Determining the different channels on a DIRECTV Dish means determining what frequencies arrive in the IRD (integrated receiver/decoder). The DIRECTV Dish itself is made up of a dish, either oval or round and one, two or three LNB's (low noise block converter. A DIRECTV Dish single LNB is one that receives satellite transmissions from only one orbiting satellite. The DIRECTV Dish double LNB is able to intercept signals from two different satellites. The most advanced antenna at the moment is the DIRECTV Dish triple LNB that intercepts signals from up to three different satellites at once.

DIRECTV Dish Single LNB

When we look up at the satellite dish antenna on the roof pointing up into the sky we notice that the pointer is not facing the sky, but rather, the dish itself. Why is this? Actually, the concept revolves around advanced optics. Beams. Satellite transmission and reception is all about beams. To think about it easily, think like a laser beam that starts out small, but as it picks up distance it spreads out like a giant ice cream cone (the waffle kind). The more distance, the larger the area of the circle beam will be. In essence, a beam will travel only so far, until finally, the signal looses power. In space a signal should keep traveling theoretically, and that is why we have interference in the atmosphere (beams bounce around). Sunlight is a big cause of this kind of interference. But what is important to remember is that beams bounce. The DIRECTV

Dish with one single LNB is designed so that when a satellite beams a signal in the direction of the DIRECTV Dish, it will bounce back to that pointing device called an LNB.

DIRECTV Dish Double LNB

The LNB's used in all DIRECTV Dish antennas do the job of catching a signal that bounces off the dish, from any area that those beams from a satellite might hit the dish. As long as the dish finds itself inside that satellite's broadcasting beam area (remember the ice cream cone) and pointed in the correct direction, the beam signal will bounce correctly and hit the LNB. But satellites stay up in the sky over the equator in an orbit called geosynchronous orbit, and point year round at one area over the earth's surface. In the case of the DIRECTV Dish double LNB, there are two LNB's so that if there are two satellites pointing at an area from different angles still in the general cone area of the dish), the DIRECTV Dish will catch both satellite beams. But this means pointing "between" the two orbiting satellites in geosynchronous orbit above the equator, one next to the other.

DIRECTV Dish Triple LNB

Why would you need to get transmissions from two different satellites? Doesn't one satellite send all the channels in one beam? Not always. A single beam can capture digitally, up to some 12 to 32 different channels. The more powerful a beam the more channels it can send, but in the case of someone with 250 channels, they need to reach other satellites with different transmissions. Thus

a DIRECTV Dish triple LNB catches three different satellite beams from three different positions. In this case, each DIRECTV Satellite is next to the other and your DIRECTV Dish will point to the middle Satellite. Depending on how many channels you want and how many channels are available in a given satellite beam, one, two or three different LNB's might offer more options for satellite transmissions. But it really does depend on your DIRECTV service and how much you pay monthly. The technician will install your DIRECTV Dish for free, and depending on the service you buy, will give you the proper DIRECTV Dish for free as well and even point it in the proper direction. "Buying a DIRECTV Dish means buying a unique service package that only comes with a service that cares about you the consumer."

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About the Author

Gary Davis is owner of http://www.dtv-satellite.com an authorized DIRECTV retailer, has over five years experience in the Satellite TV business and has written numerous articles on the subject.