USSB - D

[Dolly]

D has us listed as customers going back to 1995. However, I was sure we had left cable before then. I found a paper folder that had on it "Welcome to the future of television" and on the folder it said USSB. Did USSB become D :confused:

[paulman182]

In the beginning USSB was a separate company that provided some of the channels that we received from the D* satellite--mostly movie channels, as I recall.

They ended up being bought out by D*.

That's the short answer. I'm sure someone else can give you corrections and details.

[WERA689]

That's pretty much it. I remember having to write a check to DirecTV AND USSB each month. I still have a point of sale display with a miniature one-lnb dish, and both D* and USSB logos on the front. Memories......(sigh)

[jediphish]

That's pretty much it. I remember having to write a check to DirecTV AND USSB each month. I still have a point of sale display with a miniature one-lnb dish, and both D* and USSB logos on the front. Memories......(sigh)


So, were the only other 2 stand-alone DSSs (to use a term from the old days) services Dish Network and Primestar? I know the DBS revolution started in 1994/1995 and I think those have been the only players ever since.

[SamC]

USSB (US Sat. Broadcasting) and DirecTV both owned liscenses in DBS, so they combined their operations. You bought a DSS (Digital Sat. System) receiver (which was the brand name of that type of receiver, not a generic name that would include DISH or Primestar) and then had to establish an account with both companies. USSB had HBO/Cinemax, Showtime/Movie Channel, and the channels then owned by Viacom, which included MTV, and Nick. DirecTV had everything else. USSB channels were in the 900s. You got two bills, had to call two CSRs banks, and so on.

When the first contract with Viacom ran out, DirecTV signed for its channels, leaving USSB with only the pay movie channels. A few months of that and USSB just sold out to DirecTV, and they reorganized the channels into something similar to their current line up. Later a copyright case made DirecTV change the name of the receiver from DSS to DirecTV Receiver.

Primestar was a non-DBS system that was owned by cable companies. It was, IMHO, mostly a scam. DirecTV eventually bought it to shut it down. There also were (and still are a few) rural areas where DirecTV marketing rights were sold to the local electric coops and DirecTV spent plenty buying those back.

[boba]

So, were the only other 2 stand-alone DSSs (to use a term from the old days) services Dish Network and Primestar? I know the DBS revolution started in 1994/1995 and I think those have been the only players ever since.No there were 2 other services Alpha Star and VOOM in the United States and 2 Canadian DBS services that are Gray market US participants.:)

[DCSholtis]

SamC pretty much summed it up. I remember those days well.

[ralphfurley]

Back in college (95-96) I worked for PRIMESTAR (COMCAST)..it was no scam. Larger Dish provided service to most rural area. Cable lines had not been run to these areas ...mostly rural parts of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Carolinas. Even then I knew service wasn't as good as D* ( my roommates and I had purchased SONY D system from Sears for $600!!!!). But if you lived in boonies it was a godsend.

[harsh]

Back in college (95-96) I worked for PRIMESTAR (COMCAST)..it was no scam. Larger Dish provided service to most rural area.The larger dish wasn't a benefit; it was a necessity. PRIMESTAR used FSS satellites that send a much less powerful signal.

[quickfire]

If I remember correctley the USSB bill was $12.95 a month :)

[Kevin Dupuy]

You know what I remember having before I got D* in 02, it was this wierd thing where you would put these two slim metal bars above your TV, and you like 5 channels (seven after The WB and UPN launched) and they were like, free! It was so cool...:D :p :lol: ;)

[quickfire]

Those 1st DSS recievers were so slooooowwwwwwwww in changing channels.....but D* SD picture was ASTOUNDING!!

(Archie & Edith Bunker---singing).......Those were the daysssss!!!;)

[bobnielsen]

Sky Angel (aka Dominion) is still around (mostly religious stations using Dish Network satellites and receivers).

[wilbur_the_goose]

IIRC, the USSB channels were all up in the 900's.

[Dolly]

USSB (US Sat. Broadcasting) and DirecTV both owned liscenses in DBS, so they combined their operations. You bought a DSS (Digital Sat. System) receiver (which was the brand name of that type of receiver, not a generic name that would include DISH or Primestar) and then had to establish an account with both companies. USSB had HBO/Cinemax, Showtime/Movie Channel, and the channels then owned by Viacom, which included MTV, and Nick. DirecTV had everything else. USSB channels were in the 900s. You got two bills, had to call two CSRs banks, and so on.

When the first contract with Viacom ran out, DirecTV signed for its channels, leaving USSB with only the pay movie channels. A few months of that and USSB just sold out to DirecTV, and they reorganized the channels into something similar to their current line up. Later a copyright case made DirecTV change the name of the receiver from DSS to DirecTV Receiver.

Primestar was a non-DBS system that was owned by cable companies. It was, IMHO, mostly a scam. DirecTV eventually bought it to shut it down. There also were (and still are a few) rural areas where DirecTV marketing rights were sold to the local electric coops and DirecTV spent plenty buying those back.
Thanks :) Can you remember the date when USSB sold out to D? Was it 1995 since that is the date D first shows us as customers?

[Tom Robertson]

Thanks :) Can you remember the date when USSB sold out to D? Was it 1995 since that is the date D first shows us as customers?

