefs also know that people don't often have time to cook elaborate healthy meals. They realize that it is so much easier for a large majority of people to go to their closest fast food joint to order a burger than to actually cook; thus they offer quick, easy recipes that anyone can make. And they aren't just Brussel sprouts and tofu. The finished meals, displayed in HD clarity will make you drool; you'll forget it's healthy.

Who knew that watching TV could actually be a good thing? Today, there's such a huge variety of different programming on TV, that you can actually learn a good deal about being healthy and getting in shape. Making a change can be a difficult and long process. But shows like the Biggest Loser etc. can give many people the boost they need to get to it.

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Master the Art of Cooking With Satellite TV

Trying to master the art of cooking? Becoming a master chef is no easy task. Learning how to cook and cook well, is a lot like learning how to play football or other sports. It takes practice, practice, practice. You have to be dedicated. If you fail, you have to pick up your spatula and try, try again. Luckily for all aspiring chefs and even foodies who want to learn how to perfect their favorite dishes, a world class food education doesn't require thousands of dollars to go to cooking school. You can learn all you need to know by subscribing to satellite TV. A satellite TV subscription gets you access to hundreds of cooking shows, many of them in tantalizing HD-with these shows the picture is so clear and realistic, it's like your actually standing alongside your favorite chef. Here are some of the shows you don't want to miss.

Paula's Best Dishes: This show follows the simple, finger licking good home cooking of southern sweetheart Paula Deen. Deen cooks straight from the heart. As she cooks, she shares stories and traditions, making her show both informative and entertaining. Her recipes are hearty affairs-this is cooking for people who like classic comfort foods. The HD detail will make your mouth water.

Chic and Easy: Host Mary Nolan shares her simple yet chic recipes that will please both friends and family. Nolan's philosophy marries style and affordability. Her impressive menus are elegant yet welcoming and easy to make. She'll show you how to make the best of your local ingredients, making sophisticated meals that will surprise even the most demanding palates.

Nigella Bites: Nigella Lawson, the British best selling author has several cooking shows on satellite TV's food network. Nigella Bites focuses on the food that this lovely chef actually cooks for herself and her family. This is real food for real people. She teaches you how to make simple, yet tantalizing meals that look great and taste great too. She offers practical tips and hassle free techniques to get you going.

Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman: The food on this show will make you salivate. Hoffman shows you how to gook Latin inspired dishes. The show is shot in Miami Beach and each episode features a vivid glimpse of that bustling city and its culinary delights. This is one to watch in HD.

Giada at Home: Giada De Laurentis, daughter of film producer Dino De Laurentis was born in Rome, Italy where she grew to love the kitchen. On her show, Giada shows us the intricacies of cooking and entertaining style, mixing Italian traditional recipes with Californian flair.

Big Daddy's House: Host Aaron McCargo Jr. won season four of the Next Food Network Star and this is his prize-his very own cooking show. Big Daddy's House showcases Aaron's favorite family recipes. He has a penchant for big flavors and bold colors. The show has a friendly, down to earth vibe and is great fun to watch.

All these shows can be found on the Food Network, which you can watch with a satellite TV subscription.

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