30/04/04
Not much to end the week on.
New Innovia/Powtek software? I found a blindsearcher being sold in Thailand as "Digibox 3000" appears to be same as Innovia/Powtek. There is software for it dated 1/12/03 available at the link below. Its some 80k bigger yet does not have the Innovia boot pic.
I installed it last night,I have not noticed anything new yet. Since it resets everything I need to set B1 B3 etc up again.
USE at your own risk.
Here it is.
http://www.dynasat.com/software/Upgrade-DigiBox3000-20031201.zip
NBN World on Pas 2 is back.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Draper
There is an interesting article about Sky's The Arts
Channel and a little more about what Sky's plans are
for that channel for the other eighteen hours of the
day. The new channel will not be arts-orientated, will
be free to Sky subscribers and will probably have a
different channel number.
The article is here:
http://nzlistener.co.nz
Steve D
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Pili Satellite TV" is now Fta.
Optus B3 152E 12525 V "Daystar TV" has left .
Agila 2 146E 3892 H "NBN World" is now encrypted.
Agila 2 146E 4088 H It's BigBoy Entertainment on, Digicipher 2/enc., VC 105.
NSS 6 95.5E 11594 H The New Skies promo has left .
NSS 6 95.5E 12530 V "Tamil Allai" is now encrypted.
Yamal 201 90E 3605 R "It's Oblastnoj Kanal "on , Fta, SR 4285, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3848 V "GreatSports Channel" is now encrypted.(DAMN)
NEWS
Arecibo Gets More Sensitive
From http://www.spacedaily.com/news/telescopes-04f.html
The Arecibo Observatory telescope, the largest and most sensitive single dish radio telescope in the world, is about to get a good deal more sensitive.
Last week the telescope got a new "eye on the sky" that will turn the huge dish, operated by Cornell University for the National Science Foundation, into the equivalent of a seven-pixel radio camera.
The complex new addition to the Arecibo telescope was hauled 150 meters (492 feet) above the telescope's 1,000-foot-diameter (305 meters) reflector dish starting in the early morning hours. The device, the size of a washing machine, took 30 minutes to reach a platform inside the suspended Gregorian dome, where ultimately it will be cooled and then connected to a fiber optic transmission system leading to ultra-high speed digital signal processors.
The new instrument is called ALFA (for Arecibo L-Band Feed Array) and is essentially a camera for making radio pictures of the sky. ALFA will conduct large-scale sky surveys with unprecedented sensitivity, enabling astronomers to collect data about seven times faster than at present, giving the telescope an even broader appeal to astronomers.
The ALFA receiver was built by the Australian research group, Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, under contract to the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) at Cornell, in Ithaca, N.Y. Development of ALFA was overseen by the observatory's technical staff. The rest of the ALFA system, including ultra-fast data processing machines, are under development at NAIC.
Radio telescopes traditionally have been limited to seeing just one spot -- a single pixel -- on the sky at once. Pictures of the sky have been built up by painstakingly imaging one spot after another. But ALFA lets the telescope see seven spots -- seven pixels -- on the sky at once, slashing the time needed to make all-sky surveys.
Steve Torchinsky, ALFA project manager at Arecibo Observatory, says the new device will make it possible to find many new fast-spinning, highly dense stars called pulsars and will improve the chances of picking up very rare kinds of systems -- for instance, a pulsar orbiting a black hole.
It also will map the neutral hydrogen gas in our galaxy, the Milky Way, as well as in other galaxies. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. "A whole range of science is planned for ALFA, " says Torchinsky. "Arecibo's large collecting area is particularly well-suited to pulsar studies."
NAIC commissioned CSIRO to build ALFA following the success of a ground-breaking "multibeam" instrument it had designed and built for the Parkes radio telescope in eastern Australia. That instrument increased the Parkes telescope's view 13-fold, making it practical for the first time to search the whole sky for faint and hidden galaxies.
29/04/04
A bumper Apsat edition today
I see Tarb's is doing a promotion of Italian, Greek and Arab channels, what a coincidence that a dealer the other week got a legal letter advising him not to advertise the free to air Italian channels. Dealers in the Canterbury-Bankstown area might like to push an Asiasat 3 FTA Arab Package and there is of course Globecast on B3 with ERT (Greek) and the various Arab channels. As for the Italian Rai International Channel its available off Pas 2 Cband at just $240 a year from World Media International.
Cband "Al Jazeera, Art Australia, LBC Australia, Rai " "World Media International" http://www.worldmedia.com.au/
Phone: 61 2 9747 1011 Fax: 61 2 9747 1022 Toll free: 1800 700 506 (Australia)
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Jon's Asia Weekly
Issue 2
"Asia this week"
What is it with sports? As kids we are forced to do
it, then when we get a bit older we enjoy it, nearly
as much as our mums and dads, and then when we get
middle aged (speaking for myself) we seem to go into
turbo mode and can not get enough of it. When we hit
the big 70, we wish we could do it. Reminds me of
something else.
Here in Asia we have three types of sports nuts.
(1) Soccer lovers at about 85% of the population (they
call it football)
(2) Yanks and they call it football to, and have a
super bowl
(3) Then “us” and we have three flavours of football
Rugby, AFL and NRL.
(1) The soccer lovers live on a diet of of C & Ku
Band channels like TV7, VTV3, ESPN, Star Sport,
Eurosport News, Saudi 1 and so on. There is a local
menu of the weekends fixtures issued on message boards
all over the Asian region in Chinese, Japanese,
Bahasa, Thai and so on.
(2) The Americans living on this side of the divide
have it tough as we have no footprints from any
domestic stateside birds, so they are left to pick
morsels off Panamsat 2 & 8 and their foxy sports feeds
at 2am in the morning or the “Great Sport Network”
from Shanghai China (a new but never the less a great
sports channel) on the ChinaStar bird. I noted with
delight the golf, tennis and NASCAR racing been served
up over the weekend, and even I was up to 5am on
Monday morning along with several others watching
those little cars go round in circles for 188 laps at
200 mph (who said mad dogs and Englishmen?)
And then there is “us”…
(3) “Us” are a group of people who like real sports
like Rugby, AFL, NRL, Cricket, F1, MotoGP and so on.
The stuff champions are made from, and so to their
supporters in Asia. Guess what’s the most popular
channel on a Friday night is here? Xfree TV? No just
joking. A hint “the Humphrey B. Bear” channel.
Indeed, ABC Asia Pacific wins by a country mile. My
hat is off to the ABC AP programming team in
Australia, as this years FTA sport content is right up
there next to the pay TV network channels called Super
Sports on Multichoice (PAS 7/10) ..
So what is the “us” diet you ask. Your menu on a
typical football and motor sport weekend looks like
this [last weeks menu both FTA and pay TV channels
all times are TST or GMT +7hrs]
FRIDAY 23RD
14.30 SUPER 12s CHIEFS V STORMERS LIVE
19.00 FORMULA 1 SAN MARINO 2ND PRACTICE LIVE
21.30 AFL RICHMOND V ADELAIDE DELAYED
SATURDAY 24TH
12.00 NRL AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND DELAYED
12.30 SUPER 12s CRUSADERS V BULLS LIVE
13.30 AFL ST KILDA V KANGAROOS DELAYED
14.30 SUPER 12s HIGHLANDERS V HURRICANES LIVE
14.00 FORMULA 1 SAN MARINO 3RD & 4TH PRACTICE LIVE
16.30 SUPER 12s WARATAHS V BRUMBIES LIVE
18.00 FORMULA 1 SAN MARINO QUALIFYING LIVE
20.00 SUPER 12s SHARKS V REDS LIVE
20.55 PREMIER LEAGUE MAN U V LIVERPOOL LIVE
21.30 AFL BRISBANE V HAWTHORN DELAYED
22.00 SUPER 12s CATS V BLUES LIVE
SUNDAY 25TH
11.00 AFL COLLINGWOOD V ESSENDON DELAYED
14.00 NRL DRAGONS V ROOSTERS DELAYED
17.00 PREMIER LEAGUE LEEDS V PORTSMOUTH LIVE
18.30 FORMULA 1 SAN MARINO GP LIVE
19.30 PREMIER LEAGUE NEWCASTLE V CHELSEA LIVE
21.30 AFL PT. ADELAIDE V WESTERN BULLDOGS DELAYED
22.00 PREMIER LEAGUE TOTTENHAM V ARSENAL LIVE
Sport, can not live with it and like many of the
ladies also say, can not live without it.
KU Band
Today, the first of our spring rains arrived or was
that the spring floods? As per normal half of Bangkok
was flooded, but not many of us suffered from “rain
fade” for once.
Why? You might have seen mention this week in the
APSATTV mailing list about some tests going on with
prime mesh dishes on the KU band. This is nothing new
in our part of the world, as many of us here use 7.5,
8 or 10 foot dual C and KU band prime mesh dishes.
Giving you the best of both satellite bands. While I
lost signal on my 1.8m offset for about 30 minutes,
the 7.5 foot prime focus mesh still worked OK on the
same bird. (yes better LNB on the prime focus and a
few other things)
The trick here for those of you considering doing this
is as follows. Where possible always use a
_prime_focus_ KU Band LNB with a noise figure of 0.6db
or lower. The lower the noise figure, the better.
Never believe those kind advice givers who tell you
that an offset KU band LNB will not work, as it does
(hint: mount it in a feedhorn). Albeit not a pretty
sight and not efficient, never the less an offset KU
LNB will work, and if you are like me the first time I
did it, you will get your socks knocked off. For a
long time I have been using two 1.8meter solid offset
dishes and an “arm-strong” actuator. What a pain
moving satellites, so I do not do it very often. Well
with a prime focus mesh dish and a superjack 24”
actuator will bring a whole new world of KU Band DX to
you from the comfort of your armchair.
Last week you might remember I mentioned we did a KU
Band DX hunt over a few satellites.
We knew about;
LMI1 (I do miss those Israel Analog channels)
Thaicom 1 & 2/3
NSS6
Measat 2
After our DX hunt we added the following birds to our
list, all found on a 7.5 foot prime focus dish (dual
C/KU Band) and a Digibox3000 blind search receiver;
LMI1
Telstar 10
Thaicom 1 & 2/3
Measat 1
NSS6
ST1
Palapa C2
Superbird
Agila 2
Measat 2
PAS 8
and we have not finished searching yet. So, good news
for the South East Asian (SEA) users out here, we have
lots of satellites to watch now. I love Palapa C2 on
a 75cm offset dish. God bless Humphrey B. Bear.
C Band
HOT: small fixed 6 foot mesh dishes on Chinastar. The
new FTA channel called “Great Sports Network” is
proving to be a big hit across the region, as you can
also see ST1 beside it (currently FTA again as I write
this), all of ½ of 1 degree away. Although GSN is in
Chinese, do not let this stop you from watching. Try
the raw audio feed if the commentary is too much for
you. They even have a F1 feed, the same as the pay TV
networks like MultiChoice (PAS 8 C band) during the
practices.
Some bright spark over here (no names) decided to try
a 75cm solid offset dish on the C band on the FTA
channels on ST1 the other day. What a wonky looking
dish this is now. The C band LNB is nearly the size
of the dish (not quite, but I am sure you get the
idea). To everyone’s surprise it worked!
Receivers
A new version of the Silverbox call the “Silverbox II”
hit the local markets last week. A great little box so
much so the eMetabox(s) are not being used by me any
more here at home, so the kids are enjoying them in
their bedrooms.
Another release this week of eMetabox firmware.
New XSAT 430 and 410 firmware upgrades can be found on
many file servers worldwide.
@SKY updates for myTheatre (coreDVB) released (will
not work on progDVB)
Dishes
HOT: Microwave horns. Home made feed horn extensions
for your KU band prime focus LNB’s to stop the point
to point microwave interference. These are the hottest
thing for the Thai 11/12ghz P2P m/w market. Check out
http://www.dynasat.com/thai/t_alf.htm albeit in the
Thai language, I am sure you will get the idea and
many of you can use it in your countries.
Gossip
I would like to thank Vatsa, the Indian (South Asian)
SatcoDX monitoring station in Bangalore for all the
daily work he does. Ever wondered how we get all these
neat updates on the new TV channels on the satellites
from SatcoDX? It is people like Vatsa who help make
our hobby what it is. Keep up all the good work at
your monitoring station.
Bruce (the Kiwi) Allport, the owner of the “Jack Tar
Bar” in Soi 6, Pattaya says “hi” to all his satellite
friends and has a new dish setup to watch along with a
beer or five.
A new bar is about to open in Sukhumvit, Bangkok
called the “Robin Hood” bar offering whole rage of FTA
programming to it punters.
Big rumours about S*ca II and other naughty Titanium
stuff now in some STB’s firmware with key code entry,
doing the rounds.
Sports
Motorbikes EuroSport News on AS 2 has had live Super
Bike racing, which I have not seen anywhere else FTA.
So if you like the roar of big bikes, check it out.
Like Horse racing? Look at the Dubai Sports on AS 2.
You will be surprised what you see on here from Hong
Kong to London.
With all the news in the Australian media recently
about problems of cross state horse racing feeds, let
me throw a spanner in the works here. So how does an
Aussie Ex-Pat with an Australian TAB telephone account
get to see the horse racing on Sky International on
Thaicom 2/3 C band? Several hundred Australian
ex-pats across the region along with myself would love
to know how we subscribe to this network, as no one at
the TAB seems to know these three channels exist.
