| e living in the information age, with access to | | | | the mini-dish systems became an affordable and |
| anything at our fingertips via the Internet and our | | | | reliable alternative to cable TV. Cable TV costs |
| televisions. With cable television and satellite TV | | | | were climbing due to lack of competition, and |
| systems, we have access to hundreds of | | | | consumers took advantage of the new choice |
| channels that are address just about every | | | | they were offered. DirecTV was the first |
| interest: sports, music, cooking, home decorating, | | | | high-capacity home satellite TV system, and it |
| children's shows, movies, cars, history, and many | | | | was made available in 1994. Several other |
| more. Satellite TV systems in recent years have | | | | services, like Dish Network and Primestar followed |
| stolen some of cable TV's thunder in their ability | | | | soon after, creating competition among satellite |
| to offer more channels, for a better price, and | | | | TV service providers, as well as competition with |
| often with better reception than standard cable | | | | the cable TV industry. So much competition was |
| TV. But, cable TV is striking back, and has leveled | | | | good news for consumers. Prices came down, |
| the playing field in recent years. Since its inception, | | | | and incentives were offered to lure customers |
| satellite TV has provided a viable option to the | | | | from one service provider to another. |
| television consumer. | | | | Cable TV has since leveled the playing field with |
| Satellite TV is brought into the home via | | | | the introduction of digital cable, offering even |
| communications satellites high in the atmosphere, | | | | more reliable reception, more reasonable costs, |
| as opposed to cable TV, which brings its service | | | | just as many channels, and such perks as no |
| into the home via underground cables. Home | | | | contract obligations. |
| satellite TV service began in the 1980's with the | | | | Satellite TV systems do have their drawbacks for |
| introduction of systems that received the same | | | | the consumer. Though the high-quality picture is a |
| signals used for cable TV distribution. Early satellite | | | | definite bonus, the reception is highly subject to |
| TV systems were quite expensive, and the | | | | atmospheric interference, such as bad weather |
| satellite dishes were often as large as 12 feet in | | | | and sunspots. This can knock out service for |
| diameter. | | | | hours at a time, and can be very frustrating. In |
| DBS, or direct broadcast satellite, is known | | | | addition, if you subscribe to a satellite TV system |
| commonly as "mini-dish systems", and is what is | | | | because you live in a remote location, and cable |
| available to consumers today. DBS requires special | | | | TV is not available to you, you might not have |
| equipment for the home (a satellite dish and a | | | | access to local TV channels. This might require |
| receiver box) that is encrypted by the specific | | | | using an antenna to try to get local network |
| service provider chosen by the customer. The | | | | broadcasts. Further, the lure that satellite TV once |
| satellite equipment uses a special card to decode | | | | had, that being the quantity of additional channels |
| the signal in order to allow viewing access to the | | | | available over cable TV, is a thing of the past. |
| paying customer. The card is used to permit only | | | | Digital cable has opened more options to |
| the customer paying for that specific service to | | | | consumers, offering them just as many, and |
| view the premium channels (if subscribed to), as | | | | sometimes more, channels as a satellite TV |
| well as the free channels available to everyone. | | | | system. |
| In the infancy of satellite TV systems, all channels | | | | A satellite TV system is an affordable and often |
| for free an open for public consumption, including | | | | reliable alternative to cable TV. Sometimes |
| what we know today as premium channels, such | | | | satellite TV is the only alternative, due to location. |
| as HBO. This was highly appealing and gave | | | | Satellite TV offers the same extras as cable TV, |
| satellite TV systems a huge opportunity for | | | | with DVR (Digital Video Recorder) capabilities, |
| growth. However, when HBO decided to encrypt | | | | pay-per-view channels, and music choice channels. |
| their signal in 1986, other cable services followed | | | | And because of the competition among the |
| suit, and satellite sales plummeted. There was | | | | satellite TV service providers themselves, the |
| simply too much expensive equipment to | | | | equipment prices are often greatly reduced, and |
| purchase in addition to paying monthly fees for | | | | sometimes even free of charge. A satellite TV |
| TV channels. Thus cable TV moved in. | | | | system can be a viable alternative to cable TV. |
| Satellite TV saw a resurgence in the 1990's when | | | | |