1.0.0.3 false Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false Unit_1 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_2 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_5 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 false 2 $ false false Unit_1 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_2 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_5 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 6 Current assets 4 us-gaap_AssetsCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 7 Cash and cash equivalents 5 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 3293000000 3293 false false 2 true true 2005000000 2005 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $72 and $50 5 us-gaap_ReceivablesNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1458000000 1458 false false 2 false true 1423000000 1423 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Inventories 5 us-gaap_InventoryNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 234000000 234 false false 2 false true 192000000 192 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Deferred income taxes 5 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 48000000 48 false false 2 false true 68000000 68 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Prepaid expenses and other 5 dtv_PrepaidExpensesAndOther dtv false debit instant monetary Sum of the amounts paid in advance for capitalized costs that will be expensed with the passage of time or the occurrence of... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 443000000 443 false false 2 false true 356000000 356 false false Sum of the amounts paid in advance for capitalized costs that will be expensed with the passage of time or the occurrence of a triggering event, and will be charged against earnings within one year and aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of current assets not separately disclosed in the balance sheet due to materiality considerations. Current assets are expected to be realized or consumed within one year. No authoritative reference available. true 12 Total current assets 5 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5476000000 5476 false false 2 false true 4044000000 4044 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Satellites, net 5 dtv_SatellitesNet dtv false debit instant monetary The amounts capitalized for satellites currently being constructed and those that have been successfully launched, which... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2364000000 2364 false false 2 false true 2476000000 2476 false false The amounts capitalized for satellites currently being constructed and those that have been successfully launched, which include the costs of construction, launch, launch insurance, incentive obligations and related capitalized interest. These assets are held by us for the use in the broadcast of DIRECTV service, for lease by others, or for utilization as a spare. These assets are expected to provide economic benefit for more than one year, and are recorded at net of accumulated depreciation. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Property and equipment, net 5 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4153000000 4153 false false 2 false true 4171000000 4171 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Goodwill 5 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3811000000 3811 false false 2 false true 3753000000 3753 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Intangible assets, net 5 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 952000000 952 false false 2 false true 1172000000 1172 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Investments and other assets 5 us-gaap_LongTermInvestments us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 871000000 871 false false 2 false true 923000000 923 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 18 Total assets 4 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 17627000000 17627 false false 2 false true 16539000000 16539 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Current liabilities 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 21 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 5 us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3171000000 3171 false false 2 false true 3115000000 3115 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Unearned subscriber revenues and deferred credits 5 us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCreditsCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 526000000 526 false false 2 false true 362000000 362 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Current portion of long-term debt 5 us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 572000000 572 false false 2 false true 108000000 108 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 24 Total current liabilities 5 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4269000000 4269 false false 2 false true 3585000000 3585 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Long-term debt 5 us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6591000000 6591 false false 2 false true 5725000000 5725 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Deferred income taxes 5 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 723000000 723 false false 2 false true 524000000 524 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Other liabilities and deferred credits 5 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1625000000 1625 false false 2 false true 1749000000 1749 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Redeemable noncontrolling interest 5 dtv_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterest dtv false debit instant monetary A financial contract between two parties, the buyer, who has a noncontrolling interest in the Companys Subsidiary, and the... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 325000000 325 false false 2 false true 325000000 325 false false A financial contract between two parties, the buyer, who has a noncontrolling interest in the Companys Subsidiary, and the seller of the option, the Company, where the buyer has the right but not the obligation to sell the remaining shares of the Subsidiary to the seller at a certain time(s) for a certain price (the negotiated price). The seller has the obligation to purchase the underlying asset at that negotiated price, if the buyer exercises the optio No authoritative reference available. false 30 Stockholders' equity 4 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 31 Common stock and additional paid-in-capital - $0.01 par value , 3,000,000,000 shares authorized; 958,101,752 shares issued and 1,024,182,043 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, respectively 5 dtv_CommonStockAndAdditionalPaidInCapital dtv false debit instant monetary Aggregate of par value plus amounts in excess of par value or issuance value (in cases of no-par value stock) for common... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7834000000 7834 false false 2 false true 8318000000 8318 false false Aggregate of par value plus amounts in excess of par value or issuance value (in cases of no-par value stock) for common stock held by shareholders. Aggregate value for common stock issued and outstanding. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Accumulated deficit 5 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -3665000000 -3665 false false 2 false true -3559000000 -3559 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 5 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -75000000 -75 false false 2 false true -128000000 -128 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 34 Stockholders' equity 5 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4094000000 4094 false false 2 false true 4631000000 4631 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 35 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 17627000000 17627 false false 2 true true 16539000000 16539 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true false 2 28 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true