[Guest]

When 7 and 8 finally start working, will that increase our channels? Will they have more locals? I know this is a dumb question but what happens to the satellites in 110 and 119 right now? Also, when they launch echostar 9 at 122 (I think that's right), will you have to get a new dish or will the 500 pick that one up also?

I'm sure these are some questions you guys have seen but I just found this web site and it is very interesting.

Thanks for any help guys...

Keith

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Welcome to DBStalk.COM Keith! :hi:

Yes with Echostar 7 and 8 we should see some more channels, as of now all the local channels are being broadcast across the USA, so there is a lot of wasted space.

WIth the new spotbeams local channel will for the most part only be broadcast from spot beams which only server certain areas. Spots are neat because you can have many spots serving many parts of the USA while only using 1 transponder space. (of course there are spot beams on a few transponders on the new satellites)

The ultimate increase in channel space is if the merger goes through, as of now Dish Network and DirecTV both broadcast basicly the same 400 channels, when the merger goes through one of them can stop broadcasting all the duplicated channels thus gaining all that space! (Of course doing so it will take a long time after the merger happenes before they shut off or move channels.

Scott

 

[John Corn]

May 5 2002, DirecTV 5 Proton 119.0°W will replace DirecTV 6

June 2002 EchoStar 8 Proton 110.0°W 32 DBS tps

Lyngemark Satellite Chart Satellite Launches

 

[Guest]

Could you guys see Columbia, SC getting locals added? I don't fully understand the spot beam but sounds interesting.... Thanks for the response and info....

 

[bryan27]

R/L DBS has commited to carrying Columbia, SC from their spotbeam satellite to be at 61.5. R/L DBS-1 launches late next year. It will be awhile before they show up on D*, E*, or a combined New E*. See the R/L DBS Speculation thread for a list of cities they have commited to carry.

 

[Guest]

When you say at 61.5, does that mean I have to another satellite or will the dish500 work? All of this spot beam confuses me... LOL

Where is that site that shows Columbia being listed?

 

[Steve Mehs]

Also, when they launch echostar 9 at 122 (I think that's right), will you have to get a new dish or will the 500 pick that one up also?

You wont need to worry about 122 becasue E9 will be used for Ku band, IIRC.

When you say at 61.5, does that mean I have to another satellite or will the dish500 work?

Yes you will need an extra dish for 61.5, the Dish500 only sees 110 and 119. You can either get an extra 18" dish or an extra Dish500, point one LNB to 61.5 and have the other LNB pointed to nothing.

 

[bryan27]

Originally posted by Keith4USC
Where is that site that shows Columbia being listed?

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2370

Has become the topic for all things related to R/L DBS. Columbia is slated for spotbeam #08.

Steve has summed up 61.5 pretty well. Echostar owns 11 licenses (TPs), Dominion (Sky Angel) ownes 8 licenses, R/L DBS owns 11 licenses, 2 licenses aren't owned by anyone. R/L DBS will be launching their satellite fall of next year and will offer a different and competing DBS service.

I'll try to present spotbeams is layman terms. Maybe that will help you understand them better. Also if you haven't been to my website that shows the spotbeams for all the DBS satellites I would suggest having a look. Seeing the maps may also be a help for you in understanding spotbeams.

http://www.stratuswave.net/~bryan27/dbsbeam.html

Basically all satellites transmit a footprint. This is where the signal strikes the Earth. Not everywhere on the planet is in the satellite's footprint. For example the satellites at 119 beam to the US, but those in say Panama aren't in the footprint and can't receive the satellite. Now lets put everything on a smaller scale and make the US New York City, Panama Chicago, and lets say Europe is Kansas City. A small beam is sent to New York on TP1, instead of covering the entire US it only covers the metropolitan area. Those in Chicago are rather close to New York, but are slightly out side the beam. To avoid interference a beam is sent to Chicago on TP2 instead of TP1. Since Kansas City is so far away from New York the transmission on TP1 doesn't reach them at all so another beam is sent on TP1 for those in Kansas City. All three beams have completly different programming although two of the beams are using TP1.

To think of it another way Broadcast Television is only on a select few channels. For example there are 100's of stations in the US on Channel 2. Channel 2 in New York has a certian area on the Earth it reaches. Since it doesn't reach the entire country other areas can transmit on the same channel for example Channel 2 in Pittsburgh. In the middle is Philadelphia instead of a station transmitting on Channel 2 a station instead transmitts on Channel 3. All three stations reach a different area and have different programming even though 2 of them are on Channel 2. The same occurs with spotbeams since say TP1 doesn't reach the entire US TP1 can be used in several different areas, much like the same TV Channel can be used in several different areas.

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure if I understand all of these maps but doesn't echostar7 show Columbia being spot beamed? I feel like I'm talking about Star Trek....LOL

I really hate to buy another Dish just to pick up locals. I'm sure they are planning on having them on 110,119, or 122.... I can get digital cable and locals from Time Warner but hate their prices. But I rather pay a little more than buy a 2nd dish.

Once again, thanks for the info guys. Some very interesting readings.

Later, Keith

 

[bryan27]

Originally posted by Keith4USC
I'm not sure if I understand all of these maps but doesn't echostar7 show Columbia being spot beamed? I feel like I'm talking about Star Trek....LOL

Yes, there is a signal of a spotbeam over Columbia, but that beam is to carry Atlanta (other than the nets offered nationally), Charlotte, Greenville, & Raleigh. There isn't enough room on the beam to carry those 4 cities let alone put another city there.

There is a chance it may be carried on 110 with E-8 since there is a beam that covers Columbia and Jacksonville FL. We will have to wait and see since nothing has been announced. I will say that if Columbia is one of the 7 unannounced cities that D* is going to carry at 119 you can bet that E* will carry it too on 110.

 

[Guest]

the alaska spot needs to cover south east ak , as there are more potential subs there then in polar bear country!
bob

 

[bryan27]

The signal isn't going to actually be receivable that far north unless your dish is large and goes below an EL of 10 degrees. The earth is highly curved there and what you are seing is the curvature effects on the signal. Since the beam is to carry the Anchorage DMA those in the more populated areas like Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka aren't going to be eligible for all the nets anyway.

 

[garydw]

Can anyone tell me what will happen to the Nashville, TN locals when the spot beams go online?

Thanks
Garydw

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Gary,

Its a wait and see, remember this is only one of two spot beam satellites to go up (the other is scheduled to launch in May) after that bird goes up can you expect to see improvements.

 

[garydw]

Scott;

Thanks for the reply, but my question is what will happen to them, will Nashville go to a spot beam, or will they remian on the main satalites? Teh map I saw on the spots did not show a spot beam for Nashville on either Echo 7 or 8. So does that mean they will stay on the main 110 / 119?

Thanks

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

soon all the cities except for the 6 core cities will go to spot beams. I dont think Nashville is one of the 6 core cities.

 

[Lyle_JP]

Even some of the core cities' channels will go to spot beam. Only ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and PBS of the core cities plus the 5 Superstations will remain on CONUS when it's all over (at least, that's what I've been told).

-Lyle J.P.