ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 TAG: 9604230165
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: At Home with Technology
SOURCE: DAVID BUTLER
OK. Anyone who hasn't heard about the little 18-inch satellite dishes, raise your hand. No one? I thought not. Since the first miniature dishes hit the market in mid-1994, more than two million units have been sold, a rate that's unprecedented in the history of consumer electronics product launches.
In spite of (or perhaps because of) this extraordinary success, there's still quite a bit of confusion about direct-to-home satellite services. Unlike older C-band satellites, the high-power Ku-band (pronounced "kay-u") satellites that feed the new 18-inch dishes were put into orbit solely to support direct-to-home broadcasts, hence the term Direct Broadcast Satellite.
In effect, DBS is a one-stop programming service, much like cable TV. There are now four DBS services competing for your entertainment dollars: AlphaStar, Primestar, Dish Network and DirecTV/USSB (five if you count USSB separately). Perhaps as early as next year, MCI/Newscorp will enter the fray. As for hardware, DBS receivers are now available from at least ten companies.
Each service stands on its own and, so far, none are compatible with one another. Each offers a similar lineup of "cable" channels and pay-per-view movies. Serious sports fans will find the biggest differences among services. Although program pricing is more or less competitive, it pays to compare plans. One service may include all of your favorite channels in a low-tier package.
Unlike C-band, DBS services have not embraced a la carte pricing. However, the Dish Network offers a low-price package (DishPix) that allows you to select any 10 channels for $10 a month (excluding Disney, HBO, Showtime, etc.). This pricing philosophy is a major departure from the status quo and represents an excellent value.
Not all DBS services use the 18-inch dish. AlphaStar and Primestar have mid-power satellites which require larger antennas. AlphaStar is starting out with a 30-inch dish. It hopes to migrate to a high-power satellite next year, at which time it will introduce a 24-inch dish. Primestar now uses a 36-inch dish, but plans to introduce a 27-inch model later this year. Larger dishes are less prone to interference from heavy rain.
Speaking of dish size, consumers who have been blocked from installing a satellite dish by local zoning ordinances or neighborhood covenants may soon get some relief. Congress recently passed a new law (Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996), that seeks to limit the authority of neighborhoods and communities to restrict satellite dish ownership.
In a nutshell, the law requires the FCC to set rules that would prohibit restrictions against a consumer's ability to receive video programming services through devices designed for the over-the-air reception of broadcast signals, including direct broadcast satellite services. It's still too early to tell how this will be implemented. The rule-making process allows input from interested parties.
Perhaps the most common source of confusion stems from the issue of hooking up a second TV set. If you want to connect another TV to your satellite receiver, all you need is some coaxial cable and an A/B switch. Several DBS manufacturers offer accessory video distribution kits.
However, if you want to watch one satellite channel while recording another, or watch different satellite channels in different rooms, you must purchase a second receiver unit. The good news: You only have to pay once for the programs, although most companies will add $2 to your monthly bill.
No doubt, the extraordinary success of DBS has stolen the thunder from its big brother, C-band. However, don't be too quick to write off the big dish. Next time, I'll compare DBS to C-band. You may be surprised at some of the findings.
To receive a copy of my Home Satellite Resource List, send your name and address along with $2 (no envelopes please) to David Butler F-609, Department TWN, 14713 Pleasant Hill Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28278-7927. The list includes C-band and DBS equipment manufacturers along with sources for portable DBS dishes and other satellite system accessories. You'll also receive a copy of an informative 24-page pamphlet, "A Simplified Guide to Satellite TV."
Tech talk
A communications satellite, in effect, acts like an electronic mirror in the sky. The source signal is beamed at the satellite (up-link). An on-board transponder instantly re-transmits the signal back to earth. The signal's coverage area (footprint) depends on the satellite's position along an invisible arc know as the Clarke belt, named for satellite pioneer, Arthur C. Clarke. Most direct-to-home satellites are capable of full CONUS (satellite jargon for continental US).
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Direct-to-home satellite-dish competition finally hasby CNBarrived. Consumers now have five programming services from which to
choose and more than twice that number of equipment brands.