Our company
Shaw Direct, a division of Shaw Satellite G.P., is a leading Canadian provider of digital satellite television with more than 870,000 subscribers. The company is majority owned and controlled by Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw Direct operates a state-of-the-art Direct-to-Home satellite distribution system that delivers television programming to customers across Canada. The company launched service in May 1997. Today, subscribers can choose from up to 470 audio and video channels. They also have access to instant Pay Per View movies and events from Pay Per View.
Shaw Direct is a truly national company, with a head office in Calgary, an operations centre in Mississauga, Ontario, and award-winning call centres in Montreal and Calgary.
To be responsive to customers, Shaw Direct offers support through our call centres 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. Customers can also contact us; learn about Shaw Direct and purchase products and programming online at shawdirect.ca.
Our technology
Unlike analog cable, Shaw Direct satellite signals do not suffer signal degradation or distortion. They are digital signals, beamed directly from the satellite to your dish at home. The picture is clear and the sound is vibrant.
In April 2001, Shaw Direct made history by lighting up two satellites, Anik F1 and Anik E2, becoming the first Canadian provider to broadcast services from two satellites at the same time. Our unique elliptical dish receives signals from both satellites.
Shaw Direct uses a type of encryption called DigiCipher II. This technology, developed by Motorola, is an MPEG 2-based system of video compression. Your television experience is enhanced because detailed video information is transmitted very efficiently for a 100% digital viewing experience.
All current models of Shaw Direct receivers support industry-leading Dolby Sound. Customers can select a receiver that is compatible with their stereo system. Our value-priced DSR 209 model is wired for surround sound and all other current receivers are ready to deliver Dolby Digital 5.1 sound to your surround-sound system.
In January 2000, Star Choice launched HDTV programming with the broadcast of Super Bowl XXXIV in HDTV. It was the first high-definition TV broadcast in Canada.
Shaw Direct leads the way in HD content with up to 38 high definition channels at no extra cost* and now features 60 HD dedicated channels broadcasting more than 2,500 hours of original high-definition TV, movies, sports and events and network shows each week, and the HDTV picture is bound to get bigger with even more HD programming to come. Aside from delivering 10 HD network channels including CTV, CBC, PBS, FOX, CBS, NBC and ABC, Shaw Direct also brings the theatre-experience home with Super Channel HD, Movie Central HD (West) and The Movie Network HD (East). Sports enthusiasts can soak up all the stunning details of every play on their wide-screen HDTVs with high-definition broadcasts from Rogers Sportsnet and TSN. Other HD channels include Discovery Channel, A&E, National Geographic, Showcase, WGN and HDNet plus five French channels: SRC, Super Écran, Séries+ HD, Canal Vie HD, Ztélé HD and RDS HD.
Customers with an HD-compatible television, but no HD decoder, can reap all the visual rewards of HD television with one of our all-in-one receivers and decoders. The HDDSR 505 features DVI out for delivering top-quality digital signals directly to your HD-ready TV. The HDPVR 530, also sporting DVI out, is our feature-packed model, which can pause, replay and record live TV in either HD or standard definition, thanks to dual tuners and a 160-GB hard drive.
*Must be subscribed to a package that includes English Essentials to receive ALL High Definition channels offered at no extra cost. Subscription to equivalent standard-definition channel required. Must have an HDTV, an HD receiver and an elliptical satellite dish to receive and view High Definition channels.
