How to get Canadian TV South of the Border

[chemie]

I am on BellExpressVu...so liimit of one?

I assume the location ID will point to me being in the wrong place? or is it related to the rest of the equipment on the same satellite unit?

Could I leave the location ID info with the friends/phone number registered on the account?

 

[miguelaqui]

I am on BellExpressVu...so liimit of one?

I assume the location ID will point to me being in the wrong place? or is it related to the rest of the equipment on the same satellite unit?

Could I leave the location ID info with the friends/phone number registered on the account?

I had 2 on my account when I was using CanAm and, I believe, TVM will allow up to two on an account, so you will probably be safe with 2.

 

[Derwin0]

Location ID is generated from an algorithm tied to your Receiver ID, Location ID, and Date/Time (that is all I'll say about it, as it gets close to hacking).
Bell and Dish Network have the algorithm, so they know what the Location ID should be at any time for each of your recievers. They can then call and ask you to read off the number from each receiver. They will then know each of the recievers is in one location.
Typically it takes more than 2 recievers on your account to generate a call. As most homes tend to have 2 tv's, and therefore only 2 reciever accounts usually arn't the account splitters. But once it goes to 3 or more, then it's fair game so to speak.

 

[jakesnake3037]

Could someone please PM me with info on TVM...I did a search on the net and could not find anything...TIA

 

[chemie]

Location ID is generated from an algorithm tied to your Receiver ID, Location ID, and Date/Time (that is all I'll say about it, as it gets close to hacking).

But does the location number actually tell geographically where it is located? In others words, if they call, could me friend say I am out, then we three way call, and I read off the info they need? And would they know that the receivers are in Michigan versus Alberta?

 

[chemie]

What system? StarChoice or ExpressVu?

StarChoice allows you to have 2 receivers not hooked to phone line with no issues (heck, the SC205 receiver doesn’t have a phone jack). Plus since they use DCII encryption, they really don’t worry about theft.

I contacted KUsat and they indicated that for *C, under the "DO NOTs":
"- Do not add slave receivers to your account. Slave receivers require every receiver to be connected to the phone"

So does *C allow one or two? *C web site talks about even allowing a cottage unit which seems much more liberal than BEV.

I current have one BEV and need to know if I go for 1 HDTV BEV (for 2 total) or buy a whole new *C (2 new receivers). Sounds like *C may be better video quality but the down side is that I can not buy the dish from Future shop on my next trip North (I am correct???)...but BEV I can get a 6120 which includes the dish...

Not sure what to do.

 

[Uplink]

But does the location number actually tell geographically where it is located? In others words, if they call, could me friend say I am out, then we three way call, and I read off the info they need? And would they know that the receivers are in Michigan versus Alberta?

It doesn't tell where you are geographically. You could get Vonage and add on a virtual number in Canada (only for incoming calls) so when they call you can read it off. It would be better for him not to pick up if he sees them calling on the caller id.

 

[Mr Tony]

I contacted KUsat and they indicated that for *C, under the "DO NOTs":
"- Do not add slave receivers to your account. Slave receivers require every receiver to be connected to the phone"

So does *C allow one or two? *C web site talks about even allowing a cottage unit which seems much more liberal than BEV.

I current have one BEV and need to know if I go for 1 HDTV BEV (for 2 total) or buy a whole new *C (2 new receivers). Sounds like *C may be better video quality but the down side is that I can not buy the dish from Future shop on my next trip North (I am correct???)...but BEV I can get a 6120 which includes the dish...

Not sure what to do.

You can have more than one receiver on SC (two max for southerners). Its been done and I know of people who do.

The SC205 receiver DOESNT HAVE A PHONE PORT so how you suppose ot hook it to the phone line

SC rules for Canadians is 6 receivers...rule of thumb for Southerners is 2 (via a broker)

 

[chemie]

# receivers

I will not use a broker. It will be a friend's Canadian address and phone #....does this affect anything?

ALso, what about BEV? I have BEV right now and would prefer to just add second one on BEV versus switching to *C.

