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I think the Skyvision DSR410 system is the closest venture in recent years that comes to mind. It got off to a good start when it was Ku band and only required a small dish in late 2007 to about a year ago. Then it switched to C band. Still a good option for the satellite enthusiast.

I keep hoping for another Voom to start up. The equipment is already out there and can be recycled like the 410s. The old Motorola Voom and Starchoice boxes would work fine with new firmware for a new reincarnation.

Corrado said:

I think the Skyvision DSR410 system is the closest venture in recent years that comes to mind. It got off to a good start when it was Ku band and only required a small dish in late 2007 to about a year ago. Then it switched to C band. Still a good option for the satellite enthusiast.

I keep hoping for another Voom to start up. The equipment is already out there and can be recycled like the 410s. The old Motorola Voom and Starchoice boxes would work fine with new firmware for a new reincarnation.

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New life for VOOM, a nice thought but, I cant see it happening. First, Motorola would have to sign on and they have shown their colors regarding home TVRO. I am in total awe that they even considerd the DSR410 venture. Somebody must have something really good on the exec that made that call. Hell, we cant even get them to consider a next gen production IRD for the 4D service, and it is a SSP structure that is already established and in place.
I have no use for or will ever participate in IPTV. I'm already irritated with the almost 'manditory' push to having to be online to do anything anymore. IPTV is that plus high speed mode. When a high speed connection is offered for free, then I will consider it free TV, otherwise AFAIC, it is just another overpriced pay TV service leaching off of an existing infrastructure.
An upstart SATELLITE programming provider is about as likely as a new oil company. The big boys have the resources all sewen up, and the equipment already in place and depreciated off the books. About the best we can hope for would be a re-seller type service, similar to all the psuedo land line phone and long distance companies. The phone companies were required to allow this, but no such rules apply to broadcast entities/SSPs, so they wont be giving up a piece of their pie to sell it for any amount low enough for a new biz to make a sustainable profit from. Beyond that, there's the HW and support issues to address. It would have to be a multi mode STB, and supporting all variants of DVB, IOW, FTA capable as well. ATSC would be a plus. If any premium/alacarte are to be offered (that's the point right?), a CAM system and a means of management would have to be in place, FW support/development, at the company level, not the mfgr level, and not to mention moving into the crosshairs of the pirates 'scopes.
If anything it will go the other way. Remember when there were commas between all the names when you listed Exxon-Moblie, Conoco-Phillips, Shell-Pennzoil and the like? There are laws against monopolies, and FTC rules in place to protect consumers against such market manipulation, but if you have deep enough pockets and a hoarde of ambulance chasers, you can find a way around anything. Case in point, can anyone say Michael Jackson?

melgarga said:

I am in total awe that they even considerd the DSR410 venture. Somebody must have something really good on the exec that made that call.

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I think it had a lot to do with the 410's view HITS and that's run by Comcast. I don't think Comcast has a hate mentality towards TVRO they like the extra revenue. SRL also has a very good working relationship with Comcast HITS. (Programming Center) SRL also sells Cable in Wisconsin that probably helps. NPS never had the edge in a relationship with HITS. SRL offers more w5 channels than NPS.

Motorola refuses a new receiver because no one wants to come up with the tall dollars needed that Motorola demands since they have the DC technology locked up. It's too bad that Motorola got there hands on it from GI. GI was quite TVRO friendly. I think if GI still ran the show there would have been at least a new reciver built or possibly two by now. The Bud would have a lot more sub's too since access to more channels and the best HD quality would be the Bud. The pizza & cable companies and now OTA is following suit has butchered the quality of HD so much that the Bud with first generation HD could make a strong comeback for those wanting the quality. There is a potential goldmine out there and they can't see it.

tvropro said:

I think it had a lot to do with the 410's view HITS and that's run by Comcast. I don't think Comcast has a hate mentality towards TVRO they like the extra revenue. SRL also has a very good working relationship with Comcast HITS. (Programming Center) SRL also sells Cable in Wisconsin that probably helps. NPS never had the edge in a relationship with HITS. SRL offers more w5 channels than NPS.

Motorola refuses a new receiver because no one wants to come up with the tall dollars needed that Motorola demands since they have the DC technology locked up. It's too bad that Motorola got there hands on it from GI. GI was quite TVRO friendly. I think if GI still ran the show there would have been at least a new reciver built or possibly two by now. The Bud would have a lot more sub's too since access to more channels and the best HD quality would be the Bud. The pizza & cable companies and now OTA is following suit has butchered the quality of HD so much that the Bud with first generation HD could make a strong comeback for those wanting the quality. There is a potential goldmine out there and they can't see it.

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That makes sense. Comcast has enough DCII in service clout to 'request' that M support their DTH venture, with an implied 'or else' attached. You can bet it wasn't out of the goodness of M's heart.
I also agree that IF we were still dealing with GI the 4D DSR's would be at least one to two gens further than they are depending on popularity. The main thing that would need addressing, beyond tech upgrades is the ridiculous price tag.
To come full circle and back on topic, I could see Comcast as a viable nextgen SSP. It would still be a nitch market, more or less, but a market none the less. Do any of the latest gen Starchoice IRDs do HD? I am presuming it [a protential new SSP] would need to be patterned along the Starchoice/HITS to Home model, staying DCII compatable, since PowerVu is off the table.
Besides being to the consumer benifit, ie competition, it would give Comcast a shot at the market shares the pizza pan guys squabble over now. With the right offerings, and a new attitude towards TVRO patrons, a new player might take ol' Charlie and 'Dave' down a notch or two. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.
PowerVu based would be ideal since they are native DVB standard compliant, but not much we can hope fore there.

Figure a few million needed for R&D before it ever gets to production.

Scott Greczkowski said:

Figure a few million needed for R&D before it ever gets to production.

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then where did all these little ma and pa fta receivers get all the money?
ariza
nuesat
orasat

to name a few

I think it would be cool to have a receiver that has satelliteguys ideas and thoughts put into it.

Maybe someone on here can pull some strings

Techfizzle said:

then where did all these little ma and pa fta receivers get all the money?
ariza
nuesat
orasat

to name a few

I think it would be cool to have a receiver that has satelliteguys ideas and thoughts put into it.

Maybe someone on here can pull some strings

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Why stop there? Go for the logo as well. Scott might even license it to you, for a nominal fee of course......lol
FTA of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. ......cant get more red,white 'n' blue, mom, baseball and apple pie than that!

Go ahead and build your own receiver with a small form factor PC, a DVB card, and a Linux distribution -- it's the cool thing to do these days. But you'll have to get someone to design you a cheap card with a decent blind scan...

melgarga said:

Do any of the latest gen Starchoice IRDs do HD?

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Yes they do HD.

Jim S. said:

Go ahead and build your own receiver with a small form factor PC, a DVB card, and a Linux distribution -- it's the cool thing to do these days. But you'll have to get someone to design you a cheap card with a decent blind scan...

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A fast, hardware blindscan PCI/PCIe DVB-S/DVB-S2 card is really the crux of it. If such a thing was available mainstream with a fair price and quality driver support on Windows/Mac/Linux it would solve a ton of receiver issues. Dedicated boxes could be easily built with something like the NVidia ION platform and a blindscan card.

I think working with card manufacturer to get a more FTA friendly board on the market would be a better use of resources than trying to build a full standalone receiver. At least in the short term. Obviously all features can't be builtin, but fast hardware blindscan is a major missing feature right now with PC DVB.

tvropro said:

Yes they do HD.

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I have one...the 505