DD Sport on PAS 7/10 continues to provide great sports
action from Southern Asia, tennis anyone?
Stuff
Send all your gossip and questions to Jon at
[email protected]
From my Emails & ICQ
From JohnZ
RE: Asiasat 3 new channels
Just 4 new radios has start it
Radio Oman
Emarat FM
Radio Quran
program one
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 3771 H "MBC" has left .
PAS 8 166E 3836 V "TVBS Newsnet USA" has started on Fta, PIDs 166/104.
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "The Soundtrack Channel Pacific" has left , replaced by a test card.
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "Videoland Japan, Videoland ONTV, Videoland Movie and Videoland Drama" have started on , Fta, PIDs 1010/1011-1050/1051.(South East Asia beam)
PAS 8 166E 12726 H "Fashion TV" has started on , MDS, PIDs 520/648.
Optus B3 152E 12525 V "ATBC" has started on , fta, APID 1122.
Optus B3 152E 12501 H "TCT World and Daystar TV" have left .
Agila 2 146E 4088 H "Playboy TV" has started on , Digicipher 2/enc., VC 105.BigBoy Entertainment has left this mux.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3669 V "Trace TV" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2081/2082.
NSS 6 95.5E 11543 V The New Skies promo has left .
Insat 3A 93.5E 4109 V Occasional feeds on , SR 6250, FEC 3/4.
Yamal 201 90E 4029 R A REN TV mux has started on , Fta, SR 20255, FEC 3/4, identical line-up and PIDs as on Express 6A: 4175 R.
ST 1 88E 3632 V All channels in the Space TV mux are Fta again.
ST 1 88E 12664 H "TTV" has started on , Fta, SR 4220, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
(J Bannister 2, S Tapan)
ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3880 H Occasional CCTV feeds on , PAL.
LMI 1 75E 12518 V The test card has left .
NSS 703 57E 4065 L "Alhurra" has started on , Fta, SR 6600, FEC 1/2, PIDs 1160/1120,global beam.
NEWS
Hardcore porn from a satellite near you
From http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,9419733%5E15397%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
THE invention of the geostationary satellite has revolutionised global communications, enabling effortless and instantaneous interaction between the farthest flung corners of our planet.
It is also proving really useful for watching hardcore porn at home.
This is of concern to the Australian Broadcasting Authority, which has started an investigation into three "adult" services, Free-X TV, BlueKiss and Sexz.TV, which it believes have been beamed into Australia from somewhere overseas - possibly Israel - since early this year. Between them the services offer at least five channels, including one on Free-X TV called Backroom which is dedicated to gay porn.
Material rated RC (for "refused classification") or X by the Office of Film and Literature Classification is prohibited from being broadcast here.
"A formal investigation will enable the ABA to ... reach a view on whether there has been a breach of the Broadcasting Services Act," says ABA chairman David Flint.
At the moment anyone with a satellite dish, a set-top box and the relevant smartcard can tune into shows like Free-X TV's College Girls (Part 11) or BlueKiss's Lustgarden for a few dollars a week.
ABA chief information officer Jenny Brigg says the ABA was made aware of the adult services after Senator Brian Harradine raised the subject in the Senate Estimates Committee in February. It was at about that time that the three services appear to have started their marketing push in Australia and begun setting up distribution networks to sell the smartcards that allow the satellite signal, which arrives scrambled, to be decrypted.
Then the smartcards were selling for $169 a year but recently the price appears to have jumped to $249 - perhaps indicating demand is increasing.
Brigg says the ABA has had reports of the services being available free-to-air (that is, without need of a smartcard) for certain periods, but she suspects this may not have been deliberate.
The first targets of the ABA's investigation are the satellite carriers, NewSkies, which is headquartered in the Netherlands and has an office in Sydney, and AsiaSat, a Hong Kong-based company. They carry a range of satellite TV services for clients and don't necessarily have anything to do with the content of them.
Brigg says the ABA has written asking them to identify the companies behind Free-X TV, BlueKiss and Sexz.TV. One source has said the uplinking of the pornographic content to the satellites is occurring in Israel, although this has yet to be confirmed.
"That's part of what we need to find out," she says. "The guts of the investigation is, is it really X and RC material that is being broadcast, as has been alleged? ... If it is X or RC, we know we're dealing with prohibited content.
"And the other thing is, who is providing the service? If it is someone overseas ... It doesn't mean we can't stop it, it just means we may have to look at what international agreements we have in place."
The ethnic street targeted
From From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9420772%255E7582,00.html
WHEN a company's target market speaks 14 different languages homing in on customers can be a media-buying nightmare. But ethnic broadcaster TARBS World TV is heading to the streets to solve its marketing dilemma.
Last week the company began one of the most targeted mass direct-marketing campaigns Australia has seen. TARBS will spend more than $10 million over the next two years promoting its offer of 65 multicultural channels on a house by house basis.
"We are not going out there and trying to compete with Foxtel and Optus because we are physically targeting a very different market," TARBS vice-president of sales and marketing, Jose Marinho, says. "We have spent a lot of time and effort micro-segmenting the ethnic market in Australia and understanding where the key language groups which we have a product for live."
The first part of the campaign focuses on the Sydney suburbs of Canterbury and Bankstown. "These are the areas with the highest concentrations of Arabs, Greeks, Italians," he says. "Bankstown is one of the most important ones and it is the one where we have chosen to initiate the campaign. It is extremely diverse and of approximately 100,000 houses in the area 40 per cent of those would speak a second language at home."
TARBS predicts that one in three households targeted will have a person speaking Arabic in residence. "It is the same thing for the Greeks," he says. "It is the same thing for the Italians, with a slightly lower level of accuracy because the proportion of Italians compared to the Arabs and the Greeks is not as high."
Even within language groups, TARBs has further segmented households. "When we looked at the Arabic-speaking households, we [broke] them down by not only the language they are speaking at home, but by the religion . . . the Christians, the Arab-Muslims and so forth. These people have quite different viewing habits."
The campaign has been dubbed Eyezone and will focus for the next six weeks on the Canterbury-Bankstown area. TARBS will then expand the program to in other metropolitan areas.
Not only will individual homes be targeted, but local outdoor sites will also be tailored to the predominant language in the area.
The total multicultural population of Australia is 4 million people, which TARBS has broken down into three groups reluctants, hybrids and blendeds. "Our Eyezone campaign will be targeting hybrids," Marinho says. "Hybrids are first or second generation migrants with good English skills, coming to Australia for a better life, but who do not yet feel completely at home here."
Pay-TV streets ahead in digital
From http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9417185%255E15321,00.html
PAY-TV is quickly proving to be the driver of digital TV in Australia, with Foxtel yesterday revealing it has signed 209,000 digital pay-TV customers since its $600 million digital launch less than two months ago.
The free-to-air TV industry's digital service has been available for more than three years, but at the end of February had converted only 291,000 TV homes to digital.
At the current rate, Foxtel Digital will take just four months to surpass free-to-air TV's digital rollout.
Since January 2001, the free-to-air TV industry has averaged a monthly conversion rate of 7650 homes.
But Foxtel chief executive Kim Williams said digital pay-TV was now installed in 75,000 homes, up from 40,000 three weeks ago.
Mr Williams told the pay-TV industry's conference earlier this month that Foxtel had secured 175,000 digital pay-TV sales, meaning it has added 34,000 sales in three weeks.
Mr Williams would not say what percentage of the 209,000 digital pay-TV customers were existing or new subscribers.
But he said Foxtel (which is 25 per cent owned and managed by The Australian's owner, News Limited) was signing an average of 1000 new customers each week.
The increase in installations has happened despite strike action by pay-TV installers.
"I think they will continue to make trouble but it (the issue) is between the (contracted) installation companies and the unions," Mr Williams said.
But he said the productivity of the installers was increasing as they became more familiar with the service, with some able to complete four installations a day.
But Mr Williams admitted Foxtel still had a lengthy waiting list for installations.
"We have a really big queue, but we knew that would happen as there are physical limits to the number of set-top boxes and installers we can train or employ," he said.
Mr Williams said sales to date were "comfortably within our plan".
The main reason for the disparity between the free and pay-TV sector's digital rollout is free-TV's reluctance to provide new content for its digital TV.
The federal Government is scheduled to review the free-to-air digital TV laws before the end of this year but has yet to announce when that will happen.
The TV networks have provided some digital "enhancements" to major sports events such as the Rugby World Cup, but it was only recently that the first continuing service was launched.
That was the Nine Network's decision to create its own slimmed-down version of Foxtel's Sports Active service, which it makes available for some NRL and AFL games on its digital TV signal.
That compares with Foxtel, which launched new services with Foxtel Digital, including the Foxtel Box Office near-video-on-demand service, the Sports Active and News Active interactive services and an upgraded electronic program guide.
Austar confident on digital cross over
From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/29/1083103605493.html
Regional pay TV provider Austar United Communications Ltd has already converted more than one quarter of its customers to the new digital service launched on March 14.
The company released its quarterly figures for the period ended March 31, which showed subscribers to Austar's television business rose to 441,233, up 13,937 from the previous quarter.
Austar chief executive John Porter told reporters the number of subscribers at the end of April was 446,000 - 115,000 of them having crossed over to digital - with market penetration now at 19.3 per cent.
"We're comfortable that we'll be 100 per cent on the new product by the end of next year," Mr Porter said.
Austar's big city counterpart Foxtel has so-far signed up 209,000 digital pay TV customers, although the mix between new and existing customers has not been revealed by the company.
More than 75,000 homes have already had Foxtel Digital installed and with about 23 per cent of Australian households currently subscribing to pay TV, Foxtel is aiming for 35 to 40 per cent market penetration by 2008.
Although it is yet to launch News Active, Sports Active and Box Office on its digital service, Austar does have one key advantage over Foxtel in that its subscribers already have digital set-top boxes.
"All of our customers currently have a digital set-top box, so it's really just about selling them a new package of programming that has more channels and costs about the same," Mr Porter said.
"So that's not a hard sell."
Mr Porter said that while the company had decided not to install a return path through its digital set-top boxes, it was looking at using new technology such as wireless to offer greater interactivity.
Austar posted a 67 per cent lift in earnings before interest tax, amortisation and depreciation (EBITDA) for the March quarter.
Its EBITDA figure of $21.1 million for the quarter was an increase of $1.6 million or eight per cent on the previous quarter and a 67 per cent improvement on the corresponding period in 2003.
Mr Porter said the digital launch had created a buzz in the market, reinforced by increased sales, low churn of 1.65 per cent, and progressively increasing average revenue per customer.
The unaudited results for the quarter ended March 31 showed revenue was $88.7 million, up from $84.3 million in the fourth quarter last year.
Gross margin across this period increased eight per cent to $51.3 million, while capital expenditure was down 11 per cent on the previous quarter at $19.2 million.
US mum on Antarctic fibre progress
From http://www.computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf
Almost two years after it was first mooted, a fibre-optic cable connecting the US research station at the South Pole with the outside world appears no closer to being built.
In September 2002 Computerworld reported that Raytheon Polar Services, a contractor to the US National Science Foundation, had called for expressions of interest in building a fibre-optic cable from the research station to a point 1700km further north in Antarctica where it would connect with satellite links, replacing the base’s existing satellite-only link.
The project was estimated to be worth $US250 million and would bring faster connections to the station, which is expected to be generating 30Gb of data a day by 2010.
A “South Pole connectivity industry day briefing” was held in 2002 and was attended by vendors including Alcatel and General Dynamics, but US National Science Foundation spokesman Sean Kearns told Computerworld last week that “the prospect remains under consideration as a possible means to enhance communications capabilities at the South Pole, but beyond that there is nothing new to report”.
The tender documents noted existing satellite-only links comprised “aging satellites in deteriorating geosynchronous orbits which can only offer limited communications between the continental US and the South Pole station”.
The answer, the NSF believed, was “a trans-Antarctic fibre-optic cable from the South Pole station to the joint French-Italian Concordia station, located considerably further north”, with a bi-directional link at Concordia to a satellite linking the Antarctic to the continental US.
New Zealander Bill Day, chief executive of undersea cable layer Seaworks, told Computerworld in 2002 that laying a fibre-optic cable across Antarctica’s shifting ice would be “extremely difficult, but anything’s feasible if you’re prepared to throw $US250 million at it.
“You can’t get a ship to do the job, so you’d be limited by the amount of cable you could carry.
“You’d need to do joins and there are issues with joining glass at those temperatures and with metal hardening.”
In November 2002 University of Maine professor Gordon Hamilton, who is involved with the project, told Computerworld 15 responses had been received to the tender, some from joint ventures and some from consulting companies.
He declined to name them but said “some of the big players in satellite and fibre communications are amongst the respondents”.
New Skies/ISRO partner on India's DTH service
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
The Netherlands-based New Skies Satellites and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) have signed an agreement for multiple high-powered 36 MHz Ku-band transponders on the NSS-6 satellite. The capacity will support the launch of the world's largest free-to-air DTH service for Doordarshan, India's national broadcaster.
The DTH service, expected to begin in June, will provide an initial bouquet of 30 free channels, 15 from Doordarshan and 15 from private broadcasters, as well as 20 radio channels throughout India. Additionally, one of the transponders is expected to be used for digital satellite newsgathering.
(Craigs comment, on the India beam)
28/04/04
TVNZ satellite services closing, dont panic I'm not talking about the B1 transponder. Looks like they are having a real shakeup at TVNZ. They have new website as well www.tvnz.co.nz which I don't like, the old nzoom site was far better.
