| From when it was first commercially available | | | | distant broadcast tower unless it was an |
| back in the early 1990s, satellite TV has come a | | | | exceptionally clear day, with vision over buildings |
| very long way. The service was initially only | | | | and trees etc.). In some areas, broadcast TV |
| embraced by the avid TV enthusiasts who were | | | | signals became weak or distorted. You may have |
| willing to put up with the expense and | | | | noticed that, years ago, someone living in a hilly |
| inconvenience of installing a satellite dish in their | | | | region may have erected a large antenna tower |
| yards. These customers would also need to have | | | | in order to collect signals that could not directly |
| ample space available in those yards, as early | | | | reach a TV's antenna because of the surrounding |
| dishes were much larger than the compact dishes | | | | landscape. As said before, satellite TV works on |
| that dot rooftops today. However, satellite TV did | | | | the same principle of broadcast TV, but varies in |
| provide a range of viewing options that dwarfed | | | | several significant ways. How Satellite TV Is |
| cable and broadcast systems at the time. Many | | | | Different First of all, let's talk about the line of |
| networks that are now available on extended | | | | sight issue. Because the signal is being broadcast |
| cable packages began their life on satellite TV, | | | | from a much higher point than an antenna tower, |
| catering to the specialized demographic who were | | | | the reach of the signal is much farther. Satellites |
| willing to invest in satellite technology. How Does It | | | | go around the Earth in what is called a |
| Work? Satellite TV systems work using the same | | | | geosynchronous orbit, which means that they are |
| principle as broadcast TV. In broadcast TV, a | | | | moving at the same speed that the Earth |
| signal is transmitted through the air and picked up | | | | rotates, so they are constantly over the same |
| by TV antennas. In a few key areas, this system | | | | part of the planet. What's great about this |
| was limited. The first was the number of available | | | | system is that because the relative position of |
| viewers. The signal was broadcast in a straight line | | | | the satellite remains constant, your satellite dish |
| and because of the curve of the Earth, the signal | | | | only needs to be aimed at the satellite once. Also, |
| would eventually go outwards into space. In order | | | | because the signal is from a constant, unchanging |
| to receive the broadcast signal, you would have | | | | source, the signal quality is higher. For anybody |
| to be in a line of sight with the broadcast antenna | | | | who lived in the days of adjusting a TV's |
| (line of sight for radiowaves, anyway. Because of | | | | bunny-ears antenna hoping for a good signal, that |
| amospheric conditions, you would rarely see a | | | | is definitely a relief. |