Uplink Activity Report - 9/17/2008 1:02pm - 128 changes
- Thread starter DigiSAT Uplink Report
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Nothing from Charlie, but...
From ILS, who is launching the replacement Ciel-2: Nimiq 4 is now scheduled for tommorow (9/19) at 5:48 pm EDT. After that, they will be handling the Astra-1M launch (it was previously rumored that was going to Ariane 5, but that is not the case) in the end of October. Ciel-2 in then next up. It is still listed as November, most likely the very end given at least a 5 week turnaround for ILS. Then who knows how much testing there will be, but Feb '09 is probably a reasonable date.
I say enough with the HD subs who haven't bothered to upgrade to mpeg4 receivers. This has gone on long enough. If they lose their channels maybe they'll think about upgrading their receiver then. They've had ample notice. 
Given the speed with which E*11 was deployed, and the extreme problems of the existing satellite E*5, I would be surprised if Ciel 2 was not up and running by January 15 or even January 1st.
Holiday vacations might impact that, though...
That "cleared off" Tp has 3 SD channels on it. The day they cleared it, it had 1 new channel on it immediately. It really has nothing to do with the MPEG2 to MPEG4 conversion anyway.
Ciel-2 is also a spotbeam satellite unlike E-11 which is just a CONUS beam satellite. It usually takes longer to do the on-orbit check of the spotbeams.
Those 3 channels are very miscellaneous, and I think they are being parked there while they wait for some other temporary channels to go away.
The whole "EchoStar 11 allows us to add more HD channels" requires a transponder to be cleared off.
But you are right that it has nothing to do with the MPEG2-HD to MPEG4-HD conversion.
In terms of new HD, I'm not so sure. As someone else pointed out, Dish likes to make a big splash with launches. Perhaps they are waiting for the conversion so the can launch 13 channels (7 on a freed TP, 6 from the conversion) and make a big deal about it, bigger than 7, then 6.
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Received L614 at about 1AM MDT 9/19 on 1 of 2 VIP722s, newer still has L613.
Then had different lengths of channels on All HD but playing with locks, which does not change that display, did re-enable missing 140 142 144. Weird.
-Ken
Then had different lengths of channels on All HD but playing with locks, which does not change that display, did re-enable missing 140 142 144. Weird.
-Ken
But they do not have to add channels due to the MPEG2-HD conversion at the same time they do they conversion.... they could just leave the space open until the "big splash".
So, I think the MPEG2-HD conversion is only waiting until the last 942 and 811 owners have received their new VIP receivers.
Perhaps just a coincidence that more HD may show up when or after the MPEG2 HD to MPEG4 HD conversion occurs. It will be interesting to see if that conversion actually clears an entire transponder.
BTW: Every new satellite allows the addition of more channels of various types.
Yep, it's called La Academia. Not for me but maybe they have customers that will pay to watch.
No, you are confusing what I am saying.
For EchoStar 11 to create space for additional HD channels, they had to free up one transponder. They increased the FEC, allowing all the SD channels to be moved to one less transponder, freeing up a transponder previously used for SD that now could be used for HD.
The MPEG2-HD to MPEG4-HD conversion does not free up a transponder and does not need to do so. The channels can be uploaded to the same transponders. Since MPEG4-HD uses less bandwidth, Tranponders 7, 13 and 17 will each have more space.
The two don't have to be done at the same time, in fact the first one is already done. And the conversion does not have to wait for the channel additions - the space can just be there, just like it is on freed transponder 19.
As always, marketing and sales issues take control - I'm sure the Engineering guys would have done the conversion many months ago.
In other words, the HD channel additions may be waiting for the conversion to occur, but the conversion is not waiting for the HD channel additions to be ready.
I am not confusing anything. That empty Tp is needed for additional SD channels and they are placing them there.
Tp 17 is already full of MPEG4 HD channels.
Any additional HD additions will have to come from space created by the MPEG2 HD to MPEG4 HD conversion of Tp 7 and Tp 13.
Tp 17 is already full of MPEG4 HD channels.
Any additional HD additions will have to come from space created by the MPEG2 HD to MPEG4 HD conversion of Tp 7 and Tp 13.
A couple of NHL channels (at least that's what I presume NHLN is), that all so far. Perhaps just placeholders until they find a more permanent home with the FEC 7/8 shuffle. I would hope they wouldn't free up a full transponder only to add a bunch of little watched SDs rather than HD we want.
NHL Network
TELAM
and a channel labelled RFDTV which could be anything, even HD.
They don't seem to be in any hurry to add those HD channels we supposedly want. Of course, they also have to add them to EA. Maybe that is the reason for the delay. Perhaps they need EchoStar 8 at 77w to do that.
TELAM
and a channel labelled RFDTV which could be anything, even HD.
They don't seem to be in any hurry to add those HD channels we supposedly want. Of course, they also have to add them to EA. Maybe that is the reason for the delay. Perhaps they need EchoStar 8 at 77w to do that.
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