by : Julia Hall

Direct TV is a satellite television provider that's perhaps best known for providing over fourteen million people with access to 850 channels of quality video and audio programming, but none of that would be possible without some pretty impressive technology. For instance, all of Direct TV's programming- all 850 channels worth- is converted into digital format when it first comes into the hands of the company. Once in digital format, it's encrypted so that if it's intercepted by anyone who isn't a Direct TV subscriber, he or she can't watch it. Then the programming goes through a data compression process so that the hardware can handle the massive amount of information that makes up eight hundred a fifty channels. Once converted, encrypted, and compressed; the programming is beamed up to satellites which occupy geosynchronous orbits above the equator. The satellites then transmit Direct TV's programming back down to the Earth's surface spreading it all over the continent of North America where individual satellite dishes can then pick it up and send it to special receiver equipment which will then decompress it and decrypt it so that it can be watched on a television set. This stage of the process is where the digital television format really comes in handy. Because the programming travels thousands of miles on its way to your home, it has a lot of opportunity to pick up interference, but the fact that the signal is digital means that it's very easy for the receiver to clean out the interference. The result is an incredibly clear picture and great sound quality that you can't get from the older analog signal even when it only has to travel across town!

As clear as a digital television signal is, Direct TV can improve on it with its high definition television programming. High definition television the next generation television format that features the same wide screen that you'd find in a movie theater along with a high resolution picture that offers even more detail than a picture produced by the digital television format. In addition to a special HDTV set, you also need high definition programming in order to fully enjoy the HDTV experience. Fortunately Direct TV offers twenty great High definition channels that include the sports and movies that lend themselves so well to the high definition format, but also a lot of national network programming in High Def, special events, and even science programming. Direct TV is a great way to take advantage of this great new television format.

Another great extra technology that Direct TV can provide you with is digital video recording - or DVR. A Direct TV Digital Video Recorder lets you record all of the television shows and movies that you want to see, but are forced to miss because of other obligations. All of the recordings are stored on a hard disk, and since the hard disc can hold up to seventy hours of video, you won't have to worry about running out of room just because you can't get around to watching the recordings for a few days. A DVR is also much easier to program than a VCR, which really cuts down on the headaches associated with time shifting your television watching. These are just a few of the ways that Direct TV makes space age technology work for you.