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DirecTV

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

DIRECTV, Inc.
Type	Subsidiary of The DirecTV Group
Founded	1994
Headquarters	El Segundo, CA, USA
Key people	Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Chase Carey, President & CEO
Industry	Telecommunication
Products	Direct broadcast satellite
Revenue	US$14.76 billion (year ending 31 December 2006)[1]
Slogan	Good TV, Better TV, DirecTV.
Website	directv.com

A standard DirecTV satellite dish with 1 LNB on a roof

DirecTV (trademarked as "DIRECTV") is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service based in El Segundo, California, USA, that transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America except for Mexico. Its primary competitors are Dish Network and cable providers.

DirecTV is owned by DirecTV Group, which was controlled by News Corporation. In November 2006, News Corp. reportedly agreed to transfer its interest in DirecTV Group to John Malone's Liberty Media. In return it reportedly bought back Liberty's shares in News Corp. News Corporation remains its largest shareholder at this time.

In addition to consumers, DirecTV offers service to bars, restaurants, hotels, dorms, and hospitals through their DirecTV for business service. The company also offered mobile service for cars, boats, and RVs (DirecTV Mobile) as well as aircraft (DirecTV Airborne) in cooperation with Connexion by Boeing.

General information

DirecTV typically uses a fixed 18-inch diameter dish antenna to receive its signals. Traditionally an 18×24-inch elliptical was used, however most new installations use an 18x20-inch antenna to receive signals from three geostationary satellite positions simultaneously. These systems are becoming more common as DirecTV attempts to squeeze more programming onto their growing systems. DTV is now installing a dish that has five LNBs for HDTV programming and local channels in selected markets. These systems receive signals from up to 5 separate satellites in both the K_u-band and K_a-band.

The new DirecTV HD channels require a H20/HR20 or H21/HR21 set top box (STB). In order to receive the new HD channels (channels added in late September 2007), viewers must have a B-Band converter installed. If the converter is not installed, viewers can only receive older HD channels (channels 70-99). The HR20 and HR21 are HD digital video recorder (DVR) models.

The new STB's support the ATSC standard (for over-the-air broadcasts) and also include QAM Tuner; however the H21/HR21 does not have an ATSC tuner. In addition, there is HDMI support for HDTVs with a HDMI port. New STB's also support MPEG-4 standard for HD Programming.

DirecTV is expected to offer new equipment in 2008 such as the AM21, an ATSC add-on for the HR21, the HR21-Pro, an HD-DVR for more recording space (100 hours HD, 400 hours SD), a DVR scheduler, and the HDPC-20, a PC type receiver and DVR for computers.

As of 31 December 2006, DirecTV had approximately 16 million customers in the U.S., 1.4 million in Latin America through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, 1.3 million through its 74% ownership of Sky Brasil Servicos Ltda., and 1.4 million though its 41% ownership of Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V. of Mexico.^[1] 2006 revenues were US$14.76 billion.^[1]

In late July 2006, DirecTV added several channels to their online guide that are apparently not available to subscribers — these include UK-based Sky Sports One, Sky One and Sky News. The three are channels that are generally available to satellite television viewers in the United Kingdom, though Sky News has been made available in other countries internationally.

History

This article or section may contain an inappropriate mixture of prose and timeline. Please help convert this timeline into prose or, if necessary, a list.

