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Otherwise known as Swanni.
This does not look good at all.
EchoStar: We May Miss Digital TV Deadline
The satcaster warns the FCC that it likely won't be ready by the February 2009 transition date.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (September 4, 2007) -- EchoStar has told the Federal Communications Commission that it likely won't deliver all local TV signals in digital when the nation switches to Digital TV on February 17, 2009.
That's according to an article by SkyReport.com.
On the Digital TV transition date, all broadcasters must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a pay TV service, a Digital TV or a digital converter box to watch television.
However, Sky Report writes today that EchoStar, the nation's second largest satcaster, has filed a brief with the FCC saying it can't possibly be ready by February 17, 2009, particularly if local broadcasters wait until the last minute to switch from analog to digital.
If EchoStar is unable to offer all local signals in digital on February 17, 2009, millions of satellite viewers could lose their local channels on that day.
Noting that it now offers local TV service in 175 markets, the satellite TV company said: "Given the magnitude of the switch-over...even conducting the transition over a matter of many months would be a substantial hurdle."
EchoStar urged local stations to make the switchover long in advance of the February 17, 2009 deadline to give it more time to address issues of quality control and related technical issues.
Unless the local stations cooperate, EchoStar told the FCC that "there is not sufficient manpower for such a mammoth task (meeting the Digital TV deadline.)."
EchoStar also urged the FCC to give TV providers more time to convert all signals to digital if broadcasters delay in their switch to digital.
There has been no word from DIRECTV on whether it shares EchoStar's concern on local digital signals.
Comment on this article!
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This does not look good at all.
EchoStar: We May Miss Digital TV Deadline
The satcaster warns the FCC that it likely won't be ready by the February 2009 transition date.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (September 4, 2007) -- EchoStar has told the Federal Communications Commission that it likely won't deliver all local TV signals in digital when the nation switches to Digital TV on February 17, 2009.
That's according to an article by SkyReport.com.
On the Digital TV transition date, all broadcasters must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a pay TV service, a Digital TV or a digital converter box to watch television.
However, Sky Report writes today that EchoStar, the nation's second largest satcaster, has filed a brief with the FCC saying it can't possibly be ready by February 17, 2009, particularly if local broadcasters wait until the last minute to switch from analog to digital.
If EchoStar is unable to offer all local signals in digital on February 17, 2009, millions of satellite viewers could lose their local channels on that day.
Noting that it now offers local TV service in 175 markets, the satellite TV company said: "Given the magnitude of the switch-over...even conducting the transition over a matter of many months would be a substantial hurdle."
EchoStar urged local stations to make the switchover long in advance of the February 17, 2009 deadline to give it more time to address issues of quality control and related technical issues.
Unless the local stations cooperate, EchoStar told the FCC that "there is not sufficient manpower for such a mammoth task (meeting the Digital TV deadline.)."
EchoStar also urged the FCC to give TV providers more time to convert all signals to digital if broadcasters delay in their switch to digital.
There has been no word from DIRECTV on whether it shares EchoStar's concern on local digital signals.
Comment on this article!
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20 Replies
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3554 views
Swanni is good at reporting what he has read from other people.
He major strength though is his interviews, this is where I feel he truely shines.
He major strength though is his interviews, this is where I feel he truely shines.
Cool, they use to put something like Credit SatelliteGuys.US or something like that.Engadget linked to the site, you just needed to click on the picture.
I love Engadget, outside of SatelliteGuys it is my favorite site. (My wife hates it though, as I see too much stuff there that I want)
It has far less to do with affiliates (or Dish) not being ready and more to do with $$$. There are many affiliates that have been broadcasting digital for years now that Dish has not picked up.
The reasons vary, depending on who you talk to. Some locals have a highly over-inflated sense of their own worth and of course Charlie thinks he can buy their retrans for a pile of cold dog sh*t, so there you have it.
Example: Dish listed (in '05) the Burlington / Platsburg DMA (#90) as one of 50 they planned to launch in '06. At the time Dish published that list, none of the Burlington locals were even doing digital yet but they did launch in the Fall of '06.
