The Satellite Television Dish and the Receiver

A satellite dish is a type of bowl-shaped (parabolic) antenna designed for transmitting or receiving signals from satellites.The standard dish consists of two parts: a reflector/ parabolic surface, and the central feed horn. The feed horn is placed on an arm that sticks out from the dish.

When transmitting, the signal is sent through the horn, and the dish focuses the signal into a relatively narrow beam. The receiving dish works in the opposite way. A beam hits the curved dish, and the parabolic surface reflects the signal inward onto a specific point.

The feed horn takes the signal through a cable to your satellite receiver. That is the box that is in your house.

The receiver is the end component in the entire satellite television system. It descrambles the encrypted signal, but to unlock the signal, the receiver needs the suitable decoder chip for that programming package.

The receiver also extracts the separate channels from the large satellite signal. Therefore, when you change the channel, the receiver will send just the signal for that channel to your television.

Receivers also have various other features, for example parental lock-out options. Some have built-in DVRs (digital video recorders) which let you pause and rewind  live TV or record it on a hard drive. 

Next: Dish Network Satellite Television