Meanwhile across the ditch it looks like Foxtel installers are about to go on another Strike.
Take a guess?...Which Ethnic Pay TV provider has been hassling satellite dealers who offer various channels such as the FTA Italians on Nss6 ? Send me an email if you have had a letter from the company involved.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Henry T
Craig
There are new channels in the Asiasat 3 MUX that has the Arabic channels. There are new radios stations and some oddly named TV channels.
Best Regards From,
Henry.
VK2HJT
From the Dish
No Lyngsat yet again,
NEWS
TVNZ bailing out of satellite transmission business
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2889792a13,00.html
Television New Zealand is bailing out of its previously lucrative satellite transmission business.
Today's announcement that the state broadcaster was closing Satellite Services, which has a staff of 28, comes just months after TVNZ signed up the subsidiary to an international alliance.
The deal with Intelsat Global Sales and Marketing was hailed last September as a potentially multi-million-dollar revenue earner.
But today, TVNZ said Satellite Services was the victim of a worldwide recession in the satellite carriage business, which had caused "enormous price pressure and major change" in the industry.
"Despite vigorous effort, recovery to the profitable position of previous years has not been possible," the company said.
Although exact figures have never been separated out in TVNZ's books, Satellite Services generated millions of dollars of revenue during the 1990s.
It organised "occasional use" and one-off international satellite links for other broadcasters involved with major sporting and other international events.
The subsidiary's efforts won it a Trade New Zealand export award in 2002.
Last year's Intelsat deal was aimed at giving broadcasting customers access to a global network of satellite and terrestrial infrastructure complemented by a portfolio of television broadcast services.
The alliance was touted at the time as having the potential to quadruple Satellite Service's revenue.
A TVNZ spokeswoman said Intelsat was working with the company to end the alliance amicably and economically.
TVNZ will work at redeploying Satellite Services staff to other parts of the TVNZ business, she said.
Satellite Services would remain in business until the end of the year to meet existing contractual obligations, including a major commitment related to the Athens Olympic Games.
In a memo to staff, TVNZ chief executive Ian Fraser said over the past 10 years the subsidiary had made a very significant contribution to TVNZ.
"As a result its activities have added real value to the TVNZ brand both in New Zealand and overseas and its successes are a shining example of kiwi ingenuity and tenacity," Mr Fraser said.
TVNZ Closes Satellite Division
From http://xtramsn.co.nz/business/0,,5085-3294896,00.html
TVNZ's Satellite Services Division - the broadcaster's international satellite delivery carriage service - is being scrapped because of mounting losses.
Once a cash-cow business, the division's profits turned sour over the past 18 months as satellite carriage prices collaspsed world-wide.
This year the division faces losses of $5 million or more, compared with revenues of $46.11 million and $32.269 million in the 2002 and 2003 financial years, respectively.
It employs 28 staff, some of whom are expected to lose their jobs.
Satellite Services entered into a deal with global satellite operator Intelsat about 18 months ago in a bid to stem the losses.
It failed to do so and the deal is being scrapped "economically and amicably," TVNZ chief executive Ian Fraser says.
Fraser says there are "incredible price pressures" in the satellite and optic fibre carriage business, caused by major overcapacity internationally.
"There is no question there has been dumping of fibre capacity on the market, which means prices have been driven down, and not by controllable incremental amounts, but by very substantial amounts," he said.
"This is a business that over the years has done very well for TVNZ.
"We have regarded it as a treasure which is why we have spent so much time trying to engineer a way out of the dilemma we have been in. We have worked really hard to see if there is a way we can make it viable but we have come to the very sad conclusion there is not."
Satellite Service will meet major commitments to international broadcasters in Africa, Asia and Oceania for the upcoming Athens Olympic Games before shutting down operations.
TVNZ expects to outsource its satellite requirements in future, at prices substantially lower than it has been paying in the past because of the global glut in available capacity.
Qld subcontractors put Foxtel strike on hold
From http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1096441.htm
Queensland electrical subcontractors locked in an industrial dispute with cable television supplier Foxtel have called off their strike action until they can involve workers in other states.
Union spokesman Garry Rogers says elsewhere there are problems with Telstra BigPond cable service installations.
He says Foxtel and Telstra are not paying subcontractors enough and are now promoting self-installation in a bid to get around the problem.
"The subcontractors unanimously voted in favour to return to work today and actually ramp up for a bigger campaign in the coming weeks and it will be a unified stopwork action Australia-wide."
Foxtel strife could spread: union
From http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9413592%255E15306,00.html
A PAY and conditions dispute involving subcontractors installing Foxtel cable television in Queensland could expand to take in internet and telephone services.
The subcontractors, members of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), voted today to go back to work after a 24-hour stoppage.
But ETU organiser Garry Rogers said the same issues of poor pay and working conditions affected all subcontractors working on the installation of cable television.
It also affected installers working on Telstra's Big Pond internet service as well as technicians installing and repairing faults on Telstra telephones.
"We are considering a new campaign that will pull in a lot more subcontractors than was previously involved," Mr Rogers said.
"This hasn't gone away. We are looking at taking it across all subbies because they are actually affected by the same conditions.
"It could even hamper Telstra's copper network which means the fault rates will go back through the roof again."
Mr Rogers said the union would have a telephone conference later today to discuss the future of the dispute after Foxtel yesterday failed to respond to a letter demanding the company meet with the union.
Russian engineers certain about satellite reliability
From http://newsfromrussia.com/science/2004/04/27/53647.html
On Tuesday morning a Proton K carrier rocket brought the Express AM11, a Russian satellite, to geosynchronous orbit as scheduled.
"There is not the slightest doubt about our satellite being able to work there, at a height of 36,000 kilometers, for at least 12 years," Vassily Popov, a leading space vehicle designer, told RIA Novosti on the day of the launch. Mr. Popov works at the Academician Mikhail Reshetnev Scientific Production Association of Applied Mechanics in Zheleznogorsk, a town near Krasnoyarsk, Siberia.
This is the second of five new satellites that Kosmicheskaya Svyaz, a federal state unitary enterprise, commissioned the Siberian enterprise to construct. Scientists from France, Japan and Germany are involved in the production of the satellites.
After the launch, the new satellite will be placed in its permanent orbital slot at 96.5 degrees east longitude, which is approximately above the center of Siberia and allows the satellite to "see" all of Russia.
The first satellite in the series, the Express AM22, was launched on December 29, 2003, also for a 12 year mission. Placed in the same orbit, but above the Urals, it has been reliably serving the interests of Russians and other CIS users, providing them with high-quality digital radio and television programs, the Internet and other communication services.
The designers and producers seek to "maximally increase the length of active service in orbit" of every satellite, the source said.
To achieve this, all devices and systems on board should be reliable and protected from exposure. For example, one of the first geosynchronous satellites created in Siberia, the Gorizont, had a planned service life of three years, but each satellite in the series functioned in orbit for over 11 years.
"Our scientific production association has many similar examples," Mr. Popov pointed out. This does not simply raise business reputation of the producers throughout the world, it also "saves the purchaser money." Taking into account that each launch of a carrier rocket with a satellite costs approximately 600 million rubles ($1 is approximately 29 rubles), an increase in the service life of a satellites from three to ten years reduces costs of its launch over three times.
"Using our and foreign experience we have already started working on space vehicles with a 15 year service life," Mr. Popov said.
The Zheleznogorsk enterprise, which in June 2004 will celebrate its 45th anniversary, produces almost 70% of Russian satellites and has produced over 1,200 satellites.
Japanese-Korean venture accepts advanced satellite
From LORAL NEWS RELEASE
The MBSAT broadcast communications satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for Mobile Broadcasting Corporation (MBCO) of Japan and SK Telecom of Korea, has successfully completed its in-orbit testing and was officially delivered on-orbit Tuesday. The satellite was formally accepted during a signing ceremony at MBCO's Tokyo headquarters.
After its successful launch on March 13, 2004, SS/L engineers put the MBSAT satellite through a rigorous test and check out program and maneuvered the spacecraft to its final orbital location at 144 degrees East longitude. Engineers also successfully demonstrated the transmission of broadcast signals through the satellite to small handheld user terminals.
The MBSAT platform incorporates a number of innovative technology applications with SS/L's highly reliable and space-proven 1300 bus:
A state-of-the-art electric propulsion system has been incorporated for orbital stationkeeping maneuvers. This system, using flight-proven Stationary Plasma Thrusters (SPT), significantly extends the satellite's useful lifetime.
A 12-meter unfurlable reflector provides exceptional coverage and quality of service. The reflector, built by Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace, is a key component of SS/L's proprietary S-band antenna system. Signal verification tests confirmed accurate deployment of the reflector with excellent correlation between measured antenna performance and pre-launch predictions.
Satellite pointing accuracy and overall performance has been enhanced by an improved attitude control system based on four active reaction wheels and Ring Laser Gyros for three-axis body-stabilization.
Next generation triple junction gallium arsenide solar cells provide an efficiency improvement of 50 percent over previous generation silicon solar cells.
"The successful delivery of MBSAT has again demonstrated SS/L's ability to combine innovation with flight-proven heritage to satisfy our customer's unique requirements," said C. Patrick DeWitt, president, Space Systems/Loral. "The MBSAT satellite will serve as a model platform for similar direct-to-user services around the world."
The MBSAT payload consists of four high power transponders for direct broadcast services and terrestrial repeater networks covering Japan and Korea. The satellite will deliver high-quality music, video and data to mobile users in Japan and Korea through a variety of mobile terminals, including those in cars, ships, trains as well as handheld terminals, personal digital assistants, cellular phones and home portables.
A very small antenna will be sufficient to receive these broadcast signals even inside buildings and in vehicles moving at high speeds.
Mobile Broadcasting Corporation was established to provide cars and mobile terminals with digital satellite broadcasting for audio, video and data services throughout Japan. MBCO's new broadcasting system was authorized by the Japanese Government and registered with the ITU. MBCO's major shareholders are Toshiba, SK Telecom, Sharp, Toyota, Yokogawa, Matsushita, NTT Data, Yusen, Nippon TV, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, Fujitsu, and Panasonic. So far 77 Japanese companies are MBCO partners. Several foreign companies own significant interests in the MBCO business venture, while many others are currently considering investment.
SK Telecom Co., Ltd. is Korea's leading wireless telecommunications services provider and a pioneer in the commercial development and provision of high-speed wireless data and Internet services. The company serves nearly 18 million subscribers throughout Korea, the majority of whom own data-capable handsets. SK Telecom has established a new company, TU Media Corp. with more than 150 investor companies. TU Media Corp. will provide mobile digital multimedia broadcasting services throughout the Korean Peninsula.
Space Systems/Loral, a subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications (OTCBB: LRLSQ), is a premier designer, manufacturer, and integrator of powerful satellites and satellite systems. SS/L also provides a range of related services that include mission control operations and procurement of launch services. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., the company has an international base of commercial and governmental customers whose applications include broadband digital communications, direct-to-home broadcast, defense communications, environmental monitoring, and air traffic control. SS/L satellites have amassed more than 1000 years of reliable on-orbit service. SS/L is ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Loral Space & Communications is a satellite communications company. In addition to Space Systems/Loral, Loral, through its Skynet subsidiary, owns and operates a fleet of telecommunications satellites used to broadcast video entertainment programming, and for broadband data transmission, Internet services and other value-added communications services
China to set up world's first satellite constellation for disaster monitoring
From http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200404/27/eng20040427_141719.shtml
China will set up a small satellite constellation for environmental and disaster monitoring and prediction in next six years, the first of this kind in the world, said Luan Enjie, director of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
China will set up a small satellite constellation for environmental and disaster monitoring and prediction in next six years, the first of this kind in the world, said Luan Enjie, director of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
China plans to launch six small optical satellites and five small SAR satellites in next six years to form the satellite constellation, Luan told Xinhua Tuesday at the high-level panel on knowledge-based disaster management at the ongoing 60th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and thePacific (ESCAP).
In the first phase of the project from 2005 to 2006, two small optical satellites and one small SAR satellites will be launched to reach a satellite visiting period of once every 48 hours, Luan said.
After that, four small optical satellites and four small SAR satellites will be launched by 2010 to realize a satellite visiting period of once every 12 hours, he added.
"We will not establish a round-the-clock monitoring system on environmental changes and disasters in China until setting up a satellite constellation," said Luo Ge, official with the CNSA.
Its ground system will also predict natural disasters in China such as floods, earthquakes, droughts, typhoons and forest fires and offer solutions, he added.
Three satellites for the first phase are being developed and will be sent to the solar synchronization orbit 500 to 700 km away from the earth one by one carrying facilities including cameras with a resolution of 30 meters at most, Luo said.
China expects to introduce international partners in the second phase of the project, he said.
"We hope the satellite constellation will be part of the anti-disaster platform in the Asia-Pacific region," Luan said, "China would like to push forward the application of space technologies in disaster control in this region to share resources, cut costs and reduce risks."
"China would like to fully play its role in disaster control in the world and peaceful development of the outer space," he added.
According to the China International Committee for Natural Disaster (CICND), more than 200 million Chinese suffer natural disasters every year. Last year natural disasters caused a loss worth of 188.4 billion yuan in China, equal to 1.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
27/04/04
Live chat in the chatroom tonight 9pm NZ onwards 8.30pm Syd onwards..
