SATELLITE TERMS AND FAQs

[grasshopper]

Terms and FAQ

Actuator
The motor arm that moves the dish on a polar mount from side to side. The motor usually runs on 36 volts DC.

Az/El mount
A manual satellite dish mount, where you have to adjust the elevation and azimuth manually independent of each other (up/down and sideways).

C-band
3700 to 4200 MHz frequency band (3.7 to 4.2 GHz)

DVB
Digital Video Broadcast, an international MPEG2 encoding and transmission standard. This system is not compatible with DCII transmission.

FEC
Forward Error Correction, a way of transmitting the same data twice in case some of the data was lost the first time. This is useful under weak signal conditions.

Feed horn
A circular opening located at the focus point of the dish. Radio waves enter the opening and is guided down the feed horn. The radio waves will be picked up by an LNB or LNA connected to the feed horn.

Footprint
The coverage area of a satellite transmission. It defines a region on the surface of the earth where the signal is receivable. A satellite can have several beams (footprints) with many different coverage areas.

Frequency
The number of waves per second in a radio wave.
kHz - 1000 waves per second
MHz - 1000000 waves per second
GHz - 1000000000 waves per second

Gain
Power of amplification, or amount of amplification, often measured in dB. Negative gain is loss of signal.

Geostationary
An orbit around the equator of the earth where objects (satellites) seems to be standing still in relationship with a fixed point on earth. The satellites seems to be standing still in the s**. They are of course moving at the same rate as earth\'s rotation, one revolution per 24 hours.

H-to-H mount
A special satellite dish mount that will track satellites down to the horizon, both in the east and west. The dish has a travel range of 180 degrees.

Ku-band
11.700 to 12.200 GHz (US)
10.600 to 12.900 GHz (Europe)
12.200 to 12.700 GHz (DBS)

LNB
Low Noise Block down converter, a device that amplifies and converts a block of frequencies to a lower block of frequencies. The LNB is an active device placed at the focus point of the dish.

LO
Local Oscillator, a circuit in the LNB(F) or LNC. It determines how much the frequency is downconvertet by in the LNB(F) or LNC. Standard LO for C-band is 5150 MHz, and 10.750 GHz for Ku-band.

MPEG
Motion Pictures Expert Group, a digital compression standard for audio and video.

Noise Figure
The amount of noise a device is generation on its own. Lower noise is better, and is often a measurement of the quality of a LNB, LNA or LNBF.

Offset dish
A dish where the focal point is not in the center of the dish. This is common on Ku dishes, and the offset angle is often 30 degrees. The reason for using the offset dish is that the LNB and feed is not creating a shadow on the dish, thereby giving higher efficient of the dish. When the dish edge is vertically, seen from the side of the dish, it is actually looking at an angle of 30 degrees upwards.

PID
Packet IDentification, a header in a packet of data telling what the data is for.

Polarity
Radio waves are polarized. They can be linear or circular. Linear polarity is Vertical or Horizontal, circular polarity is Righ-hand and Left-hand circular polarity.

Polarizer
A device that selects the received polarization of the radio waves. It can be a small motor turning the pickup probe, or done electronically in an LNBF.

Polarmount
A special satellite dish mount that setup correctly will track all the satellites in a geostationary arc in the s**, from east to west. Only movement sideways is necessary, the up/down adjustment is done by the polarmount itself.

Reed Sensor
Used in actuators and dish motors to report back the movements of the dish. A counter in the motor control unit can tell where the dish is pointing, and the information can be stored and retrieved when you want to move the dish to a specific satellite. Only two wires are required to connect the sensor.

Scrambling
A way of distorting the picture or sound so it is not viewable. A descrambler is needed to receive the correct signal. This is used to transmit audio and video securely, or to get payment for the service.

SR
Symbol Rate, the amount of data transmitted every second.

Transponder
A satellite channel with an assigned frequency and polarity.

14/18 volt switch
A change in the voltage on the LNB coax cable. This change of voltage can control the polarity in a LNBF, or switch other devices on the coax cable.

22kHz switch
A tone that can be sent via the LNB coax. This tone can control the LNB or switches on the coax cable.

DiSEqC
digital satellite Equipment Control.

MPEG
Moving pictures Expert Group.

C/N
Carrier to Noice-ratio.

NTSC
National Television Standards Committe.

SECAM
SEquential Couleur A Memorie.

PAL
Phase Alternating Lines.
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LNB


Low Noise Block-downconvertor (so called because it converts a whole band or "block" of frequencies to a lower band).
============================

Is there actually a different LNB for prime focus dishes + offset dishes? Surely an LNB's innards are the same and the feedhorn or the C120 flange is the only difference?

