Update

[PopcornNMore]

I can tell on my 65 inch. SD is still SD no matter how good it looks

This is true. When I display both the SD and HD format of an OTA channel in our home theater you can immediately tell the difference. Currently we watch most of our programming on a 32" in the living room, so it isn't as noticeable. Once we upgrade to a larger set (still trying to convince the wife ) we will probably want more channels in HD. For now paying less for H2H programming will allow us to put the savings toward a larger set.

 

[tvropro]

BISS is too easily hacked. Direct & Dish are so big they have taken away so many that would be with us. The winning key for H2H is choice and no contracts now. I'm doing all I can to keep c band alive with my no budget.

 

[Mr Tony]

More AFAIK - no commercial providers use Nagra or Videoguard - these are the "exclusive" domain of pizza.

Globecast uses Nagra

So although your suggestion is valid and a good one, it would take someone like SRL/Sky to invest with PowerVU providers. As I understand it, PowerVU auths are done by each channel individually, there is no clearing house or main auth center like H2H.

it can also be done by the uplink company too

 

[trinidex]

Globecast uses Nagra


it can also be done by the uplink company too

Ah yes - Globecast - forgot about them, used to sub when they had Setanta.

Didn't know PowerVU auth could be done by an uplink company - so maybe that is an option - we'd need receivers and provider agreements.

 

[trinidex]

Yea I wonder what it would take to setup something like this. I reallllllyy wish I was a millionaire as I would be developing such system now. Powervu is a great technology. I didn't know that Niagra or Videoguard was exclusive to Pizza. That explains alot on why you dont see them commercially distributed. What about using BISS? That could be an option also. Maybe BISS with monthly rolling keys. How do you make money when you have no money? How do you startup with zero! I would be extremely interested in becoming a DTH provider and starting up, but the trick is finding the money to do so. I have no issues doing business plans and all of that fun stuff.

I'm with you on this - how do you start?

I was looking through some paperwork today and found my original letter from SkyTV (UK) when from 1996 - back then, they had 6 Sky subscription channels

We were used to 5 OTA channels at that time, so that was a big deal.

Everyone starts somewhere.

 

[goaliebob99]

Ah yes - Globecast - forgot about them, used to sub when they had Setanta.

Didn't know PowerVU auth could be done by an uplink company - so maybe that is an option - we'd need receivers and provider agreements.

Allready done on the reciver side, we can use the same recivers that AFN is using for their new swapover to HD. Hell if the military is swapping to HD, 4DTV should too! AFN is going to be using the D9865 AFN to go HD in Europe | Broadband TV News Looking at AFN's numbers they are simular to 4DTV today.

 

[goaliebob99]

I'm with you on this - how do you start?

I was looking through some paperwork today and found my original letter from SkyTV (UK) when from 1996 - back then, they had 6 Sky subscription channels

We were used to 5 OTA channels at that time, so that was a big deal.

Everyone starts somewhere.

Well who do we need to talk to?

 

[trinidex]

Well who do we need to talk to?

Sadly, I'm not good at business planning, tech is my area.

From my perspective this is what we'd need:

1) Content - this comes from providers - so we need to talk to them
2) Uplinks - where are we getting the content from - direct from multiple sats or uplinked like H2H - bear in mind we are discussing using PowerVU - how many sources are provided in PowerVU?
2a) C or Ku? - It's been mentioned here about the size of dish for H2H
3) Receivers - Cisco D9865 - what about Dish Positioner?
4) Subscribers - do we strike out on our own or do we do a deal with SRL? Bear in mind any deal with an H2H provider may bring about the demise of H2H which exists today ( "it's business").
5) Resellers - see number 4
6) Start-up capital - for how many years?
7) Staff - see 4 & 5
8) Program guide - does the SA have guide support - who will provide it?

The above are my ramblings and I still don't know where or how to start.

 

[trinidex]

Just a thought...how about doing a deal with the big M and HITS that would allow access to multiple satellites with more programming that we're missing today.

 

[tvropro]

Just a thought...how about doing a deal with the big M and HITS that would allow access to multiple satellites with more programming that we're missing today.

Thats the ticket everything is in place except the receiver. Can't Skyvision get a bunch of old Shaw receivers like they did with the 410 to get us at least the megapipe feeds on SES-1

 

[Corrado]

But would it be wise to bother securing a large number of Shaw receivers if DCII is on the way out as a distribution platform? I think it best to learn what system is coming and think long term.

If I where in business to sell subs, I would be thinking about the future when the DCII stream ends and the H2H contracts run out. I read somewhere last year in all the 4DTV doom threads that the 410s were safe for a couple more years. Not much sense in waiting until the last day for a new business model. Time to start planning now.

I don't mind paying for the equipment as long as it's going to last for more than a year or two. I already got stung with a 410 with a battery that failed on a 10 year old receiver. That's not happening again. Skyvision should have replaced them all. Had I known the future of 4DTV in 2007, I wouldn't have purchased a new 922 either. Not being negative but trying to future proof a bit.

 

[tdti1]

Corrado this is why we want the latest Shaw receivers, I have never heard of the DCII encryption system going any where? Why would Shaw have invested all this money in these new receivers, and why would most new channels going up implement DCII encryption over the latest the compression methods available?

I have heard the old 4d compatible DCII signals are al near extinct but I see many new s2 h.264 DCII encrypted distribution going up all the time and have not heard or read about anything saying DCII was out, and even if that was true, if it was hacked thats what the port is for, so you would be fine with plugging in the latest encryption system into the slot.

 

[trinidex]

But would it be wise to bother securing a large number of Shaw receivers if DCII is on the way out as a distribution platform? I think it best to learn what system is coming and think long term.

I don't think DCII is going anywhere soon, Shaw Direct use it, commercial providers use it, OlympuSat use it.

Don't confuse the dropping of the 4DTV with the demise of DCII.

4DTV was an end user receiver, like Dish, Direct, Bell, Shaw, etc.

All that's really happened is the dropping of end user DCII subbing, with the exception of H2H.