What is DirecTV ( Known with Direct TV or DTV)

DirecTV is trademarked but I and more people understand Direct TV. DirecTV is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service based in El Segundo, California, USA, that was founded in 1990. It transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America except for Mexico. Its primary competitors are Dish Network and cable providers.

DirecTV offers service to bars, restaurants, hotels, dorms, and hospitals through their DirecTV for business service. The company also offered mobile service for cars, boats, and RVs (DirecTV Mobile) as well as aircraft (DirecTV Airborne) in cooperation with Connexion by Boeing.

General information of DirecTV
DirecTV typically uses a fixed 18-inch diameter dish antenna to receive its signals. Traditionally an 18×24-inch elliptical was used; however, most new installations use an 18x20-inch antenna to receive signals from three geostationary satellite positions simultaneously. These systems are becoming more common as DirecTV attempts to squeeze more programming onto their growing systems. DTV is now installing a dish that has five LNBs for HDTV programming and local channels in selected markets. These systems receive signals from up to 5 separate satellites in both the Ku-band and Ka-band. After the new satellite, DirecTV 11, is fully operational DirecTV will stop supplying Dual, Triple, and 5-LNB dishes to all customers and move to Supplying a 3-LNB Ka/Ku dish known as the Slimline3. This dish will see orbital locations 99, 101, and 103 Degrees West. The Slimline3 will be the new standard install dish(For HD and SD programming), while the 5-LNB Slimline will be used for installs in areas that receive local or international programming form orbital locations 110 or 119. The Slimline3 looks nearly identical to its predecessor, aside from a smaller LNB.

The new DirecTV HD channels require an H20/HR20 or H21/HR21 set top box (STB). In order to receive the new HD channels (channels added in late September 2007), viewers must have a B-Band converter installed. If the converter is not installed, viewers can only receive older HD channels (channels 70-99). The HR20 and HR21 are HD digital video recorder (DVR) models.

Some of the new STBs support the ATSC standard (for over-the-air broadcasts); however the H21/HR21 does not have an ATSC tuner, but an external tuner is available. In addition, there is HDMI support for HDTVs with an HDMI port. New STBs also support MPEG-4 standard for HD Programming.

DirecTV is expected to offer new equipment in 2008 such as the AM21, an ATSC add-on for the HR21, the HR21-Pro, an HD-DVR for more recording space (100 hours HD, 400 hours SD), a DVR scheduler, and the HDPC-20, a PC type receiver and DVR for computers.

As of 31 December 2006, DirecTV had approximately 16 million customers in the U.S., 1.4 million in Latin America through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, 1.3 million through its 74% ownership of Sky Brasil Servicos Ltda., and 1.4 million though its 41% ownership of Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V. of Mexico. 2006 revenues were US$14.76 billion.

In late July 2006, DirecTV added several channels to their online guide that are apparently not available to subscribers — these include UK-based Sky Sports One, Sky One and Sky News. The three are channels that are generally available to satellite television viewers in the UK and Ireland, though Sky News has been made available in other countries internationally.

Key Date of DirecTV

• 1998, Acquired USSB for $1.3 billion.
• 1999, Acquired PrimeStar for $1.83 billion.
• 2000, Abandons the Japanese market.
• 2002, DirecTV was the Mexican licensed broadcaster for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
• 2003, a merger with EchoStar, owner of Dish Network, fell through. On December 22, 2003, General Motors sold controlling interest in Hughes Electronics to News Corporation.
• 2004, DirecTV abandons the Mexican market, though it maintains 41% ownership of Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V.
• 2005, DirecTV stopped carrying Music Choice audio-only channels, replacing it with 73 channels of XM Satellite Radio.
• 2006, News Corporation announced its intention to transfer its 39 per cent managing interest in DirecTV Group to John Malone's Liberty Media; in return it bought back Liberty's shares in News Corp., giving the Murdoch family tighter control of the latter firm.
• 2007, DirecTV abandons the Brazilian market (the customers being migrated to the 74% DTV-owned Brazilian affiliate of SKY Latin America).
• 2007, DirecTV announced that they would introduce up to 100 national HD channels during 2007, all of which would be MPEG-4 encoded. , As of June 30, 2007, DirecTV had 16.32 million subscribers., On September 26, 2007, DirecTV launched their HDTV services at 6:00 AM EDT with 21 new channels. On December 13, 2007, DirecTV is reported to buy out ReplayTV.
• 2008, After receiving FCC approval, Liberty completes its acquisition of News Corporation's shares of DirecTV. Liberty was required by the FCC to sell its shares in either DirecTV's Puerto Rican operations or Liberty's cable provider in the island.

Credit: Wikipedia
Image from: Amazon.com (2 Room DirecTV HD System (Lease) - $99

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