Is 4DTV HITS Finally Coming To End?

[Cham]

Not sure how a C-band dubscription service would be viable... Most of the population lives in cities these days with cable/fiber and OTA available, and HOA that would not allow BUDs to be installed.
Would the rural/non urban population be large enough to support such a service? Maybe a state-run or government supported service would be possible... I always thought CBC should be broadcast on C-band for viewers not within OTA transmitter range, even if a sub/card one-time expense type STB were required.

 

[Titanium]

Can you share the approximate numbers? I think many of us would like to know!

sgs

I don't have permission to share the exact numbers at this time, but will say that there are more attendees at my local high school Friday night football game than active subs as of Q4, 2015.

I agree with Cham's observation regarding the evolution of programming distribution, equipment cost, availability and acceptance. Even if a C-band subscription service had a channel package that viewers were interested in with equipment sold at a reasonable price, I honestly don't see a successful business model with any significant growth potential. I am certain that it wouldn't be much more than capturing a small portion of the remaining subscribers.

 

[FaT Air]

IMHO, C band sub service is dead. Can't imagine how any of the channel providers could pencil a profit. Too few potential customers.
If Programming Center and Manhattan do succeed in getting some sort of system approved, I don't see it being on C band, as there's no new economical but durable dishes being produced on this continent. It would 'have' to be on Ku where dishes are available and reasonably economical.
I can see massive resistance coming forth from the two existing Ku providers in the US when they go to the FCC for approval of the service. Don't think the 11700-12200 band has any DTH service approved in N.A. at this time, 12200-12700 is approved for DTH, but there's another 'can of worms' utilizing that band. Think the 2 existing services have a 'lock' on it from 72W to 139W. Don't think they'd 'sign off' on another satellite, on the same band, being placed between their satellite locations. (interference concerns)
If that resistance fails, and it is approved in the 11700-12200 band, I'm sure they'll collude with the content providers to price their content at high rates for the new service, making for little to no profit or subs priced well above reasonable. (IMHO, cable and sat subs are already. I 'cut the cable' when I calculated 10 bucks+ per hour of watched 'cable' programming)
I would love to have another provider that offered an à la carte selection of channels. But Only at reasonable cost. There are a few (3) 'cable channels I'd sub to. But if it works out to more than 4 bucks an hour for the few programs I'd watch on them, forget it.
I USED to have a sub with USSB for the 6 winter months. (Since they launched) When Direct bought them they swore to the masses, and the FCC, that they would continue USSB subs 'with no changes'. That fall, when attempting to turn it back on for the winter, I was informed that I'd have to sub, and pay, for a whole year. And the price, not only doubled (6 vs 12 months) but add another 20 to 30%.
I didn't sub to direct. Although they still send me "We'd like you back" promotions 3 or 4 times a year. They don't make it out the door of the post office. Filed in the circular file inside the front door.
EOR
(end of rant)

 

[Lehman bud farm]

IMHO, C band sub service is dead.

It has technically been dead for years but the coffin just has not closed tight on it yet.
If you think about it and count up everyone who has a 10' dish or larger in working order how many are there?
I would not be surprised to see the actual number at less then a thousand in N.A.
How many people are left out there that are servicing the big dishes?
That number is few and far between now.
I don't see a comeback.
Sometimes you need to think clearly and not just with your heart.
I don't see Jeff from Manhattan getting anything off the ground for a subscription service.
He has already stated that he is being blocked by Arris (which is Motorola).
They, Arris hold the key to authorizing the receivers and they no longer desire to continue that part of the operation for the back yard dish owner.

This leave you with a dubious company that wants to sell you a $700 receiver and charge an outlandish amount of $$$ for a few off the wall channels that no one has ever cared about.
That would be a foolish waste of money IMO but to each their own.

FTA is alive and well for the hobbyist as there are plenty of channels up there to watch for FREE.

I contacted an old friend who used to install large dishes to help us out here this past week.
It seems that the wiring to the polarity switch got nicked somewhere in the line.
It took the two of us a considerable time to fix it as we talked about the good 'ol days . He mentioned that now he is getting calls to take down the old BUD's as they had not been in working order for most and how he was paid to put them up at one time and now is being paid once more to take them down.

 

[Jw2016]

It's too bad it could return as a ku band service but HD would be hard with the current crop as the DSR family (except the the the side car and the Shaw) receivers can't do HD. I am getting old and continuously forget things from the past. Unfortunately there is not a large enough market to make any money as with most people subscribing to Dish or Direct. I was a subscriber to Primestar back in the day which was on a ku band FSS bird and using Digicipher 1 encoding scheme and it really didn't look that bad. Unfortunately I was converted to Directv and I immediately noticed the picture was not a good as Primestar was. This was using the first generation of RCA receivers.