And, yes, the base receivers for *C doesn't have phone jack but I would get a DSR315 I have S-video and they know the receiver ID so they know if you have a new one...right?

 

[Mr Tony]

I will not use a broker. It will be a friend's Canadian address and phone #....does this affect anything?

nope. Just use their address/telephone #. If you need to contact the carrier, have them do the calling

ALso, what about BEV? I have BEV right now and would prefer to just add second one on BEV versus switching to *C.

read post 19 of this thread (by me). Already explained this

And, yes, the base receivers for *C doesn't have phone jack but I would get a DSR315 I have S-video and they know the receiver ID so they know if you have a new one...right?

I have a DSR315...dont plug it into the phone...plain and simple

 

[Derwin0]

if they call, could me friend say I am out, then we three way call, and I read off the info they need? And would they know that the receivers are in Michigan versus Alberta?

If the call is interupted (such as patching in a 3-way), they will cancel the recievers.
If he doesn't give them the numbers at the time they call, in an uninterupted call, they will cancel the recievers.
If they believe the part of you being out, they will call later (A location ID call must be initiated by Bell).

Your best bet is to have Vonage and get a virtual number for the account. I do that have the line forward to either Pennsylvania or Ontario depending on where I am that time of year.

 

[habsfan]

If you only have one receiver, will Bell ever call for the location ID?

I am planning to subscribe to BEV using my parents address in Alberta. Should I be concerned that Bell might call them up sometime asking for the location ID? How do brokers handle this situation, since they don't have your receiver in front of them?

 

[Derwin0]

nope, it's the reason a lot of brokers will only handle one reciever per account.

 

[anik]

Another Canadian VoIP service, this one with (Free?) Toronto numbers

There is a thread at BroadbandReports.com that talks about a new Canadian VoIP service called Vbuzzer that apparently offers a free Toronto number for incoming calls. It can be used with a softphone (software on your computer) or a VoIP adapter (see the links in the 3rd message in the thread). It can also be used for outgoing calls but then you have to set up an account with them, however it appears the incoming number is free. It's possible that if someone knew what they were doing and had a VoIP adapter they could plug their receiver into it and MAYBE the calls would appear to be coming from Toronto (don't have a clue what shows up on the caller ID of people who receive calls, so you'd want to test that first!) and during the "introductory period" the calls would be billed at 1¢ per minute.

Not a cut-and-dried solution but perhaps for someone who's already got a VoIP adapter and doesn't mind experimenting, this could be a solution to the Canadian phone line problem.

By the way, I'm not suggesting anyone give bogus address information to Vbuzzer, but do wonder if it would make a difference if it didn't match whatever address is used on a particular satellite service account.

 

[Tommyboy]

Is CanAm a good broker to go with ?? or TVM better
I am thinking of going with CanAm because I can get everthing from them.
Is it true all i pay them is only $75 a year with no hiden cost?

 

[Uplink]

Is CanAm a good broker to go with ?? or TVM better
I am thinking of going with CanAm because I can get everthing from them.
Is it true all i pay them is only $75 a year with no hiden cost?

TVM or WMS Activations is better. I have heard some bad things about CanAm, I will PM you equipment information.

 

[camweb]

What about calling from a Canadian cell phone from within the US to activate a SC account? The cell number wouldn't be the one on the account, but would telling the rep that you're on a cell work? Or should you block the number as well? Any advantages when call blocking on a cell? Lastly, what about using a US Vonage line when activating a SC account? The post ragarding Vonage only covered EV. Thanks for the help.

 

[scooby2]

What about calling from a Canadian cell phone from within the US to activate a SC account? The cell number wouldn't be the one on the account, but would telling the rep that you're on a cell work? Or should you block the number as well? Any advantages when call blocking on a cell? Lastly, what about using a US Vonage line when activating a SC account? The post ragarding Vonage only covered EV. Thanks for the help.

I could get a canadian number from my voip provider, but what address would I use. I'm guessing SC probably mails stuff out occasionally. That would be bad.