E* 4 has started its move to 157w

[JohnH]

http://www.lyngsat.com/tracker/echo4.shtml

[Darkman]

hmm - 157 - ahaha :) (from what location?)

What content might be there at 157w, again? :)

[JohnH]

From 119w where it has been for a long time.

Transponders 1,3 and 5 with programming of an unknown content. :)

[Darkman]

the unknown content on those 3 transponders - when are the approximate plans for those? :)

[JohnH]

They have less than 120 days to do something there.

There has been no known to me announcement as to what tthey will do there.

[Darkman]

how come only - less then 120 days....?
What happens if they want to do something there after 120 days? :)

[Jacob S]

They may just end up putting up some western locals or public interest channels or something that aint mainstream there just so they dont lose their rights to the slot.

[Marcus S]

E* had to put something there or loose the license space. I am not sure what is going on. Last I had read, E* had pretty much given up 166 and 157, but then it is a prime location to drop a troubled bird into the Ocean. Don't know. However, with decay trajectory it would probably end up some place near Australia. Wonder if Charlie is aiming at Rupert. :lol:

http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2003/03/03/daily21.html

[Bob Haller]

They can point at 148 and 157 with a 500 dish. I mentioned this years ago at the old sitre as a way to increase LIL.

[Jacob S]

What about 166? How long do they have until they lose the rights to that satellite slot?

[JohnH]

They do not have any licenses for 166w or 175w. Those slots come up for auction later this year.

[Marcus S]

Here are the details;

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-1510A1.html

[Mike123abc]

Echostar consolidated their 11 western slots to the rest of 148 and 3 on 157. It works out much better for Echostar since a dish 500 can pick up 148 and 157 at the same time.

[Jacob S]

166 and 175 could be picked up by a dish500 as well.

[will]

i know th answer >>lets just say it will be super <s>

[Jacob S]

Perhaps a SuperDish for the western slots as well?

[Darkman]

hehe - 2 supers? :)

[Jacob S]

Yeah, thats what I am thinking but some may rather have 2 supers than who knows how many dishes and most would not need this.

[Chris Freeland]

Only a Dish 500 will be needed to see both 148 and 157, they are only 9 degrees apart and both are DBS. I suspect few if anyone will even need to see both 148 and 157 anyway. A SuperDish for just those two spots would be way over kill. :shrug:

[Darkman]

they were talking super dish - for 157, 166 and 175 (hehe - and maybe even 148 :) - if it can hold 4 sats, which i forgot now, if super dish = 3 or 4 sats) :)

[Chris Freeland]

Originally posted by Darkman
they were talking super dish - for 157, 166 and 175 (hehe - and maybe even 148 :) - if it can hold 4 sats, which i forgot now, if super dish = 3 or 4 sats) :)

E* does not own 166 or 175, so this is a non issue unless E* bids for, wins and spends the money on additional satellites for these two spots, which I kind of doubt. If E* were to spend money on new satellites they would get more bang for the buck be adding an additional spotbeam satellite and an additional up-link center for 110, with this and the extra capacity that E* currently own's and lease's at 121 and 105 they could likely serve all 210 dma's. :)

[Darkman]

here is another example then:
61.5 or 105, 110. 119 = Superdish
and
121 or 129, 148, 157 = Superdish
:)

[Mike123abc]

Super dish does not go 40+ degrees of arc. It can do 105-121 or 16 degrees. 121 - 157 would not work and 61.5 - 119 would not work either. Even the big torodial dish only does 40 degrees of arc so it could do 110 - 148.

The only reason I could see dish even bidding on some of 157 would be if they planned at one time to do HDTV LIL for the west coast from there.

The three transponders that they have on there now would be good for something like the business channels for the west coast.

As an experiment it would be cool if they tried LIL HDTV for LA, they could do the top channels. They could have CBS/NBC/ABC/Fox/UPN/WB/PBS. This would be nice for those that can see 157 and have the superstations and get UPN/WB in HD.

[Darkman]

just to note: 157 - 121 = 36 :)

[Mike123abc]

Originally posted by Darkman
just to note: 157 - 121 = 36 :)

But then you would need the toroidal dish not the Superdish. Superdish is nothing more than a slightly larger version of what DirecTV uses for 101-119, it does 105-121 actually a slightly smaller arc, but the dish is bigger because 105 and 121 are weaker power and have to be separated out from the adjacent satellites.

[Darkman]

ya...in that case toroidal dish does sound better....

[Jacob S]

Yes, I was talking of using a SuperDish for 148, 157, 166

A toroidal dish I think could be used 61.5 - 105 and 119 - 157 to where east coast and west coast could have their own multi-dish solution if need be. I dont know about 110, if a toroidal dish has a wide enough arc each of the dishs could carry this in which could carry core channels. This require all subs that have a dish300 to swap out though in which I dont see happening.

[JohnH]

All the rumors only include 105 or 121 on the Superdish, not both. Initial model only includes 119, 110 and 105. 121 was rumored to be a separate service, anyway(Internationals only).

[Jacob S]

I think it sould be possible to pick up that slot in which is only 2 degrees away from 119 with the same dish or with a slightly larger dish.

[Bob Haller]

Theres enough bandswidsth to put up EVERY DMA, it hasnt been announced but I think thats where were going. This would al;low LIL everywhere included in each price plan.

If they do this and drop the extra receiver fee the floodgates will open to a new surge in subs.

[Jacob S]

They are working on dropping the second fee with the arrival of two tuner receivers I believe (hopefully they will not charge extra) and I also think they are ultimately working to provide every local market then advertise that they offer them all then they will have locals included in all packages. Maybe they will give customers an option to not take the locals for a discount or credit for something else if they can pick it up on antenna but probably not seeing that cable does not give you this option themselves. I just hope they offer only the locals just as some cable services do (called lifeline cable in some areas, or some basic package).

Does DirecTv offer the locals only or do you have to get the $39.99 package to get them? I believe Dish Network offers them.

[Mike D-CO5]

Directv requires you sub to total choice at least, in order to get anything else, unless you are grandfathered with select choice.
Dish is much more flexible with selling alacart channels to their customers. While Directv is trying to go for the more high end customers as a whole. I think that is a marketing mistake overall ,since a lot of customers will just go to Dish in order to be accomadated in what they particularly want.

[Jacob S]

I agree, any will go to Dish just to know that they have that flexibility at the present or future even if they do choose a higher programming package. This is why Dish does this is because they know that most will take a higher package anyways eventually and get them started out at a cheaper price point.

Also there will be a lot of people that will only want the local channels. Dish will be the choice for them. Retailers will charge an extra fee though considering they are not getting the commission for the sale since its not the minimal programming required to get a commission. Also an extra $5 fee is charged so it would be $10.99 per month plus tax which still is not too bad for just the locals. This may get some in the future to order extra channels later them knowing that its all ready for the extra channels.