In the old days, LNB noise figures were high, the gain (amplification) was low and satellite transponder power was typically 20 Watts. Imagine trying to see a 20 Watt light bulb 24,000 miles away! (You'd have trouble seeing a 20W bulb at the end of a 24 yard corridor).

So, an LNB and feedhorn had to be matched to the dish. The internal antenna of the LNB had to be at the exact focal point of the dish and the horn had to be flared in such a way that, with the LNB at the focal point, the horn could "see" the exact circular area of the dish - no more and no less. If it was less then it wasn't collecting signal from the full area of the dish. If it was more, it was also collecting unwanted "noise" from any warm object (wall) or from the sky behind the dish.

A good compromise was to take just part of a much larger paraboloid dish and mount the LNB in an "offset" position. The curvature of this partial dish is such that the focal point is now much lower so the LNB and feedhorn no longer obscure the signal path as they would with a "prime focus" dish.

Nowadays, satellite transponders can produce typically 50 or 60 Watts and LNBs have higher gain and lower noise figures. With these strong transmissions, you can get away with murder. People stick any old thing on the end of the boom arm - which rather explains why one man's 0.6dB LNB is another man's nightmare when the signal strength is not optimum! The Sky minidish, for example, is a compromise between size and performance. It's very important that the LNB matches the dish exactly. This is one good reason why the dish comes with its own LNB.

The manufacturers might "fudge" the issue if asked. After all, if they admit that their LNB works best with, say, an 80cm Lenson Heath dish and you just bought an 1 metre dish made by someone else, you might not be too happy.

If you "mix 'n' match" by picking a 60cm dish and a Universal LNB at random, the chances are that the performance could be no better than that of the Sky minidish.

As a general rule, any standard LNB will work with a circular (prime focus) dish or an offset focus dish which is taller than it is wide (which "looks" circular when viewed by the LNB).

However, a dish which is wider than it is tall will need a special LNB.
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Different kinds of Satellite Dishes



1) Offset antenna

2) Prime focus antenna

3) Flat antenna

4) Cassegrin antenna

5) Multi focus antenna



Offset antennas

These antennas represent just a part of a parabolic or prime focus antenna. Their focus is not in the geometrical centre of the dish but a bit lower. Since the LNB doesn’t stand in the way of the signal these antennas can be smaller than others.



Prime focus antenna

Prime focus antennas have a parabolic shape and characteristic is that the focus is in front of the centre of the parabola in the geometrical centre that is. That means if the LNB is attached to this antenna it can be found above the middle of the antenna and so the LNB blocks a part of the emitted signals and therefore these antennas have to be bigger than offset antennas. Offset antennas replaced these antennas nearly completely. Today they are mostly used for the reception of signals in the C belt, since these are the only antennas that are built in scopes up to 10m.



Cassegrin antennas

These antenna with two reflectors receive signals better. It looks like an offset antenna with the exception that in the place where the offset antenna has a LNB attached the cassegrin antenna has an additional reflector, which has the task to reflect signals coming from the main reflector onto the LNB, which is placed on the LNB-carrier in front of the small reflector. This means the signals are reflected twice before they get to the LNB.



Gregorian dish

A subversion of satellite antenna that uses a concave hyperbolic
reflector that points signals to the converter and that is placed
opposite of the main reflector.



Flat antennas

This antenna is made of many units, which receive signals, afterwards this received signals are united and directed to the LNB. Technically speaking this antenna collects electromagnetic waves. Since this antenna receives through several units it receives a stronger signal. This antenna can be smaller than advised for several areas.



Multi focus antennas

These antennas are made not long ago. They are offset antennas, which have a specially built reflector, which reflects received signals from surrounding satellites to one focus. You can recognize such an antenna easily, since it quadratic and it’s longer than wider.
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Adjusting the polar mount

If the adjustments are done in the correct order, you can get a dish that tracks just perfect. You should have an unwarped satellite dish, and a straight ground pole, it will make things easier.

1- Start with checking the mounting of the feed horn. All the legs on the tripod should be of the same length. You should measure them, and do any adjustment you can if they are not the same length. Next, you have to check the distance from three different points on the edge of the dish, to the center of the feed horn. Remember, even if the tripod legs have the same length, that does not mean the feed is centered! You might have to "bend" the feed back into center of dish, or adjusting the tripod legs to get the feed centered in the dish.

2- Set the off-set angle on your polar mount (declination). This is an adjustment that tilts the dish *forwards* at an angle of about 4-6 degrees, depending on what latitude you live. You can find the exact angle for your location in charts, but if you set it for about 5 degrees, you'll be close enough to get going. This adjustment is usually done on one of the mounts connected directly to the dish.

