Glossary 

Access Card
An access card, also known as a smart card, is a removable credit-card-sized plastic card included with each satellite receiver.  It identifies each receiver and tells your program provider your Pay-Per-View (PPV) usage each month.

AC-3 Technology
Digital Dolby Surround Sound

Activation Date
The calendar date a customer activates DIRECTV services.

Additional Outlet (A/O)
An additional outlet lets you connect more than one receiver to the dish, allowing other televisions in the house to be on different programs than the one connected to the primary receiver.

Add-On Packages
Add-on Packages are programming upgrades to a base package. Personalize your DIRECTV programming with movies, sports, international channels, and pay-per-view.

Alignment
The azimuth is East/West alignment of the dish. The Elevation is the vertical angle of the dish from the horizon. The dish must have an clear, unobstructed view of the satellites and the coordinates vary depending on your location.

Antenna
A device attached to a television to enhance reception of local program signals (UHF and/or VHF).

APG
Advance Program Guide

ATSC
Advance Television Standard Committee

Audio Alternatives
Standard audio is provided with the video when the receiver is connected to the TV with a standard coax connection. Certain programs allow you to select a different language.

Audio/Video (A/V) Jacks
The A/V output jacks at the rear of a satellite receiver provide a superior picture and sound to your TV, VCR and home theater system.  Three jacks provide stereo sound: one for the video, one for the right channel sound and one for the left channel sound.

Azimuth
The azimuth is the side-to-side adjustment of a satellite dish from true north, along the horizon, to the DBS satellite, measured in degrees.

Bandwidth
The bandwidth is the complete range of frequencies over which a circuit or electronic system is allocated to function, measured in MHz.

Base Packages
Base packages are the foundation to any DIRECTV programming. Base packages include: Family, CHOICE, CHOICE XTRA, CHOICE PLUS DVR, CHOICE PLUS HD DVR and PREMIER.

Bit
Bit is short for binary digit.  It’s the smallest unit of data in a digital system, with a value of either 0 or 1. A group of bits, such as 8-bits or 16-bits, compose a byte.

Blackout Areas
Certain areas of the country where some Network programming is not available due to contractual agreements.

Blackouts
Sold-out regular-season games are televised locally. If a home team stadium does not sell out 72 hours before game time, customers in that home team territory will be blacked out on their local station.
What are the reasons for Blackouts?
•To make sure your local team benefits from a stadium
full of enthusiastic fans.
•To protect home game attendance of the teams.
•To assure the entertainment value of a full stadium for people in the stands and for people watching TV.
•To protect local television coverage.

Cable Television or Community Antenna Television (CATV)
Often shortened to cable is a system of providing television, FM radio programming and other services to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted directly to people’s televisions through fixed optical fibers or coaxial cables as opposed to the over-the-air method used in traditional television broadcasting (via radio waves) in which a television antenna is required.

C-BAND
Band of frequencies from 4 to 6 gigahertz (billion cycles per second) that are used by most communications satellite and cable systems. Requires larger ground antennas, usually twelve feet in diameter, for television reception.

C-BAND Dish
Large (6- to 10- foot) satellite dish antenna, usually motorized, used to intercept signals from C-band satellite. Many big dish antennas today receive both C-band and Ku-band signals.

Callback
The process by which the access card initiates a call from the DIRECTV receiver to report any IPPV events viewed by the customer, normally on a monthly basis or when a specified callback threshold is reached. An 800 number is used to avoid charging customers.

Callback Threshold
Dollar limit or number of events.

CE
Abbreviation used to refer to business establishments that sell consumer electronics, such as Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.

Channel List
Channel List is defined via the DIRECTV System feature menu, allows for customization and easier program selection by establishing a limit list of channels to be used for scanning or when reviewing the program guide.

Churn
A television industry term that takes account of customer connects, disconnects, upgrades, and downgrades.

Check Switch
Running a check switch procedure starts a series of tests in DISH network receivers which confirms that a good signal connection between the receiver and the multi-sat dish switch exists.  At the end of the test, a list of which satellites you can receive is displayed.

Clarke Belt
Named after its founder Arthur C. Clarke, the Clarke Belt is an orbit used by satellites at a height of 22,250 miles, in which satellites make an orbit in 24 hours, yet remain in a fixed position relative to the earth’s surface.

Closed Captioning
Is an option that provides text in the broadcast signal for a narrative description of dialogue, action sounds, and other elements of the program. This is great for the hearing impaired.

