Satellite television

A compact satellite dish on a roof
Source: Wikipedia

Satellite television is delivered using communications satellites. The technical term used in Australia is Direct-To-Home (DTH), referring to the signal being broadcast directly by the satellite to the home.

Satellite services use radio waves to transmit television signals. Radio signals are sent from a ground-based transmission station up to a satellite where they bounce back to Earth over a large reception area. A satellite dish is required to receive the signal, which can be decoded and displayed on a television.

Satellite television uses a digital format, commonly transmitting at the ‘Ku’ frequency range or 12 to 14 GHz.

Like microwave systems, a benefit of satellite services is that subscribers do not need to be in an area with a cable network to access subscription television. However, they do require a satellite dish. These dishes used to be large and expensive; however, they are now smaller and cheaper.

Satellite technology also has the benefit that transmissions can be curved around the Earth and sent for a much greater distance than microwave transmissions. However, putting satellites into orbit is expensive and satellite services are generally more expensive than other forms of subscription television . Also these systems are more likely to be affected by weather conditions, which can reduce the quality of the television signal.

In Australia, satellite television is currently more commonly used than cable or microwave services and represents more than 50 per cent of the country’s 1.6 million households (as at end 2004) using subscription television.

In many parts of the world, satellite television services complement traditional free-to-air television services, providing a wider selection of channels and often including subscription television.