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 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 was controlled by News
Corporation. In November 2006, News Corp. has reportedly agreed to
transfer its interest in DirecTV Group to John Malone's Liberty
Media. In return it will buy back Liberty's shares in News Corp.
In addition to consumers, DirecTV offers service to bars,
restaurants, hotels, dorms, and hospitals through their DirecTV for
business service. The company also offers mobile service for cars,
boats, and RVs (DirecTV Mobile) as well as aircraft (DirecTV
Airborne) in cooperation with Connexion by Boeing.
DirecTV typically uses a fixed 18-inch diameter dish antenna to
receive its signals. Traditionally an 18×24-inch elliptical was
used, however most new installations use an 18x20-inch 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.
The new DirecTV HD requires a new H20/HR21 set top box, or STB. In
order to receive the new HD channels (channels added in late
September 2007), viewers must have a B-Band converter installed. If
the converter is not installed, viewers can only receive older HD
channels (channels 70-99).
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