Coax Cable
Coax or coaxial cable is the standard type of cable used by all satellite TV technicians. Coax cable carries the signal from the dish to the satellite receiver and on to your VCR and TV.

Commercial Account
A business customer who uses DIRECTV hardware to view non-residential DIRECTV services.

Compression
A term used to denote reducing the amount of bandwidth needed to transmit video or audio, thus increasing the capacity of the satellite transponder.

Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS)
DBS is the signal frequency range (11.70-12.40ghz) intended for direct TV broadcast by satellite TV program providers.

Digital Compression
Digital compression is a process of translating video images into a digital code.  Its purpose is to take up less transmission space than the original signal would have, allowing more channels per satellite transponder.

Diplexer
Diplexers allow you to use one coax cable for both your VHF/UHF TV antenna and satellite signal. Diplexers must be used in pairs. One diplexer is installed outside to combine the signals from the satellite dish and TV antenna onto a single coax cable, and the second is installed indoors at the satellite receiver to separate the signals once again. Diplexers may also be used in conjunction with multi-switches - with one diplexer used for every satellite receiver connected to the system.

DIRECTV Preferred Online Retailer
Direct Satellite TV is proud to be one of the few DIRECTV Preferred Online Retailers. This authorization is quite an accomplishment considering there are over 1500 retailers nation-wide. We have received this status because of our commitment to the high customer satisfaction standards of DIRECTV. We have earned the exclusive right to display the authorized Preferred Online Retailer logo and must renew the status every year to ensure continued high levels of customer satisfaction. Be sure to only buy from a DIRECTV Preferred Online Retailer when shopping online.

DIRECTV System
A DIRECTV System, trademarked for the consumer hardware and created to receive DIRECTV programming, includes a dish (standard size is 18"), a remote control and the DIRECTV Receiver.

DIRECTV System Activation
The process of installing the DIRECTV System hardware, including mounting the satellite dish antenna, positioning it to receive a signal, and initializing service.

Dish
The reflector part of a satellite system. When used with an uplink system the dish reflects electromagnetic impulses received from the transmitter output transducer upwards to a satellite. When used as part of a downlink the dish gathers electromagnetic impulses from a satellite and focuses them into the feed horn. In both cases the electromagnetic impulses contain carrier and intelligence information to and from the satellite.

Dolby Digital/AC-3 Compatible
Dolby Digital provides 6 independent sound track channels through the optical output jack. When connected to your AC3 compatible home theater audio setup, this connection provides Dolby Digital Surround Sound (when Dolby Digital is part of the programming being viewed).

Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Pro Logic (known as Dolby Surround in the theaters) is based on the use of an amplitude-phase matrix.  This is a method of encoding four channels of information into two tracks of stereo media and then decoding them back into four channels for playback.

Downconverter
The downconverter receives the amplified broadband satellite signal from the LNA and converts it into a lower frequency(lower frequencies) which can be used efficiently by the receiver.
The downconverter in older satellite systems actually rejects the signals from all of the transponders except one and converts this one-transponder signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) for use by the remainder of the receiver circuits. It might be compared to the mixer and IF stages of a TV receiver or radio.

The block downconverter in later satellite receivers converts the broadband signal received from the LNA into a block of frequencies which can be used by a receiver. The receiver receives the whole block of frequencies and tunes in the desired transponder's signal while tuning out the remaining signal. This arrangement makes it possible for multiple receivers to be served by the same dish, each receiver selecting the desired transponder.

Downlink
a satellite receiving system designed to receive signals from orbiting communications satellites.

DSS
Digital Satellite System

DTH
DTH, or Direct-To-Home, is the official term used by the Federal Communications Commission to refer to the satellite television and broadcasting industries.

Dual LNB
A dual LNB has two coax connections. You can operate up to two satellite television receivers with a dual LNB.

DVR
Digital Video Recorder. Receivers with a built in hard disk for recording programming with great audio and video quality. The first hard disk receivers were called PVR's.

Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
A chronological listing of all available programming covering an extended time period (typically 36 hours or more). This listing displays on your TV screen.

Elevation
The elevation is the upward tilt of a satellite dish antenna required to aim it at the communications satellite, measured in degrees.  When aimed at the horizon, the elevation angle is zero.

