Expect lower FTA box prices

[Anole]

The hacker forums are flooded.
The rats are in a panic.

How long 'till dealers start dumping FTA boxes?
I'd give it a few weeks, but keep an eye... and remember... I told ya so.

 

[scottc98]

I take it that a major hit took place?

Good....their loss will be our gain!!

 

[SatinKzo]

laff, you could actually get into them? I was looking around for the illusive 122 factory bin for the viewsat ultra's that one member here said he had (AC-3) and figured that those sites usually keep a factory bin copy up there somewhere. Tonight I went to look around, everyone is overwhelmed. laff, kind of funny.
From what I gather, it's a Bell and Dish hit, but then agian, I am only seeing partial info as I can't get the sites to load well.

Also, it's reported that all the sites they get the keys from are reporting different info so they're all funked up and being that half of them can barely speak english is what makes it more entertaining to read.

 

[Mr Tony]

yes but sadly it probably wont last long.

 

[turbosat]

Satin if you ever do find that 1.22 for the ultra I hope you will shout out loud, I'd like to get it for mine!
charles

 

[SatinKzo]

yeah, I will for sure don't worry.

 

[jayelem]

Let the panic begin ...................

Though I can honestly say that I'm not looking for another STB.
This would be the right moment to get friends into the hobby , though they probably wont listen to me anyways...............

 

[Anole]

crap! it didn't last.

yes but sadly it probably wont last long.

Further research suggests this is probably true.
Depends on how fast the FTA box boys get their fix to the field.
Let there be gnashing of teeth within the great unwashed user community 'till the trivial fix gets passed around.


And here I was expecting (nay, hoping) the nicest of boxes (those few hacker-bait with blind scan) would wash up on the shores of the internet, like beached whales.
Keep that eye peeled for good deals during the next few weeks.
Never know what you'll stumble across.

 

[Tron]

This is like playing the stock market. Hacking goes down for a bit, they panic and sell their "worthless" boxes, we buy I wouldn't mind a Pansat 3500, Coolsat 5k, or Fortec Mercury II for $50 or less

 

[Anole]

Mr Tron -

I think you read my mind!

 

[SatinKzo]

Yeah, I got my 3500 for $80 when I bought it. In my short FTA life, it is the best overall featured receiver I had used. The only thing that I miss is my Merc II's blind scan options.

I am ready to pounce on the next extended outage. Oh btw, it looks like this one didn't last long, ugh.

 

[GreatFTA]

That is how I lucked up on my 2700a receiver. When I bought it, I went on PansatUSA site and downloaded the factory software and it has been a great receiver since. I knew the receiver was hacked and besides, it wasn't working at all. And if I remember correctly it was during the time when ALL hacked receivers were "hit" and was down several weeks.
Stealin' is stealin'.
Like yall say "Their loss is MY GAIN"!

 

[Stargazer]

None of these outages are going to last long until they switch over to MPEG-4 and then it might still be the same thing. The ones that has been messing with that stuff for long enough will know better than to sell them cheap and just keep them until the next quick fix comes along.

 

[digiblur]

None of these outages are going to last long until they switch over to MPEG-4 and then it might still be the same thing. The ones that has been messing with that stuff for long enough will know better than to sell them cheap and just keep them until the next quick fix comes along.

MPEG-4 isn't going to do anything for them on this subject.

 

[VinceT3]

Once they switch modulations then it'll put a major hurting on them.. most don't support 8psk.. then it'll just be a matter of time till the versions from europe that support 8psk come to the us.. the never ending battle.. though I didn't see the Turbo-* versions support on the boxes from europe.. so there might be hope there.. not that it will stop everyone, but it keeps the honest theives honest..

 

[Stargazer]

I thought I read where there was a patent by Dish Network on the turbo / 8PSK / etc that would be needed to tune in the MPEG-4 signals which would prevent other manufacturers from making them tune in Dish Network signals. Directv is going to MPEG-4 as well so I wonder if they will be hurting after their transition to MPEG-4.

For all we know Dish Network might want the exclusive right to manufacture MPEG-4 FTA receivers to receive such channels.

 

[digiblur]

I thought I read where there was a patent by Dish Network on the turbo / 8PSK / etc that would be needed to tune in the MPEG-4 signals which would prevent other manufacturers from making them tune in Dish Network signals. Directv is going to MPEG-4 as well so I wonder if they will be hurting after their transition to MPEG-4.

For all we know Dish Network might want the exclusive right to manufacture MPEG-4 FTA receivers to receive such channels.

I remember reading a spec sheet on a BCM tuner model that could tune the signals. I doubt DishNetwork can buy the rights to MPEG4

 

[Davage]

Is an 8PSK module something that is specific to Dishnetwork, or is it something that can be bought off-the-shelf? Is it a Dishnetwork exclusive piece of equipment?

 

[genpix]

Dishnetwork has absolutely no rights on Turbo-coded error correction.
Even Broadcom has no IPs in that field.
Broadcom got a license from France Telecom to use Turbo-code algorithm (check this document - http://www.spectralicensing.com/pdfs/BrcmSpecPR.pdf).
I don't even mention 8PSK here.
If you want to check who is the author, dig the WiKi - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8PSK#Higher-order_PSK
But I bet, DN was never in the list of authors

As to MPEG-4 (h.264): MPEG LA, LLC is a rights owner - http://www.mpegla.com/avc/
There is also brief description of license-free usage of this codec (http://www.mpegla.com/news/n_03-11-17_avc.html ).
Local OTA is license-free
National broadcast could fall under some licensing.

Both DTV and DN have to pay royalties to MPEG LA for h.264 usage.
But somehow I can not find their names in the list of Licensees:
http://www.mpegla.com/avc/avc-licensees.cfm

Do they use this codec illegally?
Or license fee is integrated into the receiver box? And it's mpeg-4 chip manufacturer (not DN or DTV) who is paying royalties.