3- You then move the dish to the highest point on your polar mount. You do this by using the actuator. You can do this by visually looking at the dish and the polar mount. You are basically centering the dish on the highest point on the polar mount. Now, you have to set the elevation angle of the dish. I like to use a meter for this, but it is also possible to do it without. The elevation angle is about 40 degrees, depending on your latitude. This is not very critical at this point because you will adjust this angle for best reception later. If you measure the angle on the mount, you might have to add the declination angle to get the true dish pointing angle.

4- You need to find a satellite that is located just south of your location. In most cases, there is a satellite close to the longitude you live. A few degrees off will not make much difference because the dish moves almost flat in the center of arc. Try a Ku band satellite because the accuracy is much higher. However, you might look for a C band satellite when you start. It will be easier to find than a Ku band satellite. Having the dish parked at the highest point of the arc, you have to turn the WHOLE polar mount on the ground pole to you hit the satellite. If your elevation was way off, you might not even get a signal. Adjust the elevation and turn the mount again until you find the satellite located "straight south".

5- Fine tune the elevation angle. Turn the mount sideways until max signal and then adjust the elevation angle until its maxed. At this point, you have set the off-set angle and the elevation angle for the satellite at the highest point in the arc.

6- Now, you have to get the dish to track on the sides of the arc. This is where most people fail. DO NOT adjust any elevation angles on the mount at this point! Move the dish using the actuator to a satellite on one side of your arc. You should hopefully see the signal from the satellite, if not, pick a satellite closer to the center of the arc. Peak the dish on the satellite using the actuator. Next, you have to push or pull upwards and downwards on the dish. You don't have to use much force, just a bit to see if the signal gets better or worse when you push/pull on the dish. What you are actually doing is to change the elevation angle a bit. If your dish is pointing at a satellite to the east of center and you have to push up on the dish to get a better signal, then the elevation angle must be adjusted higher. You adjust this by turning the WHOLE mount to the east! You have to use the actuator and move the dish a bit west to peak the signal. You go back and forth until the dish has the correct elevation. Next, you have to check a satellite on the other side of the arc. If you peaked the dish for center, and then for one side, the other side should be very close. This will depend on your ground pole, offset angle/elevation angle and quality of feed/dish.

7- If your dish is not hitting center on the other side, try the same adjustment as above. If the dish needs to be pushed up to get a better signal, then TURN the WHOLE mount in that direction. If the dish needs to be pulled down for a better signal, then turn the mount the opposite direction (towards the higher point on arc).

8- Then, go back and check the other side. Hopefully, you're not far off. You might have to go from side to side before your dish tracks perfectly.

9- If, and ONLY if you can not get both sides to peak, both sides would be too low or too high. You can then do a small adjustment of the declination (elevation) angle to get the two sides into peak. BUT, only do this if you can confirm that both sides are low or high. If the dish is to high on the sides, but fine in the center, the declination angle is to low. Increase the declination and the elevation angle the same amount. They will cancel each other in the center of arc, but track lower on the sides.

10- You should now have a perfectly peaked dish If you used Ku band satellites for the peaking, it will be as good as it can get. If you used C band satellites, you might want to do the same thing using Ku band satellites.
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Satellite Tv.....



The person most widely given credit for the concept of using this orbit for communications is Arthur C. Clarke. In an article he published in Wireless World in October 1945 titled \"Extra-Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give World-wide Radio Coverage?Clarke extrapolates from the German rocket research of the time to a day when communications around the world would be possible via a network of three geostationary satellites spaced at equal intervals around the earth\'s equator.
It wasn\'t until 1963 that NASA set out to test Clarke\'s concept with the Synchronous Communications Satellite program. Unfortunately, Syncom 1—launched 1963 February 14—while successfully reaching geosynchronous orbit in an inclined, eccentric orbit was unsuccessful due to an electronics failure. Syncom 2—launched 1963 July 26—became the first operational geosynchronous communications satellite. Syncom 3—launched 1964 August 19—became the first geostationary satellite, finally fulfilling the prediction made by Clarke almost twenty years earlier.

Satellite broadcasting is made possible by the fact that communications satellites are fixed in geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above the equator, staying in the same position above the ground at all times. This allows satellite antennas that transmit and receive signals to be aimed at an orbiting satellite and left in a fixed position.


Satellite programming:
Satellite programmers broadcast, or uplink, signals to a satellite which they either own or lease channel space from. The signals are often scrambled, or encrypted, to prevent unauthorized reception before they are retransmitted to a home antenna. The uplinked signals are received by a transponder located on the satellite, a device that receives the signals and transmits them back to the earth after converting them to a frequency that can be received by a ground-based antenna. Typically there are 24 to 32 transponders on each satellite. In order to minimize interference between the transponders, the signals are transmitted with alternately polarized antennas. Each satellite occupies a particular location in orbit, and operates at a particular frequency assigned by the FCC.