Express AM11 launched to 96.5E, I forgot about this bird being launched seems to be a new one going up each month nowdays. Anyway you can download an AVI video of the launch at the link below. Warning its 4 megs in size
http://www.tsenki.com/video/p2704.avi
Footprint here http://www.rscc.ru/en/satellite/zones/zone16.html
The BBC is looking at doing a "FREESAT" platform similar to the succesfull Freeview terestrial service. I have forwarded the items to the Minister of Broadcasting and several other people. I am also waiting on a postal reply on a previous email to the Minister of Broadcasting about the same subject.
From my Emails & ICQ
Soundtrack channel on Pas 8 gone??
From Jsat
GWN anyone else with a nokia or strong having trouble with the GWN picture tiling and pixelating....this seems to have started since the picture was upgraded and AUSTEXT was added to the stream...only GWN is affected...
regards jeff..
MANJIMUP WA
(Craigs comment, they must of been doing something as I left my Nokia overnight on SBS , C1 12407V no card in the slot and had a frozen pic when i switched on the tv so it must of gone FTA for some reason overnight)
From the Dish
No lyngsat
NEWS
Russia launches Proton rocket with telecommunications satellite
From http://www.spacedaily.com/2004/040427035946.3smgchws.html
A Russian Proton-K rocket early Tuesday placed a telecommunications satellite it was carrying into orbit, after blasting off from the Baikonur space base in Kazakhstan, the Russian news agencies quoted a spokesman for Russia's space forces as saying.
The Express-AM11 satellite was placed into orbit at 07:10 am Moscow time (0310 GMT), the spokesman added. The Proton-K rocket had taken off from Baikonur earlier Tuesday at 00:37 am Moscow time (2037 GMT Monday).
The Express-AM11 telecommunications satellite, which was built by Russian company Reshetnev and French company Alacatel Space, has a planned life expectancy of 12 years.
Express-AM11 will carry links for digital television, telephone and broadband Internet access, and will cover Russia and the former Soviet Union, as well as territories ranging from East Africa to Southeast Asia and Australia.
Russian commsat Express-AM11 reaches pre-set orbit
From http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=748256&PageNum=0
MOSCOW, April 27 (Itar-Tass) - The domestically-produced new-generation telecommunications satellite Express-AM11 was put into the intended geostationary orbit at 07:10 Moscow time on Tuesday by means of the Proton-K carrier rocket that had blasted off from Baikonur cosmodrome earlier in the day, an officer in the press service of Russia's Space Defence Forces has told Itar-Tass.
The deployment of the commsat into orbit went off in nominal conditions. The Main Center for the Testing and Control of Spacecraft has assumed control of the Express-AM11. Subsequently, the satellite will be turned over to the customer -- the Space Communications state-run enterprise.
NZ Herald Editorial: TVNZ's third channel plan questionable
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3562763
Never mind the quality, feel the width. Such could be the dubious lot of viewers if Television New Zealand's proposed third channel gets off the ground. The state broadcaster, having failed to fulfil its charter obligations through TV One and TV2, now plans another free-to-air channel based on the formulas of leading Australian and American public-service and special-interest networks. At worst this could be merely a dumping ground for the type of programme expected under the charter. Even at best, the hitherto-secret proposal has fish-hooks that warrant the closest scrutiny.
Most pertinently, one of TVNZ's main motives seems to be simply to block rival broadcasters. In particular, it appears concerned that Sky will win the right to broadcast Parliament if it does not act quickly. Thus, the highlights of the parliamentary day - question time, major debates and so on - would be a staple of the new channel. Shutting out the opposition is, however, hardly a valid reason for such an enterprise, especially if it is a burden, potential or real, on the taxpayer. And if the upshot is increased state domination of the country's television framework.
Already, TVNZ boasts two channels, a number considered quite sufficient for state broadcasters in most comparable countries, including those in which Governments have dictated similar charter requirements. Other broadcasters have grappled with TVNZ's essential problem, that of meeting an expectation to show programmes that reflect identity and culture, history and heritage while continuing to remain commercially focused. TVNZ has chosen to sidestep the issue, using reality TV-type shows as its charter touchstone. The popularity of such programmes might well limit the charter's damage to TVNZ's bottom line but they can hardly be said to be a genuine reflection of the charter's intent.
At the same time, such shows have alienated large numbers of viewers who look to television for education and stimulation as well as entertainment. Little that is shown in prime-time could be said to be truly cultural or educational - or to be driven by anything other than ratings. The people who crave such programmes would be the natural audience for the proposed third channel. Right now they are being attracted to the likes of Sky's History and Discovery channels. Better still, the new channel would provide TVNZ with another advertising outlet - it has more advertisements than available advertising time. That being the case, the degree of cross-subsidisation of the third channel might be relatively modest.
It is, thus, easy to see why TVNZ would relish a third channel. In one shot, the financial and logistical shackles imposed by the charter would be largely neutralised. No longer would there be a hue and cry for TVNZ to show more charter-style programmes while, at the same time, remaining a commercial beast. But at what cost? It is unfortunate that TVNZ has not made a more genuine attempt to meet the demands of the charter on TV One and TV2. Mainstream channels were clearly the intended vehicle for such programmes. Whatever the contradictory agenda, far better accommodations have been reached in countries such as Canada.
So pallid has been TVNZ's response that it is difficult to be confident a third channel would offer public-service television of a high standard. It could well, as some critics have suggested, become nothing more than a poorly resourced depository for programmes that meet the Government's expectation.
These are matters that must be closely considered by the Minister of Broadcasting when he receives TVNZ's business case. Is a third channel really necessary, or is it simply an easy out for the state broadcaster? And a way of reinforcing its broadcasting dominance in the process.
BBC aims to back free satellite television
From http://news.ft.com
The BBC plans to follow the success of its Freeview digital television venture by backing a free-to-air digital satellite service as part of efforts by the industry and the government to convert all households to digital TV within seven years.
In a progress report to the government published on Monday, the corporation recommended further state intervention if ministers were to achieve "digital switchover" by 2010, which ministers have held up as a realistic option rather than a strict deadline.
The BBC said the development of a satellite service would be "the final part of the jigsaw" by capturing consumers unable to receive Freeview's digital terrestrial signal and unwilling to pay for British Sky Broadcasting's subscription satellite service.
Andy Duncan, the BBC's director of marketing, communications and audiences, said: "We are very clear that for the government to reach its target and for the BBC to maintain universality, a free-to-air satellite proposition is required." Mr Duncan said the BBC would develop such a service with others following the success of Freeview, the consortium that includes BSkyB and Crown Castle.
A satellite service would help the government meet its aim of covering the whole country digitally before switching off the analogue signal.
BBC seeks partners for free satellite plan to rival Sky
From http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/media/story.jsp?story=515640
The BBC called yesterday for the formation of an alliance of broadcasters to produce a mass-market free satellite system that would rival BSkyB's platform.
The corporation said it wanted to create a "FreeSat" option that would require no subscription to provide a digital free-to-air option for homes that use satellite technology.
The news came as some in the City voiced doubts about Sky's long-term growth prospects. Although many analysts remain bullish about Sky, which now has 7.2 million subscribers, others have suggested that most consumers willing to take pay-television have probably signed up by now.
In a report submitted yesterday to the Government, the BBC said it wanted a satellite system to replicate the runaway success of Freeview, which provides a non-pay digital system to households that take their television signal from a rooftop aerial a digital terrestrial option.
The Government has said it will switch off analogue television by 2010, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is believed to have asked the Treasury for £300m to fund the changeover to digital.
Although Sky has partnered the BBC in the Freeview venture, a full-blown free satellite system would challenge Rupert Murdoch's Sky in its heartland. Sky, which declined to comment yesterday, has spent about £2bn building its highly successful digital satellite pay-television offering.
FreeSat would serve households that cannot receive a good digital terrestrial signal currently about 25 per cent of the country. It may also prove to be a much more attractive proposition for digital viewers than Freeview, as the technical capabilities of satellite are more advanced. Satellite can provide many more channels than the 30 or so available on Freeview and it has superior interactivity available.
FreeSat offers about 100 channels already, such as CNN and The Golf Channel, that are "in the clear" or broadcast unencrypted. The BBC joined these unencrypted channels last summer in a move that provoked a war of words between the corporation and Sky.
Carolyn Fairbairn, the director of strategy and distribution at the BBC, said there was "no reason" for other free-to-air broadcasters, such as ITV, to pay Sky for its encryption services. The corporation called for ITV, Channel 4 and five to join it in pushing a new digital satellite platform where all stations were unencrypted. This would involve the sort of high-profile marketing campaign seen with Freeview, plus co-ordination with manufacturers of the decoder boxes and satellite dishes that would be needed by households to receive the signal.
Ms Fairbairn said: "This [FreeSat] is potentially a tremendously attractive proposition for the viewer."
ITV, Channel 4 and five are not currently "in the clear" and all pay Sky for "conditional access" services to appear on its platform. The ITV contract with Sky, which makes the network's channels available in satellite households, is worth £17m a year to Sky.
Ms Fairbairn said the BBC saw FreeSat as "complementary" to pay-television. She hoped that the cost of a dish, box and installation could be brought below £100. "This is for a different segment [of viewers] who are interested in more channels but are not interested in a subscription," she said.
Kingsley Wilson, an analyst at Investec Securities, said the move would be "more an irritant to Sky than something with a serious financial impact at this point". However, he added that if Sky changed its strategy to target lower-paying consumers, "FreeSat may be more of a threat down the road".
(Craigs comment, both articles forwarded to the Minister of Broadcasting and TVNZ)
Astro to raise pay-TV rates next month
From http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/4/27/business/7855349&sec=business
ASTRO All Asia Networks Plc will raise pay-television rates next month, a move that may add RM83mil to its annual sales given its subscriber base of 1.39 million people at the end of January.
The pay-TV operator said in the May edition of its viewers' guide that it would raise monthly subscription rates by RM5 after May 24 “to improve the variety of programmes and channels.'' Astro expects to “deliver over a hundred channels by next year, courtesy of a new Measat 3 satellite.'' It did not elaborate.
“The subscription increase will help them to purchase better-quality content and offer additional channels,'' said Foo Su Cheng, who helps manage the equivalent of RM1.5bil, including Astro shares, at OSK-UOB Unit Trust Management Bhd.
Astro, controlled by tycoon Ananda Krishnan, is trying to attract more viewers in Malaysia and neighbouring Brunei to the channels it shows through its set-top boxes. It offers channels such as ESPN, through which it screens English Premier League soccer, Time Warner Inc's HBO, or Home Box Office, and News Corp's Star Movies. The company is also the cable distributor for Bloomberg Television in Malaysia.
Chief operating officer David Butorac could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Astro reported net income of RM12.3mil for the year ended Jan 31, as an expanding economy helped it sign up 45% more subscribers from a year ago. Sales were at RM1.42bil.
Ananda Krishnan also controls Measat Global Bhd, which operates two Boeing Co-made satellites that lease transmission capacity to Astro and mobile phone company Maxis Communications Bhd. Bloomberg
MTV joins Sony-Discovery platform and goes pay
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
MTV Networks India has entered into a distribution agreement with The One Alliance, a Sony Entertainment Television India (SET India) and Discovery Networks India (DNI) joint venture, for distribution of MTV and Nickelodeon in the country.
MTV has also decided to turn pay for the first time in India. Both developments will be effective from May onwards.
MTV and Nickelodeon channels complement the mix of programming choices offered by The One Alliance says the company. At present, the bouquet comprises of eight world-class channels: SET, MAX, AXN, HBO, Discovery, Animal Planet, NDTV India and NDTV 24x7 and has established itself as a leader in providing complete family entertainment, according to an official statement. The bouquet of channels reaches over 40 million cable and satellite households across the nation.
Shantonu Aditya, president of The One Alliance, said that MTV will charge seven cents per subscriber per month. Nickelodeon, too, will continue to be a pay channel. The two channels - MTV and Nickeldeon - will be available on same price per subscription per month.
TELE-satellite News - Number 17/2004 25 April 2004 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by
TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A & P A C I F I C
AUSTRALIA
LABOUR TO ALLOW FOURTH TV NETWORK
Labor leader Mark Latham plans a radical shake-up of
Australian television with the introduction of a
fourth commercial network if he becomes prime
minister. Labor believes a fourth commercial
broadcaster would diversify media ownership and break
the stranglehold on the $3.1 billion advertising
market by the existing three networks. The plan will
anger the commercial networks - whose owners include
Australia's richest, most powerful men - Kerry Packer
of Nine and Kerry Stokes of Seven. The three networks
argue that Australia's population is too small to
support a fourth commercial broadcaster. They say a
fourth network would not translate into increased
advertising revenue, but merely force the division of
existing revenue among four and lead to massive
cost-cutting, with Australian-made productions to be
the first to go. But senior Labour figures believe the
three networks have to face up to more competition. Mr
Tanner, who has made no secret of his desire for a
fourth network, believes the advertising market has
grown sufficiently to support another network. In the
past two years, television advertising revenues have
grown 17.3 per cent to $3.1 billion a year. In the
five years to 2000, television advertising grew by
about 25 per cent.
NINE RENEWS WARNER BROS OUTPUT DEAL
Australian broadcaster Nine Network has renewed its
deal with Warner Bros International Television to air
the studio's wide array of products. Nine has secured
broadcast rights to the studio's current and upcoming
television series, feature films and animation as well
as titles from the extensive WB vault.
