FTA Future

[wantogetstarted]

What is the future for FTA? Is this technology going to go away in the future? How long do you think it will be around? Or do you see it getting bigger than it is now?

I am curious...I think this is one of the greatest things I have ever found. I thought having a satellite dish when I was a kid would be the greatest thing. Then I thought that technology was all but dead. I am so glad I found this hobby and I am hoping it isn't going away any time soon. Especially since I haven't even got set up yet.

 

[digiblur]

What is the future for FTA? Is this technology going to go away in the future? How long do you think it will be around? Or do you see it getting bigger than it is now?

I am curious...I think this is one of the greatest things I have ever found. I thought having a satellite dish when I was a kid would be the greatest thing. Then I thought that technology was all but dead. I am so glad I found this hobby and I am hoping it isn't going away any time soon. Especially since I haven't even got set up yet.

Take a look at overseas at the FTA market over there and you'll get a good idea as they are farther ahead of us...

 

[Stargazer]

I hope they get more english speaking channels than they have today. If they would add more channels in FTA then there would be even more people wanting to go that route. I would think that there would be a good market for it.

 

[brada]

I would not care about future, I am watching it now
It has always been some sort of "FTA": SW radio, then analog C-band, then Internet.
Technology will change (probably soon format will change to MPEG-4), but it's going to be something for free anyway.

 

[wantogetstarted]

I picked up tele-satellite magazine on the way home. Anyone read that? Anyway, there wasn't a ton of stuff for the US in there. FTA seems really popular in the middle east and a little in Europe.

 

[PSB]

FTA is HUGE in Europe, (where I come from)

Even the BBC and BSKYB (DirecTV) have their own FTA service!

 

[W_Tracy_Parnell]

What is the future for FTA? Is this technology going to go away in the future? How long do you think it will be around? Or do you see it getting bigger than it is now?

I am curious...I think this is one of the greatest things I have ever found. I thought having a satellite dish when I was a kid would be the greatest thing. Then I thought that technology was all but dead. I am so glad I found this hobby and I am hoping it isn't going away any time soon. Especially since I haven't even got set up yet.

I have been into it for a year now and I have switched off everything but FTA and C Band for myself (wife has Dish Network in the bedroom). So obviously myself and others think there is a future. Will there be changes-of course. C Band is phasing out analog and because of that there will be fewer things in the clear (some of the digital is encrypted). But there will be things like sports feeds and news ITC for years to come. And MPEG 4 will probably become the standard eventually. But you can bet when there are delivery systems in place, they will be used at least for a time.

It's only going to cost you about $350 for a motorized system so you don't have much to lose. You could always sell on Ebay later if you don't like it.

 

[wantogetstarted]

Oh, I know I'll love it. I already know that. I wish I had a system already. I just don't want it to go away in a year

 

[mattb]

Oh, I know I'll love it. I already know that. I wish I had a system already. I just don't want it to go away in a year

Stuff will come and go but I am sure for the forseeable future there will be something up there to watch somewhere.

 

[iafirebuff]

I had been debating about getting into fta for about the last year and finally decided to do it when I discovered RTN!

 

[MrTim]

Great question. No one wants to spend money on equipment just to find that it is obsolete in a few months.

I've been in satellite since 1979 (in business since 1970) and all through those years I've always heard people say that it won't last. When I first brought in digital equipment there was only 3 channels that could be found. Everyone said it wouldn't last. "Those 3 channels will scramble and you'll have all this equipment that no one will want."

Today I don't think you can find a satellite that doesn't have digital channels. Take a look at this entry in my blog. http://www.dmsiusa.com/dmsblog/inde...-Forecast-for-Digital-Set-Top-Box-Market.html

I'm setting on 3 warehouses full of digital equipment..... I sure hope it doesn't go away soon. ;o)

Tim ..... DMS International

What is the future for FTA? Is this technology going to go away in the future? How long do you think it will be around? Or do you see it getting bigger than it is now?

I am curious...I think this is one of the greatest things I have ever found. I thought having a satellite dish when I was a kid would be the greatest thing. Then I thought that technology was all but dead. I am so glad I found this hobby and I am hoping it isn't going away any time soon. Especially since I haven't even got set up yet.

 

[brentb636]

I'm betting that with the advent of Mpeg-4 receivers in the next few years, we'll see the price of satellite transmission drop , encouraging more small affiliations of stations ( much like RTN) to go FTA . Maybe FTA will have "webcam" channels and everything wonderful .

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I would love to see a FTA receiver that can output HD and 4.2.2

While I can do it on my computer its a lot more complicated then watching it on a seperate satellite receiver.

I cant wait to see whats new this coming April at the Satellite Expo in Atlanta which looks like it will turn into the CES of FTA equipment.

 

[voomvoom]

MrTim, I live near Macon, I come to Atlanta once or twice a month. If I stopped by, would you sell to me direct? If not, could you direct me to someone close by that would, preferably near Macon?

Al

 

[Remington]

I don't know much I guess but why any channel would go FTA? They make money mainly with license fees charged to cable/sat Cies. no? Someone can explain the dynamic of that?

I am very happy FTA exist, I like the hobby ! Hope it's going the Europe's way (with stronger C-band signal also)

 

[wantogetstarted]

I don't know much about how a TV channel operates but before you get put on a cable network wouldn't you have to be popular. Maybe this is a way to build a fan base.

I think I also read that foreign governments pay the cost to get some foreign language programs in USA. For their people living here. Is that true

 

[brada]

I think I also read that foreign governments pay the cost to get some foreign language programs in USA. For their people living here. Is that true

I think they pay for ENGLISH and Spanish programming here, to familiarize people here with their countries. Examples: CCTV and Russia Today.
Same thing as religious (mostly protestant) programming.

 

[wantogetstarted]

Is CCTV China's USA stations? I thought that things like CCTV-4 ( which, I think you can get FTA) were the same thing they showed in China.

 

[brada]

CCTV-4 is in Chinese on G3C, but CCTV-9 is in English and the third one is in Spanish:
http://espanol.cctv.com/
All are from Beijing. They are not a communist propaganda, but talk about chinese culture, and, probably, supposed to attract tourists

 

[GeorgeLV]

FTA is HUGE in Europe, (where I come from)

Even the BBC and BSKYB (DirecTV) have their own FTA service!

Nothing in the UK is exactly FTA since you still have to pay the £131.50 TV licence.