Thread: New FTA service with 20 english channels

More info has been added to the freedbs website (they seem to change the site 2 or 3 times a day). They have added a news section where they comment on the numerous emails they have received(mostly from us I am sure) and say that they will not name the satellite or transponder info at this time. They also now name a business manager named Tony Herron and most interesting is the statement that they are now applying for non-profit status. This would seem to shoot down the idea that this may be some form of penny stock scheme. Any thoughts on these new changes?



Shadyone

Looks like they did a update and a "News release".


______________________________________________________________________
"News Release: 1/13/2010
Response to Emails:
We have been receiving multiple inquires about the satellite and transponders that will be used. The board has decided not to release this information at this time, while negotiations are in process.

Canadian Search:
FreeDBS is in search of a Canadian station that would like to broadcast within this network, If you have a favorite Canadian station, that may be willing to upstream with this network please ask them to contact our program manager Leon Napier

Non-Profit:
FreeDBS will be applying for non-profit status. "

_________________________________________________________________________

Non profit status? Any idea why? Positives, negatives?

It would be great if they could carry a Canadian Station, maybe CBC Newsworld, Pulse 24 or some lessor known entity...? I don't see how they would be able to carry CTV with American programs. That is of course...IF this network gets off the ground...and...as they say.....stay tuned....

They state on their website that the service (if legit) will require a minimum of a 22 inch dish. Unless they are using very powerful tps, won't this require using DSS instead of FSS?

That depends on how close you are to the center of the coverage area, and what the weather is like. Not to mention which FSS satellite they put it on. You can get quite a few linear transponders on an 18" dish, just not always the ones you want.

In the past I had used a 24" dish with linear LNBF for HITS. Worked great. 24" dish in Canada, so a 22" in the US should be fine on the stronger satellites.

Originally Posted by PopcornNMore

Why would the site say that older Dish Network receivers would be able to receive these FTA channels? Something is not right here.

It wouldn't be impossible to supply a Dish compatible network table/channel map, using Dish compatible transponders.

At one time you could connect a Dish receiver to a Ku dish aimed at T5 and get a few channels.

To use them for pay channels would require cooperation with Echostar and Nagrastar though.

This initiative sounds wonderful ! Here's wishing Leon Napier and Tony Herron much success with their line-up. Tv oldies would be a nice addition for the nostalgic. A couple of radio/news/music stations wouldn't be a bad idea. Russia Today and Al Jazeera English are good news sources, if interested. Many, many, many Francophones and students of French in the US and Canada would be elated to see a French-language Canadian station on Ku -- even if that doesn't quite fit the "all English" description. And let's not forget Deutsche Welle. Arts channel (music, dance, theater, painting, literature, etc.).

A few minutes ago an idea popped into my head. An audio book channel. Has anyone ever heard of such??? A single audio book could provide an entire season of episodes, and it could be broadcast as a radio channel which would be cheaper than video.

Project Gutenberg would be a good place for someone to start looking for audio book content. You'd probably have to get permission from Gutenberg or the voice actors to broadcast it.


Gutenberg:The Audio Books Project - Gutenberg