CHINA HONG KONG
TVB IN TALKS OVER CHINESE MEDIA JOINT VENTURE
Free-to-air broadcaster Television Broadcasts Ltd. is
in talks to take a 49% stake in a Chinese media joint
venture, giving it access to the lucrative Guangdong
market, the South China Morning Post reports. The
company also plans to spend at least HK$300 million on
its preparations to launch digital broadcasting in
2007, the Standard reports. TVB has applied for a
venture with the Southern Broadcasting Media Group, a
unit of the Guandong Administration of Radio, Film &
Television. The two partners would share advertising
revenue and produce and distribute media content
together. Operators falling within TVB's broadcast
footprint in Guangdong carry its channels and block
out its commercials for resale to local advertisers.
Speaking about digital TV, TVB Assistant General
Manager Cheong Shin-keong said whatever technical
standard Hong Kong adopts for the broadcasts must be
compatible with neighboring China, which also plans to
adopt digital television in time for the 2008 Summer
Olympics in Beijing. Both TVB and its local rival,
Asian Television, favour adopting the European
standard for digital TV broadcasting, Cheong said. The
Hong Kong government plans to offer five new digital
frequencies, each with enough bandwidth to carry four
analogue channels, the paper said. ATV and TVB are in
line to receive one of the five digital frequencies
each.
INDIA
TRAI SEEKS OPINIONS ON CAS
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on
April 20 issued a consultation paper seeking the views
of stakeholders by May 7 on various aspects relating
to conditional access system, advertising and pricing
of pay-TV channels and a regulatory regime for cable
TV This will be followed by open house sessions in
Chennai on May 7, Delhi on May 11, and Mumbai on May
15. The 99-page consultation paper on broadcasting and
distribution of TV channels is a sequel to the
consultation note of January 15 on issues relating to
broadcasting and cable services. TRAI sources said the
initial consultation note had generated tremendous
response including substantial advice, opinions and
recommendations and several consultations were held
with various stakeholders. The consultation paper
raises a number of issues on various topics related to
broadcasting. In the case of CAS, questions being
asked are whether CAS should be introduced to view pay
channels as by mandated by law or voluntarily
introduced by service providers so that they are able
to get subscription revenues, which may otherwise be
lost in the distribution chain, whether operators
should provide subsidies on set top boxes (STBs) and
who will bear the cost of this subsidy, and whether it
should be compulsory for service providers to provide
STBs on rent. On price issues on cable services, TRAI
has sought opinion on whether the pay channels be
subject to price regulation and what should be the
methodology for determining prices. Another question
is whether bundling of pay channels into a bouquet and
discounts should be allowed and should the ceiling
rate on individual pay channels in relation to a
bouquet price be specified.
NEW ZEALAND
PARLIAMENTARY CHANNEL ON THE CARDS
Sky TV, in partnership with Sony and production
operation First Pictures, has put a detailed proposal
for a dedicated channel to the secretive Parliamentary
Services Commission (Official Information Act users
need not apply). That came in response to Parliament's
Standing Orders committee report, which recommended
investigations last year into an in-house feed be
"expedited" with a view to starting in 2004-05. TVNZ
has in the past expressed interest too, but there are
signs that the Sky proposal is likely to get
politicians' approval. This would bring all the
"action", when the House is in session, free-to- air
to anyone with a satellite dish. The pay TV channel's
lobbyist, Tony O'Brien, has written to all MPs
outlining the proposal, which would cost Parliament
about $3 million in set-up costs, including a digital
archive, and annual operating fees of more than
$500,000.
SKY TV REPORTS SUBSCRIBER FIGURES
Pay-TV operator Sky Network Television has 563,559
total subscribers as of April 20, up from the 548,041
at the end of December, chief executive John Fellet
told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. The growth
of 15,518 subscribers in the first three and a half
months of 2004 is a huge improvement over the growth
of 5,150 during the Sky TV's fiscal first half year to
the end of December. Over the past 12 months, Sky TV
has added UKTV, Disney and History channels to its
network. The company is still on track to meet its net
profit forecast for the financial year to June 30,
2004 of NZ$28 million to NZ$35 million, Fellet said.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and
amortization is still expected at NZ$175 million to
NZ$180 million, he said. The company made a NZ$12.4
million net profit in the six months to December 31.
Fellet said Sky TV is on track this fiscal year to
report its lowest ever churn figure - a measure of how
many subscribers disconnect their service. Sky will
increase the cost of subscribing to its digital
satellite television service by an average 3.6% from
June.
PAKISTAN
GOVERNMENT TO RELAX MEDIA OWNERSHIP RULES
The Pakistan government plans to ask parliament to
allow print media owners to operate electronic media
as well, the Dawn newspaper has reported. The
government would table the necessary amendments to the
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority
Ordinance at the next session of parliament, the
newspaper said. The amendments would reflect a cabinet
decision that newspapers, magazines and advertising
agencies be allowed to own and operate satellite TV
channels.
SOUTH KOREA
KT WILL NOT JOIN DMB CONSORTIUM
The country's largest fixed-line carrier, KT Corp.,
decided not to invest in the SK Telecom-led consortium
on satellite-based mobile broadcasting. KT has been in
talks to join the satellite broadcast operators TU
Media, a company 30 per cent owned by SK Telecom, as a
shareholder. KT had been demanding 25 per cent of the
company's shares and a standing member's presence on
the board of directors. SK Telecom balked at the
demands, offering only a 15 per cent share and a spot
for a non-permanent director, a response that
eventually became the deal breaker. According to
company officials, KT will focus on starting its own
satellite broadcasting services by 2006, when it plans
to launch its own satellite. TU Media, also having
Japan's Mobile Broadcasting Corp. and Samsung
Electronics as shareholders, is scheduled to begin the
satellite mobile broadcasting services in July.
Satellite mobile broadcasting, also called satellite
digital multimedia broadcasting, is an advanced
receiver technology designed to provide audio and
video signals to portable hand-held devices such as
cellular phones and laptop computers via satellite. SK
Telecom is the country's largest mobile operator,
serving more than 53 per cent of the country's 35
million cellular phone users.
A F R I C A
KENYA
STATE TV TO USE SATELLITE TO BOOST COVERAGE
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, KBC, is finalizing
plans to implement state of the art satellite
technology of digital platform to deliver radio and TV
programmes in East African region. Information and
Tourism Minister Raphael Tuju told parliament that KBC
would transmit to viewers and listeners through
appropriate located transmitters.
SOUTH AFRICA
JOHNCOM INCREASES M-NET/SUPERSPORT STAKE
Johnnic Communications (Johncom) had exercised an
option and bought 33.7 million shares of pay-TV
channel M-Net/Supersport for R287 million in cash, the
media group said on April 21. Johncom purchased the
stock from Naspers, which had bought out minority
shareholders in M-Net/Supersport and delisted the
shares. Before that, Johncom had owned 26.03 per cent
of M-Net/ Supersport and, following the deal to buy
shares at R8.50 a share, now owned about 39 per cent,
a statement said. Naspers received approval from the
competition tribunal last month to buy up the
remaining shares it did not own in the linked pay-TV
firms. Publisher Caxton had asked the tribunal to
block the buyout, but the authority said the deal
would not result in a change of control of M-Net/
Supersport.
26/04/04
A few rumours around about TVNZ starting a 3rd channel see news section.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Chris
Tattslotto on B1
B1, 12397 H,sr 7200, Vpid, 256, Apid 308 (yes, back to front from normal 308, 256)
From Anon
B3 Adhoc Wasps vs Munster rugby seen. Sunday Night
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Videoland Sports" is encrypted again.
Optus B3 152E 12525 V "Abu Dhabi TV Europe" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2460/2420.
Agila 2 146E 4088 H New SR for the Solar Entertainment mux on : 14630.
NSS 6 95.5E 12530 V "Tamil Ozhi, DAN Cinema, DAN Music and Tamil Allai" have started on ,enc., PIDs 21000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 257/258-513/514.
NSS 6 95.5E 12729 H "Aloemaiim" has started on , Fta, PIDs 513/651.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3894 V "Lashkara" has started on , Fta, SR 3255, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1120.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4091 V "Occasional feeds" on , SR 6250, FEC 3/4.
ST 1 88E 3582 H All channels in the TBL TV mux are now encrypted.
PAS 10 68.5E 4173 V "India TV" has started on, Fta, SR 3000, FEC 2/3, PIDs 1160/1120.
PAS 10 68.5E 12722 V "SABC 1-3 and E TV" are FTA.
(F Mughal)
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
NSS 703 (57.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0570
==============================
TVNZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC1IG1 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.161 (R,5632,512,650,8190)
NZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC2IT3 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.195 (V,5632,512,650,8190)
TVNZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC1IG1 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.161 (R,5632,512,650,8190): Encryption Added and new PIDS
TVNZ feeds (*TELEMEDIA ) on 4.179 (R,5632,308,256,8190): Encryption Added and new PIDS
TVNZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC5IG4 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.187 (R,5632,512,650,8190): Encryption Added and new PIDS
NZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC2IT3 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.195 (R,5632,512,650,8190): Encryption Added and new PIDS
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
INTELSAT 906 (64.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0640
==============================
East Africa FM on 3.644 (R,13330,514): It has started
Kossuth Radio AM on 3.963 (R,9100,1322): It has started
Emarat FM on 3.963 (R,9100,2522): It has started
Radio Ciao 89.8 FM on 11.478 (H,2200,33): It's back
Diktyo FM on 11.478 (H,2200,49): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
PANAMSAT 7, 10 (68.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0685
==============================
SIN-DELHI FEEDS on 3.502 (V,4000,308,256,8190): It has Started
Hope Channel on 3.514 (V,4444,1160,1120,1160): It Has Started
SABC Africa on 3.743 (V,20600,3000,4000,3000): It is Encrypted Again
IPE W4 on 3.743 (V,20600,7401)
Ch O on 3.743 (V,20600,3006,4006,3006): It is Encrypted Again
SS04 on 3.743 (V,20600,3011,4011,3011): It is Encrypted Again
C+H on 3.743 (V,20600,3001,4001,3001): It is Encrypted Again
RTPi on 3.743 (V,20600,3005,4005,3005): It is Encrypted Again
SS02 on 3.743 (V,20600,3007,4007,3007): It is Encrypted Again
AFRICA Magic_PAS 10 on 3.743 (V,20600,1968,1967,1968): It is Encrypted Again
CNN on 3.743 (V,20600,3002,4002,3002): It is Encrypted Again
DATA on 3.743 (V,20600,5010)
TV5 on 3.743 (V,20600,3003,4003,3003): It is Encrypted Again
DATA on 3.743 (V,20600,5013): It is Encrypted Again
ZEE on 3.743 (V,20600,3004,4004,3004): It is Encrypted Again
no name on 3.743 (V,20600,3012,3012)
PACE CDL on 3.743 (V,20600,1028)
PanaSat CDL on 3.743 (V,20600,1030)
INDIA TV on 4.173 (V,3000,1160,1120,8190): Has Started Testing
SABC 1 on 12.722 (V,26656,256,257,256): It's clear now
SABC 2 on 12.722 (V,26656,260,261,260): It's clear now
SABC 3 on 12.722 (V,26656,264,265,264): It's clear now
ETV on 12.722 (V,26656,272,273,272): It's clear now
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
EUTELSAT W5 (70.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0705
==============================
NTD TV on 11.325 (V,27500,4194,4195,4194): It has started
NTD TV on 11.325 (V,18000,4194,4195,4194): New SR
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
TELSTAR 10/APSTAR IIR (76.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0765
==============================
TTV on 12.553 (H,22425,2624,2625,2624): It's encrypted now
PTS on 12.553 (H,22425,2688,2689,2688): It's encrypted now
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
EXPRESS 6A (80.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0800
==============================
STS (+7h) on 11.660 (V,5100,2160,2120,2160): It's back
Kultura Telekanal on 11.469 (V,5924,257,258,257): New PIDs
Radio Rossii on 11.469 (V,5924,258,257): New PIDs
Russkaya Volna on 11.469 (V,5924,259,257): New PIDs
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
INSAT 2E, 3B (83.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0830
==============================
FEEDS on 11.627 (V,2000,4194,4195,4194): It Has Started
FEEDS on 11.642 (V,1900,512,513,512): It Has Started
Tharasu TV on 3.525 (V,24800,385,386,385): Test Transmission has Started
JAYA TV on 3.593 (V,8679,4194,4195,4194): NEW PIDS
DD Patna on 3.820 (V,6250,512,650,128): Has Started 24Hrs Service
Patna Feed on 3.820 (V,6250,513,660,129): Has Started 24Hrs Service
DD Ahmedabad on 3.851 (V,6250,512,650,128)
News Feed on 3.851 (V,6250,513,660,129)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
ST 1 (88.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0880
==============================
TTV on 12.642 (H,24000,33,36,33): It's clear now
CTV on 12.642 (H,24000,102,103,102): It's clear now
Formosa TV on 12.642 (H,24000,1163,1131,1163): It's clear now
CTS on 12.642 (H,24000,1164,1141,1164): It's clear now
PTS on 12.642 (H,24000,4194,4195,4194): It's clear now
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
INSAT 3A (93.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0935
==============================
CINE WORLD on 3.912 (V,2949,264,265,261): New SR/ PIDS
SCOPUS-NET TEST BAR on 3.732 (V,6250,257,258,257): It Has Started
SCOPUS-NET TEST BAR on 3.732 (V,6250,513,514,513): It Has Started
LAKSHARA TV on 3.895 (V,3253,1160,1120,1160): IT Has Restarted With New Parameters
DD AGARTALA on 4.110 (V,6250,308,257,8190): It Has Started Testing
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
ASIASAT 2 (100.5E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1005
==============================
APTN Feeds on 3.706 (H,4170,200,280,2304): It has started
Reuters World News Service on 3.905 (H,4000,3551,3552,3551): It's clear now
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
ASIASAT 3S (105.5E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1055
==============================
Blue Kiss Promo on 3.670 (V,13333,2081,2082,2081): It has replaced Malibu Promos
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
PALAPA C2 (113.0E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1130
==============================
Azio TV on 11.472 (H,15555,2501,2502,2501): It has replaced ETTV Movie
Fashion TV India on 11.472 (H,15555,2601,2602,2601): It has replaced Yoyo TV
MAC TV on 11.132 (V,26667,66,67,66)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
KOREASAT 3 (116.0E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1160
==============================
Radio Service on 12.530 (H,27490,2902,2902): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
AGILA 2 (146.0E)
http://www.satcodx5.com/1460
==============================
no name on 3.660 (H,15000)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
OPTUS B1 (160.0E)
http://www.satcodx5.com/1600
==============================
Calvary Chapel Radio NZ on 12.761 (V,22500): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
PANAMSAT 8 (166.0E)
http://www.satcodx5.com/1660
==============================
Videoland Sports on 3.860 (H,28000,410,411,410): It's clear now
31_KFC on 3.860 (H,28000,901,901): It has started
32_Test on 3.860 (H,28000,921): It has started
MAC TV on 3.860 (H,28000,168,1112,168)
Videoland Sports on 3.860 (H,28000,410,411,410): It's encrypted now
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
Weekly SatcoDX News 16 April 2004 - 23 April 2004
PANAMSAT 2 (169.0E)
http://www.satcodx5.com/1690
==============================
A copy of BBC (Encoder 3) on 3.743 (V,21800,1360,1320,1360)
Occasional feeds ( no name ) on 3.865 (V,19530)
Occasional feeds ( no name ) on 3.865 (V,19530)
Occasional feeds ( no name ) on 3.865 (V,19530)
Occasional feeds ( no name ) on 3.865 (V,19530)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
For Private and Personal Use Only - Commercial Use Not Allowed
NEWS
New channel rumoured for TVNZ
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3562478
TVNZ is developing secret plans for a third channel based on the formulas of leading Australian and American public service and special interest networks.
