Integrated Receiver/Decoder (IRD)

An integrated receiver/decoder, as the name suggests, not only consists of an RF receiver but also a decoder to convert the information back into its original format where the end system can present it in a form intelligible to humans. IRDs can be divided into two categories based on their usage: consumer IRDs and professional IRDs. Consumer IRDs lack a number of advanced features, as they are designed for receiving local signals, whereas professional IRDs are typically found in satellites and other equipment where data receiving and decoding requires powerful hardware devices.