How To Start A Small Cable Company

[linuxman]

I almost forgot that I took the pictures I promised of last week's dish find.

Here is the Pinnacle I found. As you can see, it has a few hail dents, and doesn't have the AJAK H-H mount.



Here is the other one. I think it is probably closer to a 16 footer than a 20 like I originally thought. It has a Scientific Atlanta sticker on the side of the mount.





If you look closely at the one picture you can see a motor. I can't believe this dish actually might move across the arc. I suppose it is possible.

Fred

 

[caddata]

....It has a Scientific Atlanta sticker on the side of the mount....

Wow Fred:

I'll bet that thing cost $100,000.00 when it was new. Scientific Atlanta was a big player in cable TV headend and local broadcast station equipment in the early 1980's. Do you think this one is available?

Harold

 

[linuxman]

I think I can get it!!

They aren't using it anymore. They have some Ku dishes on the top of the building, and some DirecTV dishes just above this one on the side of the building.

My wife the accountant and I have been discussing how I can make money from this hobby.

The only cable company that services this little town has the signal coming from about 75 miles away and it looks like it. Everyone complains about the quality and it is breaking down all the time with poor service.

I have broached the idea to start a small cable company for right here close in the beginning. I would have to explore and research what red tape is involved, licensing, fcc regulations and who to buy the original programming from for resale to the public.

I was thinking if I could get this dish, it might be a good start. What would be even sweeter, is if they had the equipment that came with it and it could still be used.

Course I wouldn't want this dish to go on the roof, but there is one spot on the parking lot on the North end where I could get LOS from about 135W to 43.1W. If I could demonstrate that we could make some money off it, I think I can convince the wife to let me put it on the ground.

It would have to be profitable, because it will cost some money to dismantle and move this dish and to put in a new base in the ground for it to rest on.

I am going to explore all the possibilities and see where it leads.

Any thoughts you guys have or experience with cable head-ends, or even knowledge rules, regulations, programming for resale, etc., let's hear them!!

Fred

 

[swampman]

Wow! All I can say is with your enthusiasm and determination, if anyone can pull it off...you can.

 

[linuxman]

"Everything comes to him who waits" !!

Thanks!!

Fred

 

[gabshere]

I agree Fred

probably need to break off and give it its own thread "small cable company" or something
....

I'm interested in seeing the same information , don't know what it takes to run one equipment wise , cable wise or else but would be some good info...

Does each channel require its own rack mounted descrambler?
If you add FTA channels (can you legally) do they require the same type of distrobution equipment.

someone here was running their own small cable company ...

 

[linuxman]

Maybe Iceberg or Defergie will read this and break off the thread into a new one with the last 3 or 4 posts for us.

Maybe, "How to start a small cable company" or something for the title.

Fred

 

[voomvoom]

Go for it Fred. After all, "You Are the Man"!

Al

 

[linuxman]

Thanks Al!!

But here, I am just one among many!!

Fred

 

[osu1991]

You might go to hdtvok.com and pose the cable tv question to ggore. He runs the Taloga cable system in Taloga, OK. I believe they pick up everything by dish there locally at Taloga except for the locals which come from OKC about 90 miles away.

 

[jayelem]

Does each channel require its own rack mounted descrambler?
If you add FTA channels (can you legally) do they require the same type of distrobution equipment.

someone here was running their own small cable company ...

I believe each channel requires its own receiver , I think Tandberg is one of them.
Also if you look up SMATV I think you will find more info.

I remember reading about systems put together for Hotels and Apartment complexes , kind of like a mini Cable co. , maybe this is not specifically what you are looking for but it might give you some kind of idea.

I remember about the small cable company based in Canada who had an employee who is a member here , it was regarding RTPA and and retransmitting.

RTPA signal is FREE and can be retransmitted , I believe DW TV is also but can't remember where I found that info.

I think your idea is sweet , It would probably better serve communities with good size ethnic groups , especially Muslims and Hispanics.

 

[linuxman]

Thanks OSU and Jayelem!!