For viewers it will mean another free-to-air nationwide channel which may affect what TV One and TV2 offer.
Confronted last night, the company was cagey.
Chief executive Ian Fraser said: "I can't tell you anything, except good luck in your mission."
But in Wellington, TVNZ spokesman Richard Griffin let slip a few more details.
He said the broadcaster was investigating a channel which would give top billing to Parliamentary cover and screen other programmes that "probably wouldn't otherwise get to air".
He denied it would be a "charter channel" - a dumping ground for programmes expected under TVNZ's agreement with the Government to provide public service television.
The plans, due to be finalised by the end of next month, were flushed out when TVNZ pulled the plug on two years of negotiations with a consortium of television veterans for an Auckland regional channel.
TVNZ withdrew from the talks with Mai TV, a partnership including top-rating radio station Mai FM, saying it now had plans of its own for the spare frequency.
The Weekend Herald has learned that in an email from TVNZ chief financial officer Rodney Parker, the partnership was told: "In particular, we are working through a concept for a national UHF channel."
He said the plans bore no resemblance to Mai TV's concept.
"We are really bloody annoyed with them," said Mai Media managing director Graham Pryor.
"No one likes being stuffed around for that length of time, especially with the amount of work that's gone into it."
Mr Fraser last night dismissed Mai TV's concerns: "I don't give a bugger ... Who cares?"
Industry insiders are in the dark about TVNZ's plans, but programme makers contacted by the Weekend Herald were cynical about its motives.
"I imagine it would be an attempt to mop up even more funding," said one. Another said he could only imagine TVNZ was looking at a "charter channel".
But Mr Griffin said the motivation for the planning was Parliament's desire to broadcast its sittings, although the channel would broadcast more than politicians.
TVNZ had looked at Australian ethnic broadcaster SBS and American cable public affairs channel C-Span for inspiration, although the channel would not be modelled directly on either.
He denied it would have any effect on the other two channels.
An advertising expert, Mitchell & Partners chief executive Kevin Blight, said there was room for another channel from an advertising perspective.
"It's very hard to get ads on and the prices are going up," he said.
The Mai TV partnership included Mr Pryor and television veterans David Beatson, Robert Boyd-Bell and Murray Roberts.
During negotiations, TVNZ asked for and was given the consortium's proposal, costings and five-year plan.
Mr Beatson said they felt they had wasted 2 1/2 years, "a lot of energy, a lot of money, and got precisely nowhere with an organisation that could suddenly whisk plans out of thin air for the development of a UHF network.
"This is at a time when it's just asked the Government for additional funds to say 'hey, we can't meet our charter responsibilities on our two existing networks with the money we've got'.
"I think a decision of that calibre makes a mockery of that claim."
Mr Fraser said Mai TV was understandably chagrined that TVNZ was not giving access to the frequency, but it had good reasons.
"If you're working on a concept, as we are, why would you not make sure that you were holding the frequency appropriate to the concept and that's really all we're doing."
A spokesman for Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey said the TVNZ board had talked to the Government about its plans for the frequency, but he was waiting for a business case to be developed.
TVNZ under attack for sitting on frequencies
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=3562570
TVNZ's refusal to allow access to its frequencies could land it before the Commerce Commission, says a group planning an Auckland-only television channel.
Television veterans Robert Boyd-Bell and David Beatson are behind a proposal to set up an Auckland-only channel. The Mai TV, in partnership with radio station Mai FM, would target the younger market with a mix of gameshows and interactive TV, with in-depth Auckland traffic and weather reports.
But TVNZ's decision not to allow access to its UHF network has stymied their plans.
The decision came after more than two years of negotiations between the consortium and TVNZ and as TVNZ's plans to set up a third channel of its own on the UHF frequency were revealed.
Mr Beatson said his consortium wanted a meeting with the state broadcaster's board on Thursday because it believed TVNZ management had not put its case fairly.
"Bluntly, I don't think TVNZ management knows what it's doing," he said. "We don't really see why they need both UHF frequencies in Auckland, other than that they are sitting on the lot and saying, 'The hell with you all, go away'."
TVNZ had told the group it wanted to keep its Channel 49, once used for the now-defunct Max TV, for digital testing. The old Horizon Pacific UHF network would be used for TVNZ's new channel.
But the consortium does not believe the company needs both.
Mr Boyd-Bell said it was not appropriate for the broadcaster to sit on Channel 49.
"We have been trying to get this issue taken from management to the board, and if we're not satisfied there, I guess we start to talk about the Commerce Commission and anti-competitive practices. We don't believe this is appropriate behaviour for a Crown-owned company."
TV3 spokesman Roger Beaumont yesterday said his company's concern was that TVNZ would use Government funding for the new channel on a frequency that was not accessible without a UHF aerial.
He said it was rumoured TVNZ would use the channel as a dumping ground for charter-type programming.
"That would be a fairly devious way around the charter, which is clearly intended for TVNZ's mainstream channels," he said.
The Government imposed the charter on TVNZ last year to ensure the broadcaster carried more local content and had a stronger public service focus.
Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey said yesterday that he had been aware of the company's plans and been briefed by the TVNZ board.
A spokesman for the minister said as a Crown-owned company, TVNZ "was responsible for its own actions".
Industry sources believe the company's new channel could be used for wider parliamentary coverage.
HK Tom Group To Pay US$10M To Stop AsiaSat Analogue Svc
From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040426/15/3jrm1.html
TOM Group Ltd. (8001.HK) said it will have to pay US$10 million to stop using the analogue service of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Ltd. (SAT).
(In a headline timed at 0354 GMT, the amount of the payment was misstated.)
HONG KONG (Dow Jones)-- TOM Group Ltd. (8001.HK), the media flagship of tycoon Li Ka-shing, said Monday it will have to pay US$10 million to stop using the analogue service of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Ltd. (SAT).
Tom Group's broadcasting arm CETV switched to digital broadcasting from analogue during the first quarter, and had to compensate AsiaSat for the change.
Chief Executive Sing Wang said Tom Group will book first-quarter provisions amounting to between HK$200 million and HK$300 million, including the compensation to AsiaSat.
He was speaking after the media group's annual general meeting.
Sony to beam kids' channel
From http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2004/apr/24sony.htm
Sony Entertainment Television India is gearing up to launch the children's channel from its parent's portfolio -- Animax, making 2004 a busy year of kids' channel launches.
First, the Cartoon Network launched 'Pogo' on January 1. It was soon followed by UTV which launched 'Hungama'. The Disney Channel is also believed to be readying itself to launch 'Little Big Mouse' this year. Till last year, this segment was addressed primarily by two channels -- Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon.
The third channel was Splash. Kunal Dasgupta, chief executive officer of SET India, told Business Standard: "While we have added Nickelodeon to the Sony-Discovery bouquet, we are also planning to bring Animax to India. We would announce it shortly.
"Kids' channel offers a huge untapped business potential. Advertisers have recognised that children play a key role in household purchase decision-making," said a senior industry official.
The industry players are betting big on their plans to start kids' channel. Industry operators point out that while the United Kingdom has 20 channels to cater to 11 million kids, the United States airs 306 shows per week for 61 million children across 17 networks.
In contrast, India till recently did not have any localised channel for its 315 million kids, who represent one-third of the country's population under the age of 15 years. The 44 million cable and satellite homes in India offer an addressable audience of over 47 million.
25/04/04
No update Sunday
24/04/04
No update Saturday
23/04/04
Not much to end the week with.
Anzac Weekend, the usual feeds of dawn ceremonys etc should be seen. TRT on B3 normally has live coverage.
As mentioned yesterday there will be a new weekly column each Thursday on Apsattv.com. Jon will be reporting on the Satellite scene in Asia. Finally ASIA added to "Asia Pacific Sat TV Guide"
Backgrounder:
Jon is a New Zealander living in Thailand and runs a satellite TVRO company called JSAT.tv (www.jsat.tv), having worked with Satellite TV Systems in Motueka some 24 years ago he is back in the industry serving the foreign market in Thailand and now provides us with a weekly article on happenings and trends in Asia.
Jon's Asia Weekly
Issue #1
"We had a play in Asia this week"
Well what a week of discovery we have had here in Thailand. You have all heard the old adage “information or knowledge is power”, well the sharing of information about our hobby of Satellite TVRO is a rare thing in this part of the world. Most companies dealing with the sales, installation and support of satellite TV equipment, keep every little snippet of information very close to their chest, and do not share it with the likes of you and me. So it is very hard to get a simple answer to a simple question at times.
This makes asking the simple question like “what satellites do we watch in Asia” seem like pulling teeth.
So we decided it was time for this to change all of this and having a few spare minutes over the Thai New year last week, we decided to sit down and do some satellite DX’ing (looking for satellites we do not normally receive) and much to our surprise we found a large number of them on both the C and KU Bands (1009 channels)
Here in Thailand we have can see satellites from Panamsat 2 in the east over to Arabsat in the west. However the most commonly used satellites range from only Panamsat 8 to Panamsat 7/10 as this is all the local suppliers tend to put in their set top boxes, so it has become a myth as follows, “this is all you can see, else why would they not put the other satellites in my decoder?”
So armed with a 10 foot movable c band mesh dish, 7.5 foot KU dish and a blind search receiver we decided to see what we could find on the C band over 30 plus C band satellites.
To nobodies surprise it took more than 10 minutes. But the outcome was quite surprising even to me. There has been an ‘urban myth’ here about the ability to see several analog transponders to our west on the Arabsat series of birds, and at 4.8 degrees above our horizon, I seriously doubted we would even get a sparkle off them. Urban myths are founded in fact somewhere right? On the 10 footer there was a glimmer of a signal, but on a 12 footer there is even a picture.
So we added the Intelsat series birds on doorstep to our watch list, along with NSS709 and a few other Russian birds. All in all a good search with over 1009 channels being found. It seems from looking at the blind searches we did, that Satcodx is the web site to get all the updates from people, as they are allot closer to reality then others you might look at.
KU Band
We found so much on the KU band it will fill most of next weeks article.
For those of you in Asia that can watch any of the Thaicom 2/3 KU band transponders, there is a neat Thai channel that just popped up on the UBC 12369mhz MUX which is FTA called “PRD1” Or Channel 11 News 1 a Thai news channel. Well worth a watch if you get ten minutes. So are the two TGN channels which is also FTA.
C Band
The best thing we found on our little DX hunt was the C band news feeds, and we managed to watch the Russian ISS mission launch this week to the International Space Station, along with a NASA TV feeds of it latest space probe launch, and the most enlightening for me has been the continued US house committee on “911” feeds. Indovision was FTA again this week, albeit back to its normal state as I type this, so nice to see CNBC again. Did any of you note that most of the FTA channel’s could be found on other satellites FTA.
Receivers
eMetaBox has a new upgrade of the firmware to 4.04 and works well
Neotionbox released a new firmware upgrade this week
Dishes
The hottest news in the region is the “dual plates”. What is a dual plate? A LNB adaptor that allows you to mount both a KU and C band LNB on a prime focus mesh (and solid) dish. Khun Juruphong the tech guru and owner of Dynasat has developed a system that gives truly the best of both C & KU band worlds in one dish with they have branded the “Extra” series. More on this over the next few weeks, as we have put a system in here, and it works so well on both bands (and the S band).
