Charlie Approaches DIRECTV about a Merger.

[Hall]

But I guess if you think about it it makes since since the boxes are just looking for a signal... its up to the software on the boxes to know who and what to use and what to ignore.

I could believe that and it doesn't seem that unfeasible, though I'm skeptical about the part about them having "been built with dual provider support". That's only practical if the Broadcom side of it supports a variety of different schemes, including ones used by D* and E*. Otherwise, "dual provider support" will cost add'l $$$ for something that's going 100% unused.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

He don't have a TV.

Sure he does. Here it is....

 

[bluegras]

yes i do have a hdtv scott i am watching it right now while i am typing this to you guys

 

[goaliebob99]

I could believe that and it doesn't seem that unfeasible, though I'm skeptical about the part about them having "been built with dual provider support". That's only practical if the Broadcom side of it supports a variety of different schemes, including ones used by D* and E*. Otherwise, "dual provider support" will cost add'l $$$ for something that's going 100% unused.

It does. They make them that way because they make one base unit, and the software drives the schemes used by the provider. It's virtually the same chip in all satellite STB's used around the world.

 

[KAB]

Are you watching the ones that lit up last week?

He doesn't watch, he counts.


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[HDRoberts]

What's different now from 2002 when it got shot down the first time.

A few big things I can think of:

FiOS
UVerse
Netflix
Hulu
Large increase in broadband access to allow IPTV/Over the Top services to be real competition
Adelphia remains being purchased by TWC and Comcast (a de-facto consolidation)
NBC-Comcast merger allowed
Comcast-TWC merger proposed

Honestly, if 4k TV ever became ubiquitous, I see this merger being a necessity. Neither would have the needed bandwidth. But combine the 1.5 Ghz of DBS Ku bandwidth at 101, 110, and 119, plus 2 Ghz of Ka bandwidth at 99 and 103, not to mention the chunk of FSS bandwidth at 118.7 (plus whatever gets done with 61.5, 72.7, 77, and 129, together 2 Ghz of DBS Ku bandwidth), they would have all the bandwidth they need to offer nearly any service.

 

[Teehar]

I have been saying this all along but nobody listens!! You want DirecTV to be in charge of this. Otherwise if you a DirecTV employee now, expect a 50 percent paycut if Charlie is in control! The benefits of a merger are great, now its a matter of convincing the regulatory people that cord cutting due to Netflix, internet video and Uverse / Fiber competition is enough to allow a merger. Rural areas are going to suffer. While their voice may be loud, it wont be enough as the representation is with the population base where 99 percent has sufficient competition between comcast (cable) and Uverse (Telcos).

So basically your saying poop on the rural folks.Let our constituents do that and see what happens.let's just herd everyone up and move them into the cities.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I could believe that and it doesn't seem that unfeasible, though I'm skeptical about the part about them having "been built with dual provider support". That's only practical if the Broadcom side of it supports a variety of different schemes, including ones used by D* and E*. Otherwise, "dual provider support" will cost add'l $$$ for something that's going 100% unused.

In simple terms...

DISH uses DVB and goes by the Published DVB Specs.
DIRECTV used a modified version of the DVB Spec, their changes however are proprietary and have not been published. (Which is the reason why we have not been successful making an automatic DIRECTV uplink report.)

Basically (and from what I understand... I am no expert here) is the box just needs to understand the mapping to acquire the correct data to run. The broadcom chip is basically the CPU and it can be updated to read the data maps as needed.

Think of it as having a Mac... well you can Windows on a Mac. And the same is true for a PC, you can run the Mac OS on it.

In simple terms, todays modern satellite receivers are really just computer that have satellite tuners attached. Thinking about it the only hardware that would need to be changed would be the smart card since one of them would be using different encryption.

 

[Teehar]

I could believe that and it doesn't seem that unfeasible, though I'm skeptical about the part about them having "been built with dual provider support". That's only practical if the Broadcom side of it supports a variety of different schemes, including ones used by D* and E*. Otherwise, "dual provider support" will cost add'l $$$ for something that's going 100% unused.