That is good information, and I will follow up on the suggestions.

I have a lot of research ahead of me before I even make a move. For the size town I live in, it might not be worth it. I am quite sure that once I start finding out all the regulations and licensing, and the cost of rebroadcasting programming that the little guy might be left out in the cold.

I am going to pursue it to find out though.

Fred

 

[voomvoom]

Hi Fred, see you've found another nice dish. I finally came across a Birdview today, the first one I've seen in these parts (or anywhere). You told me I'd find one, and You are right! I was with a friend so we didn't stop. I actually passed by this dish while with some other friends a couple of weeks ago, while going out for a Retirement Supper. I noticed the HH mount on the dish at that time, out of the corner of my eye. It's at an old Motel in a part of town I rarely travel. Today my friend was close by and I got him to drive by. Boy did I light up when I read Birdview from the top of the dish. It's a solid and it's white, and looks about the size of an 8 1/2'er. My friend said he didn't have time to stop for me, so I'll be going back soon to find out if it's available. I'm just so happy to know that there are some Birdviews in the area (at least one). Up till now, I've only seen pictures of them. Back in the day, in Magazines, and now on the Internet. Today is a Great Day! At least for me....

Al

 

[linuxman]

Give me the numbers of the posts you want to break off and a title.

Hey Dfergie,

How about post numbers 44 and 46-56 and use the title "How do you start a small Cable TV Company".

Thanks,

Fred

 

[dfergie]

Done

 

[linuxman]

Thanks a lot guy!!!

You are the man!

Fred

 

[dfergie]

Np...

 

[linuxman]

Well to the subject at hand.

I started off by showing my wife a picture of the dish and explaining to her what would be involved in moving the big dish and setting it up on the ground. Had to explain where, and give a ball park figure on cost.

I told here I thought it would cost at least $1000.00 to have a backhoe come in and dig the footer/foundation and have the concrete poured with anchors to tie into at all the right places.

I told her I estimated at least another $1000.00 to hire a crew and truck to dismantle the dish and haul it home.

She didn't flinch so far. When she is in Accountant mode and can see profit at the end she doesn't mind spending if we can afford it. When she minds it is when I spend just for the fun of it and on something that won't make or save money.

That is the only reason I have gotten as far with FTA as I have up to this point.

I sent an email as suggested to the guy in Oklahoma. Haven't heard back yet. I will actively pursue the research.

Anyone with knowledge or links, please feel free to jump on this thread and let's see what we can find out.

Thanks,

Fred

 

[tvropro]

I believe each channel requires its own receiver , I think Tandberg is one of them.
Also if you look up SMATV I think you will find more info.

I remember reading about systems put together for Hotels and Apartment complexes , kind of like a mini Cable co. , maybe this is not specifically what you are looking for but it might give you some kind of idea.

If you get into the commercial end of things you need to play by the commercial rules. To start you would require a receiver/descrambler for each channel. You need to bring in V & H polarity off each dish and feed a signal to each receiver. Then the outputs would have to be modulated to each specific cable channel and encrypted if needed. That would be fed to a channel mixing panel to put the channel lineup together. Then it is fed to a trunk amp and sent out to the poles to be fed to the subscribers.

This explanation is simplified, since If I got into each technical aspects of each stage I'd be typing for hours.

 

[linuxman]

If you get into the commercial end of things you need to play by the commercial rules. To start you would require a receiver/descrambler for each channel. You need to bring in V & H polarity off each dish and feed a signal to each receiver. Then the outputs would have to be modulated to each specific cable channel and encrypted if needed. That would be fed to a channel mixing panel to put the channel lineup together. Then it is fed to a trunk amp and sent out to the poles to be fed to the subscribers.

Thanks Tvropro,

That explains a lot to me. At least now I know what I am looking at as far as what equipment I might need. I have an outlet that sometimes gets used head-end equipment in off lease. I'll have to start exploring that further to see what they have and what they are asking for it.

Thanks again,

Fred