Dish Network Satellite TV

Dish Network is one of the most popular satellite TV providers in the United States today. Alongside their rival, DirecTV, Dish Network satellite TV is the main company providing satellite TV broadcasting to millions of homes all across America. The company also offers services like audio programming and interactive television to American households, as well. The company launched operations in 1996 and is based out of Englewood, Colorado. They currently serve around 13.58 million subscribers! In 2008, the Dish Network company was spun off the EchoStar company. In Canada, Dish Network is available under the name Dish Network Canada.

The Dish Network Satellite Fleet and Satellite Dishes

Dish Network offers different types of satellite receiving equipment to go along with the signals that are broadcast from the diverse range of satellites in their fleet. Dish Network bought up the broadcast assets of the ailing satellite provider Voom (which specialized in HD TV) in 2005, and expanded its own HD TV programming offerings that way.

The satellite dishes that Dish Network subscribers include those designed specifically for HD TV receiving and the more regular dishes not built for HD signals. You can get both a standard receiver and one that has a built in digital video recorder - also known as a DVR. A DVR allows you to stop, pause, rewind, fast forward and record live television programming, giving Dish Network subscribers the ability to more thoroughly control their television watching experience. You can catch shows you missed by recording them to watch later, rewind a little bit to catch a line you didn't quite hear the first time around, or shoot straight past commercials with DVR capabilities. The DVR addition does cost a little bit more, but Dish Network subscribers generally agree that it is worth the additional cost, since it gives you so many options.

Dish Network Satellite TV Programming

You can get all of the "regular" channels with your Dish Network subscription, like ABC, NBC, and more. Adding local channels usually costs a few dollars more. You can also get several HD only channels that do not have any SD broadcasted counterparts, if you are an HD TV owner, for an additional fee. Other programming benefits Dish Network provides are things like their new free monthly concerts, broadcast on channel 101. This feature mirrors DirecTV's The 101 Network. Dish Network has even struck an exclusive deal with Country Music Television (CMT) to broadcast "CMT Invitation Only," a program that plays concerts and features country music stars. CMT Invitation Only is also available in HD.

Like traditional cable providers, Dish Network channels are available in different packages. The more expensive the package, the more channels you get. For example, their Gold Turbo HD package includes regional sports channels. When choosing the Dish Network satellite TV package that is right for you, pay close attention to the channel line ups each package offers, so you are sure to get all of the channels you want!