CSPAN FTA

[TRG]

Is CSPAN is available FTA?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yes I believe it is, however I think its in Analog... might be one of the last analog channels left.

 

[wallyhts]

AMC 11 at 131.0°W
3840 V
tp 7

 

[mastermesh]

It's also online! If you have a wii, ps3 or xbox, you can get it on your tv through playon. http://www.playon.tv/playon

 

[SatelliteAV]

Also available on Boxee!

 

[JimmyMcGee]

Doesn't the S in C-SPAN stand for satellite? They'd be liars if they didn't have some presence up there!!

 

[FaT Air]

Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network - - - Al Gore takes credit for inventing the "information Superhighway, but he, nor they, get an mpeg2 encoder for their uplink.(?) One day maybe.

 

[Mr Tony]

too bad CSPAN2 got encrypted...that was analog too but they put it in DVB and scrambled it

 

[photoman76]

The CSPAN mux on AMC 10 is in DCII combo mode.

Channels include:

CSPAN SD
CSPAN2 SD
CSPAN3 SD
CSPAN HD
CSPAN2 HD
CSPAN3 HD
WCSP Radio

The SD channels are Mpeg 2 video and the HD channels are H.264.

All are encrypted. Even if it was FTA, not many people could view it because it's combo mode. I think they made a really bad choice by selecting DCII combo mode instead of DVB-S or DVB-S2. But since they are a private entity, they can use whatever they want.

I wonder how long the analog channel will remain? How many people still have analog receivers?

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

too bad CSPAN2 got encrypted...that was analog too but they put it in DVB and scrambled it

Yeah, because who knows what untold damage could come to cable/satellite subscription services if C-SPAN2 were unscrambled and open to everyone -- you know, just like on the Internet.

Seriously, if PBS can be Ku and unscrambled, there's no reason why C-SPAN can't be.

 

[FaT Air]

Cable-Subscription Public Affairs Network
-- End of comments in this thread -- may turn too political - -

 

[SatelliteAV]

Seriously, if PBS can be Ku and unscrambled, there's no reason why C-SPAN can't be.

C-Span is privately funded by cable and satellite companies, but PBS receives partial funding from the government.

Too bad C-Span wasn't receiving public finding, then we might have input on open distribution.

 

[Tron]

All of the C-SPAN channels are ITC on my digital cable system. My clear QAM tuners receive them along with the local TV stations. If you have cable, you might be able to get them that way.

 

[stone1150]

I always was under the impression that C-span was like NASA and was not to have the signal altered in any way. I figured that providers that are scrambling these "Public information" channels simply have not been complained about to the FCC. Seems to me that I read FCC rules about having 3% of channels to be ITC for public viewing someplace. Time to do a little research and see if I can find that again. Wouldn't that be ironic. The providers getting reamed by the FCC for scrambling stuff that should not be scrambled. Have a great day!

 

[turbosat]

You'll find most of the hearings they cover on 99 and other popular "newsfeed" sats. Just have to run a blind scan sometimes.

 

[toucan-man]

...
Seriously, if PBS can be Ku and unscrambled, there's no reason why C-SPAN can't be.

C-SPAN is billed as "Cable's gift to America". Guess it depends what the meaning of "gift" is.