For more than half a century, television has been one of the main ways of delivering information to many people at the same time, as well as a way to relax after a working day and have fun on the weekend.
Technological progress is moving by leaps and bounds, and the types of broadcasting and the availability of television for the population are changing.
How did television begin
The date on which Soviet television began its reckoning was April 29, 1931, when the first television image was broadcast.
Since then, the development of technology has not stood still. If in Soviet times two televisions per family were a luxury, and the whole family (and sometimes neighbors) gathered to watch evening programs on a single TV channel, now you will not surprise anyone by broadcasting on a tablet or laptop anywhere with Internet access.
Broadcast TV
The most perhaps the main television in Russia is on-air. For its distribution in all cities, television towers are installed - repeaters that amplify the incoming signal.
Due to the massiveness and centralization of this type of broadcasting, the main television channels became available to residents of Russia even in small, remote corners of the country.
In order to receive the broadcast signal at home, you need to install an antenna and connect it to the TV. You can also use a common, collective antenna if you live in an apartment building.
Terrestrial television can be analogue, but in recent years, clearer, digital broadcasting has begun to spread. In order to receive digital terrestrial television, you need to have a TV with a built-in ability to switch the signal from analog to digital. If this is not the case, you can use special TV tuners (set-top boxes for TVs).
Due to the widespread prevalence of on-air TV, the advertising placed on it helps to reach a wide range of consumers.
Cable TV
From the point of view of reaching the audience, such a television occupies a niche opposite to broadcasting. Its main goal is not mass broadcasting and bringing television programs to as many viewers as possible, but the diversity and satisfaction of the needs of people with different interests.
Cable television is characterized by a variety of channels of completely different subjects. Those who are interested in sports can watch the broadcasts of various competitions. For families with children there are specialized children's and educational channels. There are television channels that show news programs, films, music videos or entertainment programs all day long.
To connect to cable TV, you need to contact your nearest operator (often they also provide Internet services). If you live in an apartment building, then for sure there is one or several companies that are ready to issue a paid subscription for you and extend the cable to the apartment.
Satellite television
Satellite television is another form of broadcasting to viewers. Such broadcasting is carried out using numerous satellites flying in low Earth orbit.
To receive a satellite signal at home, you need to buy a special antenna (“satellite dish”) and place it on the roof of the house or on the balcony. For residents of some remote areas, this is the only way television can reach them.
Coverage of most of the Earth's surface by satellites is achieved by their specific location in orbit. They are located along the equator and move with such speed that it will seem to the observer as if they are constantly at one point in the sky.
Unlike on-air, satellite TV receives the main income not from advertising, but from the subscription fee of subscribers. Until recently, not everyone could afford the purchase of a satellite television set , but the situation is gradually changing.
Online tv
In our century of the widespread dissemination of the Internet, online television is a way to stay in the information field, being even far from home and any room with a TV.
In addition to accessibility, the main advantage of interactive (online) television is the flexible management of subscriptions to TV channels, among which you can always choose exactly what you are interested in at the moment.
Another advantage of this type of broadcasting is the lack of reference to the broadcast time of broadcasts. The subscriber can always pause the program of interest or view later in the recording.
How to choose?
There are several criteria by which You can choose the best type of television broadcasting for yourself.
- Subscription fee. Now only cable and satellite TV have it, but it can also appear on the air after a widespread transition to digital terrestrial television. For cable TV, the board is constant and usually includes 100 channels (in addition to the main broadcast). The price of a satellite TV set is regulated by the number of connected TV channels.
- Equipment. Television towers and antennas for receiving terrestrial TV in cities are installed everywhere and usually do not require the purchase of separate equipment. For remote areas or holiday villages, the best option would be to buy a set of satellite TV. It is most convenient to connect cable TV with the Internet to the operator serving your home.
- Reception of a signal. For multi-storey buildings, the clearest image is achieved using cables, while outside the city it would be better to connect to a satellite dish. Analog terrestrial TV is suitable for those who are used to using the TV as a background and do not pay attention to signal quality.