Biggest FTA story of 2012

[Mr Tony]

Last week I took nominations for what you thought was the biggest FTA story of 2012...well now you can vote on it

nominees are
The MicroHD coming to the market
Losing the History Channel on 101W KU Band
CoziTV showing up on FTA
More sports feeds being encrypted
4DTV on life support all year
PLL KU LNBFs from two distributors
The flood of new Fta receivers on the market in all price ranges.
CoolTV coming to FTA
Luken's commitment to FTA (by not scrambling their channels)

 

[Anole]

Thanks for setting up the poll.

It'll be interesting to get the opinions of the troops.

 

[rv1pop]

Hmmm. It says I already voted.... OK?? First time I clicked on the thread!

 

[Pixl]

Don't forget to vote for "Gunther" the lost History 101 mascot.

 

[Tron]

The micro is going to take this in a landslide ...

 

[KE4EST]

The micro is going to take this in a landslide ...

Yes I agree. The microHD is one of the best things to hit FTA in awhile.

 

[Mr Tony]

I voted for the MicroHD mainly because its the first receiver in a few years that actually WORKED like it was suppose to...and ti had real working motor control (as I wrote in the review...this is the 1st time I can remove the CS5000 from the motorized setup in years)

 

[Bob2011]

I voted for the flood of FTA receivers. The MicroHD is a big story for this website but other FTA boards don't seem to talk much about it. The MicroHD is a quality device but is just a part of the massive flood of Chinese receivers that have appeared this year. You could almost call the flood an attack of the clones with all the copied designs out there.

 

[waylew]

Voted for losing History as it's the one thing that's had the most impact on me .Would probably have voted for the MHD, if I had one, but it's just not in the cards at the moment.

 

[madmadworld]

More sports feeds being encrypted............ easy :
hard to spend another dollar on this now _2:
sad

 

[SatelliteAV]

I voted for the flood of FTA receivers. The MicroHD is a big story for this website but other FTA boards don't seem to talk much about it. The MicroHD is a quality device but is just a part of the massive flood of Chinese receivers that have appeared this year. You could almost call the flood an attack of the clones with all the copied designs out there.

Bob2011,

You don't own a microhd if you are under a misconception that it is a copied design of any other Chinese STB. The SDK GUI graphics are often shared, but the operation and build components are quite different.

Other sites are run by resellers who use their forums to sell a specific product. It is not in their business interest to promote any product that they do not sell. Finding information about a BMW on a Ford site just doesn't happen... In fact several sites delete or edit posts that are favorable to competition. Have seen it happen way too may times.

 

[rv1pop]

I voted for the flood of FTA receivers. The MicroHD is a big story for this website but other FTA boards don't seem to talk much about it. The MicroHD is a quality device but is just a part of the massive flood of Chinese receivers that have appeared this year. You could almost call the flood an attack of the clones with all the copied designs out there.

I do not care too much for the flood of cheap junk out there. I had some of the first input for the microHD. My review of it is in work.... I hope people do not think I do not like it -- I have power issues that are unique. IF it was not a PVR/DVR my issues, would be mute, so I have redone my review to bring it back into what I am looking for. IT WORKS! It works on 12 VDC. My TV works on 12VDC. I have an abundance of 12VDC power! It works in the RV on 12VDC. It has a wonderful signal meter that allows set ups in a VERY few minutes. (It makes no difference that CFL bulbs on 12VDC throw some sort of pulse out that reset my timers - I do not need the timers to work - and toroids on the power line may be taking care of that pulse.) Driving down the road, watching satellite TV is not in my plans. However, driving down the road with the TV on and the wife watching broadcasts off the hard drive, that I recorded earlier is happening. And, somehow, from the number of comments about the availability of the microHD tells me that the sales are not doing too bad. The number of unresolved challenges is so low makes the microHD a class by itself. So, if my vote did count, those are some of the reasons I tried to vote for the microHD - I hope my vote counted. RV-ONE-POP (and RV-2 also! - a microHD now working in both!)

 

[Phottoman]

I also voted for the MicroHD, even though I don't own one YET.

Every time I thought I had the money together, something popped up that needed that money, but my New Years Resolution IS to own a MicroHD THIS YEAR.

I was one of the very lucky one's in my choices of receivers, from the CNX DUO (great in it's timer) to the CS5000 to the S9 that is STILL working just great for me and I haven't updated it in over a year, Thanksgiving time 2011.

I am really looking forward to sometime this year in achieving my goal of two HD TVs in the house, the S9 and the MicroHD.

Photto

 

[Anony55]

I voted for the 4DTV... although I would have worded it quite differently. LOL

It's hard to get very hung up on new receivers when you build an HTPC like mine. I realize I'm a minority in that, but hey, it is my vote.

There are many good choices in the list that deserve to be celebrated. Four or five years ago, I would have voted differently. Lots of good FTA channels these days. History channel wasn't too big a deal for me considering it wasn't even HD.

Anyway, I think the Map Master Restore program being made public was my #1 highlight of the year. My next few choices aren't even on the list. They would include ASI cards, commercial DCII receivers, a Genpix Skywalker, and a Prof 7301. Most of which were "new to me" in 2012. In fact, the blindscanning of the Prof 7301 with Crazycat software would be real close to being my top choice.

One thing is clear to me though... 2012 was the best year yet for me & FTA.

Cheers

 

[Mr Tony]

I voted for the 4DTV... although I would have worded it quite differently. LOL

All of the entries I copied as what the way they were nominated (in other words I just did a C/P)

 

[Anole]

I voted for the 4DTV... although I would have worded it quite differently. LOL

that was my wording.
I didn't think 4D would make it through 2012!

I just wanted to thank you for your very informative post.
Maybe you should make it a regular thing.
Alternate viewpoints make us all think a little harder.

One thing is clear to me though... 2012 was the best year yet for me & FTA.

Cheers

Of that, we can agree. :up

 

[pwrsurge]

You forgot "CBC feeds on C-band scrambling". Big story here in Canada as these channels are partially funded by Canadian tax dollars and people outside major Canadian cities are now forced to subscribe to a cable or satellite provider even if they only want to receive a network they already indirectly paid for with their taxes.

There's also the release of the AzBox miniMe but as most of its groundbreaking features are only being released this year, it is a better candidate for the Biggest FTA story of 2013.

 

[madmadworld]

One thing is clear to me though... 2012 was the best year yet for me & FTA.

Cheers

2011-12 the worse years since 1997 for me and satellite tv due to all the scrambling.
at least in 97 for more money could get back channels thru DTV not as good but still. now no money can get back the true HD pictures many of us enjoyed.
sad

 

[Tron]

I look forward to your response.

I wouldn't be...

 

[Anony55]

2011-12 the worse years since 1997 for me and satellite tv due to all the scrambling...

I sure understand where you're coming from. I got into this hobby mainly for sports myself. Thing is these days, I have a sub to the providers that are encrypting their backhauls, so I'm not missing much due to encryption. The providers that are off the beaten path are still mostly ITC. Those are the ones I need the most, meaning they are the ones least likely to be on my DishNet sub.

Because of my DishNet sub, my focus on the hobby aspects of FTA have shifted. No longer is it critical that I find the OSU feed. Instead, now I just like trying different things to see if I can get them to work.

Other than when all the wild feeds were ITC, I never really did watch all that much of what I found. Yes, I have used FTA as a practical application from time to time, I have a real nice Gunsmoke collection to prove it. But still mostly have enjoyed the hobbyist aspects of FTA more than anything else.

But if you were using FTA as your single source for sports (like I did in the old days), I can sure see how the last year or two has been a real bummer for you.

Cheers