Editing PrimeStar (section)

== Technology ==
PrimeStar was a medium-powered DBS-style system utilizing [[Fixed Service Satellite|FSS]] technology that used a larger 3-foot (91&nbsp;cm) [[satellite dish]] to receive signals.

Broadcast originally in analog, they later converted to digital technology.  The system used the [[DigiCipher 2|DigiCipher 1]] system for [[conditional access|conditional access control]] and [[video compression]].  The video format was [[MPEG-2]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.coolstf.com/mpeg/|title = North American MPEG-2 Information|date = November 24, 2003|access-date = August 25, 2015|website = coolstf.com|last = Hewitt|first = Rod}}</ref> Primestar's satellite receivers were made by [[General Instrument]].

PrimeStar was owned by a consortium of [[cable television]] companies who leased equipment to [[subscriber]]s through the local cable company.

The company was in the process of converting to a high-powered [[Satellite television|DBS]] platform when it was purchased and shut down by DirecTV.  The Tempo-1 and Tempo-2 DBS satellites acquired by PrimeStar from the defunct ASkyB were renamed [[DirecTV-5]] and DirecTV-6, respectively.