How Does Satellite TV Work?

 At the Connected Home, we assist customers in determining which television and internet networks are right for them. For certain people, satellite television is the answer. "What exactly is Satellite TV?" is often a concern that arises in response to this.

What's more, how does it work? Satellite broadcasting is conceptually identical to network television. It's a wireless technology that allows tv content to be transmitted directly to a viewer's home. A radio signal is used to relay content from both public television and satellite stations. 

 Broadcast stations relay radio waves to the local area using a strong antenna. With a slightly smaller antenna, viewers can pick up the signal. The biggest drawback of broadcast television is its limited coverage.  The transmitting antenna sends out radio waves in a straight line, which are used to broadcast television. 

To absorb these signals, you must be in direct line of sight of the antenna. Small obstructions, such as trees or small structures, have little effect on the radio waves; however, a large obstacle, such as the Earth, will reflect them.

A Satellite to Home TV Transmission Has Five Main Components.

1. The networks that produce content for transmission are referred to as programming outlets. The provider does not produce original programming; instead, it pays other entities (such as HBO or ESPN) to distribute their material via satellite. In this way, the provider acts as a middleman between you and the programming resources. (The same principle applies to cable television companies.)
2. The nerve core of the device is the broadcast center. At the transmitting center, the TV provider receives signals from various broadcasting sources and sends a broadcast signal to satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
3.  The radio station's transmissions are received by the satellites, and then rebroadcast them to Earth.
4. The viewer's dish picks up the signal from the satellite (or multiple satellites in the same region of the sky) and sends it to the receiver in their house.
5. The signal is processed by the receiver before being sent to a normal television.

So, How Far Away are These Satellites?

Satellite TV works by sending video and audio signals from geostationary satellites to satellite dishes on the ground. These geostationary satellites orbit the earth in the Clarke Belt, which is about 22,300 miles above the equator.

A number of transponders are carried by any of these satellites. Any of these transponders sends a signal back to Earth. C Band, Ku Band, and Ka Band signals are the most common. The frequency of a signal is defined in general terms by its ensemble. These signals are emitted by a satellite dish after flying over 20,000 miles.

This dish may be as little as 18 inches across or as wide as 9 feet across. The dish's job is to serve as both a collector and a reflector. The signal is collected by the dish and reflected back to the feedhorn. 

The mirrored signal is received by the feedhorn and sent to the LNB. The signal is amplified and converted to a frequency appropriate for transmitting over a cable by the LNB. The cable is referred to as the IFL in satellite jargon. The signal is sent from the LNB to the satellite receiver through the IFL. The signal is then sent to your television via the satellite receiver.

Satellites became science fiction coming to life in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Thousands of them now circle the world, offering regular service to millions, if not billions, of people. 

Although technology has progressed to the point where it is now a commonplace phenomenon, the ability to properly link your home to the rest of the world through satellite television or satellite internet still demands a high degree of competence and knowledge.