FTA Box Created By Users

[taelon721]

Time for some day dreaming. Thought about it last night. I would love to see a couple of FTA boxes with features created by the users like those people that frequent the Satelliteguys.us forums. Maybe created by either Satelliteguys.us or the big business brains at SatelliteAV. Scott and Brian, are you listening?

One FTA box that is SD with DVR capablility. And another HD, and either has or can add modules for the different HD formats we need like 4:2:2, etc... Boxes with alot of memory and processing power for expandability.

Besides the hardware involved, software would be upgraded regularly, as users come up with ideas for new features, and features that are changed would be voted on, in the same manner as Glorystar is looking to their viewers to find new TV and radio stations.

True FTAers would probably be more apt to buy these boxes over others, as they would have a say in the new features that come out. Not, only that but you get board with your same old box, and like to see new things. Well, with these boxes you would see new features periodically.

These boxes would take the best features (price permitting) from the other FTA boxes. Things like USB ports to add DVR capability without spending money for DVR unless you want it, MP3 capability, and small video game capability. Create an open source for the video game part so people could create freeware games like the way the Coolsat 5000 comes with 3 games. Playing a game with the remote is hard, but if you could use a USB compatible keyboard and joystick it would make the FTA box even more usable. Plus, those involved in the FTA hobby are probably 30+ so we like the older games anyway. Ok, I am old. Give me a space invader clone over a game that takes 8 Gigs of memory anyday!

I was daydreaming about this....... but does it have to be a daydream? Scott has created the best place on the net for information on the satellite industry. The idea of an Internet community takes on a new meaning, when you come to Satelliteguys.us. The guys at SatelliteAV seem to have big dreams that they are making come true as we speak..... Can something like this happen?

 

[qwert1515]

I like the idea :up, I want a faster blind search....... , and I want it to be open source so that I can create my own plugins.

 

[taelon721]

I like the idea :up, I want a faster blind search....... , and I want it to be open source so that I can create my own plugins.

That's exactly what I am talking about. I would definitely like to see a box that we get all the feeds and backhauls that we want to watch, and not have to use a DVBcard to do it. Not to mention, don't want to pay $700+ for a Quali-TV 1080 to get feeds, and it can't even blindscan.

Plus, I would like to have longer Channel names, so on stations like on 97W, I could enter the country and language of the channel, so I know what I am watching.

I also wonder why 32 Megs SDRAM is considered a huge amount of memory. Is the type of memory in those boxes that expensive?

 

[updatelee]

you can get a pci dvb-s tuner for around $50, add a computer, add linux. and you have the cheapest fully opensrc ird on the market that can tune SD, HD, 4:20, 4:2:2 minus blindscan. you could get blindscan to if you can find an older skystar.

you could probably build a system todo all this for less then $1000.

goto any hardware manufacturer and tell them you want all these hardware features and software to go with it and all the src. all in small orders and all for less then $1000 and they will laugh their hearts out.

 

[Tim Godsil]

Are you bill gates??

I don't think anyone can build a fta receiver unless they have an electrical engineering degree from M.I.T. I mean it would take DAYS to program the mpeg-2 codec, write firmware codes,etc. It would be neat if hey had kits.

 

[qwert1515]

I don't think anyone can build a fta receiver unless they have an electrical engineering degree from M.I.T. I mean it would take DAYS to program the mpeg-2 codec, write firmware codes,etc. It would be neat if hey had kits.

You don't need an EE degree from MIT (It might be helpful), The MPEG2 decoder is available in a chip, same with the signal demodulator and other components.

All you have to do is decide on a microprocessor and base the rest of the components around it, also you should be able to program in C (ASM would be better for firmware) and you have to do quite a bit of learning (Learning the microprocessors calls and how to connect everything), I almost forgot you need money and time. A few things you will have to design and you can borrow already designed items.

You just have to have a good idea of what you are doing, be willing to learn, experiment and spend time

Tim, I elect you to create the FTA receiver

You will need (Basic backbone for a FTA receiver to give you a general idea):

Signal demodulator (Tuner) -> Signal detector (Detect frequencies/ Symbol Rates) -> MPEG2 Transport stream decoder -> MPEG2 Video/Audio decoder -> RCA, SVIDEO, SPIDIF -> TV

You also need to add the user interface.

Am I volunteering to create a FTA recevier? NO. Ask me in about ten years and I might reconsider.
Good luck Tim!

 

[Tim Godsil]

To get someting like that to work, could I use the signal demodulator,etc from a old directv receiver?

 

[qwert1515]

Theoretically yes, practically no

You would need to know what pins on the DirectTV signal demodulator do what so that you can pass the signal on to the rest of the components and control the demodulator.

