Computer Software

When you order Dish Network service, in most cases, you do not need to know what type of Dish Network Satellites dish you actually need. The service department will know what you need based on what you ordered. The technician will typically discuss the placement of the Dish Network Satellites dish with you when they arrive to install it. It is important to note that the dish will not work just any place you decide to have it installed. An experienced installation technician will know this, and will discuss the various options with you.

First, you need to understand a little bit about how the dish works. As complicated as it all is, it is a fairly simple concept. The satellite dishes at Dish Network send out programming signals which are sent to satellites in space. Your satellite dish is pointed at those satellites that are in space, and those satellites relay the programming information from the Dish Network Satellite dishes.

The dish that is installed outside of your home works with the receiver that is installed inside your home and connected to your television set. You tell the receiver what you want to watch, by using your remote control, and the receiver notifies your dish, which notifies the satellites in space, which notifies Dish Network Satellites dishes, which notifies their receivers – and then the process reverses, sending the signal for the requested program all the way back down the line, and making the program appear on your television screen. All of this happens in a matter of seconds.

The satellite dishes the Dish Network uses are very large – and they are not similar to the dish that will be installed at your home. Different dishes are programmed to use different satellites for broadcasting. This is why it is important for the Dish Network service people to know what programming you have ordered – to ensure that you get the right dish, and the right receiver.

Your Dish Network Satellites dish must have a clear line of sight. Without a clear line of sight, the dish cannot send or receive the signals that are needed for programming. Your installation technician will check for a clear line of sight, but you may be interested in the information about clear line of sight yourself. Your satellite cannot be pointed at trees, buildings, or any other obstructions. Again, it needs a clear line of sight to the satellites in space.

Once the trained technician installs your dish, you should not need to do anything else to it. However, if you live in an area where it snows, you may need to brush snow off of the dish after storms to ensure that the dish maintains a clear signal. During windy weather, your dish may move slightly. This can cause disruption in the signal, which creates ‘snow’ on your television, or a black screen. This means that your Dish Network Satellites dish is not getting the proper signal, and in most cases, you will need to call your local Dish Network company to have them come out and readjust your dish.

Thinking about getting Dish Network and want some background information on its infrastructure? Then here you go.

DISH Network has been around for over a decade now, providing digital services to millions of customers worldwide. With its most recent launch of EchoStar IX, DISH Network boasts nine state-of-the-art satellites in its primary servicing system. Ever wonder where all those satellites are?

DISH Network launched its first Dish Network Satellite in 1995, just three years after EchoStar was granted its first orbital slot. EchoStar I was launched from Xichang, China and placed at 119 degrees West Longitude on December 28, 1995. In March of 1996, DISH Network begins broadcasting to its customers from its very first uplink center in Cheyenne, Wyoming. EchoStar I services an area that spans the western United States to the Central/Mountain region.

With more than 100,000 customers, the company launched its second Dish Network Satellite, EchoStar II from Kourou, French Guiana in South America in September 1996, just one month after opening its second service center in Thorton, Colorado. Also servicing the Western United States, EchoStar II was built by Lockheed Martin and had a launch weight of a whopping 6,360 pounds. Broadcasting began two months later in November 1996.

In October 1997, EchoStar launches its third Dish Network Satellite, EchoStar III from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Another Lockheed Martin product, EchoStar III weighed in at over 8,000 pounds at launch and orbits at 61.5 degrees West Longitude. The satellite services the Eastern United States and has double the transponders of its two predecessors. Just two months later, DISH Network celebrates its millionth customer.

March of 1998 brings a big change as DISH Network Satellite relocates its world headquarters to the Riverfront building in Littleton, Colorado. Just two months later, EchoStar IV is launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, providing service to the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Now three years old and growing, Dish Network Satellite launches EchoStar V from Cape Canaveral, Florida in September of 1999. Just one month later, DISH Network Satellite celebrates its 3 millionth customer. Orbiting at 110 degrees West Longitude, EchoStar V services the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

The year 2000 brings a number of changes, including a fourth servicing center in El Paso, Texas. In July, EchoStar VI is launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, becoming part of the company’s primary satellite system offering core services to the continental United States. In November, DISH Network acquires its 5 millionth customer.

