Standards

Analogue television is usually sent (scrambled or unscrambled) in PAL, NTSC, or SECAM television satellite broadcast standards. Digital television, including that transmitted via satellites, is generally based upon open standards such as MPEG and DVB-S. Some of the encryption/scrambling methods include BISS, Conax, CryptoWorks, DigiCipher, DreamCrypt, Irdeto, MediaGuard, NagraVision, PowerVu, SHL, Sidsa, Viaccess, Videocipher, VideoGuard and XCrypt.

Satellite Television – A Look At Some Of The Available Services

Canada
In Canada, the two legal DBS services available are Bell Canada’s ExpressVu and StarChoice. Hundreds of thousands (up to a million by some estimates) of Canadians access or have accessed American services – usually these services have to be billed to an American address and are paid for in U.S. dollars.

United States
DirecTV, the first high-powered DBS system, went online in 1994 and was the first North American DBS service; it is now owned by News Corporation.
In 1996, EchoStar’s Dish Network went online in the United States and has gone on to similar success as DirecTV’s primary competitor.
The majority of ethnic-language broadcasts to North America are carried on Ku band free-to-air; the largest concentration of ethnic programming is on Intelsat Americas 5 at 97° W. GlobeCast World TV offers a mix of free and pay-TV ethnic channels in the internationally-standard DVB-S format, as do others. Home2US Communications Inc. also offers ethnic programming, the platform is on AMC-4 at 101° W, with several ethnic channels as well as free and pay-TV. Several U.S.-English language network affiliates (representing CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, Fox, WB, i and UPN) are available as free-to-air broadcasts, as are the three U.S.-Spanish language networks (Univisión, Telefutura and Telemundo). The number of free-to-air specialty channels is otherwise rather limited…..

Continental Western Europe
In Europe, DBS satellite services are found mainly on Astra satellites and Hotbird (operated by Eutelsat), with Sky Italia, Canal Digitaal and UPC being the main providers in Italy, Western Europe and Central Europe.
BSkyB (known as Sky) also serves Northern Europe and many channels can be received as far away as Cyprus.

United Kingdom
Other than the satellite companies mentioned above, there is Sky Digital – a closed network requiring the companies licensed set top boxes

Satellite radio is becoming more and more popular, both with discerning listeners that want more choice and better quality, and with those that have had to put up with a lot of static in the past and are unable to get a clear reception on AM/FM radio. You can get some really affordable deals on satellite radio these days, so enjoying crystal clear, uninterrupted, diverse entertainment has never been easier. You can get satellite radio installation for your car or your home, and by making some comparisons you can enjoy some excellent deals on satellite radio accessories. You will need a satellite radio antenna and a satellite radio receiver in order to enjoy this service, but again you get some excellent deals and offers when you go online.

There are many reasons why satellite radio is becoming more and more popular, and between them Sirius and XM already have around three million subscribers. So, why would you want to get satellite radio and pay a monthly subscription when you can get AM/FM radio for free? Youll find a selection of the most popular reasons for satellite radio purchase listed below:

Reasons for choosing satellite radio

More choice: satellite radio from Sirius or XM offers an incredible choice of channels. You can enjoy over one hundred channels of pure entertainment from these satellite radio providers, including music, sports, talk radio, news channels, and more. The choice of channels means that you can enjoy a wide range of niche programming as well, so whatever your taste or need you are almost certain to find something well suited to your requirements with satellite radio.

Excellent quality: With satellite radio you can enjoy CD quality in radio format. The digital quality of satellite radio means that you can enjoy the vast range of entertainment with crystal clear sound quality. You wont have to put up with static and fading reception any longer, as is often the case with AM/FM radio. With satellite radio you can enjoy pure, high definition digital sound to accompany the wide choice of quality entertainment.

Commercial-free channels: Unlike AM/FM radio, satellite radio offers some commercial-free channels, so you no longer have to put up with constant interruptions to your favourite music or show. With satellite radio, you can enjoy back to back entertainment without commercials and chat to interrupt the flow and entertainment value.

Wider accessibility: Many of us take radio accessibility for granted, but not everyone can gain proper access to AM/FM radio. For example, those living in more rural areas may simply end up hearing static most of the time. Since satellite radio is available all over the Continental United States, this means that even those in normally hard to reach areas can enjoy satellite entertainment and clear, defined, digital sound.

