Satellite technology has made leaps and bounds over the last decade, introducing the world to a whole new era of television entertainment. But have you ever wondered just how a satellite dish works? So did we.

Satellite TV is a round, concave dish-shaped antenna used in telecommunication systems and astronomy; an uplink antenna is used to send electronic signals to a communications satellite or other spacecraft.

To provide you with that quality satellite programming you enjoy so much, your satellite dish must receive a signal from the appropriate source. Man-made satellites orbit around the Earth at just about 20,000 miles into the sky. These satellites receive digital signals from your programming provider, encrypt them and then send them back out to subscribers.

In order to enjoy maximum results from your TV satellite dish, you need to be sure it's receiving the best possible signal. Where you point your satellite then becomes an all-important step in getting great reception. But how does one point a satellite dish?

The good news is that you can usually find this information with the help of your satellite provider. DISH Network for example features a Point Dish/Signal option in their on-screen menu to assist you in the adjustment of your TV satellite dish. Using your zip code, you can determine the azimuth, elevation and skew. Pointing your dish is normally part of the installation process so plan to do your install when you have time to follow through.

Since the satellite dish is small, it is also light and not bulky in size, this also makes it easier to mount. Satellite dishes have two antennae's which are pointing back to the dish and shooting off into the blue sky.

Types
Individual dishes serving one dwelling: Direct To Home (DTH).
Collective dishes, shared by several dwellings: Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV).

The satellite dish is installed by the companies you are getting your programming from. It is at this time that the dish is aligned with the satellite and is tightened down to prevent it from moving in most installations. There are rare times when heavy winds can cause the diswh to become mis-aligned. These instances are few and far between because the dish is usually mounted very solidly.

Check with all different satellite providers to learn of the programming choices available to you and to determine the price range for the optional packages you may select.