Dish Network Satellite EchoStar VII was launched in February 2002 and takes its place at 119 degrees West Longitude with the company’s other primary satellites. Servicing the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, EchoStar VII was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida and boasted a launch weight of just under 9000 pounds.

EchoStar VIII was launched later that same year, just after the company celebrates its 7 millionth customer milestone. EchoStar VIII was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan and weighed in at 10,274 pounds at launch. Just a few months later, DISH Network systems become available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide.

In April of 2005, DISH Network launched its ninth Dish Network Satellite from a floating platform at the equator. EchoStar IX will orbit at the 121 degrees West Longitude position and join EchoStar’s eight other satellites in bringing digital service to over eight million customers.

If you have Dish Network or thinking about getting it or another satellite TV service, it’s good to know what the future holds for satellite TV. So, here’s a glimpse into the future.

This article may be considered science fiction, just like Arthur C. Clark once had a scientific vision about 3 satellites orbiting the earth in geostationary orbits to make global communications possible. Everything in this article is merely a scientific vision and an extrapolation of current technologies into the future.

What would be the future of Satellite TV? That may seem to be a difficult question, but extrapolating what we know about the past into the future and some educated guesses, we may very well end up with a reasonable picture of what the future of satellite TV looks like. The future of satellite TV will be guided by these properties:

1. Receive and Transmit
2. Equipment Size and Costs
3. Satellite Capacity and Coverage
4. Antenna Size
5. New Technologies

1 Receive and Transmit
What would be possible if you could not only receive, but also transmit? And in the same bandwidth as you receive? That would change the whole world. It is possible now to use the satellite for Internet purposes, but in a very simple and inefficient way. You receive via satellite, but transmit via phone. Upload capacity is completely limited by the dial up connection.

The idea of being able to transmit to a satellite from your home is new and will probably one day be reality. At the moment companies can use satellites to connect offices all over the country via satellite. Bandwidth is limited, or very expensive. Another problem for home use is the size of the satellite dish. At least 4 foot for small bandwidth and up to 10 feet or even more for higher bandwidths. In point 3 this bandwidth issue is explained in more detail.

2 Equipment Size and Costs
Your Dish Network or Satellite TV equipment at home may seem small, but it is small because all it has to do is receive. Transmitting requires different equipment. Not so much in the house, but on the roof at the antenna there is need for a relative big transmitter. Also these are still pretty expensive and for domestic use just not affordable.

In the future this will change. Equipment will get smaller, and cheaper. Eventually when satellites are able to relay much more data than now (see point 3), having 10.000.000 transmitters on the ground won’t be a problem.

3 Satellite Capacity and Coverage
This will always be the bottle neck of satellites; how much data can they relay and how small an area can they cover. A satellite has multiple dishes and each dish can cover a part of the earth; small parts like just one state or big parts like the whole continental United States.

In the future satellites will be able to relay much more data, and cover much smaller areas. Especially the smaller coverage areas will be important. Having full capacity available for just a small area means higher bandwidth available for a small amount of people. Especially in urban areas it will be great to have a satellite cover just one neighborhood.

4 Antenna Size
This is a very important issue. Small antennas of 18 inches already exist and are used by satellite TV providers such as Dish Network, but these can receive only. The opening angle of an antenna like this is too big to get enough signal power to reach the satellite. In the future however, antennas will get better and eventually small antennas can be used to transmit to the satellite.

5 New Technologies
This will be the really interesting part. New technologies may open up possibilities that are never heard of before.

Imagine watching a movie in 3D, you sitting on your couch but watching a show as if you are in the audience when the TV show was recorded. You’re not really having a TV at home anymore, but a 3D entertainment room. (for those of you who like StarTrek, a not so strange idea). Normal Satellite TV will still be available of course.

In the future Satellite TV will open up so many possibilities that it is hard to imagine what our lives will be like in 30, or even just 20 years from now. To give an idea of how fast things are going. 50 years ago, there was nothing in space that was made by humans. Now there are even satellite graveyards (specific orbits where obsolete satellites are “parked”). The possibilities of satellite TV technology are growing faster every year. What took 10 years to develop 30 years ago is now done in 2 years.

