Contacting uplinkers is always generally a bad idea

[guapoharry]

Resolved:

Contacting satellite broadcast uplinkers is always generally a bad idea.

Scenario: Suppose an ITC channel becomes unviewable. Or, perhaps there is sound but no video.

Pretty simple premise...
Based on a comment by Tron...

 

[Mr Tony]

I dont get the whole meaning of the post?

It has been a common rule since forever to never contact the channel. I thought that was common knowledge

http://www.satelliteguys.us/597820-post31.html

Tip for June 26
If you are having issues with a FTA channel, DO NOT E-mail/Call the company. This is how items get scrambled

There are a few exceptions to this. If the company posts the satellite coordinates on their website (like some ethnic channels and religious). But remember, we are not the companies intended targets for channels/backhauls. If you see a phone number on a backhaul, DO NOT call it. This is how stuff gets scrambled

 

[qwert1515]

I agree with you if the channel is scrambled and it becomes ITC or FTE, or if it is a wild feed.

However if the channel is broadcasted to us (GloryStar or FTA channels from Globecast) then I think you should contact the broadcaster if there is an issue.

Once I contacted KTLA OTA because the TubeTV was not available on their sub channel, I gave them the reason why, and they were very happy and sent me a TubeTV hat

 

[Mr Tony]

I agree with you if the channel is scrambled and it becomes ITC or FTE, or if it is a wild feed.

However if the channel is broadcasted to us (GloryStar or FTA channels from Globecast) then I think you should contact the broadcaster if there is an issue.

thats what I posted in the other thread

I guess some folks forget that with the exception of 97W and the religious channels on 101 in most cases WE ARE NOT THE INTENDED AUDIENCE FOR THESE CHANNELS!!

We're just "there"...and we usually keep quiet

 

[guapoharry]

After seeing a recent thread - Trying to bring attention to and emphasize the point in case someone had not reviewed page four of a thread from 2006. (even if the content is timeless)

OTA is another story.

 

[Mr Tony]

The thread its in is "the tip of the iceberg" which is a sticky
so most folks should have read it

 

[Fizbi]

...It has been a common rule since forever to never contact the channel. I thought that was common knowledge

It wasn't to me.

I have contacted PBS in the past to thank them for the feed. They responded in a positive way. But, PBS is not in the business to empty our wallets.

Now, I have refrained from bothering the rest of the uplinkers as it makes sense to me that we are fringe mutant viewers looking for wild feeds.

What makes sense to me is to pound on the advertisers to push feeds (programs) through unused FTA transponders to reach the fringe viewers out in the prairies (viewers like me) who have very few OTA anything to watch.

Advertisers are very receptive to requests from customers. Just writing to them to thank them for a product can result in receiving a lot of discount coupons for more of their product. I know cause I do it a lot.

My suggestion is to write to advertisers and educate them about unused FTA transponders. The exact wording that pushes the magic button however, is a mystery to me. Perhaps someone here has some experience in that department. I'd be willing to write to many advertisers if I knew the right verbage and points of contact.

I agree, we need to leave the uplink providers alone.

 

[Anole]

There, I just made it the 25th YES, with no dissenting votes.

There was one uplinker, and he came to SatGuys to ASK us to view his stuff, his show, his networks.
WE DID, and he's gone now! -

So, moral of the story, just don't do it! -
(don't contact the uplinking carriers nor content providers)

 

[Mr Tony]

this guy?
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/183696-satellite-channel-bandwidth.html

he is still here

 

[voomvoom]

I voted no
just cause I can, and besides, "I hate a unanimous decision"

 

[Pismire]

this guy?
http://www.satelliteguys.us/free-air-fta-discussion/183696-satellite-channel-bandwidth.html

he is still here

I think he was referring to Gas...I may be wrong though.

I voted the ayes have it, duh.

 

[Anole]

I was speaking of GAS and joking about his company.
Sorry if I was being too subtle.

