Satellite digest

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. The three differences are; an increase in picture resolution, 16:9 widescreen as standard, and the ability to support multi-channel audio such as Dolby Digital. Read the rest of this entry »

Satellite TV ‘What’?

So, what is a satellite TV?

It’s a complicated question. In short, a satellite TV system is a wireless system delivering television programming directly to an end user. The whole system you can see in your home, a satellite dish, satellite decoder, and a remote. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s a DVR system and what else can it brings for us?

DVR is a hard drive that located inside a DVR receive to record and store satellite TV programs in digital format. It is the combination of the advanced technologies of Digital Video Recording and satellite TV system Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Satellite TV was still in its infancy stage with the big monster dishes. While I was browsing in a local electronics store one day I saw a guy giving a demonstration about the new DIRECTV© 18 inch digital satellite TV dish.

Needless to say I was very impressed and purchased the satellite TV system on the spot. I knew it would save me from digging up my yard and I could actually get more channels than I got with cable.

After the tech guy hooked it up and left I was like a kid with a new toy. I couldn’t believe how it transformed the picture and sound quality on my television. It was like a completely different TV.

DIRECTV© channels are 100% digital-quality picture and sound, including local network channels. If you haven’t experienced quality like that before you are in for a real treat.

Cable TV tries to compete with digital satellite TV technology by offering digital cable. But if you compare both the picture and sound quality, the DIRECTV© super clear picture and crystal clear sound wins hands down any day.

But that was only the beginning of the many things I discovered. I didn’t need a TV guide anymore because the on screen programming guide tells me what shows are on, who’s starring in the show and what it’s about.

I have an incredible variety of over 200 channels of every kind of programming I could think of and some I never dreamed of.

Then, I checked out the pay per view movie service with up to 55 different choices of movies and special events a day that I could easily order with my remote.

Does anyone like sports? What are you kidding? DIRECTV offers sports packages that will put a smile on any sports fans face. How about NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, MLB Extra Innings, NHL Center Ice, ESPN Game Plan and ESPN Full Court. That doesn’t even include the regional sports networks I now have access to.

If you are a music lover, DIRECTV© offers 31 different audio-only channels that range from choices like Soft Rock, Jazz and Country to Hit List, Easy Listening and a lot more.

I work out of my home and by selecting a DIRECTV© audio channel to soft music, I can have the music I like in the background when I work.

Having a party? Just turn on any channel you like and you’ll never have to touch it again because there are no commercials or interruptions. Just great digital quality music 24 hours a day at your fingertips.

When I moved again to another home, DIRECTV© customer service made it about as easy as it gets. I just gave them my new address, and they not only sent a brand new replacement satellite TV dish to my new home, they provided complimentary standard professional installation for everything including the receivers. I didn’t pay a penny for anything. How’s that for a no-hassle move?

With cable, I would have had to pay another deposit and that is just extra money I get to keep in my wallet instead of giving it to the cable company.

If you’re thinking about switching from cable to satellite TV or moving to another home, consider DIRECTV©. It’s simply a better value than cable and a smart choice you’re whole family will enjoy.

With cable rates increasing an average of 8% per year it’s no mystery why more than 12 million customers nationwide have made the switch to DIRECTV® service.

Over 10 years have gone by now since I bought that first satellite TV dish and I love it as much now as when I first got it. I recommend DIRECTV© to so many people because I know they will absolutely love it.

Only once in a great while a product comes along that actually over delivers. DIRECTV© can not only save you money each month over cable but is a smart choice and an incredible value.

Copyright © 2004 1 Stop Shopping Online.com. All Rights Reserved.

This article may be re-published “as is” (unedited) as long as the author’s bio paragraph (resource box) and copyright information is included. The URLs in the resource box should be set as hyperlinks if used on a web page.

About The Author

Gary Gresham is the webmaster for http://www.1stopshoppingonline.com. You can experience this same DIRECTV® service he mentions in this article for your home or office through this online link: http://www.1stopshoppingonline.com/satellite-tv.html

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. Today, things are not quite as simple. Buying a new TV can be frustrating and confusing. Progress is usually a good thing, and for that matter, so is competition. Progress gives manufacturers the technology needed to produce new and innovative products, while competition forces them to offer better products at lower prices. The consumer is definitely the winner here, but along with the good we must take a little of the bad. All this leads to more choices and options when considering the purchase of a new TV. Along with Price, Quality, and Screen Size, the modern day TV buyer must also consider Display Type, HDTV or SDTV, Sound Options, and Connectivity of Components.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with the basic knowledge you need before heading out to buy that new TV. You won’t be able to read product descriptions and compare options unless you know, and understand exactly what is available to you. So let’s keep it simple, to the point, and leave the intricate, techno stuff for another time and place. Read this article, print it out, and take it with you on the quest for your new TV. Read the rest of this entry »

