Here’s a term you’ll occasionally hear when talking about satellite television. It really dates back to the 1990s, when satellite TV was still in its infancy. Back then, the most common installation was a 5-meter (roughly 200″) wide dish. You can still occasionally find these rusting out in backyards, but back then they were really the cutting edge of technology. Since then, they’ve gained the nickname “Big Ugly Dish.”
Using one of those 5-meter dishes, it was pretty hard to put together a system to provide TV service for an apartment complex, hotel, or RV park. Those big black,dishes had to be pointed to different satellites all the time, and it was a real pain. Sometimes you needed two dishes or more just to provide the programming you wanted. This made them a very bad choice for apartment complexes and hotels without full-time satellite engineers. Luckily things changed in the mid-1990s.
Then along came DIRECTV and DISH, which use a single dish that’s much smaller. Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) dishes, as they were called, made it easy for homeowners to get satellite TV, and they made it easier for large systems as well. A lot of systems that once used big, ugly dishes started using DIRECTV or DISH instead.
It was about that time that people started using the term “L-Band” to describe the smaller dishes. The term “C-Band” was used for the big, ugly dishes. (I guess the term “big ugly dish” wasn’t professional enough. L-Band and C-Band both refer to the frequencies being used as the programming travels through a cable. The terms themselves date back to World War II when they were used to confuse the enemy.
C-Band is the area between 4 and 8 GHz, while L-Band is the area between 1 and 2 GHz. (strictly speaking, satellite uses the area between .95 GHz and 2.15GHz, but it’s close enough that it’s ok to say “L-Band.”
When you hear of an L-Band system being used today, it tends to mean a “legacy” DIRECTV or DISH system. There will be no SWM or Hybrid system, in other words. Just like the C-Band systems before them, L-Band systems are slowly disappearing in favor of the newest technology. New installs for commercial and apartment users use the same modern technology as home installs. It’s easier to install, uses less wire, and is easier to support.
Still, there are a lot of L-band installs out there, because owners figure if it’s not broke, there’s no need to fix it. These receivers are out there either in individual rooms or as part of a headend system. Chances are, they’ll be there until the last replacement part is all used up. That’s probably going to be a while since these systems are pretty darn reliable.
If you have a commercial building or any operation where you want live TV, you could go through the local cable company. They’ll give you the same “great” service you might be getting now at home. Or, you can upgrade to real customer service. Call the experts at Signal Connect. They can recommend an industrial-grade satellite TV system that’s more reliable than cable, less expensive than cable, and just plain works. Not only that, they’ll give you a level of customer service that’s far more than you could ever expect.
Call us at 888-233-7563, use the chat button at lower right, or fill out the form below. The choice is yours!
The post What is L-Band satellite? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
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Back in the days of the Big Ugly Dish…
Using one of those 5-meter dishes, it was pretty hard to put together a system to provide TV service for an apartment complex, hotel, or RV park. Those big black,dishes had to be pointed to different satellites all the time, and it was a real pain. Sometimes you needed two dishes or more just to provide the programming you wanted. This made them a very bad choice for apartment complexes and hotels without full-time satellite engineers. Luckily things changed in the mid-1990s.
1994: Enter the 18″ dish
Then along came DIRECTV and DISH, which use a single dish that’s much smaller. Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) dishes, as they were called, made it easy for homeowners to get satellite TV, and they made it easier for large systems as well. A lot of systems that once used big, ugly dishes started using DIRECTV or DISH instead.
It was about that time that people started using the term “L-Band” to describe the smaller dishes. The term “C-Band” was used for the big, ugly dishes. (I guess the term “big ugly dish” wasn’t professional enough. L-Band and C-Band both refer to the frequencies being used as the programming travels through a cable. The terms themselves date back to World War II when they were used to confuse the enemy.
What do these bands mean?
C-Band is the area between 4 and 8 GHz, while L-Band is the area between 1 and 2 GHz. (strictly speaking, satellite uses the area between .95 GHz and 2.15GHz, but it’s close enough that it’s ok to say “L-Band.”
When you hear of an L-Band system being used today, it tends to mean a “legacy” DIRECTV or DISH system. There will be no SWM or Hybrid system, in other words. Just like the C-Band systems before them, L-Band systems are slowly disappearing in favor of the newest technology. New installs for commercial and apartment users use the same modern technology as home installs. It’s easier to install, uses less wire, and is easier to support.
Still, there are a lot of L-band installs out there, because owners figure if it’s not broke, there’s no need to fix it. These receivers are out there either in individual rooms or as part of a headend system. Chances are, they’ll be there until the last replacement part is all used up. That’s probably going to be a while since these systems are pretty darn reliable.
Ready to step up to satellite TV? Here’s what you do
If you have a commercial building or any operation where you want live TV, you could go through the local cable company. They’ll give you the same “great” service you might be getting now at home. Or, you can upgrade to real customer service. Call the experts at Signal Connect. They can recommend an industrial-grade satellite TV system that’s more reliable than cable, less expensive than cable, and just plain works. Not only that, they’ll give you a level of customer service that’s far more than you could ever expect.
Call us at 888-233-7563, use the chat button at lower right, or fill out the form below. The choice is yours!
The post What is L-Band satellite? appeared first on The Solid Signal Blog.
Continue reading...
