I think that the FTA hobby is going "to die off" within the next few years due to streaming, encryption and fiber optic unless if you are into foreign, shopping or Religous viewing on the big ugly dish. Could this be true or false? I now beleive this is true, it would be sad to see the hobby like this go. So enjoy the hobby while it lasts!
The future of the FTA hobby
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It's been running on fumes for years. People that REALLY WANT to do it, will always find a way. It's a big learning experience, and there will likely ALWAYS be temp feeds to find and watch, if nothing else.
I forgot to mention those feeds on satellite to watch on TV. Both on C and KU bands, especially on weekends, so go and enjoy them!
The site is now 21 years old. And back when we began 21 years ago the same thing was said then.
Sure equipment is harder to find, but if. you got it there are still lots of things to watch and still many things you won't see anywhere else.
As long as there are satellites in the sky there will be something for us to pick up.
Sure equipment is harder to find, but if. you got it there are still lots of things to watch and still many things you won't see anywhere else.
As long as there are satellites in the sky there will be something for us to pick up.
I have heard the sky is falling with FTA for years and years. The thing now is, it is not that FTA within itself is dying, but more and more services are moving to land based streaming solutions. It is not only FTA per se, but satellite TV in general. My feelings are, it will be around a few more years for the true hobbyist. However, with less and less things being up-linked to Satellite, that is just the way things will go and the nature of the beast.
Hi all,
Having been a BUD owner dince 1991,
I've seen the gradual decline in services offered on satellite as technology advances.
Unless something unforeseen happens in the future that enhances this hobby, I personally don't see a BUD in my yard in the next 5 years.
Equipment and parts are getting scarce and expensive and most programming is in a language I dont understand.
I love this hobby, but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I once was..
John
Having been a BUD owner dince 1991,
I've seen the gradual decline in services offered on satellite as technology advances.
Unless something unforeseen happens in the future that enhances this hobby, I personally don't see a BUD in my yard in the next 5 years.
Equipment and parts are getting scarce and expensive and most programming is in a language I dont understand.
I love this hobby, but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I once was..
John
When I got into FTA around 2013 or so there was a lot of programming to watch on c band - and I mean stuff that was actually worth devoting your time to watch. Sadly, over the years since then I have seen more and more channels either leave, go to fiber or get encrypted. With the loss of much of 101W the other day I think it will be a breaking point for many of us. 
Maybe for home use, but I think it will remain for commercial use for many years to come
not just satellite TV, in my opinion, but linear TV broadcasting in general is dying, whether it's on satellite, cable or OTA.
Broadcast of course is still very relevant for live events (sports, news, etc.) but people are no longer into having their schedule directed by TV schedules, and that's why on-demand streaming is so popular. People are getting used to whatching what they want, when they want, and it's very difficult to take that away. The medium (OTA, FTA, DBS, cable, or streaming equivalents) are not the problem, it's the concept that is getting outdated. Of course one alternative is having a DVR, but as we can see with ATSC 3.0, broadcasters do not like that idea at all.
Back to FTA, I will continue to enjoy it as long as I can reasonably do that. But at this point it's more to satisfy my nerdy obsession with TV reception than to actually watch TV... But it's been a rough year with the loss of DW-TV and now MeTV Toons.
I got into FTA with a motorized Ku dish in 2000 and loved it. In 2013 I decided to go with C-Band. I have not been disappointed at all.When I got into FTA around 2013 or so there was a lot of programming to watch on c band - and I mean stuff that was actually worth devoting your time to watch. Sadly, over the years since then I have seen more and more channels either leave, go to fiber or get encrypted. With the loss of much of 101W the other day I think it will be a breaking point for many of us.
I sure enjoyed it in the 80s and 90s....Those backhauls, and wild feeds. Some news ones were blood and guts, and some of the sports stuff "off air" were priceless!
Still getting good out of our buds for the wife's Spanish programming. For me.... not so much. Get most of my entertainment on the web now. Especially enjoy some Youtube stuff and podcasts elsewhere. Thank goodness TMobile Internet came along when I needed it.
Would I install a Bud if starting out today just for me... doubtful.
Would I install a Bud if starting out today just for me... doubtful.
Even as there are fewer services to enjoy, I still am happy to have learned how to do something really obscure.
I don't know if I'm going to spend the bucks to replace the panels. Maybe replace the actuator or LNBF or the dishmover. But it might not be cost effective to keep doing so. Insurance might pay for panel replacement but if I can't get panels for them anymore then I might just give up instead of buying commercial grade antennas for a total replacement. I don't know if insurance would cover a complete antenna changeout.
My wife is down to watching just Azteca since the other stuff she was watching either disappeared or encrypted. There's a bit of spanish language programming on the Mexican sats but she doesn't seem to be too interested in that programming. I may have to get a streaming subscription for her in the near future.
I never really thought of it as obscure, but I guess it is. Wish it translated into a marketable skill I could use for a side hustle!
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