Different Sources

Streaming Sources

Digital Satellite: the outsider.
Digital satellite is an extremely promising concept. For the moment, the programmes broadcast in this fashion are only in Dolby Surround stereo. The technology used - very high flow digital - means that it will possible, in the near future, to reproduce a Dolby Digital or DTS signal. The audio and video quality will be strictly the same, in all senses, as that of a DVD, with the exception of having direct access to certain tracks or the possibilities of Pause, Fast Forward and Rewind.

Indeed, it is possible to receive, by means of digital satellite, exactly the same information as that carried on a DVD, with the added advantage of not having to buy a player or store the programme physically. The digital satellite also manages computer data, including giving access to internet, or the downloading of software at a speed which is unequalled at the current time. The only constraint when you are using the satellite to surf the net comes from the fact that a telephone line is needed for the establishment of the connection.

Generally, the main operators simply rent out their digital receivers, and subscriptions generally don’t exceed approx. 45 Euros/month, which is the same as buying one or two DVD’s. In addition, the payment of a screening (pay per view) works out to around 6 or 7 Euros per film, which is four or five times cheaper than buying a DVD.

It is thus evident that digital satellite will become an important source of Home Cinema. It’s only drawback is that its utilisation is less flexible (impossible for the moment to decide the time of the screening, absence of pause, rewind and fast forward).

The cable, competitor of the satellite.
The cable has all the advantages of the satellite, with a slight supplementary advantage: you don’t have to use a telephone to have access to the internet. This being said, the data flow is slightly inferior to that of satellite.

Related articles

Tutorials