Choice of subscriptions: There are currently two main players in the satellite radio field, and these are Sirius and XM. With both of these satellite radio providers you can enjoy a wide choice of subscription packages, so whatever your budget you should be able to find the perfect deal enabling you to enjoy high definition digital radio at an affordable price. You can enjoy paying on a monthly, annual, two yearly, three yearly, four yearly, or five yearly basis with XM. And with Sirius you can pay on a monthly basis, annually, two yearly or you can even buy a lifetime subscription.

Multi location listening: With satellite radio you can listen to your favourite music and shows in more than one location, which means that you can quickly switch the satellite service from your car stereo to your home entertainment system. You will still pay just one satellite radio subscription fee all you will need to do is buy a portable satellite receiver.

Easier entertainment access: With satellite radio you no longer have to worry about downloading songs and carrying around a whole stack of CDs in order to enjoy some entertainment when you are traveling or even when you are at home. With so many channels and so much quality entertainment to choose from you will never be short of something to listen to and enjoy. Plus, you will still have access to your AM/FM radio service, so you wont have to make any sacrifices in order to enjoy the high definition entertainment provided by satellite radio.

Impressive features: With satellite radio you can enjoy a range of impressive features and additional benefits that will make listening to the radio all the more enjoyable, and will offer even more choice. You can get parental block controls in order to allow parents to stop their kids from listening to explicit programming. You can also enjoy receiving music track information with digital radio, so you can instantly find out details about which artist or song is playing. This information is actually displayed via satellite transmission on the actual controller.

Unique programming: With satellite radio you can enjoy access to programming that is not available on regular AM/FM radio. For example, due to the lack of FCC regulations you can access racier or more controversial content, which on AM/FM radio may be prohibited. The child control features ensure that this content is only accessed by the person in control of the satellite radio and not by the kids or any other unauthorized listener. Satellite radio also offers some exclusive interviews with celebrities, so you could find yourself listening to an exclusive in-studio interview with your favorite star.

Perfect for driving: One pet peeve with many drivers is that when they are listening to the radio, the signal fades intermittently as they drive to and from different areas. This means that whether you are listening to your favorite show or your favorite music, you can lose the signal. You then have to spend time looking for an alternative channel which can be difficult and even dangerous when you are driving. With satellite radio, you can enjoy uninterrupted, crystal clear sound without loss of signal and without the need to keep changing channels.

Satellite radio: the affordable choice of the next generation

Just as the kids of today dont remember life without CD players and satellite television, the new generation will become totally accustomed to satellite radio, which is already becoming more and more popular. Again, just like the local and terrestrial channels on television, you will still be able to enjoy AM/FM radio in the future, but as time goes on more and more households and drivers will be enjoying the benefits of satellite.

Whether you enjoy listening to the radio in the house or whether you like to have on some funky tunes as you drive, you will enjoy the ultimate in radio entertainment with satellite radio. You can enjoy all sorts of entertainment, from news and sports to music and talk radio. Just like regular radio, you can ring in and enter competitions or simply to express opinions. And the super quality available with satellite radio will ensure that you get to enjoy your favorite music and shows with minimal disruption and high definition sound.

The choice of subscription packages available from the two main satellite radio providers also makes it easy and affordable to enjoy satellite radio. Whether you want to pay on a monthly basis or whether you want to subscribe for one year or more, you can enjoy low prices. You can even subscribe for a lifetime with Sirius, and the longer you subscribe for the cheaper your subscription works out. So, high quality radio entertainment could cost even less than you imagine.

If you have had satellite or cable television in your home for a while, the chances are that you can barely remember what television entertainment was like before you had satellite or cable. You probably cant imagine television entertainment without the choice and quality that you now have. Well, the same can be said of satellite radio. In a few years, many households and drivers will have forgotten what radio entertainment was like before the crystal clear quality and excellent choice of satellite radio came along.

About the Author

Reno Charlton is an experienced freelance copywriter and an award-winning childrens author from the United Kingdom. You can read more of her informative articles on satellite radio at http://www.car-satellite-radio.com.

Written By: Reno Charlton

So, Why Sky Digital:
As opposed to the old analogue system, where you had to have a 60cm satellite dish installed, Sky Digital is now available through what is called a mini-dish, which is much less of an eyesore as the conventional system.

Furthermore, Sky digital will cater for all audiences, from entertainment channels with comedy and dramas, movies including latest releases, music channels for you to keep up to date with the latest chart releases, or listen to your favourite genre, then theres the radio stations, cartoon channels and news/documentary stations. There is a whole list of channels, available on different packages ranging from 15 to 42.50 (not including additional premium channels) per month.

