Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
 ·T-Mobile US
| reply to robl27
Re: no more satellite radio competition, why not tv?
said by robl27  :if i want satellite, i'd get a free to air system that covers both the c and ku spectrum.. over 500 channels there and FREE -Rob Good idea if you have the area to place a few 4 meter dishes.
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician.
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NetLarry
join:2007-03-18
Johnstown, PA
| reply to KrK
DirecTV does have bundles of a sort; they have partnered with Verizon (Triple play - phone, DSL and DirecTV). But it's true that won't last long-term; Verizon only uses it as a stopgap measure to prevent subscriber loss to the cable companies. Once FIOS is expanded to a certain coverage percentage we can look for Verizon to end their partnership (and customer discount). From what I've heard from Verizon contacted call center employees, they've already made the bundle an "honor do not offer" deal. |
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cbrigante2
Cubs 20??
Premium
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL | reply to KrK
I wonder if rain fade happens more up north? I have my dish on my roof with a very clear view of the southern sky and I get rain fade for just a minute or two every time a heavy lightning or rain storm passes the sky to the south. |
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rid0617
join:2003-07-20
Greer, SC | reply to robl27
I've had free to air for almost 8 years now. Will never be without it again. While there are a lot of foreign channels, galaxy 10 has a pile of network TV on the KU side. |
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CopperMonkey
join:2007-12-18
united state
| reply to robl27
said by robl27 :the service fades out in the rain due to the fact the dishes are too small Wha-what? Have the system re-installed. Rain should NEVER cause satellite TV to go out if it's installed properly. The ONLY weather that's ever knocked out my DirecTV is snow, and that's because the snow packs in on the dish, obstructing the feedhorn. This is the biggest misconception of satellite TV. I can see hurricanes, tornadoes, or thunderstorms killing the TV, but not rain. Never. |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | reply to raw
Chainsaw...  |
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raw
War Eagle
Premium
join:2001-01-17
Madison, AL
clubs:
| reply to KrK
The dish was on the front of the property, and the trees shoot up a solid 40-50 feet over the house (excluding the older, taller trees).
The pole thing might have worked... if it were 100 feet tall. The back yard is all of 30 feet deep. When I say backs up to woods, I mean it in the most literal sense possible.
Thanks for the tips, though.  |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| reply to MagicVuedoo
HUH? Dish size DOES affect rain-fade. Larger dishes, while do experience rain fade on a lower powered sat system, larger dishes will sustain longer. However, I've installed and maintained MANY dishes as a vendor and had signal in the 90's that still experienced rain fade.
Also, with the drive to install more and more dishes, techs are allowed to install dishes with laxed conditions.. I've seen dishes pointed right through trees, and I've seen them pointed at another building, all with reduced signal.. can they install with lower signal levels now over the past? yes.. do you see more fade? yes.
Another example.. in Iowa, a friend's house, he has Dish Net.. if you've ever been in rural Iowa there really isn't anything to block the line of sight. Even with mid 90's, a SLIGHT, and I do mean slight, rain storm has caused fade.
Lazy, dumb or high.. that's a hiring issue.. but it's not 100% of the reason rain/snow (we'll just say storm) fade happens. |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20 | reply to DaveNJ
Profitability has nothing to do with it. There is competition issues at hand.. They have cable and phone to compete with, and sometimes small muni systems. |
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MagicVuedoo
join:2005-06-20
Wausau, WI
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| reply to robl27
heya rob,
cant say about the fta stuff but you know, dish size has nothing to do with service fade. if you got crappy service, it is due to the fact that your technician was lazy, dumb, or high. take your pick. either way, your dish was not peaked in correctly. |
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Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA
 ·Cox HSI
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Cox VOIP
·ViaTalk
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·MegaPath
·Verizon west (ex G..
·Time Warner VOIP
| reply to KrK
said by KrK :Is DTV finally making money? It lost money for years. This is according to news items about their latest results "profit up 10%". Dish Network's profit was up 50%. |
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not
@npgco.com
| reply to Ammler
said by Ammler :I'm not buying that. I believe the same argument Sirius and XM used to merge (competition from terrestrial radio, CDs, MP3s, etc.), can be applied here as well (competition from cable, terrestrial tv, internet, iTunes, dvd, blue-ray, etc.). so much
Not so much, xm and sirius used am/fm as their reason yes, however when they tried this merger in 01 they used Cable TV and terrestrial tv and it got shot down, chances are FCC isn't going to let them happen, remember terrestrial tv doesnt get you PPV and HBO and the sorts, and people who live in areas were there isn't cable (yes there are still these places) Are aloud to have a choice in who they pick, remember these are the only 2 players in the park on this one, and a monopoly will screw these folks out of a choice of who has got the best deal. |
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SliiyBoy
@charter.com
| reply to Ammler
said by Ammler :I'm not buying that. I believe the same argument Sirius and XM used to merge (competition from terrestrial radio, CDs, MP3s, etc.), can be applied here as well (competition from cable, terrestrial tv, internet, iTunes, dvd, blue-ray, etc.). I totally agree with them. Let these two merge as well. This would give the cable companies real competition for a change. |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| reply to robl27
Satellite isn't its only competitive market, rather, satellite (both of them) are considered to be "video providers" period. If that wasn't the case, then they're going to have some hard times explaining what happened in the L.A. area.. In LA, satellite penetration raise to a percentage of that of cable to allow for cable to escape the rule of franchise as they were no considered a monopoly.
Satellite is either a video provider, or not... to clear it up, satellite IS simply another video provider. I don't care to see the two merge, however, in reality, people talk like satellite is in it's own classification when it's not. |
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jt4
@comcast.net | reply to robl27
its not free. you have to buy all the equipment. so you still pay for it. |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| reply to Corydon
The advantages I see are:
1) Bandwith. They would gain control of both companies satellite spectrum. Result: They could dump duplicate services and use the bandwidth to bring more channels, more HD, less compression, etc etc
2) Numbers of subscribers. With a larger group of subscribers, it gives them more clout with the content providers--- ie puts them in a better position to negotiate on prices. If they can keep programming costs lower, then they can compete better on price. (And still remain profitable.)
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) |
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Corydon
Cultivant son jardin
Premium
join:2008-02-18
Denver, CO
clubs:
·Comcast
| reply to KrK
I don't see how a merger would do much of anything to change your analysis. The DBS company would still face competition from cable (and more and more, telcos).
Sure they could save some money by eliminating positions. Sure they might make a bit more by putting more of a squeeze on rural customers who have nowhere else to go.
But they still will not be able to offer a viable bundle alternative and would end up getting squeezed by triple play companies who can.
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"Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too." |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| reply to raw
There's some options. Relocate the dish to the front of their property, or, elevate the dish so it can see clearly above the trees. I had trees behind my property for years, and I found that if I checked around the property there was several places I could get clear signal... surprisingly. I went with a TV antenna style pole on the roof with the dish mounted to the pole. It gave me elevation that I needed and still the dish was out of sight.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| reply to DaveNJ
said by DaveNJ :If Dish and Direct are profitable and sustainable they shouldnt be allowed to merge. Hmmm. SBC and Bellsouth was profitable. They merged. Citi merged with Travellers.... etc etc. I don't think profitable is really a standard they use.
They weigh in on competition. A merger of DBS would create one provider for rural subs--- not so good.... *but* DBS is facing STRONG competion from Telco and Cable offerings that they have a hard time competing with due to the fact they cannot offer other services to sweeten the pot. (IE Bundles.) A stronger DBS competitor here would be good for these consumers.
SO, the argument could go either way.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | reply to Dogfather
Is DTV finally making money? It lost money for years. |
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