Satellite signals:

The signals received at the satellite from a ground-based antenna are extremely weak in amplitude – much less than one watt. As a result, they must employ amplifiers that boost the signals to a level that can successfully be processed and retransmitted to the earth. After traveling 22,000 miles to a ground-based antenna, the signals are again very weak and must be amplified. Therefore, satellite “dishes” focus the signals onto the actual antenna. The signals from the antenna are then fed to a “low-noise block,” or LNB, amplifier which amplifies signal and converts them to a lower frequency. The lower the power of the satellite, the larger the antenna required to focus the signals. A C-Band satellite, with power ranging between 10 and 17 watts per transponder, typically has an antenna between 5 and 10 feet in diameter; whereas a high-powered Ku-Band satellite, with a range of 100 to 200 watts per transponder, only requires an antenna 18 inches in diameter. The signals from the antenna are fed to an integrated receiver/decoder (IRD), which converts them to a form that can be tuned by a TV set. Every IRD contains a unique address number, which is activated by a satellite programmer to allow it to receive subscription services. In addition, the IRDs modem port is connected to a telephone line, in order to access pay-per-view ordering services and transmit other data. A single IRD can supply one channel choice to one or more TV sets. In order to view two different programs at the same time on two different TV sets, two IRDs are required—one for each TV, and the antenna must be a dual-LNB type.

[grasshopper]

