| |
| |
|
Satellite & TV Information |
|
|
|
How to Shop for Satellite TV Receivers and Dishes
It's undeniable - shopping for a new satellite tv system can be tough. Take a look, for example-if you dare-at Rapid Satellite, a one-stop Internet shopping point for satellite TV. A recent search turned up the following entries: DIRECTV DVR80 3-Room 70 Hour DIRECTV DVR Satellite TV System w/ TiVo (1) DVR80 (2) D10 with Standard Dish, Multi-Switch & Standard Installation DIRECTV DVR80 3-Room 70 Hour DIRECTV DVR Satellite TV System w/ TiVo (1) DVR80 (2) D10 with Triple LNB Dish & Standard Installation DIRECTV 3-Room 70 Hour DIRECTV DVR System w/ TiVo (2) TiVo Receivers (1) Hughes Director Receiver with Standard Dish, Multi-Switch & Standard Installation DIRECTV 3-Room System (1) HR10-250 200 Hour (STD) 35 Hour (HDTV) DIRECTV High Definition DVR w/ TiVo (2) DIRECTV Receiver System with Triple LNB Dish & Standard Installation A little help here? Those ads are about as welcoming as a brick wall, and they present us with more acronyms than the U.S. military. For pure reading pleasure, they rank somewhere between Finnegans Wake and the book of Leviticus. Am I buying satellite TV service, or naming robots for science fantasy sequels? Relax, Luke Skywalker. Scanning through orbital space may not be like dusting crops, but we'll work our way through this thing together. Let's start with the first ad. DIRECTV DVR80 3-Room 70 Hour DIRECTV DVR Satellite TV System w/ TiVo (1) DVR80 (2) D10 with Standard Dish, Multi-Switch & Standard Installation Okay, first things first. DirecTV is a national satellite TV subscription service owned by Hughes Electronics and, in large part, Fox Entertainment. In order to watch DirecTV programming, one must first by a dish to collect the signals beamed to Earth by the satellite. Then one must buy a set-top box to decode those signals. Lastly, one must have a TV of some kind to display the imagery represented by those signals. The first ad is trying to sell us a hardware package that'll allow us to watch DirecTV, but it adds a few nifty bells and whistles. For example, this package includes another device called a DVR80. And what exactly is that? It looks like a license plate. Good guess! No, a DVR80 is a brand of receiver manufactured and sold by RCA. To be more precise, it receives DirecTV signals as well as TiVo interactions. TiVo is a kind of DVR, or Digital Video Recorder, manufactured by the TiVo company. A Digital Video Recorder does exactly what it claims to do: It records video, not on tape as a VHS video recorder would, but as digital data in a dedicated hard drive. The DVR80 is capable of recording up to seventy hours of digital material, just as promised obliquely in the ad. What the ad doesn't make clear is that the amount of material the hard drive can store depends on how detailed the information is. Just as a VHS tape can hold anywhere from two to six hours of material, depending on the image quality, so do DVR image recordings suffer when recorded at the seventy-hour setting. The DVR80 has Dolby Digital sound capability and comes with a universal infrared remote control. When sold separately, it retails for anywhere between $100 and $150. The comparison to VHS tends to minimize what TiVo can do. The hardware and allows for instant replays of live TV, plus the ability to skip through commercials while a program is airing. The Season Pass feature tracks the user's favorite shows, even if they change network time slots, and records them each week automatically. It's even capable of predicting which unfamiliar shows the user might like, based on his or her previous recordings. Simply put, TiVo is neato. But what in blue blazes is a "D10?" Isn't that Eminem's Detroit rap posse? No, that would be "D12," Slim Shady. A D10 is nothing more than the set-top box