An old idea used as a marketing tool.

[Mr Tony]

BTW, i have been paying $5/gallon for milk for the past few years .

DAMN!!

2.66 for a gallon here in 1/2 gallon bags at my local Kwik Trip store )(gas station chain). If you don't like the bags then its like 2.99 a galllon

 

[Claude Greiner]

The problem with a package with 7 or so FREE channels is that people would never pay for the equipment and installation.

They would want the Free equipment and installation and then expect the channels to be free also.

Also what do you do in the case of a non-pay disconnect where the customer owes dish money? Do you still give them their 7 free channels?

 

[Stefan]

I agree, if FTA ever becomes popular, everything will be encrypted. Greedy corporate thugs have purchased our television viewing rights on this side of the pond.

Bingo! The only thing something like this is likely to accomplish is getting more signals to encrypt. The very first rule of FTA is to never ever contact a programming provider, unless your absolutely certain they are aware of and actively promote FTA viewing of their signal and even then it might be risky as sometimes contractual obligations to other parties they purchase programming from can force them to encrypt their signals if it becomes widely publicized they're in the clear. Take Equity for example, they were forced to encrypt some of their channels by FOX. I fear that there are far too many people, who don't really understand this hobby, who are now becoming a part of it and they are likely to do things like this to jeopardize the future of the hobby.

As for PBS being obligated to make their signals available to every taxpayer, they already do through your local PBS affiliate. That's the way they want you to watch their signal so that you'll support your local PBS stations through donations and contributions. Otherwise they have no further obligation. It's quite conceivable we could see the PBS satellite feeds encrypt also if they felt too many people were watching those instead of their local PBS affiliate.

 

[Tron]

Very true, unfortunately. The market here is dictated by corporate greed, simply because so many are willing to pay for television in North America. Many who are new to FTA don't understand that most of these signals are not meant for home viewers. FTA is not meant as an alternative television "service" (although it can become one for those who are aware of it and choose to harness these channels). The bottom line is that we are eavesdropping on signals meant for commercial use, and that upsets the bean counters and lawyers.

 

[jegrant]

I think this is what GloryStar is attempting to do. They have a decent sized list of free channels, and soon will add an optional paid component. Users pay for their own dish, installation, etc. and only pay from then on if they want the optional package(s).

Also, if the economy was better, and they were able to secure funding, perhaps Equity could do something along these lines. As it is, sounds like they are just making it right now so I wouldn't want to suggest an expensive new venture.

ExpressVu has also proposed something like this in Canada (OTA networks delivered free via satellite) but I'm not sure it will get off the ground, because EV seems to expect the OTA broadcasters to chip in. However I think it would be a great way of providing coverage to the further northern reaches of Canada. Surely more economical than terrestrial means.

 

[woodheat/nooil]

"Don't ask, don't tell" seams like FTA in the USA. I hope the above is true and Canada will offer it? The number of homes that would tune in would be large in both the USA and Canada. Maybe one day we will catch up with our friends across the Atlantic ocean?