Antenna - Satellite Dish
BUD - Big Ugly Dish
LNB - Low Noise Block converter

LNBF - LNB Feedhorn - Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and many Ku (FSS) dishes use an LNBF, which integrates the antenna's feedhorn with the LNB. Small diplexers are often used to distribute the resulting IF signal (usually 950 to 1450MHz) "piggybacked" in the same cable TV wire that carries lower-frequency terrestrial television from an outdoor antenna. Another diplexer then separates the signals to the receiver of the TV set, and the IRD of the DBS set-top box.
MUX - A group of channels on same frequency
Bouquet - A group of channels on same frequency
L.O. Frequency - Local Oscillator Frequency (C-band = 5150, Ku Linear = 10750, Ku Circular = 11250)
Rain Fade - When rain or snow affect the satellite signal. Also called attenuation.
PID - Packet Identifier
PCR - Packet Clock Rate
Polarization - The physical orientation of the waveform from the satellite. R/L are right and left 'circular' rotation similar to a corkscrew. H/V are horizontal/vertical similar to a fishing line cast either overhand or sidearm.
Symbol Rate (SR) - Size of the digital package transmission
SKEW - Rotation (Clockwise / Anti-Clockwise) of the LNB or LNBF
DVB - Digital Video Broadcast. Video standard used by Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu, PowerVu, and MPEG2 free-to-air.
DSS - Digital Satellite System. Video standard used by Direct TV.
Digicipher 2 - Encryption system and video standard created by Motorola. Used by StarChoice, 4DTV, and Digicipher 2 free-to-air (not the same as MPEG2 FTA).
DL Freq. - Delivery Frequency / Downlink Frequency
DBS - Digital Broadcast Satellite
MPEG II - Moving Picture Experts Group II, A system for compression of digital data
TP - Transponder
IRD - Integrated Receiver Decoder
VC - Virtual Channel
VC II+ - VideoCipher II + decoder
RF - Radio Frequency
EPG - Electronic Program Guide
MHz - Abbreviation for ****Hertz
GHz - Abbreviation for GegaHertz
DiSEqC - Digital Satellite Equipment Control
NTSC - National Television Standards Committee. TV standard used in North America, Japan, and most of Latin America.
PAL - Phase Alternating Line. TV standard used in most parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, and Australia.
SECAM - Another TV standard used primarily in France and Russia.
Bird ? A satellite
FSS - Fixed Satellite Service. Satellite service intended for commercial applications, such as transmitting feeds from an uplink facility to a downlink facility where it can then be processed for other uses. With few exceptions, FSS transmissions are usually not intended for consumers directly.
BSS - Broadcast Satellite Service. Also called DBS (Direct Broadcast Service). This is a satellite service that is uplinked for the specific purpose of reception directly by consumers. This includes XM/Sirius Radio, Direct TV, Bell ExpressVu, StarChoice, and Dish Network. StarChoice, though a BSS service, actually operates in the FSS portion of Ku-Band.
P-Band - 200-1000 MHz satellite band used for amateur DXing and weather satellite use. 200 MHz is the lowest satellite frequency possible because frequencies lower than that bounce off the ionosphere.
L-Band - 1000-1500 MHz satellite band. Most commonly used for Radionavigation (GPS) and weather satellite use.
S-Band - 2310-2690 MHz frequency. The 2310-2360 MHz portion is used for XM and Sirius Radio. The higher portion (2500-2690 MHz) is allocated for DBS television service; but due to the small size of the spectrum, it has not been used.
C-Band - 3700-4100 MHz (downlink) and 5925-6945 MHz (uplink) Frequency. Also the general name used for the big dish. Used mainly for commercial purposes: linking feeds to network affiliates and cable systems. Most of these are not intended for general use but you can subscribe to them and many of them are not encrypted.
X-Band - 7250-7750 MHz (downlink) and 7900-8400 (uplink) frequency. Used for military purposes.
Ku-Band (FSS) - stands for "kurz-under". The 10.7-12.2 GHz (downlink) and 12.7-14.5 GHz (uplink) portion of the satellite frequency spectrum. In North America, this portion of the Ku spectrum requires a linear LNB.
Ku-Band (BSS) - 12.2-12.7 (downlink) and 12.7-14.5 GHz (uplink). Used for Direct TV, BEV, and Dish Network. This portion of the Ku spectrum requires a circular LNB.
Ka-Band - stands for "kurz-above". Frequency 17.7-20.2 GHz (downlink). Will soon be the standard for broadband internet via satellite and may even become useful for DBS at some point in the future.
V-Band - Frequency 47.2-275 GHz. V-band is actually a generic term for the several FSS bands that exist in that huge portion of the spectrum.
SCPC - Single Channel Per Carrier
MCPC - Multi Channel Per Carrier
FTA - Free To Air, Non-encrypted channel (digital)
ITC - In The Clear, Non-scrambled channel (analog)
Open - In The Clear or Free To Air
Scrambled - Analog video has been manipulated so that it is not intelligible.
Encrypted - Digital Video and/or Audio have been encoded and require special keys or processes to make it visible.
Closed - Encrypted or Scrambled channel
Conditional Access - System in which access to a particular channel requires unit (box) information and channel tier information before decryption can take place. Used by Dish Net/BEV receivers and CAM-equipped FTA receivers.
Open Access - System in which access to a provider's entire network is accomplished by entering the public and parity keys. Used by the popular Fortec and Pansat receivers, as well as DVB-S cards.
CAM - Conditional Access Module. With Dish/BEV receivers, it is built-in. With FTA receivers such as Dreambox, it is a removable unit. CAMs process the information from the smart card and allow the receiver to decrypt channel information.
Smart Card - A credit-card sized card with a microchip containing decryption information. A smart card is read by a CAM.
CI Slot - Commmon Interface Slot, CAM is inserted in this
Elevation - The Up/Down positioning of the satellite dish
Azimuth - The Left/Right positioning of the satellite dish
Direction - Also called Azimuth
Composite Video - Phono (RCA) Video
IR - Infra-Red
UHF - Ultra High Frequency
Pizza Dish - Generic name for the small dish
Cable on a stick - Another name for the small dish
Clarke Belt ? Another name for the satellite belt. Named after it?s discoverer, Arthur C. Clarke
Wild Feed - Show that is not yet scheduled to air. (Meant for station affiliates only.) Note: Never call trouble number on the screen it's for TV stations only! (If they know you can see it, they may move it!) Also, you will probably see "dead Air." (black screen) This is where the TV stations insert thier local commercials
Back Haul - Live Feed / Up link feed (E.G. Sporting events, News , Etc.) (Meant for station affiliates only.) Note: Never call trouble number on the screen it's for TV stations only! (If they know you can see it, they may move it!.)
Clean Feed - No commercials (Back hauls usually) E.G. Watch the Zambonie clean
the ice.
DAVE - Digital Audio Video Entertainment. Also known as Direct TV.
DISH Network - Digital Information Sky Highway Network
Charlie - Charlie Ergen, DISH Network CEO. Also known as Dish Network
BEV - Bell ExpressVu
*C - Star Choice
BIN ? A file in a BINary format suitable for flashing a ROM
BB - Blackbird
ECM - Electronic Counter Measure
FLASHED ? Software program that reads the TSOP bin and makes changes in specific locations such as; the IRD number, Box Keys, Bootstrap etc.
FIRMWARE - Software in the TSOP that allows the receiver to run.
TSOP - Thin Small Outline Package (The memory chip within the receiver, which contains the software to run it
JKEYS - Software used to read a receiver's box keys
JTAG - Joint Team Action Group. A device made of five resistors and a DB-25 connector that allows the receiver to communicate with a computer. (JTAG is used to read from or write to the receiver's TSOP)
LOOPED ? A card that has lost its ATR (Answer to Reset)
NAG - An on screen error message
SOFTWARE FIX - A software upgrade that gets around a NAG or ECM
BOX KEYS - Secret keys that are in each receiver's firmware that identify the particular reciever.
BOOTSTRAP - Code that allows the receiver to power up and access the programming on the TSOP.
CLONING ? Changing the IRD number, box keys, bootstrap etc. in a receiver's TSOP to match another.
NAGRA 1&2 - Nagravision encryption (Dish Netwok & ExpressVu systems)

