Express Vu/Star Choice Satellite

[Mr Tony]

Lars
As a seasoned Canadian subscriber, let me discipher the questions

The only way to figure content is www.expressvu.com

They offer 25 HD channels, 6 are HD PPV (movies, adult, events)
10 are the US networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox and PBS)east and west feeds
Two are Canadian sports channels
Three are Canadian Broadcst Networks (two channels, one is the east and west feed)
There is one movie channel kind of like a Voom21 offering (you choose one of two offereings for some reason you can't get both)
Discovery is HD but different than Discovery HD Theater here
They do have WGN and a canadian superstation in HD that is alot like TBS or TNT

yes, they have 25 HD channels, but most are upconverts. The 2 sports channels (TSN & Sportsnet) have some HD but not alot
The Movie channels are a combination of stuff in the US. No there isnt HBO, Showtime, etc because it isnt allowed in Canada. The E/W thing is basically the same movies, but due to who owns them they drew the line on where you can get them.

But, you must pick some packages to get what you want. To get all of the HD, plus a bunch of SD (some you must have to get some of the HD channels- for instance, you have to have a movie package to get the movie HD channel, etc) it runs about $55 US per month. They do not offer any of our movie channels that I can tell (HBO< Starz, Showtime, etc.) which is a killer for most people.

Corerect. Also, again the movie names are different because HBO, Starz, etc is not allowed in Canada. So they have Movie Network

When I originally posted, I was hoping to add a pack for just HD channels, but just like D*, E*, etc. you have to also get a bunch of stuff you don't want.

yes thats true. But if you got StarChoice, you would have HD included in the basic package

Most of the HD is just the US channels (Global & CTV just buy the US Network programs and throw them on Global, CH & CTV). Also with ExpressVu, there are simsubs, even on HD. What is a simsub?
Easiest way to describe it
CBS has CSI in the US
CTV has CSI in Canada

When you watch CSI, you will get the CTV version (with Canadian commercials) on BOTH CTV & CBS. NOw they are simsubbing the HD signal, so you get the CTV version and not the CBS version.

StarChoice doesnt do it this way, so the HD channel will be the original.

 

[jagouar]

they are bringing out their DVR on may 1 (from what ive been told)... gonna be a bit pricey though ~$650.

 

[Mr Tony]

The HD DVR is for StarChoice and the 650 is CAD $$
ExpressVu has no HD DVR since they use Dish Networks receivers (with their own software...NO a Dish receiver will not work on EVu)

 

[bratboy]

well that would still be cheaper than DTV's HDDVR by $300 or so. Will keep an eye open to see what others think once they get it and I have comcast so if comcast here really sux maybe this would be an alternative. Still like the idea of getting 2 HDDvr boxes for 18 a month over paying out a bundle of cash up front was too hard to pass up. Wanna be cheap about it till someone actually gets a good HD pkg going with lots of goodies. Right now its a real toss up Sat wise. One service has a channel I like another has a diff one I like and none have all the ones I like hehe. At least here CC claims they have all my local HD's via cable so I can quit messing with my OTA and at least one HD of each major Movie pkg. If Mr D finds a way to reprovide us the Voom21 I would consider it.

 

[Ty2083]

Can someone tell me what are the legal ramifications involved in getting the Canadian Sat service (either one) in the US? Is it technically legal? What about these "brokers" I have heard about, and which ones are reliable? I have heard that some of them are complete rip-offs!
Thanks

 

[Mr Tony]

Can someone tell me what are the legal ramifications involved in getting the Canadian Sat service (either one) in the US? Is it technically legal? What about these "brokers" I have heard about, and which ones are reliable? I have heard that some of them are complete rip-offs!
Thanks

Its a grey area....If you do not have a relative in Canada, you would have to go through a broker. They manage your account and make the changes for you.

Check out the “other satellite” area here at satelliteguys for more info on that : )

 

[Lars]

Iceberg:
Thanks for all of the good info. I now beleive I will end up with StarChoice. Looks good to me for what I need (has to be an add-on service as I have to keep local cable for a local sports channel and local news and weather).

Most Voomers need to get familiarized with this "brokering" thing. Basically, a broker subscribes for you. As with anything else, some are good, some are horrible. I have started today to spend more time in the other satellite area and there is a wealth of info there.

Thanks again.

 

[Mr Tony]

Iceberg:
Thanks for all of the good info. I now beleive I will end up with StarChoice. Looks good to me for what I need (has to be an add-on service as I have to keep local cable for a local sports channel and local news and weather).

StarChoice basically has the same HD as ExpressVu, just on fewer channels

Most Voomers need to get familiarized with this "brokering" thing. Basically, a broker subscribes for you. As with anything else, some are good, some are horrible. I have started today to spend more time in the other satellite area and there is a wealth of info there.

