HowItWorks.net

Satellite tv is talked about so much in the world of consumer viewing. Satellite dishes, receivers, program packages, PVRs, DVRs, HDTV – what does it all mean? How can you even begin to think of buying a satellite tv system when you’re bombarded with all these meaningless terms? So suppose you really knew exactly how satellite tv works? Wouldn’t that put you in a more positive position? Wouldn’t that allow you to make an informed decision when shopping for a satellite tv system?

Many people simply take their television for granted. They just assume that when they turn it on, picture and sound appear like magic. When the channel gets snowy, they hit the side of the television to get it working again.

Amazingly, sometimes, it does.

But have you ever wondered how your favorite television program gets to your house from a broadcast station thousands of miles away? How about from a satellite dish? Just what is this technology that spends so much time entertaining and enlightening us that it could be considered a part of the family?

Have you noticed that everything in the electronics field is getting smaller and smaller, while at the same time becoming better and better? Cell phones are getting smaller, while the connections get better. Stereos and speakers are getting smaller, while the sound gets better. Digital cameras are in there, too. And it seems that the smaller they get, the more efficient they are. Why is that?

Can moviemaking be made simple? We think so. So do camcorder manufacturers. In fact, that’s been their goal from the beginning – to create a filming system that’ll produce theater-quality images and sound, but can be operated by an amateur. But before you can make those movies, you need to know how camcorders work. And camcorders are designed for simple use. But you still have to have a basic understanding of videography. So that’s what we’re going to give you here. And we’ll start at the basics of basics: the word “video”.

So you’re sitting in front of the TV, watching your favorite show. You're probably not giving much thought to exactly how this program got to you, or where it came from. If it happens to be a live broadcast, then you'll know its original location, but do you know how it's actually sent to you?