P4 & P5 - Videoguard encryption (Direct TV, Sky Mexico systems)

[edwinsao]

LNB - Low Noise Block converter

LNBF - LNB Feedhorn - Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) and many Ku (FSS) dishes use an LNBF, which integrates the antenna's feedhorn with the LNB. Small diplexers are often used to distribute the resulting IF signal (usually 950 to 1450MHz) "piggybacked" in the same cable TV wire that carries lower-frequency terrestrial television from an outdoor antenna. Another diplexer then separates the signals to the receiver of the TV set, and the IRD of the DBS set-top box.

MUX - A group of channels on same frequency

Bouquet - A group of channels on same frequency

L.O. Frequency - Local Oscillator Frequency (C-band = 5150, Ku Linear = 10750, Ku Circular = 11250)

Rain Fade - When rain or snow affect the satellite signal. Also called attenuation.

PID - Packet Identifier

PCR - Packet Clock Rate

Polarization - The physical orientation of the waveform from the satellite. R/L are right and left 'circular' rotation similar to a corkscrew. H/V are horizontal/vertical similar to a fishing line cast either overhand or sidearm.

Symbol Rate (SR) - Size of the digital package transmission

SKEW - Rotation (Clockwise / Anti-Clockwise) of the LNB or LNBF

DVB - Digital Video Broadcast. Video standard used by Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu, PowerVu, and MPEG2 free-to-air.

DSS - Digital Satellite System. Video standard used by Direct TV.

Digicipher 2 - Encryption system and video standard created by Motorola. Used by StarChoice, 4DTV, and Digicipher 2 free-to-air (not the same as MPEG2 FTA).

DL Freq. - Delivery Frequency / Downlink Frequency

DBS - Digital Broadcast Satellite

MPEG II - Moving Picture Experts Group II, A system for compression of digital data

TP - Transponder

IRD - Integrated Receiver Decoder

VC - Virtual Channel

VC II+ - VideoCipher II + decoder

RF - Radio Frequency

EPG - Electronic Program Guide

MHz - Abbreviation for MegaHertz

GHz - Abbreviation for GegaHertz

DiSEqC - Digital Satellite Equipment Control

NTSC - National Television Standards Committee. TV standard used in North America, Japan, and most of Latin America.

PAL - Phase Alternating Line. TV standard used in most parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, and Australia.

SECAM - Another TV standard used primarily in France and Russia.

Bird A satellite

FSS - Fixed Satellite Service. Satellite service intended for commercial applications, such as transmitting feeds from an uplink facility to a downlink facility where it can then be processed for other uses. With few exceptions, FSS transmissions are usually not intended for consumers directly.

BSS - Broadcast Satellite Service. Also called DBS (Direct Broadcast Service). This is a satellite service that is uplinked for the specific purpose of reception directly by consumers. This includes XM/Sirius Radio, Direct TV, Bell ExpressVu, StarChoice, and Dish Network. StarChoice, though a BSS service, actually operates in the FSS portion of Ku-Band.

P-Band - 200-1000 MHz satellite band used for amateur DXing and weather satellite use. 200 MHz is the lowest satellite frequency possible because frequencies lower than that bounce off the ionosphere.

L-Band - 1000-1500 MHz satellite band. Most commonly used for Radionavigation (GPS) and weather satellite use.

S-Band - 2310-2690 MHz frequency. The 2310-2360 MHz portion is used for XM and Sirius Radio. The higher portion (2500-2690 MHz) is allocated for DBS television service; but due to the small size of the spectrum, it has not been used.

C-Band - 3700-4100 MHz (downlink) and 5925-6945 MHz (uplink) Frequency. Also the general name used for the big dish. Used mainly for commercial purposes: linking feeds to network affiliates and cable systems. Most of these are not intended for general use but you can subscribe to them and many of them are not encrypted.

X-Band - 7250-7750 MHz (downlink) and 7900-8400 (uplink) frequency. Used for military purposes.

Ku-Band (FSS) - stands for "kurz-under". The 10.7-12.2 GHz (downlink) and 12.7-14.5 GHz (uplink) portion of the satellite frequency spectrum. In North America, this portion of the Ku spectrum requires a linear LNB.

Ku-Band (BSS) - 12.2-12.7 (downlink) and 12.7-14.5 GHz (uplink). Used for Direct TV, BEV, and Dish Network. This portion of the Ku spectrum requires a circular LNB.

