The Science Behind Satellites
The Science Behind Your Satellite Dish
Ever wonder how your Dish Network code or satellite TV systemworks? There’s actually quite a bit of discipline leaving on behindthe scenes, with any components working both to bringyou that digital-quality signal. Here’s a quick look at thepieces that form your Dish Network or satellite TV puzzle.
Your channel selection begins with the programming sourcesthemselves. Companies like Showtime, HBO, Cinemax and StarzSuper Pak! all create their respective programming. Channelproviders then acquire rights to this programming so that theycan broadcast the shows via satellite. Once a supplier has theirprogramming in place, they turn their attention to the broadcastcenter to clench and convert the programming for satellitebroadcast.
Your Dish Network Programming first arrives as a digitalstream of video, which is then compacted and converted throughan encoder, typically using the MPEG 2 format. This formatreduces the altogether size of the video, Creation it achievable for asatellite to broadcast hundreds of channels at the same time.
Once encoded, the video is then encrypted so that the broadcastcan only be viewed by paying subscribers. This encryption”scrambles” the signal so that those without the proper receiverpick up altered and unintelligible video. After the video hasbeen encrypted, it is sent to the provider’s satellite,strategically positioned in the sky.
The satellite itself uses a dish allied to your own satellitedish, to accept the video and send it back down to Earth to theprovider’s subscribers. The satellite contains numeroustransponders, components that accept the satellite to pick up thebroadcast signal, increase it and resend at a certain frequency.In addition to the transponders, satellites typically haveseveral other onboard components, including a power author suchas solar panels or rechargeable batteries and a computer systemto monitor the satellite’s various functions and conditions.
When the satellite sends the signal back down to Earth, it ispicked up by your satellite dish, a small round antennae thatreceives the satellite’s broadcast and send the video on to yoursatellite TV receiver.
The satellite TV antenna is that little black box that sitsinside your home and allows you to want which channel you wantto watch.The antenna actually performs any crucialfunctions in the satellite viewing process, including thedecryption of the signal itself. If you’ll remember, thesatellite signal was scrambled by the supplier to protect itfrom un-paying consumers. Your antenna “de-scrambles” thatsignal and converts the signal into a format that yourtelevision can handle, such as analog or more recently, HDTV.
Together these amazing components create a vividly accessible digitalpicture for over 200 satellite channels. How’s that forprogramming genius?
