Don't Believe NPS about C band support ending.

[tvropro]

Don't forget Skyvision too

Been doing my homework as far as transitioning to SRL/Skyvision totally. I kinda overlooked Skyvisions packages. After doing some deep looking and the math. I can get the most and best bang for the buck doing a split sub. For those who don't know it you can have part of your subscription from SRL and part from Skyvision at the same time. I did it before and it works great SRL, can set it all up

Here are Skyvisions URL's:

Skyvision Satellite Equipment

Skyvision Satellite Equipment


And SRL (Programming Center) URL:

Satellite Receivers C band and 4DTV satellite programming

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

This is now Frontpage news.

 

[tvropro]

This is now Frontpage news.

Thanks Scott, :up the public need to be informed before NPS dwindles the 4DTV subscriber base down more by scare tactics used on them to sign with Dish Network so they can get there bounty.

I can't wait to listen to Mike Kohl this Friday on Ralf's show.

 

[Corrado]

I wonder if there is any way to utilize the old 4DTV mailbox system? The ACC could simply send a message out to all users.

 

[tvropro]

I wonder if there is any way to utilize the old 4DTV mailbox system? The ACC could simply send a message out to all users.

Im sure the Mailbox works. Someone would have to request the use of it and pay to have it sent. Good way to cut NPS's deception down.

 

[LoneSwan]

Not a Mistake: a NPS "Trick"

I don't see what happened(and continues) as a mistake on your part or any others that thought they were being prudent to renew ahead of the NPS announced price increase. It was by luck, coincidence, and my usual tight-fisted temperament that prevented me from falling into the same trap.

I got an invoice from NPS early last week for my yearly sub expiration in March. The usual meager discount was offered for renewing by Feb 10th(one month in advance of expiration). I had also just learned from the Satforums that a price increase was due for Feb 1st. However, there was already a 30% increase from the previous year's bill on the new invoice. Plus, my credit card closing is the 27th so I was definitely not going to add a new charge until the 28th.

I called NPS on the 26th. First thing I was told by the very sweet CS girl was, "I'm urging all my customers to renew ahead of the February 1st price increase." I questioned her about the amount on my new invoice. It seemed to me to _already_ reflect a huge price increase. Was the new(Feb 1st) increase included in this amount? She said she would check... did a calculation... and told me the new amount was $300+(don't remember exact figure), definitely MORE than the current invoice: for a ONE YEAR RENEWAL.

I told her that I planned to renew but was waiting until the 27th to pass in order to beat my credit card closing date. She offered to call me the next day, to be sure I didn't forget. I told her not to bother. She restated the offer, because she didn't want me to miss the deadline. I firmly(but politely) declined.

After "sleeping on it", I came to the conclusion that the NPS price increase was just way too much to accept. My family mostly watches PBS; the picture quality on the re-uplinked G3 channels is terrible; and I checked SRL's "Pick Ten" package which had 80% of what my family had any intention of viewing. There was always "a-la-carte", 30 or 90 day subs to other choices if someone really was interested.

So, I did not call back. And for that I'm thankful.

Walker, in Virginia

 

[dobiegillis]

FOX TO GO HD ALL THE TIME

Well, i guess this is the end for those of us that viewed FOX News Channel. It looks like they are going encoded mpeg2 format. I hate the thought of the pizza man trying to force us to buy subscriptions.:rant:

Fox To Go All HD, All the Time - 2008-12-08 05:02:00 | Multichannel News

 

[Inno]

That email definitely sounds like Dish lobbying! What a load of crap! I never did subscribe with NPS and I'm really glad now that I didn't.

 

[TMair]

Well, i guess this is the end for those of us that viewed FOX News Channel. It looks like they are going encoded mpeg2 format. I hate the thought of the pizza man trying to force us to buy subscriptions.:rant:

Fox To Go All HD, All the Time - 2008-12-08 05:02:00 | Multichannel News

Isn't it possible that they could be picked up by HITS?
Terry

 

[tvropro]

Isn't it possible that they could be picked up by HITS?
Terry

HITS will have to receive the HD signals and either convert them to DC-2 combo Mpeg-2 or 4 or Mpeg 2 SD.

 

[dobiegillis]

Isn't it possible that they could be picked up by HITS?
Terry

That would be great! Surely something can be done. I didn't sleep last night worrying about what is happening with 4dtv.

 

[lonewolf454]

Hey SRL or Skyvision.... If you're listening....

A lot of us want Fox News if possible.... Me included!

It's the only reason I subbed to G3 with NPS, and when NPS sub runs out, I am going to need it.

 

[ikki]

Still looking for Cartoon Network

 

[TMair]

That would be great! Surely something can be done. I didn't sleep last night worrying about what is happening with 4dtv.

I hear that, I had a hard time sleeping two nights ago for the same reason, but I think every thing will turn out, it will be interesting to see what a real provider can do, one that has a working relationship with Motorola, and Comcast.
Terry

 

[dobiegillis]

Hey SRL or Skyvision.... If you're listening....

A lot of us want Fox News if possible.... Me included!

It's the only reason I subbed to G3 with NPS, and when NPS sub runs out, I am going to need it.