Dish Network and Satellite TV is one of the driving forces for satellite technologies because the need to please million of subscribers is much stronger than the need to please the relative limited needs of communications for commercial purposes. The future of satellite TV is so bright, that a supernova would pale in comparison!

In an effort to combat signal piracy, satellite providers have faced quite a challenge: keep their broadcasting secure from unauthorized users while providing uninterrupted service to their base of subscribers.

For Dish Network, the result is the Smart Card.

In the past, Dish Network satellite receivers used a blue access card to assist with activation and programming setup. Those old blue cards have been replaced by new, yellow smart cards. And quite smart they are.

Already popular in European applications, the Smart Card is now starting to take off in the States as well. Used in credit cards, wireless communications and sensitive personnel identification, the Smart Card is becoming more prevalent as our dependence on technology grows.

The Dish Network Card is similar to the size and shape of a credit card. But that’s where the similarities end. Unlike the magnetic strip on your credit card, the Dish Network Smart Card has a microprocessor inside. Where magnetic strips can be easily damaged, erased or worse, read, the microprocessor is much harder to crack, keeping sensitive information secure from prying eyes. The card reader in your satellite receiver actually talks to the microprocessor to determine what programming access you should have and make sure that programming is delivered to you on schedule. It also checks to see that the programming you’re receiving is done through the receiver you purchased. This prevents any signal theft in the event your Smart Card is lost or stolen.

Another interesting feature of the new Dish Network Card is that it improves Dish Network’s ability to manage your account through more accurate billing. The microprocessor keeps up with any premium programming you might purchase so you’re only billed for what you actually watched.

To protect your Dish Network Card, keep it away from magnets and static electricity. The Smart Card should be inserted gently into the receiver ensuring the card is correctly positioned and free of any foreign materials.

There’s a battle going on between Cable TV and Dish Network. Many people wonder what the best choice really is. The best choice may lay in these factors:

Popularity
Both Cable TV and Dish Network are popular. Although cable still is more popular overall, satellite TV has made huge gains on cable TV.

Equipment
Cable TV systems require a cable to be installed from the network to your house. If your street has no cable you may need to wait a while before it is available in your area. Besides the cable you need a receiver. With digital services you need an additional box.

Dish Network requires a satellite dish, a receiver and a cable from the dish to your TV (no digging in your garden).

Reception Quality
Cable TV has analog channels and even though you can upgrade to digital services, analog channels will still be analog, meaning an often fuzzy picture. Dish Network is completely digital, which gives you all the advantages of digital systems. Very heavy rain or snow can obstruct reception briefly, but generally this happens very rarely. Reception quality is much better with
Satellite TV.

Programming
Here it gets really interesting. Cable TV can handle up to 260 channels. Dish Network can handle more channels. Also, Dish Network is more advanced in HDTV (High Definition Television) services.

Pricing
Usually Satellite TV is less expensive than Cable TV due to many additional costs that are related to Cable TV: franchise fees, taxes, plus costs for any pay per view services, and equipment costs. Dish Network Programming Package starts at only $29.99 per month.

Interactive Services
In general Dish Network has more interactive services than Cable TV. Digital services like Dish Network’s DVR (Digital Video Recorder) which gives the option to rewind while recording even in live broadcasts, EPG (Electronic Program Guide), Instant Weather, video on demand, etc. are all available on Satellite TV, but not all are available on Cable TV.

High Speed Internet
Cable has high speed broadband internet services. Satellite TV has this too, but is somewhat slower. Directv®: offers Direcway High Speed Internet, which is ultra fast but somewhat expensive.

Overall conclusion: Satellite TV is less expensive, has better picture quality (digital signal) and gives you more channels and programming options than cable TV.

Free stuff is always good to get and this especially holds true when what ever it is your getting for free is quality product or services. No one ever gives anything away for free any more so it seems or do they?

Dish Network and DirecTV are the all time leaders in free give aways in TV programming now and you will be amazed at all the great stuff that they give you when you join either of their family of viewers. Competition is stiff in the TV programming industry and not only do the satellite TV programmers have each other to compete against, but they also have cable companies to compete against.

Some people are even still using good old fashioned standard TV programming, with the antennae on the TV or the roof of their home and satellite service providers are also all waiting for them, when they finally get sick of the mindless crap that they have had to watch on their TVs.

