Thread: New FTA service with 20 english channels

Originally Posted by Pismire

New news release on their site, mpeg2 it is for a year then mpeg4. Lots more updated info there.

News Release: 1/18/2010

This is a news update from one of the three board members that started this org. We would first offer thanks to the LORD for the help and recommendations of the FTA supporters that have contacted us.

After the board meeting today we have decided that we will support the MPEG-2 format for at least a year. Our first option was MPEG-4 due to the 20 channel capability. We will be going to MPEG-4 in the future ,This is more cost effective to us.

We will have a guide for all channels. Not all Fta"s will work correctly with this guide.

Dish size 30 inches is the nominal size., But I will not rule out a smaller one. If you go much smaller your reception will not be reliable.

We need more stations signed on. We are also starting up some stations with other organizers.

We have been in contact with other Studios and uplinkers that have offered their help. If a deal can be worked out with these people we will have a much larger channel lineup with these studios that are currently on cable and pay satellite.

George Metcalf :Retired NASA engineer that helped send up the first DBS satellite. George has advised us on uplinking issues and is a friend.

He has also put us in contact with other persons that have the same thinking on the FTA / TVRO market.

Our goal is at least 40 channels, with a 100 channel maximum capability.

Originally Posted by primestar31

I'll bet Dish is willing to sell Nagra 3 CAS real cheap! Coincidentally, most "FTA" receivers in the market right now, WILL work with it, guaranteed!

Hmmmm...... without skewing this thread in a totally irrelevant direction, a couple of things bear clarifying.
NagraStar technology is wholely owned and managed by Kudelski. Dish Network is one of many customers worldwide that contract them for a secure CAS system. They have influence, like any big customer does over a vendor, but secure signal integrity is Kudelski's responsibility.

No FTA receiver will "work with" Nagra anything, however many have, and continue to circumvent security protocols, using FW written and designed to apply intercepted signal encryption information to an encrypted signal received by an FTA box.
FTA units with stock, factory, OEM firmware know nothing of Nagra3 or any other CAS AFAIK, save XCRYPT.

The objective of the project as I understand it is to utilize much of the now dormant HW restored it's original factory configuration.That would exclude the necessity of using any "aftermarket" or "3rd party" FW written for the express intent of signal theft. That is not to say FW sanctioned by the project to enhance the service (enable CAS functionality for PPV) would be excluded.

Stogie and Sadie, I do see your very valid points regarding the usage of the S2 mode but as was posted that would preclude the base intent, to re-purpose the mass of HW already in many potential Ku-TVRO operators possession. Once established, the trend could, and likely would migrate to that ultimate end.
Besides the obvious advantage of more bang for the bandwidth buck, since most that would likely sign on would be broadcasting SD content there would be no advantage to the end user in the form of greater PQ even though they would be using more expensive HD capable hardware to access the FTA co-op channels.
Another point to consider in narrowing one's potential customer participation is the lesson that we learned called VOOM. If VOOM launched today it would likely succeed even with a proprietary IRD using an archaic CAS. As far as a fledgling free service requiring the purchase of a new high end STB, I dont think it would get out of the gate.

I wish I had the money to help these guys out a bit. I would love to name the free service the SatelliteGuys Satellite Network.

Unfortunately I don't have the money. 2009 was a rough year for us (for myself personally... not the site. )

Originally Posted by Gary Z

Our goal is at least 40 channels, with a 100 channel maximum capability.

That would be cool Scott......lol

So they say they want to switch to MPEG4 eventually. I wonder how many of the millions of unused FTA receivers they want to reach are MPEG4 capable.

I don't get the part about the guide not working with all receivers either. Don't they intend to use the DVB EPG standard?

Looks good in most areas thus far..Just hope they dont try to do more than they can handle..

Melgarga, the Nagravison 3 CAS comment as regarding use of probably 90+% of the presently in the field FTA receivers, was a joke, nothing more. I wasn't inferring anything more than that....

I would LOVE to see this venture really make it. So, good luck to them.

I agree with going with DVB-S to start with then eventually switch to DVB-S2 gradually (few channels at a time). This will allow people the time to preview the channels for a period of time on their existing equipment. After 10-12 months, the viewership will increase and the DVB-S2 receivers will become more affordable.

Ok, sounds like a good project, and I am looking forward to seeing it a reality.

Sadoun will be interested in the supplying and fulfillment of the dishes, LNBFs, and receivers to this venture. Count us in when biding starts.