I didn't want to be the first to say that but,I'm skeptical too.

 

[Tampa8]

I believe the release is wrong on one thing. CEO Mike White has not played it cool, he has talked merger also so it makes me wonder about the whole article.
This is just one of many times he as talked positively about it;
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101175802

Scott summed it up well, technically it's a great thing and the influence Satellite would have would be great. However less competition is not good, I believe the Satellite companies are the best overall and are because they compete with each other as well as with Cable. As much as I like DISH if they merged and say Direct TV equipment was used It wouldn't matter all that much to me. My worry would be with less competition the new company would become more like Cable is, lazy and only react to provide a better product if they must.

 

[Marshall Henry]

I would think that precedent was set when At&t T-mobile takeover was blocked. That represented an entire mobile technology, the same as this would be for satellite TV. The reason the XM/Sirius deal was allowed was that both companies were in such dire financial straits that the government basically had no choice but to allow them to merge.

 

[HDRoberts]

Very interesting email I just got from one member...

I don't know if its true or not but he says that both companies newer receivers have been built with dual provider support in mind and have been made this way for a while now. To me this means (and I have asked for classification) that if something were to happen that our existing equipment could be made to work with the other provider with a software upgrade and a new smart card.

Of course if that were to happen I would expect it to happen over time and not an overnight type of thing. But I guess if you think about it it makes since since the boxes are just looking for a signal... its up to the software on the boxes to know who and what to use and what to ignore.

I suspect that could work with DirecTV and people having SL5 dishes. But no Dish customer is properly pointed to 99/101/103 sats. Plus, I highly doubt Dish equipment has the capability to do Ka stuff along side Ku stuff. Maybe they would need something like a B-band converter from the pre-SWM days.

 

[Willh699]

if this merger does happen, i hope a major tech giant like Google, Apple, Amazon, or Sprint come up with a way to give Rural areas with a hybrid IPTV/Satellite service that allows the ability to watch TV though stream services with the high speeds being beamed by a satellite or Cell phone towers on a bandwidth that is unlimited to streaming but is not used for normal Internet service. that would be the only way for rural areas with limited to no choices in Internet service and only have Dish and DirecTV as their only options for cable TV.

 

[mike123abc]

I still do not think this merger would even get close to being approved. I see Comcast/TWC having a better chance since they overlap in a few markets and they are already planning on selling off the overlap. Dish/DIRECTV on the other hand eliminates a competitor in a market where there are only 2-4 competitors as it is.

 

[king3pj]

The solution is simple, make a law forcing programmers to provide programming to subs during disputes.. Call it a no drop law. Once the financials gets worked out, then they can backdate the contract.

That's to one sided to work. What would be the incentive for the cable/satellite provider to ever agree to terms if the stations aren't allowed to pull their signal? The cable/satellite providers would just say no to every price increase no matter how small and there is nothing the content providers could do about it.

 

[foghorn2]

Prices went up for Rural customers with 2 sat providers and very close to City Slicker cable prices. That throws the whole keeping two satellite companies to keep prices down premise out the window. Wilh699's idea above would bring real competition.

 

[jerryez]

SBC,CBS,ABC,ATT,EXXON. Who cares, they all control our pocketbooks and therefore our lives.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have been thinking about the receivers being able to be reprogrammed to receive the other service. And yes I do think it can be done.

About the only thing that stumps me is if the DISH receivers can handle the KA birds from DIRECTV or if they would need a converter like some of the older DIRECTV boxes do.

 

[sparc]

Inevitable merger. If it doesn't happen now, it will just happen 5 years from now. Scale is the only way to fight programming costs in the current system.

 

[Tank]

So basically your saying poop on the rural folks.Let our constituents do that and see what happens.let's just herd everyone up and move them into the cities.

he has said that in a few threads now. obviously he lives in a major city with plenty of "competition" in regards to tv or internet providers whereas us "rural folks" (where i live i wouldnt call it rural as i am about a mile from town) are screwed with limited options and higher prices.