Thanks again.

I will be putting together a StarChoice programming easy to read guide in the next day or so

www.starchoice.com

 

[Jamey K]

So....I can get HD networks from Canada?

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

Hey, Iceberg, thanks for all your effort for your...

StarChoice basically has the same HD as ExpressVu, just on fewer channels

I will be putting together a StarChoice programming easy to read guide in the next day or so

www.starchoice.com

southern cousins!

Still enjoying HDTV while we got it under mostly cloudy Seattle skeis, Gill

 

[Mr Tony]

So....I can get HD networks from Canada?

yes
You would get the big 4 + PBS in HD on both StrChoice & ExpressVu

 

[Mr Tony]

southern cousins!

Still enjoying HDTV while we got it under mostly cloudy Seattle skeis, Gill

I don't have HD yet, but once SC gets the 530 out next month, I might be

 

[Jamey K]

yes
You would get the big 4 + PBS in HD on both StrChoice & ExpressVu

OMG...that alone is a reason to look north!

 

[Mr Tony]

OMG...that alone is a reason to look north!

yep
ExpressVu is from Boston & Seattle
StarChoice is from Detroit & Seattle

There is some other HD on the channels too, but since I dont have HD I can't see what they are

 

[socalpanman]

The HD DVR is coming May 1

They have 9 Omnibus HD channels that are included in the basic package. Most of what is on here is HD, and not upconverts like on ExpressVu

You seem to know the system. I emailed them but I'll ask you too.

Is our stb compatible? They tout just re-pointing D and E dishes but need new boxes. Could Voomers go the other way, keep our boxes but get new dish?

Also on StarChoice it seemed to read as if their HD came on only at night? Any clarification.

 

[Mr Tony]

You seem to know the system. I emailed them but I'll ask you too.

Is our stb compatible? They tout just re-pointing D and E dishes but need new boxes. Could Voomers go the other way, keep our boxes but get new dish?

no...due to the software in the unit and the serial # is only for Voom

Also on StarChoice it seemed to read as if their HD came on only at night? Any clarification.

the HD channels are Omnibus, which is one channel has both the E & W coast feed on one channel. They mostly carry HD, but may have an upconvert or two.

so as an example, from 8-11 Eastern would be CBS Detroit and from 11-2 would be CBS Seattle on the same channel

 

[Lars]

southern cousins!

Still enjoying HDTV while we got it under mostly cloudy Seattle skeis, Gill

The thing I'll miss the most about Voom are the posters like SeattleVoomer1. I especially like the updates here and on the Yahoo Forums of the weather conditions in Seattle!

Maybe we can get the other sat area changed to ExpressVu and/or StarChoice instead of "other". I am definitely going StarChoice as soon as I can get Iceberg's simplified package description. Boy, that one's hard to decipher!

Iceberg: What HD is there on StarChoice EXACTLY? It seems to be harder to determine than the Expressvu website. Can you list it in a way like I did for EV* and tell whether there are other packs you need to get what you want? Or, can you e-mail or PM me and let me know a broker that can guide me through what I need to get?

 

[bryan27]

I will be getting ExpressVu. It looks like something I will be content with and rumor is that in addition to HD versions of ABC,CBS,FOX,NBC,PBS E&W, CTV E&W, and Global E, they are going to add CBC-HD and Global W. I consider the $10/mo Canadian for the package to be really inexpensive.

Yep you have to get the $25 basic package, but like cable you have to get the basic package before getting the HDTV package. I'm also going to get the $5 Variety-3 Pack so my total bill will be $40 Canadian which is about $32 US (not counting GST). I find that price to be very very reasonable.

I checked out what StarChoice has to offer and didn't like it at all. The only good point was that the receiver is basically the same as VOOM's, but the channels are just a mess. There are 10 channels that lump programming from many networks together that apears to be without any kind of logic.

 

[bookwalk]

I've been looking into StarChoice also and here is where I found the HD listings:

http://www.starchoice.com/english/whatsontv/default.asp

Then click, at the left on "Weekly HDTV Listings" but what I don't understand is: It says there are about 10 HD channels, but under each "channel" for a given time slot, there are several stations listed with different programs.

Are these stations depending on what area of the country you are signed up in or are they sub-channels that you can get regardless of where you are signed up?

On another forum, I have found a lot of complaints about Express Vue as to PQ--but they use a DISH HD receiver, whereas StarChoice uses Motorola.

 

[Lars]

OK, now I am really confused. This looks like they have 9 total channels of HD and fill them with whatever seems to be best at that time slot. HELP!

At least ExpressVu has dedicated HD channels and networks.