Me too Lonewolf. This is the only reason i went with G3. If enough of us make noise maybe we will get SRL or Skyvision's attention.:up

 

[tvropro]

Me too Lonewolf. This is the only reason i went with G3. If enough of us make noise maybe we will get SRL or Skyvision's attention.:up

It's okay to make suggestions to SRL and Skyvision. Just don't go on the attack like so many did with NPS when things weren't the way they wanted it. I suggested channels to SRL years ago and they actually got them through HITS, Then it took NPS another year to get the same channel from HITS. SRL always has had more of HITS's channels than NPS.

The best thing that could be done is if they could work a deal to get the current or new Starchoice STB for us to work with all of HITS uplinks. HITS has allot more channels up there then we can get with our 4DTV's in megapipe (29270 combo) mode. I think if that was done everyone would be happy with the choices.

I think one of the things that took NPS down was there G3 reuplinks. It cost NPS a fair amount per month to run it. They contracted the work out to Crawford which were pretty poor dealing with the technical aspects of the DC-2 and things. NPS stretched the rubber band to the max trying to add more channels (thus the poor picture quality) When NPS lit up there second transponder on G3 and there were only 7 channels vs 12 in the mux it looked quite a bit better. NPS also did no pre processing of the signal before encoding. MPEG 2 and all digital can benefit by softening and removing any garbage in the signal before encoding. It allows the encoding process to go easier, thus reducing load and bandwidth needed. That is why HITS and Shaw (Starchoice) look so much better than NPS did using the same SR and FEC. I was watching Starchoice this evening and was commenting to a friend how nice *C looks. They also limit the channels in the mux to about 8. I think thats about all you want to push a MPEG 2 signal at 19510 especially without pre processing. 29270 and 7/8 can handle allot more just look at HBO on G1.

We will have to wait and see what transpires. We should be thankful SRL and Skyvision are around, otherwise with NPS closing there doors it would be the end of least the 4DTV as we know it. It would be for pure hobby use only hunting out DC-2 if we could keep some kind of channel mapping in the units.

 

[SatelliteAV]

This article in today's Sky Report MediaBiz deserves some response from NPS competitors. Seems like the writer only bothered to contact one of the subscription providers. No very good journalism and a few letters to the editor might shed some light on the real facts.

2/5/2010
C-Band at the End?

Looks like the consumer C-Band business will be dead and gone by the end of this year. After hearing from several retailers about rumors that Motorola would cease its authorization stream, we started making inquires. No response from Motorola but Mike Monfort of National Programming Service (NPS) confirms that the demise is likely.

"We had a conference call in late December when Motorola talked about discontinuing the authorization stream on April 15th," Monfort says. After some protests and concerted lobbying, the giant manufacturer boosted prices by 20%, agreed to continue service until the end of the year and said they will then decide the future.

Motorola will almost certainly discontinue the service, Monfort says, so his National Programming Service (NPS) has ceased selling annual subscriptions. That's bad news for many retailers and C-Band's current 22,606 subscribers. "The people who are left love their C-Band," Monfort says. But Motorola apparently finds the business inconvenient ... and so an era is coming to an end.•

 

[tvropro]

This article in today's Sky Report MediaBiz deserves some response from NPS competitors. Seems like the writer only bothered to contact one of the subscription providers. No very good journalism and a few letters to the editor might shed some light on the real facts.

2/5/2010
C-Band at the End?

Looks like the consumer C-Band business will be dead and gone by the end of this year. After hearing from several retailers about rumors that Motorola would cease its authorization stream, we started making inquires. No response from Motorola but Mike Monfort of National Programming Service (NPS) confirms that the demise is likely.

"We had a conference call in late December when Motorola talked about discontinuing the authorization stream on April 15th," Monfort says. After some protests and concerted lobbying, the giant manufacturer boosted prices by 20%, agreed to continue service until the end of the year and said they will then decide the future.

Motorola will almost certainly discontinue the service, Monfort says, so his National Programming Service (NPS) has ceased selling annual subscriptions. That's bad news for many retailers and C-Band's current 22,606 subscribers. "The people who are left love their C-Band," Monfort says. But Motorola apparently finds the business inconvenient ... and so an era is coming to an end.•

It seem's that this report is one sided with all it's information coming from NPS. This is the same story we have heard since week's beginning. It is based on Mike Mountfords claims only. What I heard from SRL and Mike Kohl at Skyvision is totally different. They have been in contact with Motorola and Mountfords sky is falling claim is false. I believe it is all because of a a money issue and bad relationship between Motorola and NPS. How come NPS is the only one that raised prices in February. If there was a 20% increase for all from Motorola wouldn't SRL and Skyvision's prices have gone up too? They didn't...

I suggest we all listen to Access America tonight and get Mike Kohl's (Skyvision/SRL) side of the story. I heard it already from the horses mouth so to speak and posted what I was told. NPS seems to be playing some kind of head games with us.

 

[trinidex]

Just got off the phone with NPS - they refused to sell me any programming for my BigDish - full stop.

Tried to strong-arm me into Dish Network - which I refused.

Now I have no G3 - dammit!

 

[tvropro]

Just got off the phone with NPS - they refused to sell me any programming for my BigDish - full stop.

Tried to strong-arm me into Dish Network - which I refused.

Now I have no G3 - dammit!

Boy NPS must be hurting for that bounty