Speculation: Will VOOM continue to work past 5/1?

[mike123abc]

Dish will be carrying the VOOM channels, 10 now all 21 by the end of the year. VOOM subscribers are losing their service at the end of the month. This will leave Rainbow 1 floating around in space with nothing to do. Dish will need transponder space to air these 10 new channels. What if:

1. CVC uplinks the 10 VOOM channels to Rainbow-1 for Dish by leasing on a temporary basis the transponder space on R-1 until the sale is approved. These channels would be on transponders that CVC would change to Dish Network format and access control (perhaps even free preview for a while). Essentially Dish would send CVC the transmissions to uplink.

2. CVC also uplinks the VOOM programming and perhaps AT-60/120 in free preview mode on the remaining R-1 transponders as a way of transition. This way VOOM subscribers would be tempted to continue with Dish.

3. Dish either provides a software update and new smartcards for the VOOM boxes to transition them over to the Dish Network service (and of course comes out and puts in a new Dish 500 (or even Dish 1000)), or Dish transitions them to all Dish hardware.

This would allow the smoothest transition. Those that wanted to switch to Dish could do so, if not they can enjoy the free programming for a month or two until R-1 goes completely over to Dish.

 

[rtt2]

Under this scenario CVC would be sending down a signal with dual encryptions.

We still don't know if CVC is even uplinking to Rainbow1 at all. E* could be getting the programming via fiber and uplinking it like it does for other programming. Or E* could be getting it from C-Band. If CVC is going to be selling Voom programming to others than they got to disrtibute it some way other than DBS.

 

[BFG]

CVC will probably use the transponsers they're leasing on 72 AMC-6.

But for right now the programming will be sent directly to dish customers from Rainbow 1's sat and TPs

Other cable and sat cos would probably get the programming from 72

 

[rtt2]

72 AMC-6 is an FSS bird and licenced to broadcast FSS at that slot. FSS is a non traditional way to distribute a master signal. MSOs around the country would have to change equipment

 

[mike123abc]

Dish cannot transmit to R-1 directly since they are not licensed from their uplink center, they would need FCC permission. But, they could send the programming over to CVC and they could uplink it for Dish. Dish could use satellite space somewhere else and CVC could just recieve the Dish transmission and retransmit it on R-1.

This of course would just be a temporary situation since Dish wants to have R-1 fully tested before the sale occurs. But, there will be a bit of time before the FCC rules on the sale that could be used for this transition.

 

[gmiller5028]

I was told by my dish installer that VOOM will continue until May 6th.

 

[James Long]

72 AMC-6 is an FSS bird and licenced to broadcast FSS at that slot. FSS is a non traditional way to distribute a master signal. MSOs around the country would have to change equipment

It is ku. That is pretty standard for feeds.

Dish cannot transmit to R-1 directly since they are not licensed from their uplink center, they would need FCC permission. But, they could send the programming over to CVC and they could uplink it for Dish. Dish could use satellite space somewhere else and CVC could just recieve the Dish transmission and retransmit it on R-1.

Huh?

RainbowDBS/CVC still has permission to transmit to Rainbow1 - and since Rainbow Media is the source of the Voom feeds why not uplink them directly from Jericho (as well as any 72 feeds for other affiliates)?

Even after the sale of Rainbow1 and Blackhawk, the CVC uplink remains licensed to uplink to Rainbow1. So CVC could continue to uplink the Voom feeds. (The mirror on 148 would be another matter ... probably an E* relay.)

Until the Rainbow1 sale is complete CVC can uplink their content and anything else desired on those transponders under a lease.

JL

 

[mike123abc]

RainbowDBS/CVC still has permission to transmit to Rainbow1 - and since Rainbow Media is the source of the Voom feeds why not uplink them directly from Jericho (as well as any 72 feeds for other affiliates)?
JL

Well the issue would be if Dish wants CVC to be able to do the CAS on the TPs. The only real way I see it working with CAS is for CVC to uplink the VOOM 21 somewhere (perhaps 72), Dish to receive them, repackage them, put in the smartcard, guide information, etc then uplink them back in some way. They could uplink the information to another satellite, CVC could then receive and retransmit it on R-1.

Now another way to work it would be fore CVC to uplink the 10 VOOM channels in standard DVB format, compatible with Dish receivers and just have them available in unencrypted free preview mode. The issue would be with the information tables that Dish receivers would expect to see. I do not know if this would work without a software update to the Dish receivers.

 

[rtt2]

If CVC is supposedly selling the 21 channels to other providers it would be impossible to use Rainbow1 to use it to distribute content to other providers.

Also Dish could use the Black Hawk facility to uplink the content to Rainbow1. Even though the sale is not complete Dish can use its licence to broadcast from without having to involve CVC. Dish can install some of their eqiupment (perhaps they alreay have).

 

[James Long]

Well the issue would be if Dish wants CVC to be able to do the CAS on the TPs.

If all you are worried about is the CAS that can be done without bouncing the signal around the country.

JL

 

[bryan27]

72 AMC-6 is an FSS bird and licenced to broadcast FSS at that slot. FSS is a non traditional way to distribute a master signal. MSOs around the country would have to change equipment

MSOs (Multi-System Operators) wouldn't have to change anything. All they need is a dish, LNB, receivers, and channel processors/encription. Dishes and LNBs to receive KU-FSS are really cheap, it is the receivers that are expensive. Most MSOs use a standard 1 meter KU-Dish. Cable systems wanting to carry some of the VOOM21 are given a cheap dish to point at 72w and VOOM STBs (which were formerly leased from the defunct DBS business) to receive the channels. Most MSOs have extra or unused processing equipment sitting somewhere.

MSOs typically don't change satellite equipment. Rather they add to it when needed. Satellites die and channels occasionally move to a new location or change mode of transport (analog to DVB or DCII) without major problems to the MSOs. It is the small independent MVDS that have problems when there are changes like that, but the the indy cable providers offering HDTV today wouldn't have much of a problem picking up a couple VOOM channels from 72w if they wanted to.

BTW HITS (Headend In The Sky) located on Galaxy 4R at 99w is a perfect example of KU-FSS distribution to to cable companies. They even use the same DCII that Rainbow uses.

 

[mike123abc]

Well the NIT sniffers at DBStalk.com posted that the NIT tables for Dish have updated to have R-1 broadcast on TPs 1,3,5, and 7 Dish VOOM programming.

That still leaves 9 of the TPs R-1 is currently licensed to transmit on empty... CVC could certainly run some programming like VOOM 10 and a Dish AT pack to help with the transition period, depends on how much Dish values the current VOOM customers.

Perhaps CVC would turn off all the current VOOM customers, but when they signed up with Dish they could turn on the satellite programming on 61.5 for the VOOM customer until Dish can come out and hook them up with Dish equipment and dishes.