6 months officially up.

[tvropro]

Today is 6 months since the 4D's have been running on H2H. Also the Discovery extension is up. They are still there I guess so something good must be going on behind the scenes.

 

[trinidex]

Today is 6 months since the 4D's have been running on H2H. Also the Discovery extension is up. They are still there I guess so something good must be going on behind the scenes.

I thought we switched in Jan 2011 - making it 5 months so far?

 

[tvropro]

Your right, I guess my calculator is broke. I'm under the impression June is when the Discovery deal runs out. I wish I could get some inside input into that. Everyone is being very tight lipped at the top which my contact isn't privy to that info.

 

[Blindowl1234]

Hope we hear good news though. We certainly don't want to lose anything....Blind

 

[tvropro]

We can't loose anymore! If we do it will only drive more away and the EVIL cartel will win. Stupid Motorola hit SRL and Sky with new ACC access fee's lately which killed the plans for Denver due to financial draining. We cannot loose the Discovery's. I hope SRL & Sky totally understand that and what the consequences will be.

 

[ZetaMale]

I suppose it would help if we subbed to everything SRL has to offer. A lot of money but it'll certainly help keeping SRL in the black. I'd like to say that'll send a "in your face" message to Motorola but we'll probably still be small potatoes to them. It's too bad that our numbers have dwindled so much but I guess when someone is faced with installing/replacing a $1000+ antenna or $500+ receiver plus the cost of programming, etc, DN and DTV start looking like a better choice. I suppose if one were to look from a TCO standpoint, the BUD might look like the better deal. But, trying to convince people of that seems to be a huge challenge. It's too bad that rain fade on Ku is such an issue, also. It's too bad about a lot of things.

 

[radio]

I guess I'm confused about this whole thing, which I thought I understood better. It could affect my wanting to put any more subs
online in my area. This weekend a pole went in for a total of (3) new ones besides mine in the past 6 months. Most of my new subs
have been friends, but perhaps its time not to try to build the subs anymore!

I understood we're not dealing directly with Motorola anymore, we're "piggybacked" on a system that already exists with subscribers
on smaller cable systems. We're basically "extra" money to the programming providers, is the way it appeared to me, and since we
provide our own hardware, we're not of any cost to Comcast's system, only a cost (with hopefully associated small profit) to
the programming resellers to employ people, pay their fees to the programmers, and run their authorization websites for us. Obviously, like in any business there are "fixed" costs on which to build a business model when doing business for each transaction, or each customer.

How is it that Access fees are being added for our programming resellers without being added to Comcast's subs on this system? Or is big, corporate
American company also trying to eliminate the whole HITS SYSTEM to people like Comcast and kill the whole authorization system?

I've had no trouble telling people about the benefits of CHOICE without contract....and about all our benefits. Most enjoy the variety being offered. That has NOT
been an issue, but....putting more systems in operation while Motorola screws our suppliers and limits growth may not be my best (personal) move ever as a friend or installer.

 

[Mr Tony]

How is it that Access fees are being added for our programming resellers without being added to Comcast's subs on this system?

It sounds like only the Motorola home units are being charged the extra (via SRL/Skyvision). The local mom & pop cable companies that are using this setup too (the expanded setup with sats on 101/103/105) are probably getting that charge...they pass it on to customers.
Also the cable companies use way different equipment than a consumer would I've got some commercial units here and they are limited on what they can get. The units if I have 4 sats plugged into it I can get 1 TP per sat at a time. These are mainly designed for one channel per receiver. So if a cable company wants say 50 channels of Hits they need 50 receivers authorized. So think about it. Each cable company may have 100 or more receivers authorized on the system.

 

[tvropro]

Motorola is still in charge of all access even though there are Comcast and Shaw SAC's. They run the main ACC in California that sends out the datastreams to each individual channel. They decided to charge more so Shaw, HITS Quantum, and SRL/SKY got the fee. Our boys ate the cost and did not pass that on to us. I wonder if Shaw and HITS Quantum commercial did that. That proves Our boys want it to succeed. That is enough proof for me to keep supporting SRL & Sky.

 

[Mr Tony]

They decided to charge more so Shaw, HITS Quantum, and SRL/SKY got the fee. Our boys ate the cost and did not pass that on to us.

not yet.....The other providers havent charged anything extra yet either. Shaw doesnt raise rates until September usually and its due to the rates of the other channels asking for more

 

[radio]

Thanks for the posts. Interesting, if Iceberg is correct how Motorola is making work for themselves by charging US, but not the individual boxes that are in-use augmenting local cable systems' subscribers (if any still are) which is how I understood our system began...(as small dish-add ons to smaller cable companies to avoid
massive upgrades to local infrastructure.) Those boxes need periodic hits, too.....as do ours for programming. Why charge our suppliers?

As a subscriber who wants my choice, I don't mind us getting a "reasonable" fee charged rather than see the system go down, but "reasonable" is very subjective, and the subscibers as a whole won't agree on that issue, I'm sure.