What else can Sky do? Well, theres

The Interactive Services:
The interactive services provided by Sky (telephone connection required and charged at a per minute rate) give the viewer the option to purchase goods through their Sky Digital Receiver.

By pressing a button on their controller, you will access the interactive services page, and then can choose whether to go shopping for goods, from a range of stores you can find on the high street and online, so youll never have to leave your sofa again!

If your not interested in shopping but after entertainment, there are a range of games available to play, as well as competitions to participate in, a friends & dating section, and also a health and lifestyle section providing information on a wide range of related issues. You can also check availability and whats on at your local cinema!

The Sky+ & Multi Room Systems:
Ever wanted to watch a film when another film you wanted is being shown at the same time on a separate channel? We all have, and it is frustrating, having to choose which of the two your going to watch.

Well, with Sky+, youll have that problem no more. You can keep up-to-date with your favourite soap, and record another programme at the same time, and it will be stored in your Sky+ receivers Hard Drive for viewing later. No more will you and your partner have to argue on who is going to miss their programme this week!

Sky+ also gives the viewer the ability to pause what youre watching. No, not just the recording, but what your watching in real time can be stopped. So, when you receive those annoying sales calls in the middle of the night, and your just getting into your film and dont want to miss any of it, you can now hit pause, answer the call then get back to film and carry on where you left of! Then when the film is ended, switch back to real-time to carry on viewing as normal.

With Sky+, an upgrade to your dish will have to me made, and a new receiver will have to be installed, which will have an integrated hard drive to record your programmes.

With the dish upgraded, you will also be able to have your existing box moved to another room in your property, so if your family want to watch cartoons, and your more interested in a film or the news, you can watch both, at the same time, in separate rooms (additional monthly fees will apply). This is called Sky Multiroom.

This can be extended as much as you want, providing you have the correct equipment installed.

Freesat From Sky:
Not want to pay a subscription, but still want Digital TV channels? Why not opt for the Freesat service available from Sky.

Very similar to a normal Sky system, but you dont have to pay a monthly subscription, and will get a number of free digital channels (approximately 200) for your viewing pleasure.

Sky HD:
Sky HD is High Definition Television broadcast from Sky. Not familiar with HD?

HD or HDTV is the latest generation of digital TV, providing life-like picture quality, at least four times superior to current standards. It will provide extremely clear and fine picture detail with richer colours, improving the visual experience.

At launch, HDTV is thought to be available from Sky. In order to view programmes broadcast in ‘High Definition’, a soon to be released HDTV Sky Receiver with Sky+ technology will be required. In addition, the benefit of High Definition will only be apparent through a HDTV television (ideally plasma or LCD).

Please note, not all Plasma & LCD televisions currently available are HDTV compatible. It is expected to become available in the first quarter of 2006.

About the Author: http://www.aerial-satellites.co.uk One of the UK’s largest independant TV Aerial & Satellite TV Installation Companies.

Written By: Mark Barnes

How does satellite radio work?

When you subscribe to satellite radio you will get an extra band on your home or car radio, for which you will be charged a monthly fee. A special antenna receives the signals from the satellites, much in the same way as a satellite dish receives signals for satellite television viewing. You will then enjoy access to a range of channels, giving you incredible choice over what you listen to whether you are in the home or travelling in your car.

What are the benefits of satellite radio?

There are a number of benefits to subscribing to satellite radio. You can enjoy far more choice for a start, with a range of channels to select from including commercial-free channels. You can enjoy much better reception whilst driving, and you wont have to put up with poor quality and static as with AM/FM radio. And you can enjoy these benefits at a low monthly fee, enabling you to enjoy a revolutionized radio experience without breaking the bank.

Satellite radio providers: Sirius VS XM

The competition has already started in the world of satellite radio, and the two main players in the field at the moment are Sirius and XM. Both of these providers work in the same way, offering over one hundred satellite radio stations for one monthly subscription fee. Both offer the necessary equipment to enable listeners to enjoy a unique, high quality digital radio experience, and both offer affordable packages.

XM has been around for longer than Sirius, and started broadcasting in September 2001. With over two million subscribers and rising, XM enjoys backing from big names such as General Motors and Honda. Located in Washington DC, the XM network boasts two geosynchronous satellites along with repeaters in major metro areas.

Sirius is a relatively new player when it comes to satellite radio. Sirius started broadcasting in July 2002, and currently has a customer base of under one million. Located at the Rockefeller Center in New York, Sirius has three elliptical-orbit satellites, and does not have a many repeaters as XM radio. Other than this you can enjoy the same digital quality and excellent choice with Sirius as you can with XM.

