Communications: Getting set for direct-broadcast satellites: Three different technical approaches vie for FCC approval; here a generic system is examined

Direct broadcasting of television signals from a satellite to home TV receivers was envisioned some 35 years ago when Arthur C. Clark, a pioneer in satellite communications, broached the idea of putting communications satellites into geostationary orbit. The vision of direct-broadcast-satellite (DBS) television is close to reality today, so close that the main question no longer is whether such a satellite can be put into orbit - one or more will be out there by 1985. The critical question today is which DBS technical characteristics will give the best television reception.