DirecTV
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| DIRECTV, Inc. | |
 |
|
| Type | Public NYSE: DTV |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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. DirecTV is owned by DIRECTV Group, which in turn is controlled by Liberty Media.
News Corporation, the previous owner, transferred its 39% managing interest in DIRECTV Group to John Malone's Liberty Media in November 2006; in return it bought back Liberty's shares in News Corp., giving the Murdoch family tighter control of the latter firm.[2]
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[edit] General information
DIRECTV typically uses a fixed 18-inch diameter dish antenna to receive its signals. Traditionally a 18×24-inch elliptical was used, however most new installations use a 18x20 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 Ku-band and Ka-band.
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 viewers — 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.
[edit] History
- In 1981, Stanley Hubbard founded United States Satellite Broadcasting. After 10 years of waiting for technology to catch up, Hubbard approached RCA Consumer Electronics and General Motors subsidiary Hughes Electronics to develop a new generation of digital satellite service capable of delivering 175 channels to 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 DirectTV's viability by almost 10 years. The two agreed to jointly develop and launch the satellite that would carry two programming services: USSB and DirecTV.
- In 1994, the USSB and DirecTV programming services were launched. Digital Equipment Corporation provided the customer-care out of their existing technical support center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- 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 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]
- 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.
- On December 22, 2006, Liberty Media Corp. announced that it will give the 16.3 percent stake Liberty holds in News Corp. back to News Corp. In exchange, Liberty will get a controlling stake in DirecTV Group Inc. plus three regional sports networks and $550 million in cash.
- In 2007, DirecTV abandons the Brazilian market (the customers being migrated to the 74% DTV-owned Brazilian affiliate of SKY Latin America).[1]
[edit] Market adoption
As of February 8, 2007, DirecTV has 16 million subscribers, more than any other in the satellite industry.
[edit] Management
- Chase Carey, President and Chief Executive Officer
- Bruce B. Churchill, Executive Vice President
- Larry D. Hunter, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
- Michael D. Palkovic, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
- Romulo C. Pontual, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
- Patrick T. Doyle, Senior Vice President, Treasurer, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer
[edit] 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 would eventually replace 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 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". They have no number on the front.
- P12 is the newest card DirecTV has begun using. This card was produced for the new generation H20 and HR20 model receivers. These cards can only be used in the H model receivers and no prior period card can be married to an H model receiver. This card has a picture of a satellite on the front.
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. DirecTV bases its suits solely on purchase records of ISO-7816 Smart Card devices.
[edit] High-definition television (HDTV)
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.
DirecTV is defending a lawsuit that alleges DirecTV lowered HDTV picture resolution below that of the industry's accepted definition of HDTV. 1080i is generally understood to mean 1920 x 1080i, whereas DirecTV reduces these channels by one third, to 1280 x 1088i. DirecTV counters that its high definition picture quality is comparable to or better than that of any other television service. [2]
To receive the channels encoded in MPEG-4 requires newer receivers such as the H20 as well as the 5-LNB Ka/Ku dish. DirecTV has contracted with Britain's Pace Micro Technology plc, Korea's LG Electronics and France's Thomson to manufacture these new receivers. Pace manufactures the DIRECTV Plus HD DVR (Model HR20), LG Electronics offers the Model # H20-600 receiver while Thomson provides the Model # H20-100 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 be not be able to receive these local HDTV stations in these markets but can still receive over-the-air ATSC broadcasts in these markets. On January 9, 2007, DirecTV announced[3] that they would introduce 100 national HD channels during 2007, all of which are expected to be MPEG-4 encoded.
The HD channels offered by DirecTV are:
- 70 - HBO HD
- 71 - Showtime HD
- 72 - ESPN2HD
- 73 - ESPNHD
- 74 - Universal HD
- 75 - TNT HD
- 76 - Discovery HD Theater
- 78 - HDNet Movies
- 79 - HDNet
- 95 - RSN HD
- 96 - RSN HD
- 101 - CD USA
- 622 - YES HD
- 623 - NESN HD
- 625 - Sportsnet NY HD
- 629 - CSN HD
- 98 -National Geographic Channel HD (Only available for a SNEAK Peak; NGCH is not available 24/7)
Future HD channels offered by DirecTV by end of 2007 [3]
- A&E
- Bravo
- Cartoon Network
- CNN
- ESPNews
- Food Network
- FX
- HGTV
- MTV
- National Geographic HD (Only available for a SNEAK Peak; NGCH is not available 24/7)
- NFL Network
- Sci Fi Channel
- Speed Channel
- TBS
- The History Channel
- The Weather Channel
- USA Network
By Early 2008 DirecTV will also have these Disney Networks in HD
- ABC Family HD
- Disney Channel HD
- ESPNEWS HD
- Toon Disney HD
DirecTV also broadcasts FSN and Altitude in HD in various markets, on different channels in the 90s range, for certain games.
DirecTV broadcasts some of the NFL Sunday Ticket package in HD for an additional fee. This service is only available to customers that purchase the NFL Sunday Ticket Super Fan for an additional $99.
Local network affiliates of (CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX) broadcasts in HDTV are available in major markets. DirecTV does not offer KCAL-TV (Channel 9), owned by CBS Corporation, broadcasts in HDTV.
[edit] Satellite fleet
| Satellite | Orbital slot | Launch date | Satellite type |
|---|---|---|---|
| DirecTV-1 | 110.0° W | 17 December 1993 | Hughes Electronics HS-601 |
| DirecTV-2 | 100.8° W | 3 August 1994 | Hughes Electronics HS-601 |
| DirecTV-1R | 100.8° W | 10 October 1999 | Hughes Electronics HS-601HP |
| DirecTV-4S | 101.2° W | 27 November 2001 | Hughes Electronics HS-601HP |
| DirecTV-5 | 72.5° W | 7 May 2002 | Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 |
| DirecTV-6 | 109.8° W | 9 March 1997 | Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 |
| DirecTV-7S | 119.0° W | 4 May 2004 | Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 |
| DirecTV-8 | 101.0° W | 22 May 2005 | Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 |
| DirecTV-9S | 101.1° W | 13 October 2006 | Space Systems/Loral LS-1300 |
| SPACEWAY-1 | 102.8° W | 26 April 2005 | Boeing BSS-702 |
| SPACEWAY-2 | 99.2° W | 16 November 2005 | Boeing BSS-702 |
| DirecTV-10 | To be determined | (est.) 2007 | Boeing BSS-702 |
| DirecTV-11 | To be determined | (est.) 2007 | Boeing BSS-702 |
| DirecTV-12 | To be determined | (est.) 2007 | Boeing BSS-702 |
Source: DirecTV.com
Directv also uses transponders at 95 degrees W to broadcast International programming and cricket.
[edit] 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 WNUV-TV from Baltimore 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, though a waiver from the local 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.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e DirecTV Group Form 10-K, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, dated 1 March 2007, URL retrieved 26 March 2007
- ^ [1]
- ^ DirecTV to carry 100 National HD Channels in 2007
- "EKB: Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations" by BobaBird, DBStalk, retrieved March 7, 2006
- DirecTV marks 10th anniversary in the Caribbean - Wednesday, January 3rd 2007: Trinidad and Tobago Express Newspaper
[edit] See also
- List of DirecTV U.S. 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
- DiSEqC
[edit] External links
- DirecTV corporate web site
- "EKB: Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations" by BobaBird, DBStalk, retrieved March 7, 2006
- Stock Updates (DTV)
