SATELLITE HISTORY (that never happened)

[radio]

I'll add to this as I have time...
Paul M, who gave me my 5th Birdview satellite system last year was cleaning his house, and found some old docs about Birdview. None were really "technical" but, wow, they bring back memories.

Birdview used to send nice slick heavy-stock promotional color handouts to dealers. The first one here is of a product that never made it to market before Birdview went into Bankruptcy. Even under "the NEW Birdview" name, to the best of my knowledge, having worked for a VP of the company who was a dealer in the 1980's, this receiver never made it to market:

and, on the back:

Instead, they simply started "modding" their old LNB"s for a prce to the dealers, making the standard Dual LNB into "high block" 95-1450 mhz units instead of their proprietary M-2/M-3 and 20/20 receiver-compatible (only) and they allowed dealers to order just the "hardware pak" of the pole, dish, LNB, motor, and cable with the consumer deciding on what receiver from the marketplace they wanted. Even this didn't save the company, but I have to say this is the FIRST time in 30 years I've ever seen this ad slick which apparently was put out before the company demise. I like the idea that they built in a stereo amp to the receiver....(sigh)...but...it never was made, beyond maybe...a very rare prototype probably long gone.

 

[comfortably_numb]

I didn’t know Birdview was based in Olathe Kansas. That’s about 45 minutes from me.

Nice photos

 

[radio]

There's a reasonably good original logo on the envelope in which all this came.
I may see if we can get it scanned, restored, and have someone make the logos for dishes eventually, at least for mine....The company's long gone, I doubt anyone will care about copyright....it's been dead for nearly 30 years. The only other clean source I have is a dealer patch that was made to go on custom jackets, so this logo may be good.

The mailing even included the bankruptcy proceeding paperwork for the company! WOW!, offers for programming available in the day, and more.
What a fun afternoon to get the mail and read!

 

[radio]

Their corporate address at one time was Overland Park, KS, too.

 

[comfortably_numb]

There's a reasonably good original logo on the envelope in which all this came.
I may see if we can get it scanned, restored, and have someone make the logos for dishes eventually, at least for mine....The company's long gone, I doubt anyone will care about copyright....it's been dead for nearly 30 years. The only other clean source I have is a dealer patch that was made to go on custom jackets, so this logo may be good.

The mailing even included the bankruptcy proceeding paperwork for the company! WOW!, offers for programming available in the day, and more.
What a fun afternoon to get the mail and read!

View attachment 133074

I remember those program guides from when my parents installed their BUD in 1992. When I wasn’t scanning for wild feeds, I was listening to the audio channels on S1. It was intriguing to me that I could go to the grocery store with their BUD out back picking up music feeds, then I could go home and pick up the same station on the big dish.