The system requires an elliptical antenna of at least 45x60cm in size with a special LNB pair built as one unit to accommodate the narrow 3.8° spacing between satellites; the receiver uses the Motorola-proprietary Digicipher II system which has so far been virtually free of the problems with pirate decryption that have plagued other providers such as rival Bell Satellite TV.

[citation needed] The standard 18" DBS antennas used by other providers are not compatible with this system as the signals differ in both frequency and polarization.

In addition, Shaw Direct provides specialty services Starting in 2011, Shaw Direct offered a free satellite dish, receiver, installation and a handful of SD channels to Canadians who lost their over-the-air (OTA) access to television as a result of Canada's digital television transition.

[9] The period to apply to the program ended August 31, 2014, three months earlier than the original extended application deadline of November 30, 2014.

On April 12, 2019, the CRTC opened a public call for comments regarding Shaw Direct's licence renewal request that included its plan to end the LTSS as of August 31, 2019.