Free Previews?

[Lone Gunman]

I did a search on this but only got 11 pages of old data so I'm going to ask here. BTW, I'm from over in the FTA section so forgive me if this is in the wrong place, and please move it if it is.

My question: I know from time to time all these pay services will put some stuff in the clear and call it "Free Preview". So just how much of this stuff is available and how often does it happen?

Reason I ask is because I have a 6ft prime focus dish that's on the ground right now that I could mount along with a spare Universal LNBF that can be made circular. I also have a spare Pansat receiver that I could use. Just wondering if it would be worth the time and trouble of setting up a dish specifically for this purpose?

 

[Jim S.]

Dish's "free previews" are NEVER unencrypted, they're just made available to all subscribers. Other than the channels that tell you how to use your system, anything that ever happens to be unencrypted is by accident. They used to have NASA unencrypted and everybody thought that it was a real scumbag move to encrypt them when they're free to everyone (but not on Ku-band, which is where they ought to be for convenience), but that's the Dish mentality for you.

 

[Mr Tony]

Dish has free previews every month but as Jim noted it isnt in the clear. Its more of "fixed key" where all receivers that sub to something get it

 

[Mr Tony]

They used to have NASA unencrypted and everybody thought that it was a real scumbag move to encrypt them when they're free to everyone (but not on Ku-band, which is where they ought to be for convenience), but that's the Dish mentality for you.

that is also fixed key for Dish receivers. All previously activated receivers (with purple card) should be able to see it

 

[Pixl]

that is also fixed key for Dish receivers. All previously activated receivers (with purple card) should be able to see it

My previously subbed dish receiver has a yellow card. Can I see anything with that?

 

[Mr Tony]

probably not. 101 but that would be about it

you can try and see but I had a bunch of receivers with yellow cards (even a 5000 with a blue card) and I dont think they could anymore (those receivers are long gone)

 

[Lone Gunman]

OK so that's out then. I didn't really want to plant another pole anyway! Guess I'll just see about getting rid of this 6' dish.