How do you choose between Sirius and XM satellite radio?

The services, packages, and quality of satellite radio from Sirius and XM is very similar, so it can be difficult to choose. The best way to decide on which service will best suit your needs is to look at the various satellite radio ratings and make satellite radio comparisons.

Both Sirius and XM will enable you to enjoy high quality digital radio, with a wide choice, some commercial-free channels, parental blocks where necessary, talk radio, news channels, and accessibility within the continental United States. You will find some slight differences in programming, so you may want to take this into consideration, and also read up on a satellite radio review or two before you make your decision.

If you are looking to buy a new vehicle, many now come with satellite radio already installed, so you wont have to make the choice as either Sirius or XM will already be available. It is those with older vehicles or those that want to enjoy satellite radio within the home that need to decide between XM or Sirius radio.

Satellite radio comparisons

The difference between the two satellite radio providers is minimal, so you could have your work cut out when trying to decide which provider you want to go with. Here are a few of the aspects you can look at:

Established and popular: XM satellite radio has been around a little longer than Sirius. It also has a higher subscriber base of over two million compares to Sirius, which has under one million.

Quality and clarity: There really isnt much in it when it comes to quality and clarity of sound. Because XM and Sirius are both satellite radio providers, listeners can enjoy crystal clear sound and uninterrupted entertainment with either of these services. With both services available across the Continental United States you can enjoy widespread digital entertainment wherever you are in the country.

Choice: Again, there is not much in it when it comes to choice. Both XM radio and Sirius can offer over one hundred channels of music, entertainment, news and even commercial-free entertainment. Because of the choice available with both of these providers, there is likely to be something to suit every taste with both XM and Sirius satellite radio. However, there are some differences in programming choice although both do offer plenty of choice. It may be worth looking at the actual programs themselves to see which service will offer the most channels that suit your tastes and needs.

Cost of service: There is a slight difference in price when it comes to monthly subscription fees. With XM radio you can enjoy a monthly subscription fee of $9.99. With Sirius, the monthly subscription fee is $12.95. However, Sirius also offers a range of block subscription options, and these can help to dramatically reduce the cost of subscribing to its satellite radio service.

Activation fees: You can activate your service with XM radio for $9.99 via the website, and if you wish to activate by phone it will cost you $14.99. To activate Sirius via the website will cost you $5.00 and to activate via phone will cost $15.00.

Cancellation procedures: You can cancel both Sirius and XM at anytime. If you cancel Sirius prior to the expiration of a prepaid subscription you may receive a refund of any unused subscription fee. If you cancel XM before the expiration of a prepaid subscription you will also receive a refund of unused subscription, but you may be charged a cancellation fee of $75.00.

Listening online: You can listen online with both Sirius and XM. With Sirius this service is already included as part of the monthly subscription cost, With XM you have to pay an additional $3.99 per month for this service.

Additional radios: You can get these with both Sirius and XM. You can get 2-4 additional radios with Sirius at $6.99 per month, and 2-5 with XM for the same cost of $6.00 per month.

Subscription costs: The subscription costs and formats differ slightly between Sirius and XM. The structure is as follows:

Sirius

$12.95 per month
$142.45 per year
$271.95 per two years
$499.99 for a lifetime

XM
$9.99 per month
$199 per two years
$289 per three years
$369 per four years
$449 per five years

Conclusion

Based on the service, choice, and quality it is very difficult to determine whether one service is better than the other. Clearly Sirius offers more cost effect subscription options, and on the other hand XM is the longest standing and most popular of the two services. The service providers you select will be largely based on your needs and your budget.

The best way to ascertain which is going to be the best satellite radio service provider for your needs is to make comparisons, which can be easily done online. Compare the reviews from other users, compare the cost of receivers and other equipment, and compare the programming choice available from each of these providers.

Whether you select Sirius or whether you go for XM you will still be able to enjoy high definition satellite radio, crystal clear sound, over one hundred channels of pure entertainment, and widespread accessibility. Making some comparisons will enable you to determine whether one satellite radio providers offers anything over and above the other that will meets your specific needs or provide a more cost effective option for you.

About the Author

Reno Charlton is an experienced freelance copywriter and an award-winning childrens author from the United Kingdom. You can read more of her informative articles on satellite radio at http://www.car-satellite-radio.com.

Written By: Reno Charlton