Starting a TV Station... how to get it out?

[hotwire132002]

OK, I posted a while back that I'm trying to start a TV station, and I figured some of you here might be able to give me a hand. I've got a studio set and ready to go, but I need a way to get the signal out. I can't get a license to transmit over the air because of the transition to digital. I can't go over satellite (though I'd like to)--because it's too expensive (I seem to recall about $25,000 per month. Too expensive.) So, I'm wondering what a good way to get the station out would be? Any ideas?

By the way--a little background on the station. It won't be full time, just a fun thing that will probably air on weekends. We plan to air news and possibly a few other programs.

Any ideas on how to get this going would be awesome! Thanks for anyone who can help out!

One last note--our newscast will air live, so I can't broadcast using a method that would only allow for pre-recorded transmittion (such as a non-streaming webcast)

 

[ken]

Not a chance, you blew it yourself by saying it was just a fun thing. No company is going to get involved with a project just so you can have fun. And you would need some outside company to help if you would have any chance to get up on a satellite. Without that satellite link you would not have any chance, sorry. Try public access at you local cable company, thats what they were set up for.

 

[hotwire132002]

Not a chance.

I'll find a way to make it work. I almost always do. I'll keep you all posted!

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Just watch out, I know someone who tried this and got busted quickly by the FCC, to make matter worse when they raided his home he had his scanner on and it was tuned to someone cell phone or cordless phone. That got him in more trouble then broadcasting a TV signal.

 

[hotwire132002]

Just watch out, I know someone who tried this and got busted quickly by the FCC, to make matter worse when they raided his home he had his scanner on and it was tuned to someone cell phone or cordless phone. That got him in more trouble then broadcasting a TV signal.

It doesn't really matter...

...because I'm not going to do this.

My problem is, I get these ideas and just don't have time to execute them. I really have to work on focusing my efforts in one place... which isn't in a TV station. Oh, well.

 

[mini1]

Try to make a deal with your local cable company. You have got to try to team up with a satellite provider. Have you thought of C-Band, or you could even try putting the channel on free-to-air until it really takes off. If you don't have the signal up on at leat one satellite, then how are providers going to buy it? satellite is your answer, C-Band may be your best choice.

 

[hotwire132002]

Try to make a deal with your local cable company. You have got to try to team up with a satellite provider. Have you thought of C-Band, or you could even try putting the channel on free-to-air until it really takes off. If you don't have the signal up on at leat one satellite, then how are providers going to buy it? satellite is your answer, C-Band may be your best choice.

I have thought of FTA, but it's too expensive--$25000 a month !
I'm going to see what I can work out with our local cable company. I'll keep you updated!

 

[mini1]

how would FTA cost so much? The electrical bill to broadcast up onto a satellite maybe? Don't tell me you have to pay for space on a FTA certified satellite (made-up term)???

 

[hotwire132002]

how would FTA cost so much? The electrical bill to broadcast up onto a satellite maybe? Don't tell me you have to pay for space on a FTA certified satellite (made-up term)???

Yep--you have to pay for satellite time. It costs $25000 per month. OUCH!

 

[carload]

If you want to start out part time, you could buy a weekly infomercial slot from one of the OTA stations that are FTA. Don't know the current rate for a tiny market, mostly infomercials local station, but it couldn't be anywhere near $25k/month, could it?

 

[ken]

Mini 1, Did you really think someone put up a $500 million satellite just so we all can bounce a free signal off of it?

 

[TuxCoder]

Get a T-channel modulator (T7-T14, 5-54MHz) for backfeeding onto your cable system and set up a "public access" deal with your cable company. The modulators are not expensive at all. It wouldn't be satellite distribution, but it's a start.

 

[mini1]

Mini 1, Did you really think someone put up a $500 million satellite just so we all can bounce a free signal off of it?

I admit it, I don't really know much about FTA. I have really never looked into it. I thought that since it was free-to-air that the broadcasters didn't pay anything. why would their be so many channels if each station had to pay that much?

 

[mkm4]

The same reason why you can get OTA for free. The stations make their money through commercials and sponsorships.

 

[mbarnes]

There is one other option. Not technically broadcasting, and you must keep it completely non-commercial. That is ham radio. Hams can broadcast TV on a number of bands, one of the most popular being 432 mHz. Any one with a cable-ready TV set can pick it up if they hook to an antenna and tune to CABLE channel 60. Of course you really need two people to do it, so you would have a "conversation" back and forth. But if you just want to play, it will get you on the air.

 

[hotwire132002]

There is one other option. Not technically broadcasting, and you must keep it completely non-commercial. That is ham radio. Hams can broadcast TV on a number of bands, one of the most popular being 432 mHz. Any one with a cable-ready TV set can pick it up if they hook to an antenna and tune to CABLE channel 60. Of course you really need two people to do it, so you would have a "conversation" back and forth. But if you just want to play, it will get you on the air.

I have looked in to that one, but it didn't work out for a number of reasons. I'm going to keep looking in to ideas, and I'll keep you posted!

 

[hotwire132002]

Get a T-channel modulator (T7-T14, 5-54MHz) for backfeeding onto your cable system and set up a "public access" deal with your cable company. The modulators are not expensive at all. It wouldn't be satellite distribution, but it's a start.

I'm actually looking into that. I have to call Charter tomorrow--the guy I need to talk to is out. In the mean time, where can I get one a T-channel modulator? Do you have a web site that you could point out?

 

[TuxCoder]

I'm actually looking into that. I have to call Charter tomorrow--the guy I need to talk to is out. In the mean time, where can I get one a T-channel modulator? Do you have a web site that you could point out?

R.L. Drake makes some but their website doesn't list the prices. Product offerings -> commercial cable -> private cable system. I haven't looked for those elsewhere, nor have I actually done business with R.L. Drake. I just find them interesting because they also make satellite receivers (or used to), they are in my area, and one of the guys I do a lot of business travel with worked there before coming to my company, and still golfs with their president.

Not that any of that interests you, but if you do deal with them let me know how it goes.

I should mention I am assuming T-channel modulators are no more expensive than normal ones (no need to be), thus my prior claim about them being cheap. You know how much standard Ch.3/4 modulators cost, and a few weeks ago I picked up two UHF/STD/IRC/HRC tunable modulators for $25 each brand new.