Is this the twilight of FTA?

[boom]

With the exception of news feeds, special events, and sports - are we going to see everything disappear?

I just don't see why providers would keep renting satellite time when they could just get fiber - which will only become cheaper


Hopefully I'm wrong about this and I have no idea what I'm talking about

 

[Babadem]

With the exception of news feeds, special events, and sports - are we going to see everything disappear?

I just don't see why providers would keep renting satellite time when they could just get fiber - which will only become cheaper


Hopefully I'm wrong about this and I have no idea what I'm talking about

WT...F!!!!

 

[cracklincrotch]

Just like anything else, when competition lowers their prices you're going to have to cut costs and prices to remain competitive or go out of business.

I don't see Intelsat, SES, or other satellite campaniles going broke because of fiber. Satellite communications are just too convenient to too many companies for broadcast purposes.

 

[SatelliteAV]

With the exception of news feeds, special events, and sports - are we going to see everything disappear?

I just don't see why providers would keep renting satellite time when they could just get fiber - which will only become cheaper


Hopefully I'm wrong about this and I have no idea what I'm talking about

Technology continues to evolve and shift traditional distribution methods, but satellite distribution will remain a viable method for the years to come. The vast geographic region of North America begs for a broadcast distribution method. Inexpensive fiber distribution hubs target specific corridors and destinations while areas outside of these corridors are under served and remain quite expensive.

Comparing point to point delivery with multi-point (broadcasting) distribution is not an apples to apples comparison. When distributing to multiple reception sites, when a certain number of sites is targeted, the multi-point distribution is best served by a broadcast signal which has a fixed cost of transmission which is not affected by the number of reception sites. Point to point distribution cost continues to increase as more reception sites are added. Distribution cost per site decreases in broadcasting once the break even point is reached.

 

[cgearhar]

With the exception of news feeds, special events, and sports - are we going to see everything disappear?

I just don't see why providers would keep renting satellite time when they could just get fiber - which will only become cheaper


Hopefully I'm wrong about this and I have no idea what I'm talking about

The internet has certainly beaten down the number of shortwave radio stations out there, but shortwave is far from dead. Many internet-based broadcasters started out on shortwave and continue to broadcast there as a backup to the internet (even though it is MUCH more expensive). Not a bad idea given the potential for cyber-terrorism, or the potential for some opportunistic politician to use the newly adopted "internet kill switch".

I think it would be wise for television broadcasters to have a "Plan B" as well.

 

[freezy]

Ku FTA js working fine in the Eastern Hemisphere. It's as common as OTA is here.

If there weren't monopoly broadcast licensing in North America I wonder if OTA would still exist? Cable and circular Ku providers would love to be the only choices.

I wish so hard that freedbs would launch and be successful. That would open our skies to free trade . I know it would work but they are starting to look like an Andy Kaufman act and the joke is on us.:rant:

 

[Tron]

Comparing point to point delivery with multi-point (broadcasting) distribution is not an apples to apples comparison. When distributing to multiple reception sites, when a certain number of sites is targeted, the multi-point distribution is best served by a broadcast signal which has a fixed cost of transmission which is not affected by the number of reception sites. Point to point distribution cost continues to increase as more reception sites are added. Distribution cost per site decreases in broadcasting once the break even point is reached.

This is a very good point. Via satellite, multiple downlinks are possible around the country.

I could see some of the higher-caliber point-to-point feeds (specifically sports feeds or feeds from professional venues) go more toward fiber, but I don't think the newsfeeds will just be able to "jack in" to fiber anywhere they go anytime soon.

 

[boom]

WT...F!!!!

I meant where it exists already...


quote from ONN disappearing thread:


"As for returning to satellite distribution…difficult to do at $28k per month compared to $6k per year for IP."

 

[Glorystar1]

I meant where it exists already...

quote from ONN disappearing thread:

"As for returning to satellite distribution…difficult to do at $28k per month compared to $6k per year for IP."

If they were paying $28k per month for a low bandwidth SCPC on a less than popular satellite, someone was ripping them off!

If ONN is only distributing to a dozen or so sites with readily available fiber, IP would be more cost effective. If they are targeting more distribution sites and sites "off the grid", then a broadcasting method would be much more cost effective.

In reviewing the ONN responses, they are now realizing that they have lost many DTH viewers that they had never previously considered.

Many broadcasters that we work with understand that the FTA satellite distribution model allows them to reach both their rebroadcasters and the direct to home viewer with the same $$$$.

 

[rv1pop]

If they were paying $28k per month for a low bandwidth SCPC on a less than popular satellite, someone was ripping them off!

If ONN is only distributing to a dozen or so sites with readily available fiber, IP would be more cost effective. If they are targeting more distribution sites and sites "off the grid", then a broadcasting method would be much more cost effective.

In reviewing the ONN responses, they are now realizing that they have lost many DTH viewers that they had never previously considered.

Many broadcasters that we work with understand that the FTA satellite distribution model allows them to reach both their rebroadcasters and the direct to home viewer with the same $$$$.