 

[stargaze]

It's too bad it could return as a ku band service

It is not going to happen.
Don't know why anyone would think this but it is not a viable option.
C-band subscription service is officially dead. RIP!
KU band subscription service not going to happen either.

FTA is alive and well for the hobbyist as there are plenty of channels up there to watch for FREE.

FTA is still alive and kicking and will be the norm from here on out.

Much depends on if there is a reliable receiver that will do the functions needed for receiving FTA signals over this part of the world.
The last couple receivers released and tested were not up to standards here.

 

[sgs]

He mentioned that now he is getting calls to take down the old BUD's as they had not been in working order for most and how he was paid to put them up at one time and now is being paid once more to take them down.

Tell your friend that he should make even more money by keeping the good parts of the dishes he takes down, that we on this forum need.

For example, H-H mounts, any 12 foot dishes, 10 foot perforated, dual C feedhorns, 4.5 inch mounts, etc. At least I would be interested and willing to drive to pick up good parts like that!

sgs

 

[Lobo70]

SRL is extending its services through August 26, 2016

http://www.programming-center.net/

 

[wvman]

Hearing many rumors, but have yet to see any consumer solution for the new format. Jeff from Manhattan has posted that he talked with Arris at the NAB show about a subscription receiver solution. I would assume that if a consumer option was to be made available for the new HITS format, a product would have already been announced and transition plan would have been in the process. I remain an eternal optimist and wish Jeff the best in his efforts! Guess we need to be patient and see if any consumer product is developed or released.

No puppet masters are pulling my strings or directing my comments. This post may even get me in hot water here. I have no interest in giving more business to Charlie or any other subscription provider.

Isn't NetFlix considering offering a streaming package for many of the mainstream channels, IF they can get the bugs worked out of the contractual agreements? I know Dish, DirecTV and the cable providers are fighting it tooth and nail, but I think it's inevitable at some point in the future. There's a good possibility that the small dish solution may suffer a similar fate C-Band saw a few years ago. I started offering these services when I had my business, along with C-Band, and ended up with a sour taste in my mouth when they started treating their dealers badly.

I can't say I'd feel sorry for either of them them because of that. I bailed out after 30 years in the business, along with the fact that Dish went over to rental equipment, which has its own unique band of demons to deal with. If what I've been hearing is true, and these services become available through a streaming service like NetFlix, it's only a matter of time before Dish and DirecTV ends up on the scrap heap. Of course, there's FIOS in certain areas, but where I live, I'll be dead and gone before there's internet available sufficient to support FIOS at my home. I can't even get DSL or cable now.

 

[orlyPR]

... I also picked up and read the old Satellite Orbit magazine and I was fascinated with the C - Band dish and service. I always told myself, that when I became an adult and got some money I would buy a C - Band dish and C - Band service. Sadly that never happen before C - Band service providers disappeared

I remember when there were about 4 or 5 C - Band service providers. I know sadly those days are long, long gone

Me too, also for Laser Disc, both Dead technology that beat.

 

[turbosat]

Looks like the end came early, getting no signals on any channel on my HITS rec, all are saying Subscription required. I was paid up to the end of month anyway, lol.
Good while it lasted.
Edit: My mistake-I was not paid until the end, only until 21st! The way my billing period ran..they sent me a hit, and I'm back on until they pull the official plug. Thanks to Programming Center.net!

 

[Lobo70]

Looks like tomorrow is the last day for Programming Center

http://www.programming-center.net/

 

[turbosat]

Lobo I didnt see anything on that site about the 24th being the end, but by golly>it has happened. End of an era, wonder if technology will ever allow for c-band direct to home subscriptions ever again? The local telco has been running fiber all summer, just got a letter last wk saying we will finally be able to sub to digital cable and 25mb internet service, but its going to be about 130-150 a month for the basic 99ch package. And that does not include the price for keeping your landline phone.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Today is the day.

 

[KE4EST]

Yep, a sad day in C-Band history.

 

[trinidex]

Well well well, the death knell has been tolled

We knew it was coming but we kept ducking-and-a-diving but they finally pulled the plug.

Of course, I didn't know cos I didn't check Programming Center site, so when I got home yesterday, missus tells me the TV has gone off. We've a few boxes slung around the place so I started checking, all showing No Lock - EXCEPT one channel (NatGeo I think). So initially I thought there was something wrong with my setup, swith, cabling, LNB, receiver - etc.

I ended up taking a receiver out to the dish, changed an LNB before checking Programming Center site to read that the end had come!!!

Don't know if an alternative will come along, I hope so, anything as an alternative to the pizza outfits and I'm interested.

Thanks for the ride, sad its over, but we made it further than Im sure anyone ever thought.