Analog channels to be discontinued

[Aguilobo2001]

From NPS:

Motorola's ACC has notified NPS that they will discontinue authorizations of analog subscription channels on 12-31-08. Most customers have known this was going to be happening soon. This means that CNN, HLN, TBS, TNT, TWC will not be available on analog after 12-31-08 but NPS is going to provide them as digital services. We do not have the satellite and digital channel numbers assigned yet, but will notify you when we do obtain them from ACC.

 

[tvropro]

Looks like my VC2+ will make it to the end on a 17 year old battery.

 

[linuxman]

Analog won't go away for a while yet.

This is just the VC-II encrypted analog channels.

There are still a few ITC analog channels that will be there a while yet.

But we can take out the VC-II modules and give the receivers some breathing room.

 

[truckracer]

I am still dreading the day when............."Dear 4DTV provider, We regret to inform you that the Motorola ACC will no longer activate privately owned 4dtv receivers. Please inform your customers to access pay channels via other means such as your local cable con-men, or price gouging pizza pan services.

 

[tvropro]

I am still dreading the day when............."Dear 4DTV provider, We regret to inform you that the Motorola ACC will no longer activate privately owned 4dtv receivers. Please inform your customers to access pay channels via other means such as your local cable con-men, or price gouging pizza pan services.

Hopefully that will still be a bit down the road. It looks like FTA all the way then and whatever else we can do then.

 

[turbosat]

You said it truckracer. I've never owned one (4DTV) but I wonder if there will be a few more hitting the auction sites now. Hard to believe I have lived through that entire period of history, from the beginning of scrambling, to now. Had a feeling the NPS-offered analogs wouldn't last long, but they stayed available longer than I thought they would. Too bad, was a good ride while it lasted. So long, videociphers! Still got 5-6 of those things too...

 

[linuxman]

I've got at least a dozen still operational here.

I quit putting new batteries in them over a year ago. I figured if one died, I would find another one with a little life still in it. Not worth wasting the time and money to put the battery in.

 

[Inno]

I guess the ones I was saving (for what I have no idea) can just go to the landfill............sigh.

I've been looking for a "smokin' deal" on a 4DTV receiver just for a few channels I'd like to get a'la carte but I've also wondered how long they will be activating them for being as how they no longer produce them and haven't for quite some time. Kinda sad really that people are being forced to cable and pizza pans with obviously inferior quality.........sigh again.

 

[truckracer]

It will be straight fta for me from then on. I have no kids and I am a bachelor. Over the air digital tv and fta c and ku will be my tv choices.

 

[gillham]

Meanwhile on an eBay item:
"[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Replacing an analog receiver with the DSR922 4DTV unit gives the C-Band user access to more than 200 channels of digital programming, in addition to the 300+ analog channels."

[/FONT]

 

[AudioFox]

I've been out of this hobby for a very long time, and am just now getting back to it after about a ten year hiatus. The last time I had a working C-Band rig, analogue was king, but I'm really surprised that there are still any VC subscription channels left-especially considering the massive bandwith savings with digital. I remember the sheer terror in the local BUD community when VideoCipher first arrived, now I'm almost sad to see it go. DigiCipher seems to be losing its dominance as the preferred method of cable TV distribution, replaced by PowerVu and Irdeto-its only a matter of time before even 4DTV is a memory as Scientific Atlanta and Irdeto don't seem to be racing to market their own STBs and Motorola seems to have forgotten that they ever made them. Despite all this, it seems that TVRO always survives the latest catastrophe, VideoCipher, VCII, VCRS, DigiCipher, PrimeStar, etc... FTA seems to be the future of TVRO, but its a shame my newly acquired (freebie) VCII receiver will have to sit unactivated for eternity.

 

[tvropro]

I think the 4D will be around for a while with DC-2. There are quite a few out there subscribed although they won't officially release numbers. What we all can do is get a 4D if we don't have one and even if we have one that's not subscribed to anything, Subscribe to something! This will keep the numbers up and keep places like NPS and SRL in business. The Vc2 has been a dead entity for the most part for over a year. The few channels remaining in analog aren't really meant for us. There meant for lazy cable operators that haven't upgraded yet. There's strength in numbers that's why everyone with a 922, 920 or 905 must sub to something to keep it alive. Last time I spoke with Skyvision they said there are quite a few people looking for 4DTV's even though they don't have any new ones. So this shows the interest is there. As Doctor Gene Scott used to say "get on those telephones!" And subscribe to at least one channel

 

[eurosport]

Looks like once this year's over, my 4DTV becomes a 3DTV! ...although 2DTV is probably a more accurate description.

 

[emuman100]

This gets me concerned. Reason being, I have a commercial Weather Channel subscription with Weatherstar Jr. I chose the Weatherstar Jr. because it was 90% cheaper than the newer, digital Intellistar. I don't want to be forced to upgrade, mainly for the high cost (which I cannot afford), and because I'll have to move my stationary dish. The Weather Channel still has a lot of analog subscriptions with old Weatherstar Jr's and 4000s for it's smaller affiliates. I'll contact them and see what they'll do when they get rid of analog.

 

[Corrado]

I will ride out 4DTV until it's last day.

I suspect DCII while be around for awhile. I just received an email from Skyvision inquiring if I wanted to sell any unused receivers.

Maybe Mike Kohl will chime in. He normally has the insider information.

 

[guapoharry]

I wonder if this development will result in opportunities for BUDs to become surplus? (for possible scrounging)....

 

[emuman100]

Apparently, the Weather Channel analog feed will be there for at least two more years. Their analog Weatherstars, which there are still quite a few of them left, will be replaced once they're HD Star roll out is complete. So their analog feed will be around at least two more years.

 

[tvropro]

Apparently, the Weather Channel analog feed will be there for at least two more years. Their analog Weatherstars, which there are still quite a few of them left, will be replaced once they're HD Star roll out is complete. So their analog feed will be around at least two more years.

But will the ACC authorize just the weather channel for bud users or will you have to get it through cable or the LSD to get the Weatherstars to work?

 

[skysurfer]

But will the ACC authorize just the weather channel for bud users or will you have to get it through cable or the LSD to get the Weatherstars to work?

I would imagine zero key things (so any module would work without authorization).

Considering NBCU will shortly own the channel, I won't buy they will turn off VC2+ entirely and go clear analog. I'm just shocked they won't just use the existing digital feeds now.

 

[emuman100]

The analog feed will be shut off once the analog Stars are replaced. I believe 4dtv users will get the digital feed on C4. Weatherstars and Intellistarts are activated through the Weather Channel only for commercial accounts.