• In 1981, Stanley S. Hubbard founded United States Satellite Broadcasting and was a leading proponent for the development of direct broadcast satellite service in the United States. USSB was awarded 5 frequencies at the coveted 101 degree west satellite location by the FCC. Hughes Communications, a unit of GM Hughes Electronics, was also awarded 27 frequencies at the same 101 degree location. After waiting many years, the technology evolved to enable the building of very high power satellites and digital compression(MPEG 2) standards were developed that allowed multiple digital television channels to be sent through each satellite frequency. After Hughes failed to complete a joint venture to launch the first high power digital television service called Sky Cable, the company created DIRECTV and secured an agreement with USSB to build and launch the first high power DBS satellite system. Hughes/DIRECTV then turned to Thomson Consumer Electronics (under the RCA brand) to develop the digital satellite system for the service that would be capable of receiving 175 channels on a small 18-inch dish. These dishes utilized a new generation of smaller, lighter receiver dishes based on military technology introduced by the Global Broadcast System (GBS), which predated DirecTV's viability by almost 10 years. Hughes was awarded the contract to build and launch the new high powered satellites and USSB and DIRECTV agreed that the new satellites would carry the two separate programming services: USSB and DirecTV.
• In 1994, the USSB and DirecTV programming services were launched. Digital Equipment Corporation provided the hardware for DIRECTV, Matrix Marketing (part of Cincinnati Bell) provided customer care, and DBS Systems created the billing software, and is still the provider (as Amdocs) to this day.
• In 1998, DirecTV acquired USSB for $1.3 billion.
• In 1999, DirecTV acquired PrimeStar for $1.83 billion.
• In 2000, DirecTV abandons the Japanese market.
• In 2002, DirecTV was the Mexican licensed broadcaster for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
• In 2003, a merger with EchoStar, owner of Dish Network, fell through.
• In 2004, DirecTV abandons the Mexican market, though it maintains 41% ownership of Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V.^[1]

Number of DirecTV subscribers by year

• On December 22, 2003, General Motors sold controlling interest in Hughes Electronics to News Corporation.
• On November 15, 2005, DirecTV stopped carrying Music Choice audio-only channels, replacing it with 73 channels of XM Satellite Radio.
• In November 2006, News Corporation announced its intention to transfer its 39 per cent managing interest in DirecTV Group to John Malone's Liberty Media; in return it bought back Liberty's shares in News Corp., giving the Murdoch family tighter control of the latter firm.[1]
• On January 9, 2007, DirecTV announced^[2] that they would introduce up to 100 national HD channels during 2007, all of which would be MPEG-4 encoded.
• In 2007, DirecTV abandons the Brazilian market (the customers being migrated to the 74% DTV-owned Brazilian affiliate of SKY Latin America).^[1]

• As of June 30, 2007, DirecTV had 16.32 million subscribers.
• September 26, 2007, DirecTV launched their HDTV services at 6:00 AM EDT with 21 new channels. More will be launched in October through end of the year.
• October 15, 2007, DirecTV announces that they now have 70 national high-definition channels available, with up to 100 coming by year end.
• December 13, 2007, DirecTV is reported to buy out ReplayTV.

Management

• Chase Carey, President and Chief Executive Officer
• Bruce B. Churchill, President, DIRECTV Latin America and New Enterprises
• Larry D. Hunter, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
• Michael D. Palkovic, Executive Vice President
• Romulo C. Pontual, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
• Patrick T. Doyle, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
• J. William Little, Senior Vice President and Treasurer
• John Murphy, Senior Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer

The newest DirecTV "D2" access card (front)

The newest DirecTV "D2" access card (back)

Receivers

Directv and other companies had been manufacturing receivers for Directv. Other company's directv receivers had been phased out and directv now designs their own models from companies such as, Pace Micro Technology of Britain, LG of Korea, and Thompson of France.

DIRECTV® Receiver is a common standard-definition model.

DIRECTV® HD Receiver is a receiver which can receive an HD signal and broadcast in 1080i resolution.

DIRECTV Plus® DVR is a standard receiver with a built-in digital video recorder. It can store up to 100 hours of programming.

The DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR the most advanced receiver in the lineup, it has HD and DVR in one unit. The DIRECTV Plus® HD DVR also features Media Share, allowing you to enjoy photos and music stored on your Intel® Viiv™ processor technology-based PC — on your TV.

DIRECTV® Sat-Go (“Satellite-To-Go”) is the world's first portable satellite TV system. It combines a receiver, antenna and TV all in one easy-to-carry unit.

Directv has introduced a new line of remotes to go with their new receivers.

Universal Remote (All remotes control receiver, TV, and two other devices.) An infrared remote that is pointed at the receiver to operate and stores device control codes, even when batteries are changed.

Universal RF Remote This remote can do everything the Infrared can do, and more. It's Radio Frequency (RF) capable so you don't have to point your remote at the receiver to control it. Change channels from other rooms, fast-forward through walls and adjust volume through the floor.

