New FTA service with 20 english channels

[Jim S.]

Cant wait tell it is up and running as for MPEG4/S2 receivers you can pick them up cheap on ebay right now seen pansat 9200 with board $200 or a PC card is a cheap route if your pc has the horsepower

They don't actually say S2, just MPEG4. I don't know if there are any MPEG4 receivers that don't also do S2 (other than PC cards), but if they stick with DVB-S it would at least help with signal strength / dish size / pointing accuracy issues (from what I've heard; I haven't actually tried an S2 receiver myself yet.)

 

[Bill_KY]

I know I will have to buy a new receiver at some point, I just want to make sure before I do. I buy one that will handle it all. Including...HD, 4:2:2, mpeg 4, AC3 and PPV and of course blind scan.

 

[Sadoun]

I think it's cool when something "Family Oriented"

I also like the fact it is going to be "Family Oriented". :up

 

[LoTech]

I just noticed that they now have The Golden Age of TV listed as well as The Golden Age of Movies. It looks like the old Whitesprings TV might be upgrading. (I hope.) Has anyone had any luck in contacting them (Whitesprings)? I tried, but my emails went unanswered.

LoTech

 

[Bill_KY]

I just noticed that they now have The Golden Age of TV listed as well as The Golden Age of Movies. It looks like the old Whitesprings TV might be upgrading. (I hope.) Has anyone had any luck in contacting them (Whitesprings)? I tried, but my emails went unanswered.

LoTech

Same here never got a reply, I emailed them awhile back.

 

[ynnedibanez]

Yes, I would too!
Setting aside the controversial "dish size" subject, (which I feel is also tailored to attract the attention of those with that type of surplus equipment as well,) lets talk signal polarity instead, IOW where in the Ku spectrum this project plans to reside.
A 22" dish is commonly configured with a circular LNB. Is there TP space available on birds somewhere that transmit these high power circular signals?
This would imply an OEM DN/Bell or DTV dish of 22" or greater w/ OEM LNB would be usable and pointed at one of the Echo/Nimiq birds...........hmmmmmm (I just dont see Charlie Ergen sharing his Echo birds for this competitive venture.)

dish and direct both have tp on 110w and 119w and they are absolutely in direct (no pun intended) competition.
also, there is the vacant slot at 148w, but that would be hard for the eastern side of the us to get as from here it is at 12 deg elevation, plus there is the tremendous cost of launching a new bird.
it would be nice if they would be able to go with circular polarization, as i am sure that most of us have been given at least a couple old directv or dishnet dishes over the years and it would be good to be able to put these to use. and for those who don't have them, they are dirt cheap.
either way, whether they go circular or linear polarization, i am drooling at the thought of this idea becoming a reality.
btw, on another note, it would seem that they might be able to get some sort of government grant to get this wonderful idea off the ground.

 

[Stargazer]

I am thinking a few things here. One, I am wondering if there is any backing by the FTA receiver manufacturer's to do this (maybe they are even donating some to the cause). Two, some of these stations may see this as a cheaper way to get uplinked to the satellites to pay for some of their costs and to get off the ground. Those same signals could be used to downlink to those cable and satellite companies for little cost keeping their cost down and being able to offer these channels very cheap to those companies which would make it more likely to be taken.

I was thinking a while back and posted about channels becoming available for free in the U.S. I was wondering why Dish Network didn't offer their own set of stations for free in the clear. That would have given them the opportunity to make money on the hardware and also give opportunity to get new subscribers that would already have the equipment which saves them money from paying commissions and costs of the hardware to getting those customers. They could have put some of the money that they put into commissions and so forth into FTA stations to attract customers as another way to get them. The dealers would still make money by selling and installing the systems at a cost they want to charge.