Estimated Viewing Occupancy (EVO)
The number of seats that can view television programming at any given time in a commercial establishment. Estimates for standing areas may also be added to this number. The EVO is determined by the establishment owner and subject to verification and revision by DIRECTV. The EVO is used to determine commercial rates for certain sports and standard programming.

Feature Menu
An interactive on-screen menu system that is part of the DIRECTV Receiver and allows the customer to control and review system features and functions. These include customization options, the program guide, system set-up, help, etc.

Feed Horn
A feed horn collects the signals at the focus of the satellite dish and channels them to the LNB.

Feedhorn Probe
The feedhorn probe is used to pick up either the vertically or horizontally polarized signals from the feedhorn cavity. It is used on feedhorns with a motorized polarity control. The motor is controlled by the receiver or by a polarity switch near the receiver.

Footprint
Where the signal transmitted from a satellite is able to reach with an acceptable signal.

Frequency
The property of an alternating-current signal measured in cycles per second or hertz

Geostationary
Geostationary refers to satellites which orbit the Earth 22,300 miles above the Equator and rotate at the same relative speed and direction as the Earth's surface, therefore appearing stationary.

Geosynchronous Orbit
A satellite orbit in which the satellite's speed is synchronized with Earth's rotation. Therefore satellites in such an orbit appear from Earth to be stationary. That is, they stay in the same place in the sky with respect to a position on Earth. Also sometimes called a "geostationary" orbit.

Hard Reset
A hard reset is the same as rebooting a computer.

HDMI
HDMI is an acronym for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. HDMI is the first and only industry-supported, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface. HDMI allows connection of any audio/video source (i.e., DIRECTV Receiver, DVD Player, CD Player) to an A/V receiver or digital television through one cable. In more simple terms, HDMI connects two A/V components to each other with a single cable, providing the highest quality picture and sound available today. 

HDTV
HDTV, or High Definition Television, is a digital television format, that combines high-resolution video and theater-like sound to create a movie theater-quality TV viewing experience.

Headend
In a cable TV system, The cable TV location from which all TV signals are put on the cable for distribution. The headend might receive signals from a group of sources such as TV stations, satellite feeds, locally produced programming, etc., and put them all on the same cable distribution system

Hertz (HZ)
Refers to cycles per second.

Hybrid Satellite
A satellite which carries two or more different communications payloads.

Interactive TV
Interactive TV lets you use the enclosed remote control to access up-to-the-minute news, sports, financial information, weather, get program trivia, respond to free offers and shop, all while you watch TV.

IRD (Integrated Receiver Decoder)
The IRD is the official name for the satellite receiver, which has a built-in decoder for unscrambling subscription channels.

Kbps
Kbps stands for kilobits per second and refers to the speed of a signal transmission.

KU-Band
The range of frequencies between 11 and 14 gigahertz (billions of cycles per second), used increasingly by communication satellites. Requires smaller ground antennas usually four feet in diameter.

KVH Tracvision
An accessory that helps satellite dishes work better on boats. KVH TracVision is a stabilizer that keeps a small satellite antenna precisely pointed at satellites. As a boat moves, TracVision moves the satellite dish in exactly the opposite direction, assuring uninterrupted satellite TV reception on a boat.

Jack Panel
The panel on the back of the DIRECTV Receiver where all connections for the system are located.

L-Band
An L-Band is the frequency range from 0.5 to 1.5 GHz.  All satellite TV systems use this frequency (950 to 1450 MHz) to carry the satellite signal from the dish to the receiver.

Latitude
The distance, expressed in degrees, from the earth's equator that points north and south. The equator is assigned the value of 0 degrees, the North Pole is 90 degrees and the South Pole is -90 degrees.

LNA
Low Noise Amplifier: The low noise amplifier used in older satellite antenna systems. The LNA amplifies the entire bandwidth of signals coming down from a satellite and presents them as a wide band signal to the downconverter.

LNB
Low Noise Block Downconverter: In newer satellite antenna systems the Low Noise Amplifier and Downconverter have been incorporated into a single unit. The downconverter used is a block downconverter (see: LNA; downconverter)

LNBF
An LNBF (usually called an LNB) is a Low Noise Block Converter with Integrated Feed.  It amplifies received signals and converts them from microwaves to lower L-band frequency signals which are then sent along a cable to the satellite receiver.

Master Program Guide (MPG)
The complete on-screen guide grid that can be displayed to show the DIRECTV programming schedule. It is part of an interactive system which allows the customer to display IPPV buy offers and detailed program descriptions, and to sort and reformat the program guide grid according to program theme categories, etc.

