The Future, The Truth, 4DTV, 410

[stone1150]

I simply can't afford to eat pizza. End of that book. If C-band is unavailable to me then I have my OTA antenna that is good for a handful of channels. Being able to pay for what I want is why I am in the Big Dish hobby. My question is are we still going to be able to use our receivers to move the dish to all the birds and have the ability to watch wild feeds? Or will that be a thing of the past if we convert to sub to W-5? Thanks and have a great day!

 

[Zimmy]

Thanks for the kind words and support from everyone.

 

[truckracer]

Tim (zimmy), welcome to satelliteguys

 

[lonewolf454]

We need the maps and generics to be available on W5 update 12-31.

 

[pendragon]

Tim - I applaud the previous magic that was done to the DSR-410 and the new magic for the 4DTV receivers. Keeping the flexibility and quality of C-band subscription alive is a good thing and a relief to many here.

I have a 920 and was a previous 4DTV subscriber. Sadly there just isn't enough available to any of these receivers on W5 to make it an option for us. The channels we want are mostly there, but they are in combo mode. In particular the HD channels. We can all dream about Comcast 'downgrading' these transponders to 4DTV-compatible modes, but that seems extremely unlikely.

I know I sound like a broken record, but that's not restricted to me in this sub-forum. I've been hoping the magicians would seek to apply their expertise into getting the more modern Shaw Direct receivers to work with HITS. The 505/530 have existed for quite some time and allegedly support combo mode and certainly support 8PSK. The replacement 630 is in pre-order for September delivery and it is expected there will be a 605. These add H.264 support and perhaps DVB-S2 and DiSEqC. The cost of 505s is already low enough that it would represent a minimal investment for anyone wanting to receive the otherwise unavailable W5 channels. I would pick one up in a heartbeat and return to big dish subscriptions if the combo-mode compatible receivers would work.

There may be insurmountable technical roadblocks in getting these more modern receivers to work with HITS, but I would certainly encourage those with the access to try.

 

[gardo403]

That would be nice, if we could use an old shaw receiver to get the combo mode stuff.. but will it happen? That remains to be seen.........

 

[ziab]

To have everything we need on W-5

Do you guys know what we need on W-5: The networks and all the other channels that NPS had on G-3 + ESPN. That’s it. With that I will be more that happy, receiving one hell of an image without having to worry about interruptions on my picture due to weather conditions, as it happens with the Pizza dish.
“C band” and 4DTV are the best.

 

[Zorak]

Welcome Tim and thanks for the info. I know we still have many more questions than answers but do we know if a DSR 905 will work with W5 next year? Will it need to be "activated" before 12/31 to work if the answer is yes?

 

[sonyajon]

Tim,

Picked up a sub this morning from you. We appreciate your honesty. Done with NPS

Hope you can keep the current programming you have now. Add a couple of NEWS channels and eventually come up with a new box (Not the 410) similar to the 922 but with newer updated electrons in it. I think you're getting the message, we like our 922 over the 410 box.

Thank and we will all be watching this thing develop

 

[truckracer]

everyone don't forget about just good old free to air with a dvb HD receiver.
If you 922 or other 4Dtv loses the other sats just get a vbox to move your dish.
either way the big dish will not be broken.

 

[truckracer]

for years i was free to air and over the air antenna signals. it actually worked out fine. your viewing habits change with whats available and yes when it comes tv time you will develop new favorite things to watch.
I am not trying to send everyone in a different direction but honestly if W5 is missing something you like or are used to ...its just not worth the money to commit to a 2 year contract on high price pizza pans or cable. how much is everyone willing to pay for that one or two channels you like?

with the current state of most people's job security and lack of stability in this economy i am not committing myself to any long term contracts. i was never a fan of contracts on a consumer level with cellphones or satellite tv.

contracts belong on a business level not at consumer level. if you have a good company your subscribers won't leave you.

 

[tvropro]

I hate contracts too but sometimes it's a necessary evil if you want to play. There should be some legislation enacted to not allow these for tv programming, But the truth of it is big business will greenmail the lawmakers to get it their way, it's all corrupt so your never going to win. This county's lawmakers are all on the take and the right amount buys it their way, sad but true. If you want something these days you have to bow to the ones with all the green

 

[radio]

if you have a good company your subscribers won't leave you.