Free goods and services are the weapons of choice in this ongoing battle for your business and one of the things that they are both offering is free Sirius satellite radio with some of their programming packages. Its not just a few channels of Sirius satellite radio either and you will be surprised at how many you get.

If you havent yet listened to satellite radio, it is a revolutionary new way of radio broadcasting. Rather than inundating you with commercials, you pay for the radio service and it comes commercial free, but with Dish Network and DirecTV you dont have to pay for the radio service.

What you get with Sirius satellite radio, is dozens of radio stations broadcast in a digitized format, that carry a wide variety of music styles and uncensored radio commentary. Uncensored doesnt mean that it is loaded with profanities, it just means that it doesnt have to be politically correct, so you get to hear what is really on peoples minds.

Everything that is broadcast on standard radio has to go past sensors that eliminate anything that might offend their sponsors in even the slightest way and everyone is afraid of government sensors now. Satellite radio has no sponsors and is broadcast from out in space, so its out of the jurisdiction of any government.

So the arguments and opinions are provocative and real when you hear them and no one has to say anything to appease anyone. Radical shock jock Howard Stern can only be heard on satellite radio now and he is reported to have ditched the profanities in exchange for zanier than ever humor and commentary and everyone who has heard his new satellite radio show is giving it super high ratings.

Dish Network also gives you free satellite radio for your car or truck when you join their viewing family now. There is lots of other free stuff that they both give you like free satellite TV systems and a digital camera from DirecTV. Everything that Dish Network and DirecTV give to their new customers is top quality product, so its worth checking out if youre in the market for TV programming.

With more than 256 channels to choose from, satellite TV programming offers far more TV listings and viewing options than cable or over-the-air TV.

Satellite TV also gives you access to music channels, pay-per-view movies, sports packages, adult channels, and international programming.

DISH Network Satellite TV Programming

DISH Network programming packages start at $31.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes: African, Arabic, Armenian, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, South Asian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu channels.

DISH Network has the biggest variety of movies and shows and the most HD (high definition) programming of the two satellite TV providers.

Here are DISH Network’s current satellite TV programming packages:

America’s Top 60 ($31.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels, plus your local channels:

ABC Family, America’s Collectibles Network, Angel One, Arts & Entertainment (A&E), Auction TV, Beauty & Fashion Channel, Bingo TV, BYUTV, Cable News Network (CNN), Cartoon Network, Catalog TV, Classic Arts Showcase, CNBC, Colours TV, Comedy Central, Country Music Television, Court TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Daystar, Discovery Channel, The Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), E! Entertainment Television, Educating Everyone, ESPN, ESPN Alternate, ESPN2, ESPN2 Alternate, ESPNews, Eternal Word Television Network Family Net, Florida Education Channel, Food Network, Free Speech TV, Good Samaritan Network, Headline News Network, Health TV, Healthy Living Channel, The History Channel, HITN, Home & Garden Television, The Home Shopping Network, Horseracing TV, ISHOP, The Jewelry Channel, The Learning Channel, Lifetime, Men’s Channel, Music Television (MTV), Music Television 2 (MTV2), NASA, Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (West), Northern Arizona University/University House, PBS You, QVC Shopping Network, Research Channel, RFDTV, The Sci-Fi Channel, Shop At Home, Shop NBC, Spike TV, Stuff TV, The Travel Channel, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Turner Broadcast System (TBS), Turner Network Television (TNT), TV Games Network, TV Guide Channel, TV Land, TV Outlet Mall University Of California, University Of Washington, USA Network, VH1 The Weather Channel, Worldlink TV.

America’s Top 120 ($42.99 per month)

This package includes all of the channels in the America’s Top 60 package, plus the following program channels and 32 Sirius music channels:

American Movie Classics, Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television (BET), Bravo, CNN Financial/CNN International, Comcast Sports Network, Discovery Health, Empire Sports, ESPN Classic, F/X, FOX News Channel, FOX Sports, FOX Sports West 2, Fuse, Galavison, Game Show Network, Independent Film Channel, Lifetime Movie Network, Madison Square Garden, MSNBC, New England Sports Network (NESN), Noggin, Pax TV, SiTV, The Speed Channel,, Sports Alternate 1, Sports Alternate 2, Sports Alternate 3, Sports Alternate 4, Sports Alternate 5, Sunshine Network, G4 Tech TV, Telefutura East, Telefutura West, Toon Disney, Turner Classic Movies, Turner South, Univision East, Univision West, WE: Women’s Entertainment, WGN Superstation.

