It being 2023 (as I pointed out in the title of this article), the chances are that you personally fall into one of two categories. You might have some knowledge of FTA from many years past. Or, you may not have any idea what FTA is and you’re curious to find out. Either way, come on in and enjoy the ride as we go through what seems like an article I did not expect to be writing.
What is FTA Satellite?
FTA stands for “Free-to-Air.” It describes a satellite system that became popular in the 1980s as an alternative to cable or antenna, before DIRECTV and DISH existed. With this system, you pointed the dish using motors and gears at multiple different satellites. Typically, the dish itself was large by today’s standards, between 10 and 16 feet (3 – 5 meters if you’re really going to be picky.)
In the early days of satellite communication, there was no encryption, so an average person with an FTA setup could just point their dish at a satellite and pick up HBO, CNN, network sports, and a whole lot more. They could even get private communications between news crews and their studios.
FTA was expensive, with a setup costing about $2,000 at the time that you could get a very decent midsize car for about $10,000. It wasn’t for the faint of heart, as you often needed to manually set coordinates for the dish. The coordinates came from a book. I know, it sounds practically cavemanlike.
What happened to FTA satellite?
In the early 1990s, the US government approved a system known originally as Direct Broadcast Satellite. With DBS, satellite providers were allowed to encrypt signals, retransmit different services on a single satellite, and charge for a box that would decode their content. If that sounds an awful lot like DIRECTV or DISH to you, congratulations. That’s exactly what it is.
DBS systems used a 1.5 foot wide dish that could be pointed at a fixed location. It was easy enough for a typical DIYer to do. Almost immediately, the market for FTA started to dry up. Because encryption was now allowed, many program sources encrypted their feeds so that regular people couldn’t get them.
In the meantime, DBS just got better and better. By the 2000s, it was possible to get local channels. Prior to a landmark law, it was illegal for a service to retransmit local signals into space. Once that changed, DBS services took off like a shot.
Those futuristic-looking FTA dishes gained a new nickname in the meantime. It was common by the mid-00’s to call them “big ugly dishes.” This tells you a lot about people’s feelings for them.
FTA’s attempted second act
In the meantime, FTA enthusiasts tried to keep the tech alive by pointing out that you could get a lot of overseas programming with a big ugly dish. This meant that people who wanted programs in their language had options as well. This probably kept the FTA faithful happy for a little while, but really very little. This sort of programming moved to streaming as soon as internet speeds allowed it.
In the meantime, free satellite services started springing up around the world. Countries with state-owned broadcasting found it easier to update their tech by launching a satellite rather than rebuilding towers. Many other countries still have free satellite services that augment or replace traditional TV broadcasting. In the US, though, the dream of free satellite fizzled.
Are there still FTA enthusiasts out there?
You bet there are. They’re refurbishing old dishes, making the most of old receiving equipment, and sharing furtive bits of information over the internet. At least they’ve moved on from sharing books.
I kid, honestly. The truth is that there’s a lot to enjoy about FTA, if you’re reasonable about what you’ll get. You’ll still find unencrypted feeds from remote reporters, network programming, and a smattering of other services. It will be a while before the internet displaces FTA as a viable option for everyone.
But, in this case…
Generally this is the part where I tell you to shop at Solid Signal. I hope you do, honestly. But, you won’t find FTA equipment of any kind. For the most part, it’s not even made anymore. On the other hand, if you need the best in cables, prep tools, or anything else that will help feed your FTA obsession, check us out! If you’re curious about what we offer, give us a call at 888-233-7563 during East Coast business hours. Or, just fill out the form below and let us call or email you back.