that receives DirecTV signals. It features an Advanced Program Guide interface, and is capable of receiving signals from several DirecTV satellites to the tune of over 225 channels. The box itself costs about $50 retail. A "multi-switch" is, well, a switch designed to allow more than one set-top box to receive information from the same satellite dish receiver. Some models feature built-in amplification. The model offered with this package has three different outputs to send video to TVs in three different areas of a house. Other multi-switches are designed to allow one satellite dish receiver to provide video to more than one home. As might be easily guessed, DirecTV does not encourage the sharing of its video offerings by entire neighborhoods of houses. It does, however, promise to install these devices for you, at a combined package cost of only $47.95. What a bargain! It's a good thing RapidSatellite doesn't charge by the acronym. The second ad presents only one new complication, the "Triple LNB Dish." A Triple LNB Dish, also known in DirecTV parlance as a Phase III Mulitsatellite Dish, is an 18" by 20" dish receiver that collects broadcast signals from three different satellites. Customers with high-definition TV sets will definitely want to upgrade to Triple LNB, because without it, it's impossible to receive satellite broadcasts in HDTV. "LNB" stands for "low-noise block." It's the device that hangs off the arm of the satellite dish and looks sort of like a flashlight. So what does it do? To find out, we first have to crane our necks and stare up into orbit. The DirecTV satellite at 101 degrees has 32 transponders, numbered 1 to 32 for some reason, each of which sends a group of channels. Back on Earth, an LNB converter responds to changes in the voltage transmitted by the DirecTV receiver by looking at either the odd- or even-numbered channels. A Triple LNB Dish, not too surprisingly, includes three LNB converters, each operating independently of the other two. That way, three different DirecTV receivers can look at three different stations on three different transponders. Long story short, it means Mom can watch HGTV while Dad checks out Sports Center. Meanwhile, their progeny have gathered around a third TV set to enjoy Aqua Teen Hunger Force, all at the same time. Thanks to DVR and TiVo technology, it's entirely possible that all three programs were recorded weeks ago. As for the third ad, a "Hughes Director" is the standard receiver offered with basic DirecTV packages. How standard? Many DirecTV vendors are now offering the device free with purchase of a dish receiver. Still, it's a perfectly adequate receiver, with many of the features offered by the snazzier DVR80. While it can't record video, it does offer a WatchWord search feature that scans through DirecTV program menus and alerts the user when favorite shows are about to come on. The "HR10-250" receiver is a much pricier alternative, cashing in at somewhere around a thousand bucks. Still, as Ferris Bueller once noted, "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up." It contains four tuners and a built-in DVR with TiVo. These four tuners allow for two HD shows to be recorded at once, even as the user watches a third prerecorded show. The 250 gigabyte hard drive holds about 30 hours of HDTV, or as many as 200 hours of non-high-def video (at 480 lines of pixels). PCWorld critic Cathy Lu's review of the HR10-250 decided, "Cost aside, the DirecTV HD DVR is the best way that I've found to watch and record HD." She gave it four and a half stars out of five. That's pretty good for a machine whose profoundly uninspired name makes it sound like a tax form. Sarah Gustafson is a freelance writer and contributing author to http://www.dishtvreview.com - a site that provides satellite TV news and consumer buying advice.
