The history of satellite receivers directing television signals into residential spaces largely begins in the early 1980s. The original satellite home receivers were quite large and expensive, especially when compared to the satellite receivers available on today's market. Some of these first satellite receivers spanned 12 feet across. Satellite receivers provided the home viewer greater access to a wide range of channels.

The original home-use satellite receivers made all channels available to the home viewer, including the highly sought-after movie channels. This may be why such a sweeping change took over the domestic television industry, with satellite receivers appearing in backyards across the country. During the mid-80s, some of these premier movie channels encrypted their codes, and pay-for-TV was born. Some consumer critics believe this resulted in a major decline in satellite receiver sales, which in turn made room for small-dish companies to move into the market.

Smaller satellite receivers are thought to be much more appealing to the consumer who desires direct, satellite access television. These dishes are less unsightly, easier to maintain, less expensive and are considerably more adaptable to a number of different environments. These systems, sometimes called Direct Broadcast Satellites, provide high-powered signals for superior picture and sound quality.

Beyond providing satellite signals, a satellite receiver system may also provide high-definition television, sometimes referred to as HDTV. HDTV provides higher resolution television signals, thought to vastly improve the picture quality as compared to the standard analogue television set. Beyond satellite television, satellite receivers may provide local channel access, as well, including the major broadcasting companies: NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and UPN.