Ka-Band - stands for "kurz-above". Frequency 17.7-20.2 GHz (downlink). Will soon be the standard for broadband internet via satellite and may even become useful for DBS at some point in the future.

V-Band - Frequency 47.2-275 GHz. V-band is actually a generic term for the several FSS bands that exist in that huge portion of the spectrum.

SCPC - Single Channel Per Carrier

MCPC - Multi Channel Per Carrier

FTA - Free To Air, Non-encrypted channel (digital)

ITC - In The Clear, Non-scrambled channel (analog)

Open - In The Clear or Free To Air

Scrambled - Analog video has been manipulated so that it is not intelligible.

Encrypted - Digital Video and/or Audio have been encoded and require special keys or processes to make it visible.

Closed - Encrypted or Scrambled channel

Conditional Access - System in which access to a particular channel requires unit (box) information and channel tier information before decryption can take place. Used by Dish Net/BEV receivers and CAM-equipped FTA receivers.

Open Access - System in which access to a provider's entire network is accomplished by entering the public and parity keys. Used by the popular Fortec and Pansat receivers, as well as DVB-S cards.

CAM - Conditional Access Module. With Dish/BEV receivers, it is built-in. With FTA receivers such as Dreambox, it is a removable unit. CAMs process the information from the smart card and allow the receiver to decrypt channel information.

Smart Card - A credit-card sized card with a microchip containing decryption information. A smart card is read by a CAM.

CI Slot - Commmon Interface Slot, CAM is inserted in this

Elevation - The Up/Down positioning of the satellite dish

Azimuth - The Left/Right positioning of the satellite dish

Direction - Also called Azimuth

Composite Video - Phono (RCA) Video

IR - Infra-Red

UHF - Ultra High Frequency

Pizza Dish - Generic name for the small dish

Cable on a stick - Another name for the small dish

Clarke Belt Another name for the satellite belt. Named after discoverer, Arthur C. Clarke

Wild Feed - Show that is not yet scheduled to air. (Meant for station affiliates only.) Note: Never call trouble number on the screen it's for TV stations only! (If they know you can see it, they may move it!) Also, you will probably see "dead Air." (black screen) This is where the TV stations insert thier local commercials

Back Haul - Live Feed / Up link feed (E.G. Sporting events, News , Etc.) (Meant for station affiliates only.) Note: Never call trouble number on the screen it's for TV stations only! (If they know you can see it, they may move it!.)

Clean Feed - No commercials (Back hauls usually) E.G. Watch the Zambonie clean
the ice.

DAVE - Digital Audio Video Entertainment. Also known as Direct TV.

DISH Network - Digital Information Sky Highway Network

Charlie - Charlie Ergen, DISH Network CEO. Also known as Dish Network

BEV - Bell ExpressVu

SC - Star Choice

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BIN A file in a BINary format suitable for flashing a ROM

BB - Blackbird

ECM - Electronic Counter Measure

FLASHED Software program that reads the TSOP bin and makes changes in specific locations such as; the IRD number, Box Keys, Bootstrap etc.

FIRMWARE - Software in the TSOP that allows the receiver to run.

TSOP - Thin Small Outline Package (The memory chip within the receiver, which contains the software to run it

JKEYS - Software used to read a receiver's box keys

JTAG - Joint Team Action Group. A device made of five resistors and a DB-25 connector that allows the receiver to communicate with a computer. (JTAG is used to read from or write to the receiver's TSOP)

LOOPED A card that has lost its ATR (Answer to Reset)

NAG - An on screen error message

SOFTWARE FIX - A software upgrade that gets around a NAG or ECM

BOX KEYS - Secret keys that are in each receiver's firmware that identify the particular reciever.

BOOTSTRAP - Code that allows the receiver to power up and access the programming on the TSOP.

CLONING Changing the IRD number, box keys, bootstrap etc. in a receiver's TSOP to match another.

NAGRA 1&2 - Nagravision encryption (Dish Netwok & ExpressVu systems)

P4 & P5 - Videoguard encryption (Direct TV, Sky Mexico systems)

[edwinsao]

