There are several satellites for each provider that stay in geosynchronous orbit, which means the orbits of the satellites coincide with the rate at which the earth rotates. Therefore, each satellite stays in the exact same place relative to the earth's surface.
This allows you, the customer, to point your dish at it and never have to move it again. DirecTV, for example, currently has six such satellites in orbit, allowing easy access from anywhere in the United States. The dish acts as a small antenna which receives the broadcast signal from the satellite. The signal is then passed through coaxial cable to the receiver which converts the digital signal into a visual and audio output that can be seen on the television screen. This is a step above even digital cable, which still distributes analog signals on many of their channels, despite what the name suggests.
Setting up the satellite receiver is easy. Once the dish is put in place and aligned correctly, it is only a matter of running the coaxial cable from the output of the dish to the input of the receiver and plugging it into a wall outlet. Dishes and receivers can even be used on RV's as long as the vehicle is motionless.
Each satellite television provider has several receivers to choose from, depending on your preferences. Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer the same choices: Standard Receiver, HD (High Density) Receiver, and DVR or Digital Video Recorder. Dish Network goes one further, however, offering several tiers of receivers in each of these main categories. For more information visit the Direct TV equipment or Dish Network equipment pages.
Standard receivers offer complete access to all regular channels provided by the service. Some models offer more than one tuner, which allows for independent viewing capabilities for multiple televisions. Another common feature is the theme or favorites listings, which allows users to program in their favorite stations, so when they are channel surfing only the channels they are interested in are shown.
HD Receivers have all the features of a standard, but also allow users to receive signals from the fast growing collection of high-density programmers such as ESPN-HD and Discovery HD Theater. Consumers must keep in mind, however, that in order for this type of receiver to work, they must also have a high density television. Some models also require certain types of dishes as well. Check with your provider of choice before making a purchase.
The last type of receiver is the kind with DVR. By combining the terrific features of satellite television with the technology of TiVo, viewers can watch their favorite programs on their own personal schedule. Live programming can be paused; more than one show at a time may be recorded. And most models offer over a hundred hours of storage capability.
For more advice about selecting a retailer, or to learn more about the differences between Dish Network and direct TV receivers, visit our Satellite TV retailers page.
The Best Dish Network and Direct TV offers at the moment are:
Dishpronto - (Dish Network) - connect up to 4 rooms with free installation with no equipment to buy.
VMC Satellite - (Dish Network)This company will install a system for free in 4 rooms, with one months free programming. They are the largest online retailer of satellite TV systems.
Satellite TV for PC - Get over 3000 Stations for a small one-time fee! Plus Get Channels from 78 Countries Around the World.
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