SD to transition to MPEG4

[Satellite Expert]

In CRTC hearings on Nov 16, Shaw Direct told the commission that it start launching new HD channels in MPEG4 in 2011. Expected to include Shaw Media digital channels including HGTV, Food, and Movietime.

Bell told the commission that the cost is too high and they are nowhere ready to move to MPEG4.

 

[scrooloose]

In 2011 Shaw Direct might have 5% of it's customer base with an MPEG4 capable receiver, which means any station SD broadcasts in MPEG4 only will have almost no one to watch it, so who will care? What kind of business plan is that?

Bell has at least a 2 year head start selling MPEG4 receivers, so if they did the same thing, at least more of their customers base could watch the new programming without spending more money.

-Mike

 

[DJdish]

In 2011 Shaw Direct might have 5% of it's customer base with an MPEG4 capable receiver, which means any station SD broadcasts in MPEG4 only will have almost no one to watch it, so who will care? What kind of business plan is that?

Bell has at least a 2 year head start selling MPEG4 receivers, so if they did the same thing, at least more of their customers base could watch the new programming without spending more money.

-Mike

I agree that it doesn´t make sense, I had raised the issue before regarding the potential upgrade of the 500s receivers to MPEG 4, and I remembered someone saying that SD wouldn´t do that, and when I asked SD some months ago about that and transition to MPEG 4, basically they said they didn´t have info about it

 

[Satellite Expert]

At the CRTC hearings on DTV this week, SD stated that G1 will be MPEG4 with 6 to 7 HD channels/transponders (meaning that it will be 8PSK not DVB-S2). 600 series receivers will be the only ones able to get programming from G1. The LNBF swap will cost $100 with the customer paying except if they have a dish service call in which case the new LNBF will be installed at no charge.

It appears that the real reason that MPEG4 boards are not being supplied for 5XX units is that these units do not have the switching technology to support Extended Ku band.

SD is in violation of rules regarding Canadian OTA distribution. They proposed dropping Spokane + 3 other services by Aug 2011. At which time F1R tr15 would be changed to 8PSK and 8 new Canadian OTA + 3 virtual channels would be added.

Bell told the CRTC they have decided not to spend the $1B needed to change to MPEG4 so they are going to buy new MPEG2 encoders to add services to existing transponders. They plan on adding 22 OTA HD channels. The CRTC asked if they could add virtual channels. Of course the answer was no as Bell has no desire to spend money on satellite technology. They proposed programmer programmed omnibus channels instead.