Well...I am rather amused to report that the FCC approved the transaction on April 1, 1999. I kid not, I couldn't possibly make this up :) : http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/News_Releases/1999/nrin9015.html

Cheers,
Tom

[Dolly]

Well...I am rather amused to report that the FCC approved the transaction on April 1, 1999. I kid not, I couldn't possibly make this up :) : http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/News_Releases/1999/nrin9015.html

Cheers,
Tom
Well I am confused now--so what else is new :whatdidid I don't remember writing two different checks or anything like that. I had thought we started out with D, but then I have that paper folder with USSB on it :confused:

[Tom Robertson]

Well I am confused now--so what else is new :shrug I don't remember writing two different checks or anything like that. I had thought we started out with D, but then I have that paper folder with USSB on it :confused:

Alas, this was all right about the time I first really joined D*. I remember USSB but that could have been while I was looking into BUD vs. D* before D* got the NFL ST. I was in Indiana, so the Thomson announcement was almost in our home town when D* was created.

Cheers,
Tom

[prospect60]

I was with DirecTV almost from the beginning and I'm pretty sure the first 3 months of service was free. My first check to USSB was 11/94 for $36 and the last 10/99 for $7.22 as I dropped some of the premiums and DirecTV slowly absorbed channels out of USSB over time.

[Dolly]

I was with DirecTV almost from the beginning and I'm pretty sure the first 3 months of service was free. My first check to USSB was 11/94 for $36 and the last 10/99 for $7.22 as I dropped some of the premiums and DirecTV slowly absorbed channels out of USSB over time.
Thanks :) I wonder why I can't ever remember writing any check to USSB :confused: I guess my heart has always belonged to D :heart:

[Strejcek]

I was with DirecTV almost from the beginning and I'm pretty sure the first 3 months of service was free. My first check to USSB was 11/94 for $36 and the last 10/99 for $7.22 as I dropped some of the premiums and DirecTV slowly absorbed channels out of USSB over time.
USSB, wow, that sure brings back some memories. I too was a customer from darn near day one myself, and I never got my first three months of USSB for free. It's nice to see that practice still goes on to this day :D

I thought it was a real pain to have to write two checks, especially having to mail (mail what the heck is that? :lol: ) them by way of USPS. Gosh is online payment and direct debit nice.

[Radio Enginerd]

but D* SD picture was ASTOUNDING!!

And still remains better than most IMHO. :)

[bpayne]

USSB
Primestar was a non-DBS system that was owned by cable companies. It was, IMHO, mostly a scam. DirecTV eventually bought it to shut it down. There also were (and still are a few) rural areas where DirecTV marketing rights were sold to the local electric coops and DirecTV spent plenty buying those back.


I think you're thinking of Pegasus, not Primestar. There are a variety of ways to view D*'s business relationship with Pegasus, but the best way to sum it up was that they were the third-party service provider for any area classified as one covered under the NRTC.

DirecTV had them in litigation for years over various matters- eventually, one of them went to verdict, found for the plaintiff and Pegasus promptly declared bankruptcy. DirecTV bought them out for $10-20 million which is a pittance considering what they got in return.

While there are many horrible things that we can say about Pegasus (you couldn't activate any Tivos or HD services under them, for starters) they were NOT owned by the cable co's.

[bobnielsen]

I think you're thinking of Pegasus, not Primestar. There are a variety of ways to view D*'s business relationship with Pegasus, but the best way to sum it up was that they were the third-party service provider for any area classified as one covered under the NRTC.

DirecTV had them in litigation for years over various matters- eventually, one of them went to verdict, found for the plaintiff and Pegasus promptly declared bankruptcy. DirecTV bought them out for $10-20 million which is a pittance considering what they got in return.

While there are many horrible things that we can say about Pegasus (you couldn't activate any Tivos or HD services under them, for starters) they were NOT owned by the cable co's.

Actually you are both correct. Pegasus handled most of the NRTC accounts, but Primestar was an early satellite service using a fairly large dish (larger than the Slimline), and was owned by cable companies. Directv bought them out in 1999.

[SamC]

I sorry if my post was confusing. Probably should have been two paragraphs. Primestar was a non-DBS medium sized dish system marketed by cable companies. It was, IMHO, a total scam. Its marketing was totally dishonest. Eventually DirecTV bought Primestar to convert its customer base to DBS.

Pegasus was the largest of the the several NRTC marketers that had exclusive rights to sell DirecTV in defined rural areas. They gave their customers far worse deals than could be found in the rest of the country.

We are far better off without either.

[Richard King]

USSB was started by Stanley Hubbard and family, owners of Hubbard Broadcasting. Hubbard Broadcasting owned several television stations in Minnesnowta and was very forward looking, being one of the first to jumo on direct broadcast satellite as soon as he could. The problem is that Hubbard didn't own enough of the frequencies to send everything into your home, nor did he have deep enough pockets (although still very wealthy) to go up against DirecTv (majority owned by GM at the time). The hardware for USSB was the same hardware used by DTV, giving DTV another advantage. Hubbard eventually saw the writting on the wall and sold out to GMH.

[ralphfurley]

I sorry if my post was confusing. Probably should have been two paragraphs. Primestar was a non-DBS medium sized dish system marketed by cable companies. It was, IMHO, a total scam. Its marketing was totally dishonest. Eventually DirecTV bought Primestar to convert its customer base to DBS.

What do you mean by "scam"? I worked for them for a year. Never scammed a single person. Other than the 3ft dish, it worked exactly like D*

[Tom Robertson]

What do you mean by "scam"? I worked for them for a year. Never scammed a single person. Other than the 3ft dish, it worked exactly like D*

Good friend had Primestar. Worked great, he was happy, did the job. Not sure what he went to, haven't talked to him for a few years now.

Cheers,
Tom

[Tom Servo]

If you go to Wikipedia and look up Primestar, there's a link to the web archive project, which has archived the Primestar website... Which says that PPV's were "only" $3.95... Man that was expensive back then, par for the course now, eh? :)