The use of D*

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tward_biteme1

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Sep 24, 2003
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Just something that has been bothering me, and I have never seen anyone ask why before....

Why do people use D* to refer to DirecTV?

I understand the use of E* for EchoSTAR, but D* for DirecTV... it just bothers me!

:) :) :?: :?:
 
It's a tradition within DBS discussion forums.

Once upon a time all of the DBS companies (except for DirecTV/USSB) had the word "star" in the last part of their name - Echostar, Alphastar and Primestar, so people used to abbreviate them E*, A* and P* in the discussion forums to save room and keystrokes. To be fair, DirecTV got labeled D*. I guess we could call Voom "V*" too.

As you know, A* and P* are no more, so we only have D* and E* left (and now we have V*).

A consise chart with dates of various companies launching and dying can be found here (edit: but this chart appears to no longer be maintained - it only goes up to 2001).

Alphastar started in July 1996 and ceased sometime in 1997.
 
tward_biteme1 said:
Just something that has been bothering me, and I have never seen anyone ask why before....

Why do people use D* to refer to DirecTV?

I understand the use of E* for EchoSTAR, but D* for DirecTV... it just bothers me!

:) :) :?: :?:


E*, P* and A* was easy and it made sence but the DTV users were to damn lazy to spell it out.
 
<<I understand the use of E* for EchoSTAR, but D* for DirecTV... it just bothers me! >>

Wow! If that's all you've got to keep you up nights, you're living a blessed life! Wish I had your lack of real worries! <G>
 
Didn't say it kept me up at night!! Just always bugged me when reading the satellite forums!!
 
I wondered why they call DirecTv, D* as well. Mainly because there is no star in DirecTv's name.
Yes i can see
P* for primestar
A* for Alphastar
E* for Echostar

But not D* for DirecTv unless they change thier name to DirecTvstar.
 
Because the other abbreviation, DTV, means Digital TV. It's just an easy shorthand that can't be mistaken for anything else. If you type as slowly as I do then every push of a key counts. :)
 
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