The lure of movies, sporting events and news from around the world has made television viewers turn to satellite television. Compact satellite dishes perched on rooftops are a common sight all over the United States. Satellite TV services are especially popular in rural areas with poor broadcast reception or no cable service.

Satellite TV is a broadcasting service that allows subscribers to receive television signals through a dish-shaped receiver. The signals are transmitted via a communications satellite in a fixed orbit above the earth. Satellite TV signals are electronically scrambled to prevent unauthorized downloading. Each subscriber is issued a receiving dish and a descrambler by the satellite TV provider.

Satellite TV provides a strong digital signal to television sets and has revolutionized the television broadcasting industry. It solves many of the problems associated with earlier television broadcasting methods. Television stations originally broadcasted their signals in two specific radio wave bands namely, very high frequency (VHF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF). These signals were weak and depended on the terrain and the prevailing atmospheric conditions.

Earlier, satellite TV systems involved the usage of very large dish receivers. Modern satellite TV services have simplified the process. A single communication satellite in a steady orbit above the earth, allows all subscribers to install a smaller dish receiver at a fixed point. Instead of having to scan various satellites for different channels, modern satellite television providers license the use of popular cable or broadcast channels. Much like a cable system, the tuner descrambles selected programs sent out on a specific frequency. This allows satellite providers the option of pay-per-view movie rentals or the blocking of adult-oriented or premium movie channels.

Satellite dishes need an unobstructed line of sight to the satellite for best reception. Signals between an earth-bound receiver and a space-based satellite can be affected by atmospheric conditions between them. Viewers may have problems receiving a signal during heavy rain or snowfall. Many customers prefer the additional channels available on satellite TV systems and the clarity of the digital signals that it provides. Satellite TV has revolutionized television services as it has made a decades old dream of choice of programs to watch a reality for consumers.