<tr><td>1995<td>1.2 million <tr><td>1996<td>2.3 million <tr><td>1997<td>3.301 million <tr><td>1998<td>4.458 million <tr><td>1999<td>6.679 million <tr><td>2000<td>9.554 million <tr><td>2001<td>10.218 million <tr><td>2002<td>11.181 million <tr><td>2003<td>12.290 million <tr><td>2004<td>13 million</table>

DirecTV Smart Card History

DirecTV is now utilizing the fourth generation of ISO7816 smart access cards.

P1, also known as F cards, were used until 1997. F cards have a picture of a satellite on the front.

P2, also known as H cards, were introduced in 1996 to replace F cards. H cards look the same as F cards. H cards are were in use until 2002.

P3, also known as HU cards were introduced in 1999 and are no longer supported. HU cards have a picture of a football player on the front. HU cards originally shipped with receivers with serial numbers above 0001 700 000.

P4 cards were introduced in 2002 and are the current standard. P4 cards are labelled "Access Card: 4."

The newest card, which was introduced after they had some compatibility problems with the P4 cards in some recievers, is commonly called the "D1" or "P11" card, These cards can be identified by the silver edges, and just have the word "directv" on the front (no number)

Satellite fleet

• Encyclopaedia
• D
• Di
• Dia
• Dib
• Dic
• Did
• Die
• Dif
• Dig
• Dih
• Dii
• Dij
• Dik
• Dil
• Dim
• Din
• Dio
• Dip
• Diq
• Dir
• Dis
• Dit
• Diu
• Div
• Diw
• Dix
• Diy
• Diz

DirecTV

DirecTV is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that broadcasts digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States. DirecTV is owned by DirecTV Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group.

Table of contents

1 History
2 General information
3 Management
4 List of channels on DirecTV and Numbers
5 Number of Subscribers throughout the years
6 DirecTV Smart Card History
7 Satellite fleet
8 See also
9 External links

History

DirecTV was launched in 1994 by General Motors subsidiary Hughes Electronics. It was the first high-powered DBS service in the world.

In 1998 DirecTV acquired its partner, USSB for $1.3 billion. In 1999 DirecTV acquired PrimeStar for $1.83 billion. In 2003, a merger with EchoStar, owner of DISH Network, fell through.

On December 22, 2003, controlling interest in Hughes Electronics was sold by General Motors to News Corporation.

DirecTV has long been a victim of an active piracy underground but has recently begun to crack down on illegal reception of its signals. On its anti-piracy website, DirecTV claims to have sued over 24,000 end users as of March 17, 2004, including celebrity O.J. Simpson. DirecTV bases their suits on purchase records of ISO-7816 Smart Card devices, which are used to rewrite DirecTV's access cards.

General information

DirecTV typically uses smaller 18-inch satellite dishes to receive its signals. Slightly larger, 18 * 24-inch oval antennas to access multi-satellites are becoming more common as DirecTV (as well as other DBS services) are attempting to squeeze more programming onto their growing systems, particularly local television network affiliates stations as well as hybrid systems that also receive broadband satellite Internet service.

DirecTV is often abbreviated as "DTV". However, DTV has recently been used to refer to digital television. Due to this conflict, and the fact that Echostar is often abbreviated "E*" ("E" for Echo, "*" for star), DirecTV is more commonly abbreviated as "D*".

DirecTV receivers (television set-top boxes) were originally referred to as "Digital Satellite Service", or DSS, so that services being broadcast by both DirecTV and USSB would appear to be received by generic equipment. In 1998, after the acquisition of USSB, an American court ruled that the term "DSS" was an already trademarked term that could not be used by DirecTV.

DirecTV offers local channels in 93% of US markets . Local channels are transmitted over terrestrial optical fiber networks to the Castle Rock Broadcast Center, in Castle Rock, Colorado, where they are uplinked.

DirecTV also offers high definition (HDTV); and a digital video recorder (DVR) service in partnership with TiVo. As of March 31, 2005 DirecTv US has 14.45 million customers in the U.S. and 1.57 million in Latin America. 2005 revenues for DirecTv US is now $3.15 billion

Management

Rupert Murdoch

Chairman

Chase Carey

President and Chief Executive Officer

Bruce B. Churchill

Executive Vice President

Larry D. Hunter

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Michael W. Palkovic

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Romulo G. Pontua

Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer

Patrick T. Doyle

Senior Vice President, Treasurer, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer

Mark Ryan

senior director,Marketing

List of channels on DirecTV and Numbers

Number of Subscribers throughout the years

<tr><td>1994<td>320,000

Satellite	Orbital slot	Launch date	Satellite type
DIRECTV-1	110°W	December 17, 1993	Hughes Electronics HS-601
DIRECTV-2	100.8°W	August 3, 1994	Hughes Electronics HS-601
DIRECTV-3/Nimiq-3	91.1°W	June 10, 1995	Hughes Electronics HS-601
DIRECTV-1R	100.8°W	October 10, 1999	Hughes Electronics HS-601HP
DIRECTV-4S	101.2°W	November 27, 2001	Hughes Electronics HS-601HP
DIRECTV-5	72.5°W	May 7, 2002	Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
DIRECTV-6	109.8°W	March 8, 1997	Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
DIRECTV-7S	119°W	May 4, 2004	Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
DIRECTV-8	101°W	May 21, 2005	Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
DIRECTV-9S	TBD	(est.) early 2006	Space Systems/Loral LS-1300
SPACEWAY-1	102.8°W	April 26, 2005	Boeing BSS-702
SPACEWAY-2	99°W	(est.) June 15, 2005	Boeing BSS-702
DIRECTV-10	TBD	(est.) 2007	Boeing BSS-702
DIRECTV-11	TBD	(est.) 2007	Boeing BSS-702
DIRECTV-12	TBD	(est.) 2007	Boeing BSS-702

See also

Satellite television

External links

Categories: News Corporation subsidiaries | Direct broadcast satellite services

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