I did my part. I just renewed via websams for another month, (well, two considering how the system does that.)....but, I'm still happy to take MY chances, and less happy to install for others unless I fully explain what we learn from being members here. Fact is, the system works for those who don't want contracts and want a good "core" group of channels without frills. Or, those whose lives don't revolve as much around TV as others.

I was surprised when a buddy of mine came over and was shocked at seeing the Military Channel. He can't get it without an upper tier and contract. We can. That's the perfect example of why our system SHOULD work, given enough honest sellers and installers. Choice sells.

 

[tvropro]

Thats the thing about HITS we get upper tier channels for low cost. This is because the original HITS2Home add on for cable on X4 ku was to allow those channels because the local plant carried the basics such as ESPN, Disney, CNN etc. After reviewing my mistake of signing a contract I will never do it again. I got Direct only because about a year ago NPS announced that the end was happening to all subs on C band Dec 31. I called SRL and Skyvision and they said they were sorry to say but it was true. I hated doing what I did but do enjoy certain nitch channels and still do. Then after I signed my soul away to pizza, the plan came out to save C band using the Comcast SAC. I jumped the gun since I felt there was no options left and wanted to watch those channels still. I made the mistake, others waited and it worked out for them. I also put a lot of effort in helping H2H for us and were not done yet. SRL & Sky have contracts into 2013 at the moment. All we heard last year was the end is here thats not the case this year is it. My biggest disgust with pizza is the poor reception I get when it rains. As if no one knows this beef already

I am subbed up till August with H2H and will renew for another 3 months then. I have been supporting us right along since January And that 6 foot I put up 2 years ago with the 410 for a client is still being subbed to till this day He kicked cable to the curb and ain't looked back! H2H is not for everybody but it does offer choice and some perks. If its your thing by all means get it.

 

[trinidex]

To echo what many have said here, a new receiver, or upgrade to our receivers would really help this cause.

As I understand it there are multiple HITS satellites, carrying the bulk of programming, but our receivers cannot get these.

It occurs to me, that Comcast could make extra money by reselling the services they already pay for to another set of subscribers and allowing TV watchers another provider choice.

I will continue my subs to H2H for as long as they are available, to show support, however, I do think something needs to be done to open up the available channels to H2H subscribers, like a new/re-purposed receiver or mod that enables our boxes to get those other channels.

 

[tvropro]

I agree with some type of updates. Maybe we should send some nice letters to Comcast, Sky and SRL showing our support. If they see there is an interest maybe they will bite. Can't hurt to try.

 

[stargaze]

Stupid Motorola hit SRL and Sky with new ACC access fee's lately which killed the plans for Denver due to financial draining.

No wonder more and more DCII channels are switching over to DVB signals.
Motorola will continue to do this until most will switch over from DCII to other formats that are not under the control of Motorola's access center thereby they will be cutting off their nose despite their face.

 

[wallyhts]

Just throwing in my two cents.

The only reason we can sub is because of the DSR-470 (This is very similar to the 410 except its only receives QAM signals)

What happens is at the headend 1tp goes into one 6mhz channel. (Check out a QQQT)

We are safe until all systems pull their 470's at which point its over. (There are still hundreds of small systems using the dsr-470)

 

[tvropro]

Just throwing in my two cents.

The only reason we can sub is because of the DSR-470 (This is very similar to the 410 except its only receives QAM signals)

What happens is at the headend 1tp goes into one 6mhz channel. (Check out a QQQT)

We are safe until all systems pull their 470's at which point its over. (There are still hundreds of small systems using the dsr-470)

I don't think 470's can do megapipe off of SES 1 using pass through to a 6mhz channel. What are they doing in that instance converting at the plant?.

 

[wallyhts]

I don't think 470's can do megapipe off of SES 1 using pass through to a 6mhz channel. What are they doing in that instance converting at the plant?.

Yes Sir, Those channels would be on the analog side.

 

[trinidex]

Just throwing in my two cents.

The only reason we can sub is because of the DSR-470 (This is very similar to the 410 except its only receives QAM signals)

What happens is at the headend 1tp goes into one 6mhz channel. (Check out a QQQT)

We are safe until all systems pull their 470's at which point its over. (There are still hundreds of small systems using the dsr-470)

I did some looking and read the 470 is being replaced by many cable co's. I also read about something called the M Card which looks like a CAM that interfaces with TiVo and other devices with a cableCard slot (http://lucasvalley.net/cablebox.html) I wonder if it is DCII and if it is why can't we get a box that uses them?

 

[wallyhts]

I did some looking and read the 470 is being replaced by many cable co's. I also read about something called the M Card which looks like a CAM that interfaces with TiVo and other devices with a cableCard slot (Lucas Valley Cable) I wonder if it is DCII and if it is why can't we get a box that uses them?

Yes you are correct. The hits platform can auth a M card however they are used in DCT boxes. The cable plant has a Out-of-Band Multiplexer/Modulator (OM2000) that sends the hits stream to the boxes. $$$$$$$

Yes systems are replacing the dsr-470 at which point its over for us however we still have a good two and half years left.