You would need to figure out how the demodulator works and how the DirecTV receiver interfaces with it. To do this you would need a oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, data analyzer. After you figure out how they tune then you are one step closer to your goal.

If you want to learn how a satellite receiver works it is probably best if you learn how a AM and FM radio works first, and then build one.

 

[Tim Godsil]

Why not take build a small case copmuter slap a fta vcard in it with a 500 gig hard drive and hook it up to a tv?

 

[qwert1515]

You could do that but you will not be able to have all formats and features, example - with a PC card most of the time they do not have blind search, if they do then they don't work with HD very well

You were talking about building a FTA receiver, if you put a DVB PC card in a computer you are not "building" a FTA receiver you are just assembling an already built one and you are stuck with its capabilities. If you design/build your own one you can make your own modifications.

 

[taelon721]

I didn't realize my post was going to be so controversial. I was just thinking that if someone made a couple of new receivers created by those that are info FTA, that is might be one step closer to changing the face of FTA.

Brian's idea of starting Glorystar was a bold move. And if he gets enough TV and radio stations on those two satellites that are for free, I believe it will make other TV stations think about going FTA.

If you look at the FTA list in the UK, you will find tons of free stations. They even have free porn over there. We can't even get free affiliate stations on American satellites. The big providers have done everything they can to crush true FTA. Even if you call up the satellite stores in a major city like Dallas or Houston, they all only sell Dish and DirecTV. No FTA receivers and dishes to be found. You basically have to buy them online. And DirecTV tries to get their employees to believe that ALL FTA is illegal. Atleast, that is what a couple of my friends that work at DirecTV call centers are telling me.

 

[Pepper]

yep, the big providers here have pretty much convinced 99% of the population that the only TV worth watching is what you have to pay for.

I fully support your "dream" and will do anything in my power (not much unfortunately) to help it happen.

BTW, the "ideal" receiver in my estimation would be something functionally equivalent to the E* ViP722 with the following modifications
- ability to also be subscribed to Expressvu
- ability to drive a motor
- ability to blindscan and add FTA channels to whatever you are subscribing to
- would still work for OTA and FTA even if you cancel your E* sub

 

[KE4EST]

Yeah same here preach that all FTA is illegal..........Sorry I can't do that, as for one I know better and for two I love the hobby.

 

[Tron]

And DirecTV tries to get their employees to believe that ALL FTA is illegal. Atleast, that is what a couple of my friends that work at DirecTV call centers are telling me.

Well, if you're DirecTV or Dish, what else can you do to dissuade the masses from knowing that your company is only a drop in the bucket compared to what is up there in the sky... Otherwise, everyone would drop your overly compressed, outrageously priced service and put up their own dish!

Sorry if I digressed a bit from the OP's topic, just had to get that off my chest...

 

[taelon721]

Up To Us!

I believe it is up to us, if we want to see FTA come back in a big way. Besides what Glorystar is doing, which I think will help alot, I have a few other ideas.

1) See about getting all the true BBC stations to put up their stations on a Ku band satellite dish in the US. They could seek out adventisers in the US like English restaurants, stores, etc... to pay for their costs.

2) There is a collection of radio stations on the net called Digitally Imported. Probably over 20+ stations with music that we don't see much in Satellite radio or FM/AM broadcasts. Things like Techo, Rave, Ambient, Lounge, etc... They could pay for it three ways.
a) Go to a big provider like DirecTV, who does not have anything In The Clear, and say, we will let you broadcast our stations, but they have to be ITC.
b) Have ordering info for the CDs like some of the other radio broadcasters do. Like I believe DirecTV music channels still do.
c) Setup up a second business selling FTA equipment to get the stations, and do it underground through the dance club scenes, teen sites, etc....

3) Continue to help Glorystar bring Christian and family oriented stations to FTA.

4) Continue to get more foreign channels to come to American FTA. In fact, I am surprised that there are not more Spanish channels sitting on one American satellite. The MiddleEastern community, is already putting tons of stations on FTA, to push their agenda, wherever you live.


As you can see, there are ways to do it, and for those broadcasters that jump on the FTA band wagon, to make it financially feasable. But it will take a group of people like us to help move it along. If many of us starting sending email to these people, they might start looking seriously at it.

However, if we sit on our fingers, and done nothing, we will continue to loose FTA, because of the big providers. If we do convince several of these broadcasters to move to FTA, then others like CNN, FoxNews, CSPAN, HGTV, etc... might look at coming back to FTA.

My question is are there others around here that are ready to help and do something about changing the face of FTA in America.