 

[ynnedibanez]

I am thinking a few things here. One, I am wondering if there is any backing by the FTA receiver manufacturer's to do this (maybe they are even donating some to the cause).

that is a fantastic point, it would definitely be in their best interests to support an endeavor such as this.
also, on another note, it would be great if they had a classic cartoon channel that showed stuff like bugs bunny, foghorn leghorn, yosemite sam and stuff like that.:up

 

[Stargazer]

that is a fantastic point, it would definitely be in their best interests to support an endeavor such as this.
also, on another note, it would be great if they had a classic cartoon channel that showed stuff like bugs bunny, foghorn leghorn, yosemite sam and stuff like that.:up

I would love to see this too. Need something for the kids. Many parents buy a satellite system so that the kids will have something to watch (good babysitter).

Echostar makes FTA receivers overseas don't they? I will be surprised if they do not get into the market over here.

 

[Bill_KY]

They revamped their website with a new look and have a timeline of adding new stations.
I see our sponsor Sadoun is listed on the page under FTA support.

 

[Mr Tony]

sweet

Mountain Music Channel
Hill Billy TV at its finest. Something different than country, with down home musicians and music videos like you have never seen or heard before.

I just love how they describe the channel...Hillbilly TV at its finest

 

[neljtorres]

I hope it's true has a couple of good channels golden age of TV will be one of my favorites!

 

[LoTech]

Mountain Music Channel - Hill Billy TV at its finest.

I wonder which set of mountains they're talking about. Ozark, Appalachian, Absaroka, Rockies, ...

As a card carrying Appalachian I'll reserve judgment until I've see it.

 

[badpistacio]

golden age of TV will be one of my favorites!

If by "Golden Age" they include Rat Patrol, It Takes a Thief, and Rawhide I'm all over it.

 

[Bill_KY]

It's been a long time since I have seen some of those shows from the 60's and 70's. Rat Patrol, Combat, Naked City, NYPD (anyone remember that one with Jack Warden from 1968?), Petticoat Junction, Emergency, The FBI with Efrem Zimbalist Jr, Mannix, Man from Uncle, The Prisoner, Honey West (Anne Francis), Burkes Law, Lock Up, Time Tunnel, Voyage to The Bottom Of The Sea, The Invaders, The Untouchables.

Here is a real obscure one, THE CAT with Robert Loggia from 1966 ,
T.H.E. Cat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There were two "run" shows I remember from the 60's. Run Buddy Run with Jack Sheldon and Run For Your Life with Ben Gazzara which had a ton of famous people on the show during its short 3 season run.

 

[Stargazer]

Can't wait to see this get launched. This will be great for those on a budget that cannot afford or get tired of paying an outrageous monthly bill. The thing I am worried about is the fact that they are going to wait to switch to MPEG-4 later on. That means anybody that buys MPEG-2 equipment now will have to switch to MPEG-4 later and that might make some worry that they will have to constantly have to upgrade their equipment.

 

[Sadoun]

sweet
I just love how they describe the channel...Hillbilly TV at its finest

Funny.

 

[SatelliteAV]

The thing I am worried about is the fact that they are going to wait to switch to MPEG-4 later on. That means anybody that buys MPEG-2 equipment now will have to switch to MPEG-4 later and that might make some worry that they will have to constantly have to upgrade their equipment.

Either you can take advantage of the millions of existing MPEG2 receivers in existence for the potential of an instantly available viewing audience or you launch a network that only has the availability to reach less than the 200,000 HD capable units estimated to have been imported. I suggest that the launch with MPEG2 with an announced plan to migrate to MPEG4 is an excellent business plan. They appear to be focusing on capturing an existing market with minimal start-up cost then transitioning the viewers to new technology (possibly distributed and supported inhouse) as the MPEG4 distribution and reception equipment becomes more readily available and at lower cost.

 

[ynnedibanez]

72.5w will have some vacant tp as soon as directv finishes moving all their locals to another bird.
high power, circular polarized and a great sat location.

 

[stogie5150]

72.5w will have some vacant tp as soon as directv finishes moving all their locals to another bird.
high power, circular polarized and a great sat location.

Unless you live in California.

I'd guess it will be somewhere mid arc...I thought directv was vacating some sats around the 110 area too...thought I saw that somewhere...I may be wrong...