DirecTV Types of Dishes

There are several Directv satellite dish types, and you can identify which is the one you have by their characteristics. As time passed, more and more sophisticated types of dishes appeared in order to provide with better image quality and reliability. Here there are:

Phase I dish:
This was the original dish used by the company. It is 18” in diameter and it has a single LNB (Low Noise Block) and 2 outputs. It can receive signals from the satellites which are at 101 degrees only. This dish was used in the service starting with 1996, and it can not receive HD programming.

Phase II dish:
DirecTV introduced this dish in 1998. Equipped with 4 outputs, it can also come with two or even 3 LNBs. The signals it receives are from satellites which are at 101 and 119 degrees.

Phase II plus dish:
This dish was named after the previous one because of the fact that it’s very similar to it. The only major difference is that it is equipped with one extra LNB. While the phase II dish was able to receive signals from satellites at 101 and 119 degrees, the phase II plus dish has the capability of receiving signals from satellites at 110 degrees. It has 4 outputs.

Phase III dish:
This dish was introduced in 2002, and it can receive signals from satellites at 101, 110 and 119 degrees. Arguably the most popular dish in the service, it comes equipped with 4 outputs and the capability of receiving high definition television. It has a triple LNB head and it can even receive local programming in some markets.

AT9 Mpeg-4 Ku/Ka dish:
The newer Ka band is used by the satellites transmitting from 99 and 103 degrees, and that’s what this dish is meant to receive. This, of course, comes in addition to the previous satellites. It can receive HDTV, and it has the ability to decompress Mpeg-4 video transmissions. It has 4 outputs.

Gain Master Dish:
This dish comes equipped with e LNBs, but it does not have a multiswitch. It has 4 outputs, and it is the most unique in design among all the other DirecTV dishes. Its antenna is 35” by 24” in size. What makes it even more unique is the feature of eliminating rain fade. It is one of the most advanced dishes, and it’s perfectly suited for HDTV.

International dish:
The best usage for this dish is in addition to another one. It is designed to receive international tv stations. Its diameter is 87 centimeters, so it is larger than any other DirecTV dish. It has 2 outputs, and the LNB is pointed at 95 and 101 degrees. The 6x8 multiswitch allows you to integrate the signal with your standard Directv dish.