PrimeStar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PrimeStar is a now-defunct U.S. direct broadcast satellite (DBS) organization formed in 1991. PrimeStar was the first DBS system in the United States but slowly declined in popularity with the arrival of DirecTV in 1994 and DISH Network in 1996.
PrimeStar, unlike modern high-powered DBS systems, was a medium-powered DBS-style system utilizing FSS technology that used a larger 3-foot (91 cm) satellite dish to receive signals (as most FSS satellites require). Unlike DirecTV, PrimeStar was owned by a consortium of cable television companies and the viewer did not own their equipment (the participating cable company did). PrimeStar was also more limited in its ability to add new channels to its system. PrimeStar used the older DigiCipher 1 system for digital compression of analog satellite signals.
PrimeStar Partners sold its assets to Hughes (former parent company of DirecTV) in 1999 and the service was shut off. An interesting after-effect of PrimeStar's demise is that a large quantity of old PrimeStar satellite dishes still exist and are popular among hobbyists for satellite TV (old Primestar dishes can still be used to receive free-to-air (FTA) satellite broadcasts on the Ku band transponders of FSS satellites) and for wireless computer networking as high-gain Wi-Fi antennas (with some modification). However, the old PrimeStar set-top boxes do not appear to have any usefulness.
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- AlphaStar, a defunct satellite broadcaster that also used medium-powered FSS satellites and larger dishes.
- DirecTV, a direct competitor using high-powered DBS satellites and smaller dishes.
- DISH Network, a direct competitor using high-powered DBS satellites and smaller dishes.
- Star Choice, a Canadian broadcaster using medium-powered FSS satellites and larger dishes.
- Bell ExpressVu, a Canadian broadcaster using high-powered DBS satellites and smaller dishes.
- Free to Air
