A lot of factors are to be considered in choosing what type of connection to get: is it satellite or is it cable TV? Here are some of the comparisons between the features of both connections:

Basic Features

By Popularity – Since cable TV has been around in the market for a long time. Therefore, it is more popular than satellite TV. However, since satellite TV is still a new technology, it is gradually getting popular in the viewing consumers.

By Customer Support – Customers are really keen on having a good customer service from the company that they are subscribing into. According to the Customer Satisfaction Survey by J.D. Power, satellite TV beats cable TV in terms of the ranking in the support and services.

By Installation – Since satellite TV requires less cable than cable TV. Therefore, it is easier to install. Also, it can be installed in practically any location in the world as in comparison to the limitation of the cable TV – the cable itself. One more important thing is that satellite dish installation is free while some cable companies charge installation fees.

By Coverage – It is really clear here that satellite TV can cover more than cable TV. Just have the dish placed in a good location and then signal reception will be just fine. Almost any place in the world can have a satellite dish while cable limitations can cause cable TV not to reach remote areas.

Programming, Advance Features, and Pricing

Channels – Cable TV on the average will have 180 channels while satellite TV can reach up to 350 channels depending on the provider.

Picture Quality – Satellite TV provides a 100% digital audio and video while only those digital channels in cable TV provide, an all-digital pictures and sounds.

Pricing – Cable TV has more overhead cost such as franchise fee, equipment cost, pay-per-view subscription fee and taxes, and not to mention its $40 per month fee for the subscription. While having a satellite dish have a price range from as low as $20 per month to as high as $30 per month inclusive of the installation and equipment fees.

Equipments – Satellite TV needs 1 satellite dish and up to 4 receivers while cable TV needs cable boxes. While the satellite systems are free for the consumers, they only have to sign a contract for a 12-18 months subscription. On the other hand, cable TV offers customer lease to the cable box set and therefore, asks for fees for the lease in the bills.

Sports Programming – Both offer sports programs such as baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and some other ESPN sports.

High Definition (HD) Programming – Both offer HD programming; although, cable TV has a limited bandwidth as in comparison to the dish TV.

Pay-Per-View – Although both offer this feature, the limitation is on the number of channels that each offers. An average of 40 channels for cable TV while 80 channels for satellite TV.

Satellite Radio – Satellite TV can have up to 73 channels while it varies by provider in Cable TV.

International Programming – Satellite TV features Chinese, Pilipino, African, Italian, Japanese, Korean Russian, Arabic, Greek, and Asian programming while it varies by provider in Cable TV.

Other Extra Features

There other extra features that both offer – like the parental control, internet services, and VOIP services. Having these features may just be the right one needed for an entertainment system, but if you are just an occasional watcher, an analog TV might just be enough for you. However, if you crave for more channels, better sound, and good picture quality, then maybe it’s about time to upgrade into either a cable TV or a satellite TV. The power is in your hands, grab that remote now!

Satellites are used in varieties. Namely: spy, communication satellites, navigation satellites, research satellites, weather satellites and the like.

It has been written, that satellites can either be man-made or artificially made. Moon, is the only natural satellite of the earth, being responsible for its tidal action. Since its period of rotation is identical with its period of revolution it always keeps the same face toward the earth. In addition, it lacks an atmosphere because the gravitational field at its surface is insufficient to retain gases at the temperature prevailing.

Several expeditions were also done as probative measures; Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin were the first men to set foot on the surface of the moon. Apollo 11 landing was made on July 20, 1969, instruments left on the moon to measure temperature and magnetism. Some have not conquered well enough. Apollo 13 almost ended in disaster wherein an oxygen tank exploded on the way to the moon, and it has been canceled.

Smaller programs mushroomed in Japan, Canada, and China etcetera. Reconnaissance satellites were established, ocean surveillance, which is considered as one of the more interesting and unusual military space programs, used in synthetic aperture radar to search for US naval vessels. It has been known that Soviet satellites were not as sophisticated and did not last long as their US counterparts. To compensate, the Soviets launched far more of them into orbit. By the end of the cold war, their satellites had longer lifetimes and were increasingly sophisticated.

No other nations have the resource to conduct space programs but the US and USSR though improvisations were done to enable the satellites to operate in a higher, safer orbit.

Television is one of the major outputs of satellites. People are drawn closer, well informed and well briefed on what’s hot and what’s not. In addition, radio both amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) has been growing in a number with different formats and styles of programming. It has become a medium of communication for far reaching individuals. Telecommunication companies have built satellites, to expanse signals, sufficiently giving us the luxury of connecting with our loved ones and friends.

Weather satellites or meteorological satellites are used for early detection of the typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and even tsunami. Other environmental satellites are manned to detect climate changes, ozone holes, computing layers of the atmosphere. To add up, sunlight provides illumination for daytime weather pictures, while the infrared radiation emitted can be photographed day or night using an infrared camera. Almost all the weather satellite photographs shown on television are infrared pictures.

With this new-aged world, continuous innovations booming around, alleviating lives. From the crudest way of detecting environmental changes to the latest creations, inventions from the telecommunication world, helping us to make life the easiest. Thus saying, “This is all about satellites”.