Matrix Switch
By using a Matrix switch you can add more than two receivers to a dual LNB.

Mirroring
Mirroring indicates that the DIRECTV services requested for the primary access card (first one installed) should be exactly copied for another access card on the same account. When a service is installed or disconnected on the primary access card, the same action is reflected on the mirrored access card.

Mix Channels
This DIRECTV special allows viewers to see up to 6 channels at once - therefore avoiding having to surf 6 channels to see what is on. The mix channels are topic based and include news, sport and kids programming options.

MPEG2
MPEG2 is a video compression method.  Compression is used to combine several programs into one satellite transponder.

Multi-Satellite Dish
It's often necessary for consumers to use a multi-satellite system, such as the DIRECTV Oval Dish or DISH Networks DISH 500 because some programming extends beyond the satellite provider's "core" programming, like HDTV programs, and local channels in many areas.

Multi-Satellite Reception
Satellite program providers maintain broadcast satellites in multiple orbit locations to provide wider signal coverage and greater programming variety. In order to receive programming that extends beyond the satellite provider's "core" programming — examples include HDTV programs, and local channels in some areas — it's often necessary for consumers to use a multi-satellite-capable dish, along with a compatible receiver.

Multi-Satellite Switch
To accommodate the multi-sat dishes offered by DIRECTV and DISH Network, you must use a multi-sat switch.  You can’t intermix DIRECTV and DISH Network switches. DIRECTV controls a multi-sat switch with a 22kHz signal and DISH Network use a digital signal to communicate with their switches.

Must Carry
Effective at the beginning of 2002, the FCC established a condition that if a satellite service provider is going to carry one local network in a specific market place or DMA then they must carry all local networks in that market place.

National Standards and Testing Program (NSTP)
The NSTP is a program created to provide basic installation training to satellite TV install technicians.

NTSC
NTSC stands for the National Television Standards Committee, a video standard established by the United States (RCA/NBC) and adopted by numerous other countries.

National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC)
This organization provides telecommunications services to rural electric and rural telephone cooperatives.  If you live in a NRTC district you cannot use DIRECTV services unless you go through your local NRTC office.

OTA (Over the Air)
This is the acronym commonly used to describe standard television broadcast signals received by a rooftop antenna, sometimes called off-air.

Orbital Slots
Orbital slots refer to the location of satellites around the globe.  Their are 6 main slots used for DBS TV.

Pan and Scan
A program or movie originally formatted for theatre viewing on a 16 by 9 screen is displayed on a 4 by 3 television screen. The picture that contains the action is centered on the television screen so that all the action in the film is captured on the 4 by 3 display. This view is different from a "letterbox" (widescreen) movie, which is shown in the original theatre screen dimensions without picture format edits. 

Pay Per View (PPV)
A pay-per-view event may be purchased separately from any package or subscription.  This could include a movie, special event, sporting event, or an adult program.

Parental Control/Lockout
Parental Lockout allows users to set a password to control access to programming based on channel, rating or content.

Pixelization
Pixelization occurs due to errors in decoding the MPEG bit stream where areas or patches of color appear instead of the higher resolution image.  It might be described as the picture "breaking up".  The patches of blocks appear and disappear, and can happen anywhere on the screen but usually are "part" of the image "in motion".  Pixelization most often occurs during rain fade or if the satellite system has too low a signal strength to operate properly.

PVR
A Personal Video Recorder PVR satellite receiver) has a built in hard drive for digitally recording satellite television programs, with 35-hour recording capability and two internal satellite receivers.  Dual tuners allow the user to record one program while watching another or record two programs at the same time.

Quad LNBF
A combination LNBF and multi-sat switch component for DISH 500 systems can accommodate up to 4 DISH Network receivers.

Rating Limit
The rating limit is set by the customer using the main menu.  When a system lock is active, this limit controls the viewing of programs that have been assigned a rating level.

Receiver
The receiver is the box in the house connected to your TV and other equipment, like a sound system. It receives the signal from the LNB on the dish and allows you to view programming. All receivers come with a universal remote control that will control your satellite programming, TV and other components.

Remote Extender
A remote extender is an after-market device that allows you to use an Infrared (IR) remote to control a satellite receiver from another room.

RG-59
An RG-59 is a common coax cable used in many homes for the last 40 years.