America’s Top 180 ($52.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the America’s Top 120 package, plus the following program channels and 50 Sirius music channels:

Biography, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, CNBC World, Discovery, Home & Leisure, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Wings, Dish Music- 50′s & 60′s Hits, Dish Music- 70′s Hits, Dish Music- 80′s Hits, Dish Music- All That Jazz, Dish Music- Beach Party, Dish Music- Classic Soul, Dish Music- Country Music One, Dish Music- 4 Decades of Music, Dish Music- Expressions, Dish Music- Hitline, Dish Music- Hot FM, Dish Music- Italia, Dish Music- Love Songs, Dish Music- Moonscapes, Dish Music- New Orleans Jazz, Dish Music- Piano & Guitar, Dish Music- Road House, Dish Music- Tropical Breezes, Dish Music- Urban Adult, Do It Yourself Network, Encore (West), Encore, Action/Adventure, Encore Love Stories, Encore Mysteries, Encore True Stories, Encore Wam/America’s Kidz Network, Encore Westerns, FOX Movie Channel, FOX Sports, Net World, The Golf Channel, GOL TV, Great American Country, Hallmark Channel, History Channel International, The Movie Channel (West), National Geographic Channel, Nickelodeon Games & Sports, Nick toons, The Outdoor Channel, Outdoor Life Network, Reality TV, SoapNet, Style, The Science Channel, TMC Xtra West, VH1 Classic, Wisdom Television.

America’s Everything Pak ($86.99)

This package includes all the channels in the America’s Top 180 package, plus the following movie channels (31 movie channels in all):

Showtime Unlimited Package, Starz! Super Pak, HBO Package, Cinemax Package.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DISH Network, click on the links below.

DIRECTV Satellite TV Programming

DIRECTV satellite TV programming starts at $41.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes Chinese, Filipino, Italian, South Asian, Spanish, and Vietnamese channels.

DIRECTV has the most sports program packages of the two satellite TV providers, including the popular NFL Sunday Ticket.

Here are DIRECTV’s current satellite TV programming packages:

Total Choice ($41.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels, plus your local channels and 31 music channels):

A&E Network, ABC Family, America’s Store, American Movie Classics (AMC), Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television(BET), Bloomberg Television, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, The Church Channel, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CNNfn/CNN International, Comedy Central, Country Music Television (CMT), Court TV, Daystar, Discovery Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), E! Entertainment Television, ESPN, ESPN CLASSIC, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, EWTN, Fine Living, Food Network, Fox Movie Channel, Fox News Channel, Fuse, FX, Galavisión, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Headline News, The Health Network, The History Channel, Home & Garden Television, Home Shopping Network, Independent Film Channel, Inspirational Life, The Learning Channel (TLC), Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Link TV, MARIA+VISIÓN, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, National Geographic Channel, Newsworld International, NFL Network, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (West), Noggin/The N, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), Oxygen, PAX, PBS You, QVC, RFD TV, SCI FI Channel, Shop At Home, ShopNBC, Speed Channel, Spike TV, Superstation WGN, TBS Superstation, TechTV, TNT, Toon Disney, TRAVEL CHANNEL, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), TRIO, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner South, TV Land, Univision (East), USA Network, VH1, WE: Women’s Entertainment, The Weather Channel, Word Network, World Harvest Television.

Total Choice Plus ($45.99 per month)

This package includes all the Total Choice programs, plus the following channels:

The Biography Channel, Boomerang, Discovery Home & Leisure, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Wings, DIY – Do It Yourself Network, Fuel, History International, PBS KIDS, The Science Channel, SOAPNet.