In Jan '06 Mark Lumpkin said Dish carrying the Vt digital locals was "dependent on the status of the E-10" satellite. It's now Sept '07; all the Burlington stations have been OTA for a year and some are even passing on HD to some cable companies.
Why aren't they (and many other digital locals) on Dish?
Many reasons but they all come down to the cost of getting the digital signal into Dish's system. Even if the stations aren't asking for retrans dollars, they might be telling Dish to foot the cost of the uplink.
It's probably far less costly for Dish to pick up some of the main DMA HD LiLs and then just make "moving" real easy for the viewers inbetween. Some things (and DBS companies) never change and this may come back to bite them like the distants thing did.
I think there's some stalling right now with Dish waiting to see what "D" and the bigger cable comanies do as the deadline gets closer. We're certainly not hearing as much about HD LiLs right now.
The reasons vary, depending on who you talk to. Some locals have a highly over-inflated sense of their own worth and of course Charlie thinks he can buy their retrans for a pile of cold dog sh*t, so there you have it.
Example: Dish listed (in '05) the Burlington / Platsburg DMA (#90) as one of 50 they planned to launch in '06. At the time Dish published that list, none of the Burlington locals were even doing digital yet but they did launch in the Fall of '06.
In Jan '06 Mark Lumpkin said Dish carrying the Vt digital locals was "dependent on the status of the E-10" satellite. It's now Sept '07; all the Burlington stations have been OTA for a year and some are even passing on HD to some cable companies.
Why aren't they (and many other digital locals) on Dish?
Many reasons but they all come down to the cost of getting the digital signal into Dish's system. Even if the stations aren't asking for retrans dollars, they might be telling Dish to foot the cost of the uplink.
It's probably far less costly for Dish to pick up some of the main DMA HD LiLs and then just make "moving" real easy for the viewers inbetween. Some things (and DBS companies) never change
and this may come back to bite them like the distants thing did.I think there's some stalling right now with Dish waiting to see what "D" and the bigger cable comanies do as the deadline gets closer. We're certainly not hearing as much about HD LiLs right now.
I thought Dish was 100% digital. The deadline has nothing to do with hd??? I know that Dish has yet to carry all of the country locals but I thought they were pretty close. When I watch a shopping network say that all of the country will switch over to hd in 2009 I just want to scream.
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
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Lifetime Supporter
Schedule drops tomorrow. Mandatory mini camps in June. Hall of Fame game August 6th.
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Troy Aikman seems to confirm he'll be leaving ESPN
Aikman says he looks forward to "where my next landing spot will be."
www.nbcsports.com
M
Hopefully nowhere near a microphone.Troy Aikman seems to confirm he'll be leaving ESPN
Aikman says he looks forward to "where my next landing spot will be."
Browns lead the AFC North 
For some reason, the satelliteguys.us site is loading a lot slower than usual on both Chrome on my Asus laptop and Safari on my iPhone.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
I'm also seeing longer appearances of the blue bar at the top and the "3 blue bars" loading symbol.
Is anyone else also having the same problem? Thanks in advance.
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Supporting Founder
Really excited for this season with Kentucky having a new coach and some really exciting recruits. Probably won't last long, but here's hoping this season is great.
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. Hated to see my dawgs go down but I still say being ranked #1 is a hex on you!
My year was almost up and we got the new bill for a year of service for $ 360.00 insane sat radio is becoming like cable!!! i logged into my acct and hopped onto chat and told the rep that i wanted to cancel. she understood my concern and went quiet for a few minutes. i figured that she was canceling my service. she comes back and said that she seen that i have been a sub since 07 and then offers me the same package for a year for 120.00 with taxes and fee's!!! i grabbed it. after almost having a stroke 
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11073 views
S
Don't you mean phone sex operators
Is That why you keep SXM ???Don't you mean phone sex operators
Mrs. Foxbat reminded me it's that time of the year to do the Cancel Tango
The A.I. agent appears to be better than in the past. It got to the acceptable price quicker than previous years, no human operator involved. $5/mo and I still have over $50 in SiriusXM credit from my FordPartner benefits.
