The Satellite TV System antenna is an interesting yet dynamic part of our world wide communications network. The idea is that every household be equipped with the proper sized antenna for its area. The area is governed by a satellite that points to it from the equator. In order to stay stationary in the earths orbit, satellites need to keep themselves above the equator. But depending on the weather conditions in the area, some Satellite TV Systems need to use different size parabolic dishes. The size of the antenna depends on how much rain or sun an area gets.

Satellites send radio signals from space in different ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum. When a beam of light hits a prism, a rainbow appears, and in a very similar way, radio signals organize themselves in ranges of frequencies. Ku-Band frequencies are very high and the wave lengths smaller, almost the size of raindrops, so in rainy places and on rainy days, they tend to get blocked or distorted. C-band frequencies have lower frequencies and with that longer wave lengths, so in rainy places, tend to be far more useful. When a radio signal hits the dish, the Satellite TV System antenna focuses that signal into the DIRECTV Satellite TV System LNB converter, that pointer in the middle of the DIRECTV Dish. The LNB translates that signal into L-band frequency (used for cables) to send it to the receiver.

The Satellite TV System Receiver is that little box that sits on top of the television and is responsible for interpreting the signals it receives from the LNB converter on the parabolic dish. The Satellite TV System uses the DIRECTV Receiver like an interpreter that demodulates any chosen channel. DIRECTV Receivers can demodulate up to four different channels at once. Demodulation means that the satellite signal itself never even reaches the TV. A modulated signal (carrier wave) is used to carry the TV signals. That is what broadcasting stations send up to satellites and that is what satellites send down to the DIRECTV Satellite TV System. The antenna focuses the signal from the satellite into the LNB, the LNB converts the signal into L-Band and the receiver converts that into TV signals that televisions understand. Thus, the three basic components in the DIRECTV Satellite TV System are, the antenna, the LNB and the Receiver.