cost of Ku-Band (1998)

JosephHolloway1998

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Jan 29, 2019
432
17
Porter Ranch, CA
as C-Band Satellite was for home viewing, and Primestar, DirecTV/USSB, Echostar/Dish Network, Shaw Direct (Canada), ExpressVu (Canada) were the only Ku providers direct to consumers at the time. How much was the cost of regular Ku-Band like in '98? You could get random network feeds (ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, PBS), sports backhauls (NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA, College sports), educational networks (regional PBS stations, Channel One News), news feeds, special events, satellite news gathering feeds etc... (the cost of 4DTV was around $800-$900 at the time, but it was the only one compatible for HDTV)
 
In 98 from what I remember radio shack sold directv and rca made the receivers. You can get it all installed for free with a contract or get a do it yourself kit
 
Joseph, you aren't staying on topic. Your own OP says "regular ku".

Primestar was decidedly NOT "regular ku". As I said above, there was NO COST for "regular ku" reception (no subscription cost), and there still isn't any cost. Beyond the overhead cost of buying a receiver and such to receive it, it's just like putting up an OTA tv antenna. However, people can scrounge all that equipment if they are handy and ask around, and some of us don't have even those costs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeI
Joseph, you aren't staying on topic. Your own OP says "regular ku".

Primestar was decidedly NOT "regular ku". As I said above, there was NO COST for "regular ku" reception (no subscription cost), and there still isn't any cost. Beyond the overhead cost of buying a receiver and such to receive it, it's just like putting up an OTA tv antenna. However, people can scrounge all that equipment if they are handy and ask around, and some of us don't have even those costs.

Nobody should know better than a guy who's screen name is "Primestar" ;)
 
Joseph, can you clarify your question? Are you asking for the cost of reception (subscription, etc) - which as Mike indicated there were none outside of the Direct-to-Home systems like Primestar, Dish, DirecTV and other Shaws and Bells

Or are you asking about the cost of the equipment (a dish suitable for Ku, LNB, receiver, motorization)?
 
Joseph, can you clarify your question? Are you asking for the cost of reception (subscription, etc) - which as Mike indicated there were none outside of the Direct-to-Home systems like Primestar, Dish, DirecTV and other Shaws and Bells

Or are you asking about the cost of the equipment (a dish suitable for Ku, LNB, receiver, motorization)?

He doesn't know what he wants, but he's happy to tell you when what you posted is wrong, AND to then give you the right info. Not sure why, but that's his game.
 
Approx. retail cost to add KU to a BUD: $125 - $400 for a c/ku feedhorn and $65 - $350 per LNB. Most receivers were C and Ku capable and no separate receiver was needed until DVBS was introduced. The cost depended on the type and quality of equipment and if you needed a tech to install and align.

To add another wrinkle, if you wanted to receive DigiCipher feeds you needed a 4DTV receiver. Of course it was C/Ku band, and most feeds on C-Band. But, you needed Ku if you wanted those HITS feeds from Galaxy 4 at the time.
 
but after the G4 shutdown you were unable to get those HITS feeds, you had to try another satellite.

That didn’t matter. Evidently you’re not very familiar with TVRO. The HITS channels simply moved to a different bird. Galaxy 7 Ku I believe. Your C/Ku band dish was motorized, there was no ‘trying’ another satellite, you just moved your dish from satellite to satellite. You paid for the programming, it wasn’t a secret where they moved. Channels moved from satellite to satellite all the time. It wasn’t a big deal.
 
you mean these Ku birds? (Orbit 1, SBS 4 (used for NBC affiliate/network feeds), SBS 5, SBS 6 (used for news feeds), GE-1 (for NBC feeds), GE-2 (Primestar satellite services), GE-3 (used for PBS feeds & CNN Newsource), SN-3R (used for local affiliates, educational channels & sports backhauls), SN4 (would malfunction on Ku, unless you use a C/Ku hyrid dish), T4 (used for ABC feeds), T5 (used for sports backhauls & CBS/Fox feeds), G3R, G7 (used for TCI and news feeds etc...)
 
you mean these Ku birds? (Orbit 1, SBS 4 (used for NBC affiliate/network feeds), SBS 5, SBS 6 (used for news feeds), GE-1 (for NBC feeds), GE-2 (Primestar satellite services), GE-3 (used for PBS feeds & CNN Newsource), SN-3R (used for local affiliates, educational channels & sports backhauls), SN4 (would malfunction on Ku, unless you use a C/Ku hyrid dish), T4 (used for ABC feeds), T5 (used for sports backhauls & CBS/Fox feeds), G3R, G7 (used for TCI and news feeds etc...)

I have no idea what you are talking about... I was attempting to give you the benefit of the doubt and try to have an intelligent conversation. Then you go back to listing all of this crap with occasional video feeds that no one would remember exactly were they were. I digress.


Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys
 
Pardon me for reviving a dead thread, but as far as I know a regular Ku LNB feedhorn would've cost somewhere in between $188 and $300, but I'm not sure how much a regular Ku dish would've cost?