How does DIRECTV work without a DISH?

DIRECTV is a satellite television provider that offers its clients choice of over four hundred channels of TV programs, news, sports, etc. DIRECTV is not a cable or fibre optic based service but a satellite service that delivers content directly to consumers’ homes. However, where does DIRECTV transmit its signals when a customer does not have a satellite dish?

Services That DIRECTV Offers While It Is Not Using a Dish

Most of the DIRECTV customers find it necessary to fix a small satellite dish on their homes and then orient it towards the satellites that orbit round the earth. The dish then gathers all the signals beaming from the satellites and feeds them into the home through coaxial cables.

However, there are some cases when the customers do not need to install a dish in their homes to receive DIRECTV service. The three main alternative methods are:The three main alternative methods are:

1. DIRECTV over IP

2. Third Party Master Antenna Television Systems

3. A stand mounted dish is used to make a temporary setup.

   Understanding DIRECTV Over IP

   An example of a service offered by DIRECTV is called DIRECTV over IP that is quite unique. The name is quite explanatory; this is a platform through which the company transmits video through the internet, not satellite.

   To achieve this, DIRECTV has collaborated with several ISPs to integrate DIRECTV services into their network platforms. Therefore, as long as the customer has a high-speed internet connection from an approved partner provider, they can get all their regular DIRECTV programming without any dish equipment at their home.

   From the customer perspective, the delivery and quality of services offered by the DIRECTV over IP network is similar to the satellite service. The consumers will be able to enjoy the same high-quality channel package, EPG, DVR capabilities, Video on Demand content, and much more. The main difference is in the receiving and transmission of video streams through the home’s IP network instead of through a dish on the roof.

   Expanding on Existing Master Antenna TV Links

   Another opportunity where DIRECTV can be offered without the external dish is in the MATV system building. Normally installed in condos, apartments, hotels and assisted living facilities, a MATV employs a common antenna system to get off-air tv signals and then broadcast these to a multitude of residencies via internal wiring and jacks.

   In such infrastructure, integrating DIRECTV involves incorporating the provider’s content into this common distribution platform. This usually involves installing a single small DIRECTV satellite dish on top of the building which is connected to wiring that runs to each unit. From there, residents can get full DIRECTV programming from already in-place in-home outlets without requiring a separate dish installation.

   MATV distribution for DIRECTV not only solves dish installation problems in restricted communities, but also enables the provider to directly communicate with owners of buildings instead of each tenant, so as to have contractual agreements to install MATV distribution systems for each unit. By this strategy, DIRECTV has found a way to bring services to millions of other living spaces in the country.

   Temporary Setups: A DIRECTV Stand Mount Dish

   The last dishless way of getting DIRECTV uses a temporary dish meant to be movable from one place to another. Known by technicians as a DIRECTV Slimline stand mount dish, this small oval shaped dish comes mounted on a solid base with wheels. The mobility of the dish further enables customers to wheel this in and out as and when they want to watch DIRECTV.

   These stand mount units also come equipped with a multi switch which helps in linking it to one or more receivers in a given property. It is just necessary to park the freestanding dish nearby, insert flat cables from the dish to the rooms where the DIRECTV will be viewed and enjoy the service on standard receivers. No need to install anything on roofs or windows, agree to keep the devices permanently, or external wiring that crosses through a house.

   Stand mount dishes are especially useful for DIRECTV installations in rented facilities, seasonal cottages, or even in RVs that take satellite signals on the road. Every time they are through with the DIRECTV watching they just plug the cables and roll the dish away.

   Benefits of Choosing DIRECTV without Dish

   While satellite dishes traditionally facilitate DIRECTV delivery, the three dishless options explored provide unique benefits many customers find appealing:While satellite dishes traditionally facilitate DIRECTV delivery, the three dishless options explored provide unique benefits many customers find appealing:

   • Do not have external dish installation problems – Many complexes, condos, apartments, historical buildings, and other structures do not allow residents to install permanent mounting brackets for the dishes. Luckily, Dishless DIRECTV does not have to face these problems.

   • Gain access to millions of living spaces – There were millions of multi-dwelling units which DIRECTV was unable to penetrate since installation of individual dishes was not possible. This has now been made possible through shared MATV and IP distribution.

   • Preserve the look – Homeowners who do not want their exteriors to be spoiled by visible hardware embrace equipment-free access.

   • Allow for portability – The rolling stand mount dishes let the subscribers transport DIRECTV for seasonal and traveling purposes.

   The Future of Dishless DIRECTV Service

   Although satellite dishes are still prominent since the advent of DIRECTV in 1994, new distribution systems are revolutionizing delivery strategies. As more consumers opt out of cable television and seek more diverse ways to watch content, DIRECTV remains on the forefront of shifting toward IP streaming and shared MATV systems.

   To be specific, DIRECTV expects that one third of customer addition will stem from dishless platforms in the next couple of years. Between eradicating the density of the hardware to population areas and facilitating viewer’s mobility, the vanishing dishes augment the functionality of DIRECTV in reaching the next generation of television viewers.

   Hence while the roof mounted dish for years showed the typical DIRECTV service, the door is now open for additional sixty million homes for enjoying satellite entertainment without this equipment. Due to progressive distribution technology, the best in television via DIRECTV is more easily obtainable than ever before – dishless.