How do fta tv stations work?

[jogon64]

Hi, I´m still a newbie here, and I´ve gotta say I´ve gotten most of my fta knowledge from this site. I´m currently watching 30,79,97,101,125ku plus 99C all on fixed dishes. But I´m still curious.
How do fta tv stations work? I mean I understand they are not intended for us to watch directly, but who are they intended for then?
Let's take Cbs @125w. I´m watching Letterman last night (Shakira wow!!), then a commercial break and I see a nationwide commercial for say Macy´s, and then some weather forecast for St. Lucia in the caribbean, then some commercial for the 5 o´clock local news from Eerie, Pa.
So did this signal originate in NY, St. Lucia, or Pennsylvania?
Who was it intended for? All across USA, Pa, NY, or the caribbean?
Just trying to learn a bit more. Thanks.

 

[Mr Tony]

The channel is WSEE which is based in Erie, PA. For many many years there has a been a "satellite" feed (way back in the days when C-Band folks could get networks from other places). This has recently been added to 125W but we dont know for how long

wiki has the info

Primetime 24

WSEE-TV has been part of the Primetime 24 lineup since November 1997 when it replaced Raleigh's WRAL-TV due to that station's regular pre-emptions of CBS programming. The Primetime 24 service provides American network television service to C-Band and some cable viewers in Latin America, the Caribbean, and in rural parts of the United States where local signals are not available. This feed of WSEE varies from their local one where local commercials are replaced with ads directed towards the Caribbean (especially direct response ads). Also, the station's local newscasts are replaced with infomercials although there is a taped Caribbean weather forecast by WSEE's weather staff (often in tropical garb) nightly at 11.

most networks have a mix of national chains (Macy's, Sears, Subway) and local ads

 

[Mr Tony]

Hi, I´m still a newbie here, and I´ve gotta say I´ve gotten most of my fta knowledge from this site. I´m currently watching 30,79,97,101,125ku plus 99C all on fixed dishes. But I´m still curious.
How do fta tv stations work? I mean I understand they are not intended for us to watch directly, but who are they intended for then?

it really depends on the channel. Some like the PBS on 125W are for the affiliates
the sports news feeds are obviously for the station that produces it

some channels (mainly on 97W) are designed for us

 

[jogon64]

Thanks Ice I´ve learned a lot from reading your posts.

 

[Mr Tony]

The networks on 99 West for example are for the Virgin Islands/Puerto Rico. All are OTA stations owned by a company in (of all places) California. The stations are mainly reuplinks of the new york stations with tweaks on the news and commercials

 

[TimLones111]

The networks on 99 West for example are for the Virgin Islands/Puerto Rico. All are OTA stations owned by a company in (of all places) California. The stations are mainly reuplinks of the new york stations with tweaks on the news and commercials

99 W is considered C-Band only (for networks?)

 

[guapoharry]

The ones he's referring to are C band. Look at the frequencies in The List or Lyngsat

There is Ku on 99 but it's feeds mostly.

 

[Mr Tony]

sorry

yeah I meant 99W C-Band

 

[Apprentice]

I had been kind of wonder that same question. Thanks for the answer. Guess my next question would be why don't the ones that are not intended for everyone to view encrypt them? Cost?

 

[TimLones111]

sorry

yeah I meant 99W C-Band

I pretty much thought so..Was kind of hoping there was something I missed..

 

[Mr Tony]

Guess my next question would be why don't the ones that are not intended for everyone to view encrypt them? Cost?

depends on the station....most that want ot be encrypted are. In some cases like religious networks they are FTA because of cable headends. Also when Equity was in business that is why they were all FTA. The stations were low powered and the only way to get a bunch of eyeballs on the stations was to be on cable. Since the LP stations didnt have much signal, they used the satellite feed for cable companies to grab the signal. Some of the cable companies were very small so that would cost a lot for scrambling receivers for them

 

[Apprentice]

Got ya. More viewers.

So now there is no one out there like Equity since they went belly up.