Editing Communications satellite (section)

=== Television ===
{{main|Satellite television}}
As television became the main market, its demand for simultaneous delivery of relatively few signals of large [[Bandwidth (signal processing)|bandwidth]] to many receivers being a more precise match for the capabilities of [[Geosynchronous orbit|geosynchronous]] comsats.  Two satellite types are used for North American television and radio: [[Direct broadcast satellite]] (DBS), and [[Fixed Service Satellite]] (FSS).

The definitions of FSS and DBS satellites outside of North America, especially in Europe, are a bit more ambiguous. Most satellites used for direct-to-home television in Europe have the same high power output as DBS-class satellites in North America, but use the same linear polarization as FSS-class satellites. Examples of these are the [[SES Astra|Astra]], [[Eutelsat]], and [[Hotbird]] spacecraft in orbit over the European continent. Because of this, the terms FSS and DBS are more so used throughout the North American continent, and are uncommon in Europe.

[[Fixed Service Satellite]]s use the [[C band (IEEE)|C band]], and the lower portions of the [[Ku band|K<sub>u</sub> band]]. They are normally used for broadcast feeds to and from television networks and local affiliate stations (such as program feeds for network and syndicated programming, [[remote broadcast|live shot]]s, and [[backhaul (broadcasting)|backhaul]]s), as well as being used for [[distance learning]] by schools and universities, [[business television]] (BTV), [[Videoconferencing]], and general commercial telecommunications. FSS satellites are also used to distribute national cable channels to cable television headends.

[[Free-to-air]] satellite TV channels are also usually distributed on FSS satellites in the K<sub>u</sub> band. The [[Intelsat Americas 5]], [[Galaxy 10R]] and [[AMC 3]] satellites over North America provide a quite large amount of FTA channels on their K<sub>u</sub> band [[transponder]]s.

The American [[Dish Network]] [[Direct-broadcast satellite|DBS]] service has also recently used FSS technology as well for their programming packages requiring their [[SuperDish]] antenna, due to Dish Network needing more capacity to carry local television stations per the [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]'s "must-carry" regulations, and for more bandwidth to carry [[HDTV]] channels.

A [[direct broadcast satellite]] is a communications satellite that transmits to small DBS [[satellite dish]]es (usually 18 to 24 inches or 45 to 60&nbsp;cm in diameter). Direct broadcast satellites generally operate in the upper portion of the microwave [[Ku band|K<sub>u</sub> band]]. DBS technology is used for DTH-oriented ([[Direct-To-Home]]) satellite TV services, such as [[DirecTV]], DISH Network and Orby TV<ref>{{cite web|title=Orby TV (United States)|url=https://www.satlaunch.org/packages-orby-tv-117w.htm|access-date=9 April 2020|archive-date=28 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728194141/https://www.satlaunch.org/packages-orby-tv-117w.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> in the United States, [[Bell Satellite TV]] and [[Shaw Direct]] in Canada, [[Freesat]] and [[Sky (UK and Ireland)|Sky]] in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand and [[DSTV]] in South Africa.

Operating at lower frequency and lower power than DBS, FSS satellites require a much larger dish for reception (3 to 8 feet (1 to 2.5 m) in diameter for K<sub>u</sub> band, and 12 feet (3.6 m) or larger for C band).  They use [[linear polarization]] for each of the transponders' RF input and output (as opposed to [[circular polarization]] used by DBS satellites), but this is a minor technical difference that users do not notice. FSS satellite technology was also originally used for DTH satellite TV from the late 1970s to the early 1990s in the United States in the form of [[TVRO]] (Television Receive Only) receivers and dishes. It was also used in its K<sub>u</sub> band form for the now-defunct [[Primestar]] satellite TV service.

Some satellites have been launched that have transponders in the [[Ka band|K<sub>a</sub> band]], such as DirecTV's [[SPACEWAY-1]] satellite, and [[Anik (satellite)|Anik F2]]. NASA and [[ISRO]]<ref>{{cite web|title=GSAT-14|url=http://www.isro.org/satellites/gsat-14.aspx|publisher=ISRO|access-date=16 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108052813/http://www.isro.org/satellites/gsat-14.aspx|archive-date=8 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Indian GSLV successfully lofts GSAT-14 satellite|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/indian-gslv-launch-gsat-14-communications-satellite/|access-date=16 January 2014|newspaper=NASA Space Flight|date=4 January 2014}}</ref> have also launched experimental satellites carrying K<sub>a</sub> band beacons recently.<ref name="spaceref-20050426">{{Cite web |date=26 April 2005 |title=DIRECTV's Spaceway F1 Satellite Launches New Era in High-Definition Programming; Next Generation Satellite Will Initiate Historic Expansion of DIRECTV |url=https://spaceref.com/press-release/directvs-spaceway-f1-satellite-launches-new-era-in-high-definition-programming-next-generation-satellite-will-initiate-historic-expansion-of-directv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231220124331/https://spaceref.com/press-release/directvs-spaceway-f1-satellite-launches-new-era-in-high-definition-programming-next-generation-satellite-will-initiate-historic-expansion-of-directv/ |archive-date=20 December 2023 |access-date=11 May 2012 |publisher=SpaceRef }}</ref>

Some manufacturers have also introduced special antennas for mobile reception of DBS television. Using [[Global Positioning System|Global Positioning System (GPS)]] technology as a reference, these antennas automatically re-aim to the satellite no matter where or how the vehicle (on which the antenna is mounted) is situated.  These mobile satellite antennas are popular with some [[recreational vehicle]] owners.  Such mobile DBS antennas are also used by [[JetBlue Airways]] for DirecTV (supplied by [[LiveTV]], a subsidiary of JetBlue), which passengers can view on-board on LCD screens mounted in the seats.