 

[Tron]

Yes, it is GENERALLY a bad idea, with a few exceptions. Many people new to the hobby seem to think of FTA as a "service", like Dish or Direct. It is not. These channels (for the most part) are up there for broadcasters and commercial concerns. One might think "who cares if some people other than the intended downlinkers see these channels?" Well, unfortunately, the bean counters care. If some exec at Fox thinks he's losing revenue, even a small amount of revenue, from random people intercepting their satellite signal, he'll just order it to be encrypted. It has happened many times, folks...

Another point to be made is that contacting the uplinker will almost never get a resolution to your reception problem anyway. If you are not an "authorized" recipient of the channel(s), you do not exist in their eyes. They will not provide technical support to a non-customer. So even if no harm would be done, it would not be helpful.

 

[Mr Tony]

I was speaking of GAS and joking about his company.
Sorry if I was being too subtle.

hee hee....yeah Gary is still around but not as much programming on KU for us to watch form them

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

Agreed -- and for the love of Pete don't call a provider if you find out that you suddenly can't get a station you were getting -- especially if it's an OTA channel or a cable channel. That goes double if it's a channel you can watch US Professional sports on you can't normally receive.

The minor exception is usually the religious and/or International channels. Even then, check out SG before firing off an email -- or Lyngsat to see if it's normally scrambled and they were just ITC for a short time. No need to go complaining to Setanta that you can't get them anymore for free when they have people who pay a lot of money for that channel.

 

[Cadsulfide]

There is a "Tip" to the Iceberg?

 

[Keith Brannen]

Only time I ever did (or ever would) contact a FTA channel was back in 2007 when CCTV said they were going to cease broadcasting on G3C (95). If I remember correctly, others here also contacted them via their website.

In that case, may be our voice did have a positive effect, as they are still there.

In that type of scenario, complete loss (gone, not scrambled) of the channel (I remember some people also contacted KUIL after they disappeared), it certainly couldn't hurt, and might help.

 

[guapoharry]

...What makes sense to me is to pound on the advertisers to push feeds (programs) through unused FTA transponders to reach the fringe viewers out in the prairies (viewers like me) who have very few OTA anything to watch.
...
My suggestion is to write to advertisers and educate them about unused FTA transponders. The exact wording that pushes the magic button however, is a mystery to me. Perhaps someone here has some experience in that department. I'd be willing to write to many advertisers if I knew the right verbage and points of contact....

What is the deal with "unused transponders"? What does that mean in the sense of educating advertisers about them??

Suppose an advertiser was interested? How would they determine airtime pricing?

 

[Fizbi]

What is the deal with "unused transponders"? What does that mean in the sense of educating advertisers about them??

Suppose an advertiser was interested? How would they determine airtime pricing?

Maybe I didn't make myself clear. If I was an advertiser looking to squeeze every last dollar out of a commercial, I'd be looking for every means possible to getting it on air. If I was an advertiser and knew that a small audience was out there watching FTA, like in Casper, Wyoming where there is very little OTA, I might push to get an unused transponder fired up so I could get my commercials on air along with some viewable content like a TV show. The advertisers have the means to locate and find pricing for all OTA and FTA slots. They are the ones who actually pay for the slots unless it's a private or group (ie religious) feed. OTA providers actively seek out advertisers to keep their shows going. Maybe, some advertisers never heard of FTA, and if they did, they might try pushing harder into that market.

My gosh, I have to listen to stupid audio commercials at the gas pump while I'm filling up. Some advertiser or marketeer managed to get that one put together.

Probably a poor idea anyway seeing how only 60+ people responded to the above poll. Makes me wonder how many FTA folks are out there pounding on the uplinkers who have no idea what they are doing or never even heard of FTA Satellite Guys for guidance. I was trying to get along with the pirate crowd and was getting beat up over it until I left their forums for this one.

Educating the advertisers is just a suggestion, an idea. Maybe not the best.

 

[Corrado]

Of course I would never contact any satellite uplinker. I'm thankful for everything we can receive.

But I did contact my local, OTA CW affiliate about a question with their signal in my area. They were very interested in hearing from me and provided a detailed survey linked to the email.