The A.I. agent appears to be better than in the past. It got to the acceptable price quicker than previous years, no human operator involved. $5/mo and I still have over $50 in SiriusXM credit from my FordPartner benefits.
I forgot you can pay that with Ford Pass points, I won't be due again till Feb, but I'll have to remember to try it ... Not sure what needs to be done, but I do have a substantial amount of points currently.Mrs. Foxbat reminded me it's that time of the year to do the Cancel Tango
The A.I. agent appears to be better than in the past. It got to the acceptable price quicker than previous years, no human operator involved. $5/mo and I still have over $50 in SiriusXM credit from my FordPartner benefits.
S
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when i say cancel. they give the moon and stars!!! iv'e gotten free radios and a free month once since it was my bdayIs That why you keep SXM ???
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Pub Member / Supporter
America’s Fastest-Growing EV State Isn’t California—Not by a Long Shot
New data shows electric vehicle adoption is increasingly driven by state policies, electricity prices and charging access—not federal incentives
www.autoweek.com
The number-one US state for EV growth, according to the June 22 Yardi report?
Oklahoma.
It has no ZEV mandates and "minimal" incentives, Yardi says, but also has cheap electricity, high multi-car household rates (so, for example, a non-Lightning Ford F-150 pulls their trailers), and a consumer base willing to switch.
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929 views
tomwellborn3rd (@wellborn.net)
This author has chosen to make their posts visible only to people who are signed in.
bsky.app
Never realized that Tesla is losing to BYD at manufacturing too, which IMO is Tesla's biggest accomplishment and area of innovation. Nice writeup about the state of play and how we got here though. I have no faith that we're moving any productive direction though sadly, most changes and efforts feel reactionary rather than rooted in making use of the time being bought by tariffs, with few exceptions.
So: how are the cars so cheap, and what is being cut to get there? The best public accounting comes from the Rhodium Group, which compared BYD, Geely, and Leapmotor against Tesla's Chinese operation, a fair comparison because it removes labor costs and shipping from the equation entirely. Their estimate is that BYD builds a car for about $4,700 less than Tesla builds a Model 3 in Shanghai, roughly 15 percent of the Model 3's price. The breakdown is the interesting part. Direct government grants account for about $292 per vehicle, which is 5 percent of the gap. The biggest single factor is vertical integration: BYD makes about 80 percent of its top-tier components in-house, against 37 percent for Tesla, and that eliminates roughly $2,369 per vehicle in supplier markups. Lower overhead, meaning cheaper engineering talent and administrative cost spread across enormous volume, accounts for another $1,719. And BYD pays its suppliers on 155-day terms, against Tesla's 60, which is worth about $214 per car in float. When people say the Chinese advantage is subsidies, the per-vehicle number says otherwise. When people say it is slave wages, the Tesla Shanghai comparison says otherwise too. The advantage is mostly that BYD decided, twenty years ago, to make its own batteries, its own motors, its own power electronics, and its own semiconductors, and Western automakers decided the opposite.
US EV sales are rising again. Here’s why the recovery is set to last.
Even though sales tanked last year after the end of federal incentives, the American EV sector is on the mend as drivers face sky-high gasoline prices.
www.canarymedia.com
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Stumbled across this ... http://www.gaspricewatch.com/USGas_ZipSearch.asp
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy
Ethanol Free Stations
I found no local prices, although it did show stations at my location...
Added these to this post...
USA National Gas Temperature Map
State By State Gasoline Taxes
Gas Buddy
Ethanol Free Stations
5553 Replies
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460693 views
Here in Indiana, the difference between Regular and Premium is usually a dollar, but some charge even more:
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beTFfPz10OI
Direct YouTube Link - Club TWiT: Media Club #3 - Best of Adult Animation: Futurama, Rick and Morty, and Simpsons Classics
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beTFfPz10OI
Direct YouTube Link - Club TWiT: Media Club #3 - Best of Adult Animation: Futurama, Rick and Morty, and Simpsons Classics
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
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Why are ViP922s So rare? like its crazy how ebay has none, i checked everywhere, also, i got a ViP222k now, which is actually activated!
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