Due to its availability, on-air television remains the most popular among the population of the post-Soviet states. But if in large cities its quality can be considered satisfactory, then it is practically impossible to set up at least a dozen channels with a minimum of "noise" in the countryside. At the same time, your financial capabilities will not solve anything: even the most expensive antenna will have to be turned around in an attempt to catch a wave.
If you are a true teleman, then satellite TV will become your way out. Unlike on-air television, which uses an analog signal, satellite TV is broadcast via digital technology, which provides unrivaled picture and sound quality. In this article, we will talk about existing proposals on the territory of the CIS countries, and you decide which satellite TV to choose.
How satellite TV is arranged
Several geostationary satellites are used to broadcast TV channels in this system, which constantly "see" each other. Thus, they can send a radio signal from a terrestrial telecentre to anywhere in the world. At the same time, the quality of the signal transmitted to the receiver is absolutely independent of the terrain, which can not be said for broadcast television, whose waves circulate the surface of the planet during propagation.
The altitude of the orbit of geostationary satellites is selected in such a way that the angular velocity of their rotation coincides with the angular velocity of the Earth's rotation. In this case, the satellite is "tied" to one locality, while maintaining a constant position in the sky relative to the parabolic antenna-receiver.
NTV +
On saturation by channels this satellite TV package is the leader in Russia and neighboring countries. To watch TV channels, you need to have special equipment and an access card. Customers of NTV + can choose one of several packages, each of which has its own cost. So, the main package, called "Light West", includes 90 channels. It costs only 29 rubles.per month.
The equipment used to view NTV + should support the MPEG-4 standard. This requirement is due to HD-quality channels.
Tricolor TV
As part of this package, the user can view a number of popular Russian TV channels. Broadcasts Tricolor TV are accepted with high quality:
- on the territory of Russia;
- in Belarus;
- other CIS countries.
To get access, you need to purchase a special tuner with an inside decoder.
During the first year after connection, subscribers can watch about 170 channels. Since August 2013, the package included 27 channels of HD-quality. To enjoy viewing them, you must have an HD receiver GS 8306 or 9303. After a year, the user is offered a choice of one of three packages:
- Basic + Optimum and Super-Optimum: 600 rubles;
- Maximum HD: 900 rubles;
- only Basic: for free.
The basic package includes 10 main channels.
The cost of equipment that you have to pay for the initial connection is slightly higher than that of NTV +, but it is compensated by a lower subscription fee.
The latest innovation from Tricolor TV will please fans of the cinema: a package of 24 cinemas, which includes 24 television channels specializing in film screenings. The package is broadcasted according to the MPEG-4 standard, so to view it you need the latest version of the tuner of the 8th or 9th series.
Three-satellite broadcast system Hotbird-Sirius-Amos
This system is popular due to relatively cheap equipment and free broadcast of TV channels. It is more suitable for those who live in Ukraine, since it includes about 40 Ukrainian channels, while Russian television is represented by only ten channels. Along with this, about 500 channels of different countries of the European Union can be watched via the Hotbird, Sirius and Amos satellites, which, of course, will interest foreigners staying in the territory of the post-Soviet states.
In addition to these satellites, the broadcasting of TV channels is carried out by the ABS1 satellite 75gr, tuned to which you can access 15 Russian television channels. However, experts note the relatively high complexity of the equipment of this satellite system, which can result in unforeseen costs during operation.
Despite the minimal number of Russian-language channels, the described satellite TV systems are quite popular due to free access. Such television is an excellent option for those who often and for a long time go to the country.
Swan TV
This project is primarily aimed at the viewer audience in Ukraine, but may also interest Russian-speaking users in other countries. Conquering "a place in the sun", the operator offers rather low prices for his package. For those who join up to the end of 2013, there is an action: free use of the package for 3 years.
The access module, card, MPEG-4 standard receiver( with C-interface) is issued to the customer when connected. To receive the signal, an antenna of any diameter, set at an angle of 36 degrees with respect to the horizon, is suitable.
Rainbow TV
If Tricolor TV is too boring for you, and NTV + is expensive, then it's better to connect the satellite TV to Rainbow TV.For satellite TV subscribers, this is something like a golden mean. Rainbow TV is inferior to NTV + packages in terms of the number of sports or "film" channels, but is ahead of the saturation. Tricolor TV, offering subscribers not only Russian, but also a number of foreign channels. For example, such popular channels as Discovery, Animal Planet and National Geographic are broadcast. The annual contract with the supplier company will cost 3,000 rubles.
Unfortunately, Rainbow TV is not the best satellite TV for the people of Belarus. Due to the low position of the satellite above the horizon, it is necessary to install antennas with a large diameter. But even this does not save us from quality problems during the weather deterioration.
Free satellite TV
Some television channels that broadcast via satellite can be watched for free. These broadcasts, which are publicly available, are designated by the abbreviation FTA.To watch, it is enough to purchase a satellite dish with three converters and an ordinary tuner. Among the inhabitants of such a system is known as the "Dragon".
The market of satellite TV does not stand still, new companies and new offers appear. We advise you to carefully study the terms of the contract before you connect to a satellite TV.Unscrupulous companies may stipulate in the contract the so-called.hidden payments, the need for which the user learns after connecting and making a down payment.
