Why, on the news, is there a large delay for live feeds across oceans but we can play Xbox live with people around the world with seemingly instantaneous response?
Live TV broadcasts use geostationary satellites which orbit 22 thousand miles up. So a satellite feed has to go 22,000 miles from the broadcast truck to the satellite (actually it will be more as the satellite will not be directly overhead), then 22,000 miles back to the broadcast center. If the …
The Short Answer
Live TV broadcasts use geostationary satellites which orbit 22 thousand miles up. So a satellite feed has to go 22,000 miles from the broadcast truck to the satellite (actually it will be more as the satellite will not be directly overhead), then 22,000 miles back to the broadcast center. If the broadcast is from very far away, then it may need to go truck > satellite > satellite > tv station By comparison a journey over internet fibre optic cables is only going to need to travel 12,500 miles, half the diameter of the earth
Analysis
Key Concepts: Satellite, miles, broadcast
This explanation focuses on satellite, miles, broadcast and spans 91 words across 3 sentences. At 28% above the average Nature explanation (71 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Live TV broadcasts use geostationary satellites which orbit 22 thousand miles up.” It then elaboratesultimately building toward a complete picture across 3 connected points.
How This Compares in Nature
Ranked #150 of 500 Nature questions by answer depth (top 31%). This falls in the detailed tier — above average depth. The explanation goes beyond surface-level but keeps things accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why why, on the news, is there a large delay for live feeds across oceans but we can play xbox live with people around the world with seemingly instantaneous response?
Live TV broadcasts use geostationary satellites which orbit 22 thousand miles up. So a satellite feed has to go 22,000 miles from the broadcast truck to the satellite (actually it will be more as the satellite will not be directly overhead), then…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Nature questions?
This is an above-average answer at 91 words, ranked #150 of 500 Nature questions by depth. The key concepts covered are satellite, miles, broadcast.
What approach does this answer take to explain why, on the news, is there a large delay for live feeds acro?
The explanation uses direct explanation across 91 words. It is categorized under Nature and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.