Where is the next FTAer?

[toucan-man]

...Sometimes I visit with a technician who oversees one of the PBS stations on 125.0W. He is reserved in his comments but I sense that he doesn't approve of the FTA hobby...

I've wondered about that. For what it's worth, when Montana PBS went S2, I replied to an email sent to me by their then director of development, told her that I had upgraded my receiver so I could continue viewing them. She replied:

"Terrific! We worried about some of the folks who receive us this way."

I should hope PBS in general would be pleased with us, but suspect the good feelings are not universal within the organization. Which is really too bad.

 

[cyberham]

...Sometimes I visit with a technician who oversees one of the PBS stations on 125.0W. He is reserved in his comments but I sense that he doesn't approve of the FTA hobby...

I don't understand this. On PBS, with no commercial revenue to lose since there are no commercials, why would PBS not want FTA viewers? I would think any and all ways to expand their viewer numbers would be welcomed. If I wasn't watching LPB on 87W, then I couldn't watch LPB. Is that better for PBS?

 

[walker69]

I have seen one house that is two blocks away with 3 BUDS. One on the roof and 2 in the yard.
From the looks of it, they are probabaly not used any more.
My girlfriend lives more towards the country and I have seen several homes there.
Most people who have seen my 1 dish, asked in a round about way, what channels
do I get for "free" from any of the providers.

 

[SatelliteAV]

I don't understand this. On PBS, with no commercial revenue to lose since there are no commercials, why would PBS not want FTA viewers? I would think any and all ways to expand their viewer numbers would be welcomed. If I wasn't watching LPB on 87W, then I couldn't watch LPB. Is that better for PBS?

PBS is more commercial than you are lead to believe. Like any network they each have their exclusive areas of coverage with programming sponsorships to sell and budgets to balance. Stations buy much of the programming and have a vested interest in providing exposure to the program "sponsors" (advertisers). A national feed potentially takes viewers away from watching their local market.

 

[radio]

PBS is more commercial than you are lead to believe. Like any network they each have their exclusive areas of coverage with programming sponsorships to sell and budgets to balance. Stations buy much of the programming and have a vested interest in providing exposure to the program "sponsors" (advertisers). A national feed potentially takes viewers away from watching their local market.

Many of the newer (national mainly) PBS "sponsorships" come darn close to a "call to action" which non-com radio and Public TV are not supposed to do with regard to sponsors' products and services. Program content is still quite good, but lengths have gotten shorter, and the "sponsorships" have gotten longer, and more "glitzy" as they become more like full commercials!

 

[PopcornNMore]

Our neighbors use our house as a landmark when they are getting company or a delivery. They simply say "turn at the house on the corner that has a yard filled with satellite dishes".

 

[cyberham]

...A national feed potentially takes viewers away from watching their local market.

Does anybody think that viewers actually watch or listen to who sponsors are? With DVRs and mute buttons, when will programmers wake up and realize that NOBODY watches commercials or listens for names of sponsors anymore. Product placement in shows is probably more valuable. In my own little business world, we no longer do print advertising: waste of money. We spend our marketing money to interact directly with end users who will buy product...such as at trade shows for example. All these banners on websites...NOBODY looks at them. They are just visual noise filtered by viewers eyes. Have I drifted off topic?...

 

[SatelliteAV]

Does anybody think that viewers actually watch or listen to who sponsors are? With DVRs and mute buttons, when will programmers wake up and realize that NOBODY watches commercials or listens for names of sponsors anymore...

Shush! Not so loud....... The broadcasters haven't figured this out yet! LOL! The worn skip button on my WMC remote tells the story at my house.

 

[stogie5150]

Here within the past month I have had two people that asked me WTH all those dishes were for, and what I watched with them, one seemed interested, one, not so much. Once I explained how it isnt a SERVICE, per se, and that you need to be able to work on it yourself, nobody to call ( oh NO, don't call ME, I got enough plates spinning!) and that you danged well have at least a "backyard" engineering degree to consider jumping waist-deep in the whole thing, I think I scared her. LOL I told her I would give her a tour and show her some examples of what we watch, she said she might take me up on it, but I aint holding my breath....

But as far as other FTA'ers, not a chance. Other than the guys on here I have met locally, and some not so locally, nada. FTA is a LOT of work, for what most would consider a LITTLE TV, compared to DISH,Directv, or cable.

To each his own I guess. I'd rather pocket the coin I save.

 

[freezy]

there's a 12 solid fiberglass on the edge of town. It's pointing North. I'm pretty sure it's idle.

 

[Lone Gunman]

Tripinva use to live about 50/60 miles from me before he took that job with Luken over in Tennessee. He actually came by my house one day before he moved and I got to show him my junk. Other than him, I don't know of anyone into legal FTA stuff in my immediate area.

I got my Winegard 10 footer back in 1988 and got into the generics via the old Delphi forum of old in the mid 1990s. This hobby is just another time waster, like the others I have but since I'm retired, what the hay, right. It's better than sitting in a rocking chair on the porch doing nothing!

I am fortunate in that my darling wife could care less about TV in general so I only have myself to please. She sits around with her nose buried in either a book or her Kindle Fire and that makes her happy, and me too!

There's 3 dishes close to me but two are small and look to only be 6 footers. There is another that's either an 8 or 10 footer too but it's on a rental property and I haven't been able to get in touch with the owner. It's an older model with a button hook LNB holder but hey, If the price were right then I'd take it in a New York minute!!

But yeah, we're a dieing breed all right.

 

[cyberham]

You look too young to be retired. I've gotta stop thinking avatars are the people behind them. Mine is, of course.