Big Button Remote Larger than the standard DIRECTV remote, the Big Button Remote has bigger buttons and type so you can control your DIRECTV® System more easily.

Access card history

DirecTV transmits programming with encryption to mitigate signal piracy. The receiver (also known as an IRD, or "integrated receiver-decoder") utilizes ISO 7816 smart cards which tell the receiver how to decrypt the programming for viewing. In a continuing effort to combat piracy, an access card generation is created approximately every two years, superseding the old set. DirecTV is now utilizing a fifth generation of access cards.

• P1, also known as F cards, were used until 1997. F cards have a picture of a satellite on the front.
• P2, also known as H cards, were introduced in 1996 and eventually replaced F cards. H cards look the same as F cards. H cards were in use until 2002.
• P3, also known as HU cards, were introduced in 1999 and are no longer supported. HU cards have a picture of a football player on the front. HU cards originally shipped with receivers with serial numbers above 0001 700 000. These were removed from circulation due to high piracy plaguing the system.
• P4 cards were introduced in 2002 and are currently still in use. P4 cards are labeled "Access Card: 4."
• D1 cards were introduced in 2004 following compatibility problems with the P4 cards in some receivers. These cards can be identified by the silver edges, and simply bear the word "DirecTV" on the front (no number).
• D2/P12 cards were introduced in 2005. This is the current "standard issue" card. These cards can be identified by a two-toned blue dot pattern resembling the DirecTV logo in addition to the DirecTV logo and the words "DirecTV Access Card". This card has a picture of a satellite on the front. The period 12 card is the only card that will work with R15, H20, and HR20 series receivers.

DirecTV has long been a victim of an active signal piracy underground, but has recently begun to crack down on illegal reception of its signals. On its anti-piracy website, DirecTV claims to have sued over 24,000 end users as of March 17, 2004, including celebrity O.J. Simpson. Although the DirectTV signal has been broken, the hack remains in mainly private hands and has thus far not been widely released to the public, mainly due to the difficulty and high cost of the hack.

High-definition television (HDTV)

DirecTV AT-9 5-LNB "Sidecar" satellite dish

Like its competitors, DirecTV offers high-definition television (HDTV) and interactive services.

To handle the proliferation of bandwidth-intensive HDTV broadcasting, DirecTV rebroadcasts local HDTV stations using the H.264/MPEG-4 AVC codec while employing a newer transmission protocol (DVB-S2) over the SPACEWAY-1 and SPACEWAY-2 satellites. This allows DirecTV to squeeze much more HD programming over its satellite signal than was previously feasible using the older MPEG-2 compression and DSS protocol it has been using.

Receiving the channels encoded in MPEG-4 requires newer receivers, such as the H20 as well as the 5-LNB K_a/K_u dish. DirecTV has contracted with Britain's Pace Micro Technology, Korea's LG Electronics and France's Thomson to manufacture these new receivers. Pace manufactures the DirecTV Plus HD DVR (Model HR20-700, and HR21-700) and LG Electronics offers the Model H20-600 receiver, while Thomson provides the Model H20-100 and HR20-100 DVR receivers. DirecTV has admitted to software issues with some of the H20 receivers and HR20 DVRs, which have been plagued with random problems since they were released in mid-2006. DirecTV regularly released software updates for the HR20 receivers, in an effort to reduce issues to an acceptable level.

DirecTV has phased out its TiVo-branded HD DVR, the HR10-250, which can only decode the older MPEG-2 signals. All DirecTV-delivered local HDTV stations (outside of the NYC and LA network stations) are encoded in MPEG-4. The HR10-250 will not be able to receive these local HDTV stations in these markets but can still receive over-the-air ATSC broadcasts in these markets.

Local channels

DirecTV also offers local channels (CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, PBS, The CW, MyNetworkTV, ION Television (in markets that carry that network), and some independent stations) for many markets. In markets that lack a CW affiliate, DirecTV includes WDCW from Washington, DC or KSWB from San Diego. Subscribers located where they cannot receive a decent terrestrial television signal can receive feeds from New York and Los Angeles for CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox, as well as a feed from the Washington, DC CW affiliate, though a waiver from the local affiliate stations may be required to allow this, approved at their discretion. National PBS and ION channels are also available.

