shawdirect/starchoice 4dtv?

[clay_horton]

I have a BUD with a Toshiba 2200 Analog receiver, a 905 sidecar, and a DVB receiver. I used to get Access Alberta on the sidecar. It seems to have vanished. I still get the Knowledge Network, the shopping channel. The PPV billboard channel, and the BC Parliment. I use the KG setting on the sidecar. A recent Lyngsat stills shows Access Alberta. Is it still available

 

[tvropro]

I have a BUD with a Toshiba 2200 Analog receiver, a 905 sidecar, and a DVB receiver. I used to get Access Alberta on the sidecar. It seems to have vanished. I still get the Knowledge Network, the shopping channel. The PPV billboard channel, and the BC Parliment. I use the KG setting on the sidecar. A recent Lyngsat stills shows Access Alberta. Is it still available

Getting Access on my DSR 405 Starchoice box ITC.

 

[Mr Tony]

I have a BUD with a Toshiba 2200 Analog receiver, a 905 sidecar, and a DVB receiver. I used to get Access Alberta on the sidecar. It seems to have vanished. I still get the Knowledge Network, the shopping channel. The PPV billboard channel, and the BC Parliment. I use the KG setting on the sidecar. A recent Lyngsat stills shows Access Alberta. Is it still available

the 905 can download the Shaw maps without issue so use one of the Anik Sats and not a generic

 

[tvropro]

the 905 can download the Shaw maps without issue so use one of the Anik Sats and not a generic

If he's pointed at Anik F1R with the 905 the maps are in there already I'm sure He just needs to tune to ch 351.

 

[B.J.]

I notice that Shaw has many of their transponders in 8PSK/DCII. I'm curious which receivers are capable of doing that? Also curious re what flavor of 8PSK is used. Seems like if it were the turbo version, that perhaps the Genpix might eventually be able to handle it, since it does turbo-8PSK AND QPSK-DCII. Probably not possible though, but I'm curious what options are out there for receiving at least any ZK things that pop up on those 8PSK-DCII transponders?

 

[pendragon]

I notice that Shaw has many of their transponders in 8PSK/DCII. I'm curious which receivers are capable of doing that? Also curious re what flavor of 8PSK is used. Seems like if it were the turbo version, that perhaps the Genpix might eventually be able to handle it, since it does turbo-8PSK AND QPSK-DCII. Probably not possible though, but I'm curious what options are out there for receiving at least any ZK things that pop up on those 8PSK-DCII transponders?

The 8PSK on 111.1W are DCII modulated, not DVB-S(2). I don't think a Genpix can do that. Motorola makes newer technology DCII receivers for Shaw. I would not be surprised if that design could be fairly easily adapted by Motorola to 4DTV applications to receive some of the newer DCII formats we are unable to get with the old 9xx units.

The latest Shaw receivers are still old technology and are limited to MPEG-2. Supposedly by fall 2010 they will be releasing new units that can do DCII (QPSK/8PSK) and DVB-S2 8PSK modulation, all with DCII encryption, and handle both MPEG-2 and H.264 compression. That's the receiver that Motorola SHOULD make available for 4DTV.

 

[tvropro]

Supposedly by fall 2010 they will be releasing new units that can do DCII (QPSK/8PSK) and DVB-S2 8PSK modulation, all with DCII encryption, and handle both MPEG-2 and H.264 compression. That's the receiver that Motorola SHOULD make available for 4DTV.

That's a 605 I believe.

 

[pendragon]

That's a 605 I believe.

Correct. Current models are:

505 - single tuner
530 - dual tuner with DVR, but DVR only reliable on one

These will do DCII QPSK/8PSK modulations, but can only decode MPEG-2. There is a slot for a H.264 decoder that may have been prototyped, but Shaw appears to have no intention of releasing it. The digital video output is DVI only, and customers seem to have compatibility problems with it.

The new models are:

605 - single tuner
630 - dual tuner with dual DVR

These should do everything, DCII and DVB-S2 QPSK/8PSK modulations, MPEG-2/H.264 decoding, but likely only DCII decryption. Shaw is hurting at the moment for bandwidth, with HD restricted to 8PSK/MPEG-2 and SD restricted to QPSK/MPEG-2. To their credit they have kept the channel counts down in favor of quality, exactly the opposite of their direct competitor. The 6xx will have HDMI outputs.

The 6xx series should allow Shaw to push forward with more HD channels and perhaps recycle the 5xx series for SD to open up more space with 8PSK. They also have special authorization for lo-band Ku on their upcoming birds, which has people guessing about what LNB configurations will be used and associated switching requirements for the receivers. At the moment Shaw receivers only need to support polarization voltage and 22 kHz switching.

While I have no reason to suspect Motorola will do the right thing for the long-suffering 4DTV crowd, the 6xx series will be the first opportunity in a long time for a consumer DCII receiver to catch up to commercial DCII technologies. If the SRL et al were to make a move, this may be their last good chance. But it's hard to see the numbers working.

 

[tvropro]

I wonder if there could be a way to trick or modify a 605 to do stuff ITC on c band. That would make it a nice toy for us hobbiests Kinda like we do with generics now.

I doubt it would happen but if SRL/Skyvision got something going with a 605 we could in theory not only get the masters but all the HITS stuff on their birds. Like I said I doubt it will happen though.

 

[classicsat]

The 319/209 do 8PSK also, but only receive SD channels. Access is still there. I will have to check its Auth status. I heard the 605 will have "plug in DVR", like the Bell 6141.