Gossip
So if you are in Thailand and need your local sports or news fix via satellite drop in and say hi to Steve the owner of the Aussie Bar (Soi Easy) in Phuket and uncle Bob at “the Office bar” in Bangkok (Soi 33), both of whom are also big users of satellite TV. One day my home will resemble their system setups with multi TV’s, 20 foot projection systems, multi receivers, surround sound, etc. one day.
Sports
The hottest tickets this week are the F1, soccer, Super 12’s, AFL, NRL and more football (or soccer to you and me) ..
Stuff
If you have items you want included or questions answered please email Jon at [email protected]
From my Emails & ICQ
Friday night B1 12367V Sr 6618 Fec 3/4 "Aus vs NZ"
From the Dish
No Lyngsat received
NEWS
U.S.-Russian Satellite Plans
From http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/04/23/050.html
The Moscow Times Troubled U.S. space industry giant Loral Space & Communications and Korolev-based space rocket corporation Energia will announce a joint satellite venture, an official from the Russian company said Thursday.
The two companies will sign a memorandum by the end of next week that foresees Loral marketing smaller satellite platforms, including Energia's Yamal, Alexander Derechin, head of Energia's marketing department, said in an interview.
Derechin said the memorandum could be followed by a framework agreement on joint production.
Telecommunications companies are increasingly leaning toward procuring smaller and cheaper space platforms. Derechin said Energia's Universal Space Platform could be chosen for a joint project.
Loral already contributed transponders to two Yamal-100 geostationary orbit telecommunications satellites built by Energia in 1999.
Loral and Energia have also teamed up to make a bid for a German military satellite communications project, Derechin said.
The other partners in that bid for the $1.2 billion project are U.S. defense industry giant Raytheon Co. and Germany's Deutsche Telekom, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
The paper cited industry officials as saying that an Energia-Loral partnership could offer satellite projects for less than half of the $250 million price tag they can carry.
Loral spokesmen did not return calls Thursday evening.
Splash to spruce up content
From http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/04/23/stories/2004042301950400.htm
CHENNAI-BASED kids TV channel Splash is all set to spruce up its content and packaging. The channel, which is to be merged under the Mayajaal Entertainment banner soon, plans to launch 12 new shows in the coming six months. Also on the cards are two all-India events as part of its promotion activities.
Around 60 per cent of the new content will be entertainment-based while edutainment and infotainment will make up the rest.
Some of the new shows include Amazing world of visual effects, What's the time wolf and the Learn Japanese and Learn Karate modules, which are part of the channel's `Learn' series. Splash will invest about Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for a half-hour slot.
According to distribution figures, the channel is currently available in 15 million homes in the country. It hopes to double this number in the next six months. Ms Nirmala Narendranath, Head of Programming, Splash, a Pentamedia group company, says, "We plan to first consolidate our position in the South and then focus more on other cities such as Delhi and Mumbai."
Apart from the in-house and locally produced shows, Splash plans to source content from Europe and the US. The channel is considering proposals from around 12 producers and production houses, which had offered content at a TV industry meet in Cannes on April 8. "We will buy about eight shows and 25 movies at a budget of $400-$450 per half-hour slots after we finalise the list," says Ms Narendranath.
The channel, which has the first right of refusal for Pentamedia films will be vigorously negotiating to obtain the TV telecast rights for the company's animated film, Buddha. The movie is expected to hit the theatres in three months.
June will be a busy month for Splash, as it will be setting up an operations base in Mumbai, equipped with mini studios and shooting floors.
As part of its marketing blitz, the channel will organise an all-India cricket tournament for children under the age of 17. "Discussions are on with a Mumbai-based company and hopefully the tournament will take off in June," says Ms Narendranath.
In what the channel claims to be the first of its kind, Splash plans to conduct a talent hunt to form the country's first "kids music band". But Ms Narendranath hastens to add that the idea was still in the "nascent stage".
Splash is looking to enter into Asian programming and format syndication in future. It will also launch two animated characters `Cutie' and `Smartie' as its channel mascots. Ms Narendranath hopes the mascots will give Splash greater visibility if they become household names.
On the infrastructure front, Splash's Rs 3-crore teleport in Kelambakkam, near Chennai, is slowly taking shape. Replete with transponders, earth stations and facilities for beaming five channels at a time, the port will start operations by June as soon as the Mayajaal merger comes through.
Pentamedia's subsidiaries Intelevision (which runs Splash), Media Dreams and Kris Srikkanth Sports Entertainment are to be merged with Mayajaal.
22/04/04
NZ parliament channel LIVE on SKY? (See News section), Why can't TVNZ do it themselves? They have a whole half transponder on Optus B1 being wasted. As for it being Free to air well Skys definition of FTA is different to everyone elses. They probably mean in the basic package at a minimum of $20 a month. Funny how they can offer a channel free to air when it suits them. Yet are unwilling to provide the National broadcasters Tv3 Tv4, Prime etc truely Free to air.
have a read of this website
FOXTEL CONTRACTORS REVOLUTION 2004
http://www.uniapro.org/apj325.htm
and this one
http://www.uniapro.org/apj335.htm
From my Emails & ICQ
New Column coming to Apsattv Website soon Details tomorow
From the Dish
Insat 3A 93.5E 3894 V "Lashkara" Sr 3253
Insat 3A 93.5E 3900/3904V SR 2100 "Feeds"
Nothing in todays Lyngsat for our region
NEWS
Parliament to beam live to your lounge
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2883078a1865,00.html
Grab that television remote and clear a comfy spot on the sofa, because soon perhaps within a year you will be able to veg out to a new Parliament channel beamed live to your living room or office.
Okay, it may be an acquired taste but it is on its way.
Sky TV, in partnership with Sony and production operation First Pictures, has put a detailed proposal for a dedicated channel to the secretive Parliamentary Services Commission (Official Information Act users need not apply).
That came in response to Parliament's Standing Orders committee report, which recommended investigations last year into an in-house feed be "expedited" with a view to starting in 2004-05.
TVNZ has in the past expressed interest too, but there are signs that the Sky proposal is likely to get politicians' approval. This would bring all the "action", when the House is in session, free-to-air to anyone with a satellite dish.
The pay TV channel's lobbyist, Tony O'Brien, has written to all MPs outlining the proposal, which would cost Parliament about $3 million in set-up costs, including a digital archive, and annual operating fees of more than $500,000.
There is a good chance it will be included in the May 27 Budget if, as some believe, Speaker Jonathan Hunt wants to get the show on air before he heads for London early next year.
To those fed on news sound bites from the daily bear pit of question time, it could be very hard tack. Watching the sometimes uninspiring debates during clause-by-clause considerations of bills will probably be too much even for hardened reality TV watchers. (All those hoping for a rerun of the filibuster on the Employment Relations Bill, featuring ACT votes in Maori, raise your hands now.)
Considering MPs' enthusiasm to get even a line on the TV news, it must be irresistible to contemplate several uninterrupted minutes in camera-shot as they rise to support the short title of the Pea-knuckle (Safety of Thumbs in Playground Games) Amendment Bill.
Of course, it is easy to mock the idea as a sort of politicians' vanity broadcast on a channel that Parliament will effectively "own" and where politicians themselves can set the rules.
However, there are good democratic justifications for it, and plenty of precedents in other western democracies. The Westminster Parliament started trial broadcasts in 1989 (some time after the 1944 War Cabinet apparently concluded that Parliament was too technical to be understood by the ordinary listener, who would be liable to get a false impression of the business transacted).
In New Zealand, Sky has been running for several years now a live feed of question time using audio from Radio NZ, which would be part of the expanded coverage. That would include coverage not only of the debating chamber, but some select committees, information on submissions and forthcoming meetings and events.
The deal makes good business sense for Sky TV too. In exchange for an opportunity cost (the option of using the bandwidth for other revenue generating business), it keeps Sky in sweet with legislators who could at a stroke undermine its most lucrative live sports rights.
It can also sell itself as a good corporate citizen providing free to anyone with a dish, including its own 460,000 digital customers and rival TV channels a public service that may enhance its appeal to its subscriber base (not by much if the minimal audience for live radio broadcasts of Parliament is any guide.)
It will also be good for business and the general public if it helps break down some of the mystique about Parliament. There are plenty of anecdotes about businesses paying fat fees to lobbyists in Wellington to arrange meetings with parliamentary officials, who are in fact happy enough to provide access if inquirers simply picked up the phone and called.
The major outstanding issue is whether the plan for a live feed will be put out to tender something that Parliament and Sky ought to welcome and which would in any case be unlikely to change the ultimate outcome, considering Sky's inside running with question time and the price of hardware it has struck with Sony.
But the most controversial aspect will be whether, as the Standing Orders Committee recommended, the live feed and archive will replace the present right of other television channels to have their own cameras in the chamber.
There is a powerful group of MPs, prominent among them Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen, who object to the sort of edited shots that show MPs laughing uproariously as a backdrop to an item about their pay rises.
The Evening Post newspaper was temporarily banned in 2000 after running a photograph of an MP yawning.
It seems Speaker Jonathan Hunt has hinted he will press for other TV cameras to be allowed to remain. There is a sneaking belief in some parliamentary quarters that the practice will wither on the vine as TVNZ and TV3 find they can cut costs by taking the live channel feed instead.
The key issue is one of editorial freedom and the public's right to see, as well as hear and have reported, events other than those in the eye of the six robot-controlled cameras.
If one MP is droning on about the health and safety aspects of the Pea-knuckle Amendment Bill while a fist fight has broken out between two MPs at the other end of the chamber, where will the cameras be pointing?
Parliament's rules now may ban filming of "extraneous" events, and that is another matter, but it is a fair bet the dust-up would be caught on film and a public interest case raised for showing it.
If the in-House feed is to remain on the worthy speech, then questions will be asked about who is being served by the cost to the taxpayer of the televised footage; the public or the MPs who can brawl out of shot?
Should public money, and the rules surrounding its use, be used to protect MPs from their own errors and embarrassments?
Loral Plans Russian Satellite Joint Venture
From http://www.quicken.com
Loral Space & Communications Ltd. (LRLSQ, news) (LOR, news) may be struggling to emerge from bankruptcy-court protection, but it aims to trump competitors on both sides of the Atlantic by announcing a Russian joint venture to build smaller, less- expensive commercial spacecraft, Thursday's Wall Street Journal reported.
The novel move to team up with space pioneer S.P. Korolev RSC Energia is intended to boost interest in the low end of the satellite market, for low- powered, smaller satellites designed for commercial communications. The partnership also would propel Russia's satellite-manufacturing industry into the commercial sphere, at a time when many operators are balking at the risks of buying increasingly larger and more expensive models.
Acquiring, insuring and launching a top-of-the-line satellite can cost as much as $250 million, while industry officials said the proposed Loral-Energia offering is likely to end up costing significantly less than half that amount.
Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter Andy Pasztor contributed to this report.
PanAmSat CEO sees coming satellite consolidation
From http://www.forbes.com/technology/newswire/2004/04/20/rtr1339435.html
NEW YORK, April 20 (Reuters) - The sale of PanAmSat Corp. (nasdaq: SPOT - news - people) to a private equity firm positions it for coming consolidation in the industry as well as an expected increase in demand for bandwidth, the satellite company's top executive said on Tuesday.
Kohlbert Kravis Roberts & Co. agreed to acquire PanAmSat, the nation's largest satellite distributor of television programming, for $3.55 billion from parent company DirecTV Group Inc. The deal, announced earlier Tuesday, requires Federal Communications Commission approval for the transfer of satellites, which could take six months.
PanAmSat CEO Joe Wright told Reuters the backing of KKR, in addition to the company's $950 million in cash reserves, would let PanAmSat be an acquirer of satellites in the coming years as demand for bandwidth increases from both cable and satellite television distributors.
"There's going to be the opportunity to expand through acquisition of satellites and satellite operators and through joint ventures where it makes sense," Wright said.
The satellite industry is emerging from a three-year downturn in demand, Wright noted, as government entities such as Intelsat Ltd. were privatized and telephony and Internet capacity exceeded demand.
But demand for capacity is set to rebound, Wright believes, as satellite and cable television operators compete to provide more high-definition programming in a gambit to win and retain subscribers.
"All that competition requires capacity and we are the largest delivery system for cable programming in the United States," Wright said. "On top of that, the migration to high definition uses up more satellite capacity."
Wright said PanAmSat's first high-definition capable satellite went up in January of last year and its payload is mostly sold out, as are satellites scheduled for launch in the fall and summer of 2005.
Wright said he expects KKR to hold its investment in PanAmSat for at least seven years.
PanAmSat's stock closed Tuesday at $23.30, down $1.49 or 6 percent on a day when stocks sank on worries about an increase in U.S. interest rates later this year.
MTV, Nick join One Alliance platform
From http://us.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr167.htm
MUMBAI: MTV Networks India today announced a tie-up with The One Alliance for distributing MTV, India's leading music and youth channel and Nickelodeon, the children's channel. Each channel, already encrypted, would be made available for a price of Rs 3 to subscribers.
