Re: [amsat-bb] TV question

["Frederick M. Spinner" <fspinner@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The only DigiCipher I (which is what P* used) left are some Spanish language 
educational channels on SatMex 5 C and Ku Band.  The receiver has to be 
"tricked" into receiving them, but it is possible.

DCI technology has been replaced with DigiCipher II (DCII) and DVB-S 
(MPEG2).  The DCII is a Proprietary system used almost exclusively in the US 
and DVB-S is a world wide standard.  When it comes to broadcasting the FCC 
doesn't like worldwide standards, and neither do US broadcasters.

There are some who still use C-band.. the DCII format for C-band consumers 
is known as "4DTV"

However many international broadcasters use the DVB-S standard and do not 
encrypt.  There are several hundred of such channels in DVB-S format on Ku 
and C-band both.  Some are not foreign-- for example there are many 
ABC/NBC/CBS/PAX/UPN/FOX feeds and local stations up in that format.  News 
feeds have also gone DVB-S.

The P* Ku Dishes and LNB's can be used for both analog feeds and many 
DVB/MPEG2 channels, mostly international and over 100 FTA (unencrypted, Free 
To Air).  You'd need a new receiver for this, they run $100-200.

The authortative source of information on this is the MPEG2/DVB forum room 
of http://www.satforums.com

I've cross-pollinated some of the "satforums" members who are also hams with 
AMSAT and AO-40 info, so fair's fair.

This is actually one of my other hobbies that I don't have time for!!! :O)   
It was a BLAST during "Operation Iraqi Freedom"... many free Arab channels 
on Telstar 5 Ku....

Actually I'm thinking since I'm in the country now switching back to C-band. 
  It costs $45/mo for the 5 or 6 channels we actually watch on DirecTV or I 
could get them for about $12/mo on C-band.. and the picture and sound 
quality is infinitely better on C-band.

Fred W0FMS



>From: "Edward R. Cole" <al7eb@ptialaska.net>
>To: k6ccc@AMSAT.Org, w7lrd@juno.com
>CC: amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org
>Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] TV question
>Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 11:24:31 -0800
>
>At 08:50 AM 6/24/03 -0700, Jim.Walls@sce.com wrote:
> >W7LRD said:
> >> I have several primestar dishes along with a receiver and even a
> >> remote control.  Do any of you know if there is any TV programing
> >> that this stuff can receive?  I thought it might be interesting to
> >> play with this stuff when I'm out of the AO-40  footprint.  There
> >> are a lot of geostationary satellites up there and I have no clue
> >> where to begin. Perhaps the receiver is just junk at this point.
> >
> >Bob,
> >      PrimeStar was Ku band and there is LOTS of Ku band TV being
> >downlinked from various geostationary satellites.  Check out
> >http://www.lyngsat.com/ for information on what is where.  As to the
> >equipment, the receiver is pretty much junk.  The downconverter is
> >certainly of use.
> >
> >73
> >-----------------------
> >Jim Walls - K6CCC
>
>Jim and Bob:
>
>I took a look at the lyngsat website as I have not been a dealer since
>about 1991, so wasn't that sure what the line-up of Ku-band sats was today.
>  Over "America" it looks like primarily Echostar (DishNET) or Direct-TV
>which both are subscription services requiring their IRD (integrated
>receiver-descrambler).  The LNB (what you described as a downconvertor)
>probably will work for both (not sure if they use the same freq. band).
>Back in the late 80s and early 90s there were several Ku-band birds but
>they varied a lot on channel spacing and channel bandwidth.  My guess that
>before you sink any cash into it you borrow and old c/ku receiver and try
>it out.  These old c-band systems are throw-away today with nearly
>universal move to either Direct-TV or DishNet small dish service.  I have
>about four old c-band LNBs and a couple c-band receivers (to use for 1290
>ATV some day).  The receivers tuned 950-1450 MHz, the IF passband that the
>LNB produced.
>
>I got rid of my last working IRD to an old customer whose receiver crapped
>out...sold it to him for $50!
>
>73, Ed - AL7EB
>my 33-inch offset dish for AO-40 was my original TV dish.  Now have a
>39-inch one.
>
>----
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