Glossary of Terms

Automatic Frequency Control (AFC) A circuit which automatically controls the frequency of a signal.
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) A circuit which automatically controls the gain of an amplifier so that the output signal level is virtually constant for varying input signal levels.
Aperture A cross sectional area of the antenna which is exposed to the satellite signal.
Audio System with digital satellite reception, the sound is transmitted in packages and is selected either in a special audio mode or pre-selected by using the installation set-up. This makes it possible to select between several different languages in a channel. The number of choices is dependent on what is available in the signal.
AZ/EL Mount
Antenna mount that requires two separate adjustments to move from one satellite to another.
Azimuth The angle of rotation (horizontal) that a ground based parabolic antenna must be rotated through to point to a specific satellite in a geosynchronous orbit. The azimuth angle for any particular satellite can be determined for any point on the surface of the earth giver the latitude and longitude of that point. It is defined with respect to due north as a matter of easy convenience.
Baseband The basic direct output signal in an intermediate frequency based obtained directly from a television camera, satellite television receiver, or video tape recorder. Baseband signals can be viewed only on studio monitors. To display the baseband signal on a conventional television set a "modulator" is required to convert the baseband signal to one of the VHF or UHF television channels which the television set can be tuned to receive.
Baud The rate of data transmission based on the number of signal elements or symbols transmitted per second. Today most digital signals are characterized in bits per second.
Beamwidth The angle or conical shape of the beam the antenna projects. Large antennas have narrower beamwidths and can pinpoint satellites in space or dense traffic areas on the earth more precisely. Tighter beamwidths thus deliver higher levels of power and thus greater communications performance.
Bird Slang for a communications satellite located in geosynchronous orbit.
Bit A single digital unit of information
Bit Error Rate The fraction of a sequence of message bits that are in error. A bit error rate of 10-6 means that there is an average of one error per million bits.
Bit Rate The speed of a digital transmission, measured in bits per second.
Carrier to Noise Ratio (C/N) The ratio of the received carrier power and the noise power in a given bandwidth, expressed in dB. This figure is directly related to G/T and S/N; and in a video signal the higher the C/N, the better the received picture.
Clarke Orbit That circular orbit in space 22,237 miles from the surface of the earth at which geosynchronous satellites are placed. This orbit was first postulated by the science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke in Wireless World magazine in 1945. Satellites placed in these orbits, although traveling around the earth at thousands of miles an hour, appear to be stationary when viewed from a point on the earth, since the earth is rotating upon its axis at the same angular rate that the satellite is traveling around the earth.
DBS Direct broadcast satellite. Refers to service that uses satellites to broadcast multiple channels of television programming directly to home mounted small-dish antennas.
Declination The offset angle of an antenna from the axis of its polar mount as measured in the meridian plane between the equatorial plane and the antenna main beam.
Digital Conversion of information into bits of data for transmission through wire, fiber optic cable, satellite, or over air techniques. Method allows simultaneous transmission of voice, data or video.
DVB The Digital Video Broadcast group was created to establish a technical framework for the introduction of digital video broadcasting systems.
Elevation The upward tilt to a satellite antenna measured in degrees required to aim the antenna at the communications satellite. When. aimed at the horizon, the elevation angle is zero. If it were tilted to a point directly overhead, the satellite antenna would have an elevation of 90 degrees.
EPG Electronic Program Guide. A software that enables viewers to navigate easily among a large number of channels provided by digital technology, in order to select a program or service.
F/D Ratio of antenna focal length to antenna diameter. A higher ratio means a shallower dish.
Feed This term has at least two key meanings within the field of satellite communications. It is used to describe the transmission of video programming from a distribution center. It is also used to describe the feed system of an antenna. The feed system may consist of a subreflector plus a feedhorn or a feedhorn only.
Focal Length Distance from the center feed to the center of the dish.
Focal Point The area toward which the primary reflector directs and concentrates the signal received.
Footprint A map of the signal strength showing the EIRP contours of equal signal strengths as they cover the earth's surface. Different satellite transponders on the same satellite will often have different footprints of the signal strength. The accuracy of EIRP footprints or contour data can improve with the operational age of the satellite. The actual EIRP levels of the satellite, however, tends to decrease slowly as the spacecraft ages.
Forward Error Correction (FEC) Adds unique codes to the digital signal at the source so errors can be detected and corrected at the receiver.
Frequency The number of times that an alternating current goes through its complete cycle in one second of time. One cycle per second is also referred to as one hertz; 1000 cycles per second, one kilohertz; 1,000,000 cycles per second, one megahertz: and 1,000,000,000 cycles per second, one gigahertz.
Gain A measure of amplification expressed in dB.
GHz The prefix Giga means billion, and Hertz means cycles per second. Signals in the GHz range are often referred to as microwave.
Ka Band The frequency range from 18 to 31 GHz.
Ku Band The frequency range from 10.9 to 17 GHz.
L-Band The frequency range from 0.5 to 1.5 GHz. Also used to refer to the 950 to 1450MHz used for mobile communications.
LNB (Low Noise Block converter) or LNBF (with feed horn) An electronic unit mounted on the satellite dish used for receiving satellite signals and converting them to signals that can be used by the receiver.
L.O. Local oscillator part of the LNB/F. Converts the satellite frequency down to a frequency usable by the receiver.
MHz The prefix Mega means million, and Hertz means cycles per second.