Total Choice Premier ($93.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the Total Choice Plus package, plus the following program channels:

Action, BLACK STARZ!, Cinemax (East), Cinemax (West), Comcast SportsNet (Mid-Atlantic), CSTV: College Sports Television, Empire Sports Network, Encore® (West), Encore® (East), FLIX, Fox Sports World, The Golf Channel, HBO, HBO (West), HBO Family, HBO Family (West), HBO HDTV, HBO Latino, HBO Signature, HBO2, HBO2 (West), Love Stories, Madison Square Garden (MSG), MoreMAX, The Movie Channel, The Movie Channel West, Mystery, NBA TV, New England Sports Network, The Outdoor Channel, SHOWTIME East, SHOWTIME Extreme, SHOWTIME HDTV, SHOWTIME Showcase, SHOWTIME TOO, SHOWTIME West, STARZ! (East), STARZ! (West), STARZ! Theater (East), Sundance Channel, Sunshine Network, True Stories, VH1 Classic, WAM!, Westerns, YES Network.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DIRECTV, click on the links below.

Satellite TV Providers

There are two satellite TV providers that offer satellite TV service in the U.S. — DISH Network and DIRECTV.

DISH Network was launched by EchoStar Communications in 1996. It currently has 12 million subscribers, and is ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among all cable and satellite TV providers by J.D. Power and Associates.

DIRECTV was the first DBS (direct broadcast satellite) TV provider. Launched in 1994 by General Motors, it currently has 14.5 million subscribers, and is ranked #2 in customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates.

Satellite TV Provider Comparison

Here’s a feature-to-feature comparison of the two satellite TV providers:

Programming

DISH Network offers 256 channels of all-digital programming including movie channels, pay-per-view programs, and sports packages. They have the biggest variety of movies and shows, and offer 50 Sirius music channels.

DIRECTV offers 225 channels of all-digital programming including movie channels, pay-per-view, and sports packages. They have the most sports packages, and offer 31 music channels.

International Channels

DISH Network offers Armenian, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, South Asian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu program channels.

DIRECTV offers Chinese, Filipino, Italian, South Asian, Spanish, Vietnamese program channels.

Pay-Per-View Movies and Special Events

Both DISH Network and DIRECTV pay-per-view movies are $3.99 each. Special event programming prices vary according to the event.

Pricing

DISH Network program packages start at $31.99 for 60 program channels including HBO, Showtime, and Cinemax, and go up to $86.99 for 230 channels, including 50 Sirius radio channels.

DIRECTV program packages start at $39.99 a month for 135 program channels including 31 music channels, plus HBO, Showtime, and Starz, and go up to $93.99 for 185 channels.

Note: For ordering information and current special offers on program packages, click on the links below.

Activation Fee

DISH Network’s $49.99 activation fee is refunded with first bill, so it ends up being free.

DIRECTV’s $50.00 fee is refunded with first bill, so it too is free.

Satellite TV System

Both DISH Network and DIRECTV will give you a free satellite TV dish and 4 free receivers with universal remotes when you subscribe to their service. Installation is free.

HD (high definition) Receivers

DISH Network offers free HD receivers when you order their service.

DIRECTV HD receivers are $199 each.

DVR (digital video recording) receivers

DISH Network will give you two free DVR receivers. Video-on-Demand service (the equivalent of TiVo), is free when you order their America’s Everything Pak programming, or $4.98 a month with their other programming packages.

DIRECTV DVR receivers are free (after a $99 rebate) when you order their service. TiVo service is free when you order their Total Choice Premier package, or $4.99 a month with their other program packages.

Warranty

Both DISH Network and DIRECTV offer a one-year warranty on their satellite TV systems.

Installation Times

Installation times for both DISH Network and DIRECTV is usually one to five days from the time an order is placed.

Customer Service

DISH Network and DIRECTV have 24-hour, 7-days-a-week online and toll-free customer service.

Bonus Gifts

Both satellite TV providers offer special programming offers and free gifts to encourage you to purchase their service. For current offerings click on the links below.

DirecTV and other satellite TV systems offer more options in daily television viewing. Satellite TV receiver is accompanied by all TV systems required for completed installation. Satellite TV receiver is manufactured by several reputed companies like Phillips etc. A satellite TV receiver has control hub for all the audio and video equipment which is pre-owned by any consumer. It is easily connected to any appliance with the existing cables.