Unless you’ve recently moved from Alaska to Texas and you’re feeling a little homesick, chances are that the last thing you want to see when you turn on your TV is snow. Combine a snowy screen with that loud, obnoxious static sound, and you’ve got a problem on your hands. Fortunately you don’t have to be techie to fix your cable box – just follow these simple troubleshooting steps to get picture back in no time.

 

Cable Box Basics

 

Make sure your cable box is plugged in. I know that sounds silly, but after troubleshooting these things over the phone professionally, you can trust me on this one. Save yourself the time and embarrassment of calling a professional just to have them tell you to plug it in. That goes for the rest of the essential equipment as well (i.e. TV, VCR or DVR if you’re running the signal through one, etc.). It wouldn’t hurt to make sure the TV is on the correct channel – usually channel 3 or 4 or one of the input channels.

Make sure all the cables are connected. Even if you’re TV and cable box are both turned on, you won’t see a picture unless they are connected. Check each connection to ensure it is tight and that none of the wires or connecting pieces is damaged. Also check to see that the connections are all correct – meaning, video and audio should be going out of your cable or satellite box to your TV “in” ports. The signal should follow a logical path. If the connections are correct but you’re still not seeing any picture, replace the cables to see if that solves the problem. If you’re running the signal through a DVR or VCR and having problems, skip the middle man and plug the cables straight from the box to the TV. If you get a picture you know you’re problem is in the VCR.

After making sure everything is on and the cable connections are all correct, try rebooting your system. Each company’s receivers have different methods of rebooting, but one fairly universal way is to unplug the box for 10 to 20 seconds and then plug it back in. Do not just turn the box off and back on again – you’ll need to actually pull the plug out of the wall and then put it back in again. Once the cable box is plugged back in, turn the power on and cross your fingers. If you’re still not receiving any picture, unplug the receiver again for up to one minute and then plug it back in. This may be tedious and time-consuming, especially when you’re missing the fight of the year or the Super Bowl, but give it the full minute – you’ll spend less time doing it yourself than you will waiting for a repairman to come out and fix it.

 

Fuzzy Picture or Sound

 

If you are getting a picture but no sound; or sound but no picture; or a fuzzy picture or sound, recheck the cable connections to make sure they are tightened and that the wires or connecting pieces are undamaged. Poor picture or sound is typically caused by one of three problems: poor wire connections, signal interference, or TV settings.

Going outside to make sure nothing is interfering with your signal will help with the second problem. Of course, if you have underground cables there is not much you can do about making sure they are clear of interference (that’s read, “Your neighbor cut through it while gardening”). If you have a satellite dish, know that excessive rain or snow buildup on the dish can cause signal interference. Use caution when checking your dish, especially if it is on your roof or some other hard-to-reach place around your house. The installer should have verified that no trees or other objects would interfere with your signal from the satellites, but take a quick look around to see if new foliage is blocking the signal. If it is not on your property, do not cut or remove anything without prior permission from the property owner.

Finally, adjusting your TV settings can help when you are receiving a clear signal and all the connections are fine. Horizontal and vertical settings are the adjustments that most often need to be made, but consulting your owner’s manual can give you a better indication of other settings that can be tweaked.

Troubleshooting requires patience, so make some lemonade, roll up your sleeves, and get started. If none of these suggestions work (9 times out of 10 they will), contact your service provider. They may have additional troubleshooting steps or resources they can make available to you to get your cable or satellite TV up and running.

Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing – More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. To find out how to replace your cable box with a digital satellite receiver, check out I-Satellite.

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. Read the rest of this entry »

If you live in the U.S. and want satellite TV systems, you have basically two choices. Yes, there are other providers out there, but for most viewers, DirecTV and DISH Network offer the most choices for the least money, although Pegasus and Voom are fast becoming major contenders in the satellite television industry. Competition being what it is, both DirecTV and DISH Network offer similar services and constantly adjust to add features and outdo their rivals. So how do you choose between the two? A side-by-side comparison of the services and prices shows some differences that help customers decide which service best fits their viewing needs. But first, a little background on each provider might be helpful. Read the rest of this entry »