Direct-broadcast satellite

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For the Japanese communication satellites,

A DTH dish antenna mounted on wall

Direct-broadcast satellite (DBS) is a type of artificial satellite which usually sends satellite
television signals for home reception
The type of satellite television which uses direct-broadcast satellites is known as directbroadcast satellite television (DBSTV) or direct-to-home television (DTHTV). This has
initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable
television distribution services that are sometimes carried on the same satellite. The term
DTH predates DBS and is often used in reference to services carried by lower power
satellites which required larger dishes (1.7 m diameter or greater) for reception.

SES launched the Astra 1A satellite to provide services to homes across Europe receivable on
dishes of just 90 cm and, although these mostly used PAL video format and FSS frequencies
with linear polarization, the DBS name slowly came to be applied to all Astra satellites and
services too.
As a technical matter, DBS (also known by the International Telecommunication Union as
Broadcasting Satellite Service, or BSS) refers only to services transmitted by satellite in
specific frequency bands: 11.7-12.2 GHz in ITU Region 3 (Asia and Australia), 10.7 - 12.75
GHz in ITU Region 1 (Europe, Russia and Africa), and 12.2-12.7 GHz ITU Region 2 (North
and South America).
By contrast, the term DTH can apply to similar services transmitted over a wider range of
frequencies (including standard Ku band and Ka band) transmitted from satellites that are not
part of any internationally planned band. The term DBS is often used interchangeably with
DTH to cover both analog and digital video and audio services (including video on demand
and interactive features) received by relatively small dishes (less than 1 meter). A "DBS
service" usually refers to either a commercial service, or a group of free channels available
from one orbital position targeting one country.