Why are HD domes for DIRECTV bigger than HD domes for DISH?

A marine dish for DIRECTV HD is big. It’s about a foot wider than a dish for DISH or DIRECTV SD. We’re talking about something that’s really too big for anything but a larger craft. It’s not just a matter of appearance; you can’t really get HD channels without the larger dish. You get a few, just not many. Why is that?

A little satellite science

DIRECTV’s HD broadcasts are in a frequency range used by no one else in North America. This “Ka Band” is licensed exclusively to DIRECTV, and it was a big deal when they first did it over a decade ago. This allows DIRECTV almost unlimited expansion into HD and 4K, giving the ability to broadcast thousands of HD channels with no concern for interference.

In contrast, DISH uses the same Ku Band that everyone else uses and as a result they sometimes deal with issues of channel capacity, which mean fewer channels in fewer markets. But there is an upside to being in that crowded range where all other satellite broadcasts live: it’s a better place to be in a lot of ways.

DIRECTV’s plan was to make tons of space for a 4K expansion that never happened. They also wanted to use one dish for the whole country, simplifying installations. That makes sense but it turns out that the 4K explosion… just didn’t take place.

What you need to know about this Ka / Ku stuff

The Ku band is less susceptible to interference from clouds and rain so it’s possible to get a stronger signal with a smaller dish. In order to get a strong signal with DIRECTV’s Ka Band even on a rainy day, a bigger dish is needed. So, DIRECTV dishes tend to be bigger, simple as that. The good part is that a DIRECTV dish does allow for all three satellite locations to be seen at once, making for a better experience. Smaller DISH antennas need to aim to a different antenna every time.

If you have a smaller dish, there are a few HD channels you can get. But for the most part you’re limited to standard definition. Eventually those SD channels will stop broadcasting. That will make room for more HD channels. With DIRECTV, you may not be able to get every channel with a smaller dish, but you may be able to get the one you want.

It’s hard to know when those changes will be made, though. For now, it’s best to know that if you want DIRECTV HD, you’ll need a larger dish.

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About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.