RG-6
An RG-6 coax cable is recommended for digital satellite TV installations.  RG-6 is a larger-size cable than the lower-grade RG-59 cable found in some homes.

R/F Connectors
The R/F connectors are the output/input screws on connections for coaxial cable.  They won’t provide stereo from the satellite receiver to the TV or stereo.

S-Video Jack
Some televisions have an input for an S-Video cable.  This is better than audio/video jacks or R/F connectors.  It is for the video, not the sound.

Satellite Dish
A satellite dish is used to collect signals from a satellite in orbit and focus them to the front of the dish where a feed horn collects them and passes the signals on to the LNB to be amplified and sent to a satellite receiver. 

Satellite Television
Satellite television is television delivered by way of communications satellites, as compared to conventional terrestrial television and cable television. In many areas of the world satellite television services supplement older terrestrial signals, providing a wider range of channels and services, including subscription-only services.

SBCA
The SBCA (Satellite Broadcasting Communication Association) is an organization of satellite TV manufacturers, program providers, distributors and dealers.  They are the leading voice for the satellite industry in congress and all across the U.S.

Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV)
A private or miniature cable system that receives programming by satellite and serves a housing complex or hotel.

Secondary Audio Program (SAP)
Is a standard TV feature allowing viewers to choose a secondary audio channel, which may broadcast a different language, or other alternate versions of the audio program.

Signal Meter
This function of the feature menu displays the strength of the satellite signal and is primarily used during the DIRECTV System set-up procedure.

Smart Card Technology
A type of technology that allows sophisticated processing functions to be available on a small plastic card that is embedded with a tiny computer chip.

Standard DIRECTV Receivers
Standard DIRECTV Receivers give access to 100% digital-quality programming and include an advanced programming guide allowing you to search and sort channels easily. Additional features include parental lock, on-screen caller ID capability, channel banner, and universal programmable remote.

Splitter
A splitter is a passive device (one with no active electronic components) which distributes a television signal carried on a cable in two or more paths and sends it to a number of receivers simultaneously.

Spot Beam
A spot beam is a satellite transmission that is focused on a specific area within the footprint, or broadcast area, of the satellite.  Both DISH Network and DIRECTV use spot beams to increase the capacity of channels they can provide, thus allowing the broadcast of more local networks.

System Lock
A DIRECTV System lock provides privacy and allows a customer to control access, via a 4-digit password, to messages and the lock function, and to set rating and event spending limits. A system lock is managed through the feature menu.

Subscription Programming
Additional programming options with a specific topic, often sports related. These packages are purchased either by a one-time fee or by several monthly payments. Special offers typically exist for those that purchase the subscription in advance.

Surround Sound
Surround sound is an audio effect that is created by using multiple speakers powered by separate audio channels to simulate accurate sound from a recording (i.e. movies, concerts, TV shows, sporting events). More simply it makes your living room sound like a movie theater.

SW-21, SW-44, SW-64
These are all multi-sat switches used by DISH Network systems.  The first number refers to the number of satellite input connections and the second number indicates how many receivers that switch can accommodate.

Transceiver
A satellite component that receives and retransmits a TV signal or perhaps many narrower-band data or audio channels.

Transponder
A transponder is a satellite component that receives, modulates, amplifies, and retransmits a signal.  More than one television or audio channel can be transmitted over a signal transponder using MPEG compression.

Triple LNB
An 18" x 20" dish with three LNBs and four outputs. This dish looks at the 101°, 110°, and 119° satellites. It is required for HD customers, Spanish language services, and locals in some markets because these services are not all available from the 101° satellite.

TVRO
TeleVision Receive Only-a satellite system used to only receive data from satellites. A TVRO system has no transmitting capabilities.

Twin 500 LNB
A twin 500 LNB is a combination of an LNBF and a multi-sat switch component for DISH 500 systems, accommodating up to 2 DISH Network receivers.

UHF Remote
A UHF (Ultra High Frequency) remote control can operate the receiver from another room, unlike the IR (Infra Red) remote which needs to be pointed at the receiver.

Uplink
An uplink is a satellite antenna and transmitting system which can be used to send signals up to orbiting communications satellites.

Wild Feed
A wild feed is any feed DIRECTV uses that are not from a DIRECTV regional sports network.

Wireless Cable
The transmission of cable programming using microwave signals instead of underground cables or phone lines. The process requires a clear line of sight between a transmitter and a receiver. Customers using a small microwave antenna receive signals. Wireless Cable is also known as MMDS.