Agreed! It would also be nice if the "big guys" would realize that cut & dried policies don't work, either. My "residence" is an RV in the parking lot of my business! The small pizza guys won't activate me at this address because it's COMMERCIAL, but my trailer is my home. It never moves! I don't know what database they work-from, but they lost me! I explained that the subs were not for clients, they were for private viewing in my RV...... NO GO. Never could figure all that out, I was too angry to! Maybe some of this has changed now.

So, I sunk the two Birdviews in the ground, and had NO trouble with SRL in activations for 4D and until the end of the year I'm enjoying not only W-5, but my Colorado stations for a time-delay and variety in local offerings! I'll support these people as long as they'll have me! Hopefully the services offered will GROW with the system consolidation.

 

[sideswiper]

glad to hear the good news i sub to the W5 Super Pak now it has a good channel list only wish they would add Animal Planet channel to W5

 

[tvropro]

I know everyone wants their favorite channels added to W5. I doubt this will happen as is. Economic reasons, low subscription dollars and paying CMC to turn channels around that are already up there in megapipe for there cable affiliates are against this happening.

The smarter move for SRL & Skyvision would be seeing if a *choice receiver could be modified to get all the megapipe HITS offers on the HITS Quantum platform. If that can be pulled off everyone should be happy since its all up there, just not compatible with the old 4DTV and 410 receivers.

 

[dfergie]

Sorry to chime in so late Tim, Welcome to SatelliteGuys!, Stuck Thread.

 

[ikki]

> The smarter move for SRL & Skyvision would be seeing if a *choice receiver could be modified to get all the megapipe HITS offers on the HITS Quantum platform. If that can be pulled off everyone should be happy since its all up there, just not compatible with the old 4DTV and 410 receivers.

Agreed

 

[radio]

It's the "not knowing" that will do the most damage between now and December 31st. In my case, I have options.....I don't have cable, and the 4D is on minimal subs, with a second dish ready for W-5. Much of my entertainment is now ROKU, but.... I do like my cable channels via the large dish for all the reasons people already have posted here!

Most people (including myself) need to make educated decisions soon regarding purchasing programming and/or hardware and (with all due respect to the people making them) every day we don't have a definite word on what IS to come from TRUSTED programmers, the numbers of subs stand a chance of dropping, and the support for large-dish systems by consumers goes with it. If a different receiver aside from the 4-D or 410 is a strong possibility, there'd better be a heavy P.R. push to current subscribers, and soon! (or a definite on what the w-5 conversion will offer.

My deepest thanks to SRL for their continued polite service which I received this week, even given the current future outlook for C-band! I would be happy to lend the voice of one radio station to spread the word about options for consumers, if the programmers' wish. (Cable and dish/direct are not advertisers on my station, so why not??)

 

[classicsat]

> The smarter move for SRL & Skyvision would be seeing if a *choice receiver could be modified to get all the megapipe HITS offers on the HITS Quantum platform. If that can be pulled off everyone should be happy since its all up there, just not compatible with the old 4DTV and 410 receivers.

Agreed

Knowing is a small part of it.

Doing it is a whole other matter.
First, they will gave to get Shaw to collect those receivers an buy them from them, and have them "refurbished" to re-program with C-band firmware (which getting written will cost), and clearing the U/A from the Shaw database.
StarChoice/Shaw Direct receivers cannot be activated by other than Shaw Direct, and there is no mechanism in place to allow them to be field switched so other providers can activate them, nor could there practically be one, since the Shaw Direct receivers are supposed to be in Canada only, and 4DTV is supposed to be for US residents. </br> </br> As for the "low cost", that is the retail price which Shaw as specified for their customers, not reflective of the actuak cost of them. In other words, Shaw Direct sells them at cost, or less.

 

[gardo403]

Knowing is a small part of it.

Doing it is a whole other matter.
First, they will gave to get Shaw to collect those receivers an buy them from them, and have them "refurbished" to re-program with C-band firmware (which getting written will cost), and clearing the U/A from the Shaw database.
StarChoice/Shaw Direct receivers cannot be activated by other than Shaw Direct, and there is no mechanism in place to allow them to be field switched so other providers can activate them, nor could there practically be one, since the Shaw Direct receivers are supposed to be in Canada only, and 4DTV is supposed to be for US residents. </br> </br> As for the "low cost", that is the retail price which Shaw as specified for their customers, not reflective of the actuak cost of them. In other words, Shaw Direct sells them at cost, or less.

Not to be a smartass but the dsr 410 was a Shaw box wasn't it ???