In some cases in order to connect a satellite TV receiver the phone line may need to be split if there is any DSL connection in the house. The rear panel of a satellite TV receiver comes with all important card access, the receiver ID number, AC power input, phone jack, Dolby digital outputs, antenna input (if you wish to connect to an off satellite antenna or analog cable system), TV/VCR output, S-Video Output, and Component Video Output and the Sat In, which connects the coaxial cable from the satellite dish antenna. The instruction manual gives all the information you need for anyone installing it themselves.

The complete system of installing a Satellite TV along with a satellite TV receiver comes with user manual, power supply cord, phone cord, RF Coaxial cable, RCA type Audio/ Video connecting cable, S-Video connecting cable, Telephone Cord, Access card, and the Infrared Universal Remote control with 2 AA batteries. This all is accompanied by the Satellite direct TV dish.

Some times satellite TV receiver may get overheated. This may cause the decoder messages to disappear at times. It may also seem that the satellite TV receiver has gone dead. Since overheating is a main surge in satellite TV receiver it may be overcome by placing two capacitors on the power supply board. These capacitors should be replaced for reliability before the working of satellite TV receiver comes to a total halt.

Satellite TV receiver can be for analogue communication signals or digitally compressed signals. There is only one company that currently manufactures a satellite TV receiver that can process both analogue and digital signals. Analogue satellite TV receiver processes signals in analogue format. For an analogue satellite TV receiver one must need to remember the actual settings required to tune in all the channels and communication. Analogue satellite TV receiver can be stand alone unit. It is usually cheaper but can receive signals from only one satellite. An analogue satellite TV receiver has built in antenna controller which can steer a motorized dish from one satellite to another.

Main job on any satellite TV receiver is to maximize the strength of incoming signals from the satellite. This job is done equally well by an analogue satellite TV receiver or a digital satellite TV receiver. Multi-mode switches allow one satellite TV receiver to provide video to more than one house.

Satellite TV receiver comes with various features such as advanced program guide, parental controls, multi-satellite capabilities, universal remote, etc. Digital satellite TV receiver has digital audio output and can record up to seventy hours. They also have a built in DVR and season pass function, wish list function, etc.

May it be analogue satellite TV receiver or digital satellite TV receiver both work with the satellite TV set up to give the best quality of signals received from the satellite from various channels.

Free is a four letter word in the Satellite TV business. You probably have seen the advertisements for a free satellite TV. Some vendors that carry the top two satellite TV providers – Direct TV and Dish Network – even tout free equipment like a satellite TV receiver and TV satellite dish. The question for many consumers is what really constitutes free satellite TV.

The definition of free can be paraphrased as something that costs nothing or is gratis. In other connotations, free can mean not enslaved or not obstructed. So, if you want to take the meaning of free literally, in regards to free satellite TV, it could be construed as not being enslaved by a price tag. Sounds like a winning plan, does it not? However, the term free can be a bit misleading at first when you are in the market for satellite TV system.

For the most part, the equipment like the TV satellite dish and the satellite TV receiver is free. And depending on the marketing promotions the two major providers have, you may also find that you get the high definition version of the satellite Dish Network or the Directv Tivo for free as well. The holidays are the best times to hook up with one of those sweet deals.

The free part ends with the equipment in many cases. The programming and other services will cost money. For instance, with Directv, you have to pay a deposit, depending on what your credit rating holds. However, that is refunded to you or applied towards the programming package you choose, whether it is a basic Family package or the programming package with all the movie channels included.

With the Dish Network, there is usually a charge for activation. However, as with Direct TV, it is credited towards your desired programming package. Even though Dish Network may have less programming choices for the sports fanatic, they more than make up for it with a free digital recording or high definition satellite TV receiver. They even have a larger, overall selection of HDTV programming.

Directv HDTV receivers cost extra as does the Directv Tivo option, unless of course, you hit upon one of those infrequent marketing promotions offering the option for free, as mentioned previously. With Direct TV, they offer more for the sports fan as far as play-off programming package deals. And music lovers can enjoy over twenty music channels alone!

The bottom line is that the word free basically means the same with both major satellite TV providers – the Dish Network and Direct TV. You have got to research the promotions they both have to offer as well as their programming packages. Just remember, free is a four letter word, one that is spoken, well freely, in the satellite TV market. Ask your questions, read the fine print and find out exactly what their ‘free’ means to you and your pocketbook.