MORE RESOURCES:
Satellite-TV - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Guide to Buying Your Next TV It used to be simple; when you bought a new TV you looked at 3 basic things: Price, Quality, and Screen Size. Aside from a few features, all sets were pretty much the same. Plasma Compared To DLP Television and LCD When you think of comparing plasma to DLP technology you should really compare the main aspect and that is the picture quality. The contrast by definition is the measurement of black depending of the white amount. Looking For Satellite TV? It was 1994 and I had moved into another home and learned that the cable TV line had not been installed to my house. When the cable company told me they would have to dig up my yard to put the line in I wasn't pleased with the idea or the price they quoted me to do it. How Satellite TV Works Have you ever wondered how satellite TV works? With over 24 Million satellite TV owners who have chosen to get digital satellite TV, there may be some of you who would like to know how the whole process works.Television satellites travel in a geosynchronous orbit approximately 22000 miles above the Earth. Digital Cable VS Satellite TV Do you want to get more channels while saving money but not sure if you should go with digital cable or satellite TV? Then this article is meant directly for you! The commercials seen on TV and the ad's displayed all over the internet can be overwhelming at best. Below we will hope to help make your choice simplified for you!Cost Difference between Digital Cable VS Satellite TV:Most cable companies include local franchise fees along with local broadcasting fees on your monthly bill. Free Satellite TV -- Is It Really Free? You've seen the online and offline ads -- "Free satellite TV!" "Get a 4-room Satellite TV System Free!" and "Satellite TV Dish and Receivers Absolutely Free!"But is satellite TV really free?The answer to that question is yes .. A Brief on United States Satellite TV Deals Want to know more about United States satellite TV business despite getting those 'free' satellite TV deals?As you all may already known, satellite TV business in United States are mainly dominated by two companies, Dish Network and DirecTV. If you would like to have a satellite TV in your home, your choices are mostly limited to the free satellite TV packages that offered by either one Dish Network or DirecTV. Selecting a Satellite TV Network from the Audiences Perspective The numbers of those who just connect their TV to a simple roof top antenna can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand. I assume you are not one of those minimalists who need 30 minutes of news programming to get by in a day. Satellite TV vs. Cable TV -- Which is Best? The move is on. Last year millions of Americans switched from cable TV to satellite TV. Entertainment Technology: What to Consider Before Buying HDTV HDTV - or, High Definition Television - is the new generation of TV, and is capable of displaying analog signals as well as those that are digital in nature. While this offers a viewing experience that's unmatched, it also requires external hardware in order to receive the HDTV signals in addition to the monitor. The Benefits of Satellite Television! Most teenagers today won't remember what the entertainment world was like before the days of satellite television. They simply take the hundreds of entertainment channels for granted, unlike the adults, who remember just how tedious things could get before the luxury of satellite television exploded on to our screens. Recent Updates to the Dish Network Channel Packages Dish Network is continually trying to meet the needs of their viewers by improving the Dish Network channel packages. This is one of the ways that Dish keeps their customers satisfied. HDTV and the iPod Photo: A Perfect Marriage? They may seem like an odd combination, but the iPod photo could be the perfect choice for anyone who wants to view photo slideshows on an HDTV. The iPod photo can store thousands of digital photos, and syncs with a Mac or PC via iTunes. A to Z in Dish Network deals First, what's Dish Network?Dish Network, owned by company Echostar, is the United States second biggest Satellite TV provider. Dish Network provides up to 256 TV channels of 100% digital picture. Amazing Things You Might Not Know About Television The world's first colour television transmission occurred in John Logie Bairds English studio back in 1928. This transmission showed some blue and red scarves and a UK policeman's headgear. No More DirecWay? I Believe the writing is on the wall... As one who has been directly involved in selling DirecWay satellite internet products, sold competitive Enterprise Satellite internet products, has a background in financial analysis and business information reporting.. Direct TV Receiver When a customer receives Direct TV programming, he or she has a number of choice as to what kind of Direct TV receiver that they can use. Hughes manufactures a variety of Direct TV receivers for consumers to choose from depending on their entertainment needs. The Plus Point of Free Satellite TV Deals If you still have not subscribe to DirecTV or Dish Network deals, maybe you should take a look on this as satellite TV becomes the fastest selling products in U.S. HDTV: An Introduction HDTV stands for High Definition Television, and if you live in the USA, Australia, or Japan you may already have experienced it. There are three key differences between HDTV and what's become known as standard definition TV ie regular NTSC, PAL or SECAM. Dish Network vs DirecTV: Which Satellite Broadcast Provider Offers the Better Deal? Whenever someone mentions about satellite TV in United States, Dish Network and DirecTV will be the first two names people mention. Yup, Dish Network and DirecTV are currently the two biggest (or the ONLY two shall i say?) company in the satellite TV world.
|
| home | more satellite tv resources | site map| privacy policy |
| © 2008 |