It almost sounds like the FTAers need to advertise Glorystar to these friendly uplinkers! (OK, keep our pens silent and let Brian do the advertising!) They might be able to save some MONEY.
I know when I was a telephone agent, I had companies wanting to get me to help them get lines as I could OFTEN save them hundreds per month if they had more than 4 numbers. (And often get them FREE services for their phone on even just one line.)

POP

 

[Babadem]

If they were paying $28k per month for a low bandwidth SCPC on a less than popular satellite, someone was ripping them off!

If ONN is only distributing to a dozen or so sites with readily available fiber, IP would be more cost effective. If they are targeting more distribution sites and sites "off the grid", then a broadcasting method would be much more cost effective.

In reviewing the ONN responses, they are now realizing that they have lost many DTH viewers that they had never previously considered.

Many broadcasters that we work with understand that the FTA satellite distribution model allows them to reach both their rebroadcasters and the direct to home viewer with the same $$$$.

Now they wish 20/20 was hindsight!!!

 

[Mikhel]

With the exception of news feeds, special events, and sports - are we going to see everything disappear?

I just don't see why providers would keep renting satellite time when they could just get fiber - which will only become cheaper


Hopefully I'm wrong about this and I have no idea what I'm talking about

With 130+ channels at SatMex, compared to less than 50 three years ago, i'd say that yeah, FTA it's on the brink of dissapearing. The same goes for 97ºW altough not as dramatic as an increase of more than 100%, it still has a lot of channels, some of those with enough programming as to let the dish sit at that location.

 

[mastermesh]

Whatever happened to that guy that went to jail for putting signals up on Amazonas related to al-minar or however it's spelled? Before he put that junk up there he was offering some interesting possibilities. Maybe that guy or another "captain crunch" type can come along ans save the day. I miss White Springs TV.

 

[BurlesonBlue]

With the exception of news feeds, special events, and sports - are we going to see everything disappear?

I just don't see why providers would keep renting satellite time when they could just get fiber - which will only become cheaper


Hopefully I'm wrong about this and I have no idea what I'm talking about

Bingo.

First, look at the types of channels that have left FTA in the past year or so. Predominantly, they've been local channels like ONN and KUIL. Besides the fact that they didn't even seem to know they had a national audience, they didn't cater to viewers beyond a local area. For them, fiber was probably a better option.

On the other hand, there are numerous channels like BYU TV, the Pentagon Channel, and Russia Today, that are trying to reach a national audience, and go so far as to post their satellite coordinates on their websites. Those channels aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[Cadsulfide]

When the economy tanked, so did a bunch of FTA channels, not too surprising. The cost to local broadcasters to go digital was a big capitol drain too. As the $$$ situation loosens up, entrepreneurs will see opportunity in offering up some more goodies. FTA will be with us for a long time.

 

[ogorek]

FTA

FTA Ku band still has some good channels, but indeed it is dieing. I used to have three dishes, now I only have one pointed at 97w and 101w. I don't play with FTA pointing and re-pointing like I used to. Now the new toy is OTA antenna, and getting as many OTA channels as possible. The fun of pointing and re-pointing is still there but the equipment has changed. Hopefully OTA won't disappear. If this happens I will give up TV all together and become amateur radio operator. What can I say antennas are my hobby.

 

[stanleyjohn]

shhhhh!! You know what really would put FTA out of bussness!

Dont know why cable,Dish or others have not done this yet! but give its customers a real choice on what channels to pay for.Just come up with a list of all thats out in the air waves and like grocery shopping pick and pay for what you want! at a affordable price..If this ever came to reality! except for a few die harded FTA users! FTA would become history.

 

[Mr Tony]

When the economy tanked, so did a bunch of FTA channels, not too surprising.

sadly so true

 

[FaT Air]

I believe congress has passed, quite a while ago, legislation requiring a "Choice" option for subs. But the cable and (sub)sat industry say that will increase the sub prices. For that and some other technical reasons, the're not going to implement a choice of "Choice" There have been hearings now and then on the issue, and enforcement of the "Choice" option, is again and again delayed. I had DTv, switched to Dish, as that option was cheaper to get channels I wanted to add, Dropped Dish when local cable added the same channels (again, because it was less out of the pocket ea. month). These channels were, until then, unavailable to the small independent cable operator, The channels were added, to the local line-up, after selling out to major cable operator. I do not know if any "cable" channels are still unavailable, to small ind. operators, or not. Considering Dish again, as the cable prices have, well, for what we get, gone nuts. I have calculated my Cable viewing costs during peak season(most scheduled hours of viewing, other than the local channels) at over 4 dollars and 50 cents per hour.
I can imagine quite a few content providers folding if the subs had a choice.

 

[trommy]

FreeDBS and FreeHDCanada should both be on the air about this time next year or sooner.As well,Bell and Shaw sat may have,along with FreeHDCanada,free local channels.All these in total make for a pretty rosey future for FTA.Ya might as well be patient; rather than frusterated.