In the largest markets, local channels are carried on the satellite at 101°W. In some smaller markets, the local channels are carried on a second satellite located at 119°W which requires a slightly larger dish with two or three LNBs or the newer Ka/Ku 5-LNB dish. In a few smaller markets, local stations are located on a satellite at 72.5°W that requires a second dish to be installed.

In late-2005, DirecTV began providing local HDTV channels to the largest markets, requiring newer receivers with a larger dish capable of receiving signals from up to five satellites at once. The Ku-band signals on the newer Ka/Ku dish are received from 101°W, 110°W, and 119°W, while Ka-band signals are from 99°W and 103°W.

Local television channels are transmitted over optical fiber links, Ku-band satellite uplink, microwave, and conventional terrestrial transmission to uplink centers located throughout the United States.

Satellite fleet

Source: DirecTV.com and Lyngsat.com

Galaxy 3C is operated by Intelsat. DirecTV leases non-DBS FSS transponders for international programming under the auspices of the DirecTV World Direct package. DirecTV-2 having reached the end of its useful life span, on April 16, 2007, the FCC granted DirecTV's request to conduct operations to deorbit the satellite, it was subsequently removed from service in May 2007. DirecTV-3 was removed from service in Oct 2002 and sent to a storage orbit as a on-orbit backup. It returned to service in 2003 having been leased to Telesat, which used the satellite as backup for its troubled Nimiq-2 at 82 degrees West under the designation Nimiq-2i. In 2004 the satellite was moved to back up Nimiq-1 and is now operated under the name Nimiq-3. DirecTV-6 went out of service August 15, 2006 and sent to a graveyard orbit having suffered damage from a solar flare in April 1997 as well as other solar array and power fluctuation problems.^{[citation needed]}

Marketing and commercials

Beginning in 2006, DirecTV began a series of commercials in which characters from popular movies and television shows appear to promote the product. The original actors from these productions normally reprise their roles, and are inserted in using blue screen technology. These ads tout the service's picture quality and the number of channels available in high-definition. (According to a recent survey conducted by Bank of America, DirecTV will soon offer 150 channels in HD, three times more than any cable provider.)

These characters include Captain Kirk (William Shatner) (Star Trek), Bill Harding (Bill Paxton) (Twister) , The Economics Teacher (Ben Stein) (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) (Back to the Future), C.J. Parker (Pamela Anderson) (Baywatch), Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) (Major League), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) (Entourage), and Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) (Aliens). Also in this series of commercials were Peyton Manning promoting NFL Sunday Ticket and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. promoting NASCAR Hot Pass. Cartoon characters have also been used in the ads, beginning with Scooby-Doo and the Mystery, Inc. gang.

Customer Service

DirecTV's customer service is provided by many call centers both inside and outside the United States. N.E.W. provides technical assistance by phone to customers who subscribe to DirecTV's Protection Plan. Most of the call centers are run by other companies who are contracted to provide agents to answer customer phone calls regarding billing or technical questions.^{[citation needed]}

Telemarketing violations

In December 2005 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission imposed a $5.3 million penalty on DirecTV for its violations of federal telemarketing regulations. It was the largest civil penalty the FTC had ever announced in a case enforcing any consumer protection law.^[3] DirecTV continues to sell services to existing U.S. customers via telephone, through companies such as Teleservices Direct, an Indiana-based telemarketing firm.

See also

• List of DirecTV channels
• NFL Sunday Ticket
• MLB Extra Innings
• CD USA
• XM Satellite Radio
• Commercialization of space
• Satellite television
• satellite dish
• List of United States cable and satellite television networks
• Videoguard

References

• "EKB: Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations" by BobaBird, DBStalk, retrieved March 7, 2006
• DirecTV marks 10th anniversary in the Caribbean - Wednesday, January 3, 2007: Trinidad and Tobago Express Newspaper

External links

• DirecTV corporate web site
• DirecTV's Sat-Go - The world's first portable satellite tv system
• "EKB: Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations" by BobaBird, DBStalk, retrieved March 7, 2006
• Stock Updates (DTV)