Satellite TV is becoming more and more popular these days. It still competes with cable TV, but it appears there are more and more satellite dishes visible as you drive around your neighborhood. But satellite TV is a complex system, so it raises a number of questions. We’ve compiled the top 10 satellite TV questions here to bring you up to speed.
1. What are the advantages of satellite TV?
Satellite TV offers a very wide variety of programming to the avid viewer. If you have one of the large satellite dishes, the ones that are mounted in the ground in your yard, then you have access to pretty well anything you want to watch.
You can see a lot of programming without commercials. You can see foreign programs. You can watch all the sports you’ll ever want. You can see raw news footage, without the reporters. You can listen to all the music you want, in top quality, no matter what your preference. And the quality in the picture and sound is second-to-none.
2. Which is better - satellite TV or cable TV?
Satellite TV vs. cable TV is an ongoing controversy - in fact, almost a battle. There’s advertising from both sides putting down the competition. And the advertising is right. There are pros and cons that you need to consider before buying either one.
Satellite TV offers much higher quality in picture and sound, as well as the choice in programming. Equipment and installation is often offered free with your purchase of the system. There are really only two major companies offering satellite TV, DirecTV and the Dish Network. These two companies carry on a fierce competition, so the winner is you, with the best in cost and customer service.
On the side of cable TV, there’s better access to local programming, no signal interference from bad weather, restriction to one program being viewed at once, and greater costs. You make the decision!
3. Can anyone get satellite TV?
Where you live in relation to the satellite, is the governing factor in using satellite tv resources. Most importantly, you need to have an unobstructed view to the south, which is where the dish needs to point to receive the signal from the satellite. And you can’t have any buildings, trees, or other obstructions in that line of sight, either.
4. Is satellite TV broadcast in digital format?
All satellite TV broadcasting is transmitted in digital format. However, if you don’t have a High Definition TV (HDTV), you won’t be able to receive the quality of picture and sound that’s broadcast. Many people don’t realize this, and go ahead and get satellite TV service. Then they have to go and buy an HDTV set.
However, within about two years, all TVs will be HDTV, because digital broadcasting will be the standard. So hang in there.
5. Can I get Internet access with my satellite TV service?
Both Direct TV systems and the Dish Network offer DSL Internet access. DirecTV gives you another option, too - a service called Direcway, which is a wireless, satellite-based Internet service. You don’t need the phone line connection for Direcway.
With both companies, you’ll need that phone line connection in order to have your DSL Internet access. But it’s likely you’ll have that anyway, because without it, you can’t order pay-per-view, unless you pay an extra charge for every program you order. That’s because your service is monitored for your monthly charges through the phone line.
6. What equipment do I need with a satellite TV system?
All satellite TV systems require some standard equipment, like the dish and the receiver. There’s also some optional equipment you can get for special purposes. The manufacturers of this equipment are well-known, like Sony, RCA, Hughes, Samsung and Phillips.
If you want to enjoy the full benefits satellite TV offers, then you’ll want to check out the advanced equipment that’ll give you some cool features, like TiVo, or interactive TV, or HDTV, or Internet access, or parental control. So what equipment you need depends on what you want in a satellite TV system.
7. Can I watch satellite TV on more than one TV at a time?
There’s no problem hooking up your satellite TV system to as many as five or six TVs at once. However, if you want to watch different programs on those extra TVs, then you’ll need more receivers. If everyone wants to watch the same program at the same time (which is highly unlikely), then you won’t need any extra equipment.
For every different program you want to watch, on a separate TV, you’ll need a separate receiver. Many satellite TV companies offer extra receivers at no cost, to encourage you to buy their systems.
8. Can I get satellite TV if I live in an apartment building?
Many people think they need the permission of the landlord to erect a satellite dish on their balcony or patio. That’s not the case. In fact, according to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), it’s illegal for them to refuse you this permission.
Apart from that, as long as you have an unobstructed view to the south, then you’ll have no problem getting satellite TV service. Of course, if you live on the wrong side of the building, you’re out of luck.
9. Will power surges affect my satellite TV system?
There’s certain equipment you’ll need to protect your satellite TV system from power surges. Your system has three places where a power surge can strike your receiver (the dish): the plug in the wall, the coaxial cable, and the phone connection.
The type of surge protectors you buy for your computer aren’t compatible with your satellite TV system, because they use a different type of cable. If you use them for your satellite TV system, they’ll affect your signal.
10. If I move, can I take my satellite TV system with me?
When you move, your satellite TV provider wants to keep your business. In fact, they want to keep it so much that they’ll move it for you. You can’t take the actual dish with you, because it’s a permanent fixture on the building.
However, they’ll give you a new dish, and install it for you, too, at your new home. All you need to do is call them and tell then when you’re moving and where to - they’ll take care of the rest.
In Conclusion
Satellite TV has something for everybody. No matter what your tastes, there’s a programming package that’s suitable for you.
So no matter whether you’re a fan of sports, art and culture, news, music, comedy, history, movies - anything you could ever want to watch - there’s programming available to satisfy your viewing tastes.
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