The agreement was signed today by MTV Networks India MD Alex Kuruvilla; Set India CEO Kunal Dasgupta and Discovery Communications India MD Deepak Shourie. The deal ends almost a year of speculation on an alliance between the two. There has been talk in the industry for several months about which platform MTV may choose to associate with and a music channel and a kids' channel that One Alliance would try to bring into its kitty.
"This strategic alliance further strengthens The One Alliance's position as the leading bouquet," said Dasgupta.
According to MTV Networks India Vice President-Network Development, South Asia Sanjev Hiremath, the talks with the One Alliance were in progress for a long time, but the environment to clinch the deal became favourable only now.
The addition of MTV and Nickelodeon complements the diverse mix of programming choices offered by The One Alliance bouquet, which currently comprises eight channels - Set, Max, AXN, HBO, Discovery, Animal Planet, NDTV India and NDTV 24x7.
The One Alliance president Shantonu Aditya says,"We are very proud to be associated with the best of channels. With the addition of MTV and Nick, the bouquet is now complete."
"The One Alliance has proved to be the best distribution platform in the country and we believe that the reach of MTV and Nickelodeon will increase tremendously after joining the Alliance. MTV Networks India is proud to announce this partnership with The One Alliance," said Kuruvilla.
"The music and children's programming will strengthen the offerings of The One Alliance", said Shourie.
Last year, The One Alliance added movie channel HBO and the Prannoy Roy promoted news channels - NDTV India and NDTV 24x7 to its bouquet.
21/04/04
A new Jcsat (Jcsat 10) has been ordered to replace Jcsat3 at 128E, I hope the Cband transponders are a lot stronger in power compared to the current Jcsat3. Mind you they may not want it to compete with Jcsat2a at 154E
India TV started Pas 10 68.5E 4173 V sr 3000
From my Emails & ICQ
Nothing to report
From the Dish
Optus B3 152E JCTV has moved from 12525 V to 12658 V, clear, PIDs 1861/1824.Abu Dhabi TV Europe has left 12658 V.
Agila 2 146E 12581 H "Dream Video Music Channel" has left , replaced by a Mabuhay promo.
Telkom 1 108E All channels in the TelkomVision mux on 3500 H are encrypted again.
ChinaStar 1 87.5E 4133 H Occasional feeds on , SR 5632, FEC 3/4.
Pas 10 68.5E 4134 V "Feed" Sr 5696
NEWS
Liberty Media eyes News Corp assets
From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/20/1082395853157.html
American media entrepreneur John Malone has hinted he will use his 17 per cent equity interest in Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to barter for some of his rival's smaller international assets.
In an interview with London's Financial Times earlier this week, Mr Malone - whose US-based Liberty Media already owns subscription television businesses around the world - said that talks between the two parties had been "fairly active".
"There are certain small assets that we feel fit Liberty better than News Corp," he said. "We could exchange small amounts of our News Corp shares back for these assets."
News Corp's DirecTV Latin American business and its National Geographic are rumoured to top Mr Malone's list of targets, because they fit logically with Liberty's growing international cable television platform. Mr Malone plans to spin these assets off into a separate $US4-$US6 billion ($A5.4-$A8 billion) listed entity, Liberty Media International, this year.
But there is also speculation Mr Malone may seek to buy into some of News Corp's other international pay TV platforms, which include ones in Europe, China, India and Australia, through its 25 per cent stake in Foxtel.
Analysts were concerned that Mr Malone might use his substantial chunk of News Corp voting shares - which he raised to nearly 10 per cent in a deal in January - to coax the Murdoch family into selling some of its larger pay TV platforms.
One analyst said yesterday: "Malone knows that Murdoch wants his 10 per cent stake back and he's saying, 'I'll give it back to you, but you're going to have to trade me for it'."
UBS media analyst Tony Wilson said any deal done with Mr Malone's ordinary shares would create a conflict for the Murdoch family. "If Rupert (Murdoch) takes back ordinary shares, which then cements his control, that would be seen very cynically by the investment community."
A News Corp spokesman declined to comment on any possible deal, but would not deny the group had held talks with Mr Malone, who is the biggest individual shareholder aside from the Murdochs themselves.
Meanwhile, Australian Stock Exchange chief executive Richard Humphry said yesterday the market's liquidity would suffer from News Corp's plan to shift offshore. But he expected the impact to be offset by the influx of capital raisings on the Australian market.
News Corp shares closed 19¢ higher at $12.68 yesterday. Non-voting stock rose 25¢ to $11.90.
PanAmSat To Be Acquired by KKR In $4.3 Billion Transaction
From http://www.spacedaily.com/news/satellite-biz-04zzf.html
A fair price underscores growing value for mobile broadband
PanAmSat Corp. and its 80.5 percent stakeholder, The DirecTV Group, Inc., announced Tuesday that they have signed a definitive transaction agreement with affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. ("KKR") for the sale of PanAmSat Corp. at $23.50 in cash per share. The aggregate transaction value, including the assumption of approximately $750 million of net debt, is approximately $4.3 billion.
"Today, PanAmSat is the leading distributor of video signals in the world, transmitting more than 2,100 broadcast TV channels globally. With KKR as our partner, we will have the opportunity to enhance our competitive position and significantly expand PanAmSat's capabilities," said Joe Wright, president and chief executive officer of PanAmSat.
"KKR understands our mission of servicing a strong customer base in the entertainment, communications and government sectors, and will support our efforts to grow by developing new products and services, forging strategic alliances and developing new markets. This new alliance puts us on an excellent footing to build for our future."
Wright continued, "While we have thoroughly enjoyed our past association and relationship with Hughes Electronics, we are ready and excited about moving forward on our own, and appreciate the on-going relationship we will have with The DirecTV Group companies as customers, affiliates and friends."
DirecTV Group President and Chief Executive Officer Chase Carey said, "The sale of PanAmSat is a significant step toward the completion of our plan to transform the former Hughes corporate structure to a single business, with a single focus on DirecTV, the nation's leading digital multichannel television service. The KKR offer, with its all-cash structure, provided the best value to the PanAmSat shareholders."
"With a strong operational foundation, broad customer base and significant technological resources, PanAmSat is poised for solid growth into the future," said Alexander Navab, a KKR Member.
"Joe Wright and his management team have developed a strategic plan designed to support prudent growth. We look forward to being their partners as they focus on enhancing PanAmSat's position as a global industry leader in video and data broadcasting services."
As part of the transaction, The DirecTV Group agreed to extend and enhance certain agreements between itself and PanAmSat, at market rates, in order to assure future revenue flows to PanAmSat and continuity of services for its Hughes Network Systems and DirecTV Latin America subsidiaries.
Subject to applicable regulatory approvals, including the Federal Communications Commission, and also subject to approval by the stockholders of PanAmSat, the transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2004. The boards of directors of both PanAmSat Corp. and The DirecTV Group voted unanimously in favor of the transaction.
Credit Suisse First Boston served as financial advisor to The DirecTV Group, and Evercore Partners to the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of PanAmSat Corporation. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as the legal advisor to The DirecTV Group; Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP represented PanAmSat; and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal advisor to KKR
DirecTV agrees to sell stake in satellite operator PanAmSat
From http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/business/8479725.htm
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - DirecTV Group has agreed to sell its majority stake in PanAmSat Corp. to buyout firm KKR for $4.3 billion, another step toward paring down DirecTV to its core satellite television service.
DirecTV Group, formerly known as Hughes Electronics, said Tuesday it will sell its 80.5 percent stake in PanAmSat to affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. for $23.50 per share in cash. The transaction includes the assumption of about $750 million of net debt.
PanAmSat operates a fleet of 29 satellites for the delivery of television programming. As part of the deal, DirecTV has agreed to remain a major customer.
It had been expected that DirecTV would sell its PanAmSat stake after News Corp. bought a controlling interest in DirecTV last year from General Motors Corp.
"The sale of PanAmSat is a significant step toward the completion of our plan to transform the former Hughes corporate structure to a single business, with a single focus on DirecTV," Chase Carey, DirecTV chief executive officer said in a statement.
The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and a vote of PanAmSat shareholders. It was expected to close in the second half of this year.
JSAT orders satellite from Lockheed Martin
From Press Release
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract by JSAT Corporation of Japan to build its next geostationary telecommunications satellite, designated JCSAT-10, which will provide communications services throughout Japan and Asia following its scheduled launch in 2006. Financial terms were not disclosed.
JCSAT-10 will be a hybrid satellite, equipped with Ku-band high-power transponders and C-band medium-power transponders and will be located at 128 degrees East longitude. The spacecraft is based on the award winning A2100AX platform manufactured by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), Newtown, Pa.
"We are truly honored to be selected to build JCSAT-10, the second consecutive satellite that JSAT has awarded to the Lockheed Martin team and the first industry-wide competitive award for 2004," said Ted Gavrilis, president, Commercial Space Systems. "We are proud of the A2100's record of performance and reliability, and we are pleased that JSAT has once again selected our solution as the best value for their business plan."
LMCSS is currently building JCSAT-9, also an A2100AX satellite, which will serve Asia and Japan following its planned launch in 2005. Last year, LMCSS received orders for five A2100 spacecraft from customers worldwide, the most of any commercial satellite manufacturer.
Lockheed Martin's series of A2100 geostationary spacecraft are designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs ranging from high-power Ka, Ku and C-band fixed satellite and direct broadcast services to high power mobile satellite services using the L- and S-band frequency spectrum. The heritage A2100's modular design features flight-proven equipment, thus simplifying construction, shortening delivery schedule, and increasing on-orbit reliability.
Lockheed Martin has received industry-wide recognition for the A2100 platform, including an award in 2003 for Product of the Year, by Frost & Sullivan. Calling it "the most reliable and efficient of its class," Frost & Sullivan recognized the LMCSS-built A2100 satellite platform for its "outstanding on-orbit reliability record since it was first offered in 1996."
JSAT is the leading satellite operator in the Asia-Pacific region. The company owns and operates nine satellites in eight orbital slots. JSAT's communications satellites are opening up new opportunities with applications ranging from SKY Perfect TV! digital broadcasting services to television relays, video transmissions to retail outlet, and nationwide auctions. Implementing its corporate slogan, "JSAT, Creating Satellite Solutions," the company is actively expanding its business throughout the Pacific region. JSAT is listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2003 sales of $31.8 billion.
New Dolby Digital Codec Seen As Complement To Future TV Services
From http://www.twice.com/article/CA411296.html?verticalid=820&industry=Home+Audio&industryid=23100&pubdate=04/19/2004
San Francisco Dolby Laboratories has developed a more efficient backward-compatible extension to its Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio codec for use by digital-cable and satellite-TV operators who want to compress more TV channels into their existing bandwidth.
The extension, called Dolby Digital Plus, has also been proposed by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) as an optional backup to the current Dolby Digital codec for over-air DTV transmissions. In future DTV sets, the lower bit-rate Dolby Digital Plus format would kick in to deliver uninterrupted audio even if the picture freezes or blocks up during temporary dips in signal strength, which can be caused by multipath, rain or other atmospheric conditions.
For their part, cable and DBS operators are looking at high-compression audio and video codecs "to provide more channels, services and functions on demand," said Craig Eggers, Dolby's consumer technology marketing director. Cable and DBS operators, he noted, are considering MPEG-4 and H.264 compression technologies to deliver four to five times more content with the same picture quality as the MPEG-2 standard that they currently use, he explained.
To deliver 5.1-channel audio with new video codecs, operators will look for a more efficient 5.1-channel audio codec, and Dolby Digital Plus fits the bill, Eggers continued.
The existing Dolby Digital codec supports bit rates of 320Kbps to 640Kbps for 5.1-channel audio and 128Kbps to 640Kbps for stereo. Digital broadcasters typically transmit 5.1 audio at 384Kbps, although ATSC supports up to 448Kbps.
Dolby Digital Plus, Eggers said, will enable broadcasters to deliver "a highly credible" 5.1 experience down to 192Kbps, and a stereo experience down to 96Kbps. "I am not a golden ear, and so for me it's difficult to hear the difference between 192 [Dolby Digital Plus] and 384 [Dolby Digital]," he noted.
The new codec, however, also supports lower and higher bit rates, up to 6Mbps, in fact. Dolby Digital Plus could therefore theoretically support high-quality audio in more than 5.1 channels on future prerecorded HD discs, said Dolby senior technical staff member Craig Todd.
"DD+ is convenient for consumers and broadcasters alike," a spokesman added. "It offers an end-to-end solution that brings compatibility to the mix. Because it's a format that is familiar to broadcasters, it will be simpler to implement in the station and in the set-top box."
Future ATSC TVs could also be built with ATSC tuners that up-convert the DD Plus stream to full Dolby Digital, Todd noted.
Backward-compatibility with existing DD decoders was necessary because almost one-third of U.S. households are already equipped with a home theater system, Eggers said.
Dolby also sees possible Dolby Digital Plus applications for DVD players. While playing a movie, for example, an interactive DVD player with a modem could log on to a studio Web site to stream interactive audio content, such as artist commentary, over bandwidth-constricted phone lines, Dolby said.
For future HD disc formats, Dolby has provided a "very flexible proposal" to the DVD Forum, Eggers said. The proposal could deliver more than 5.1 channels while being backward-compatible with existing 5.1-channel home theater systems, he noted. He declined to comment on whether the rival Blu-ray Group has been approached.
For future ATSC DTV sets, ATSC selected Dolby Digital Plus as a "candidate standard" that is now open for public comment and testing before it goes out for balloting. ATSC president Mark Richer expects it to become a formal standard late in the third quarter or early in the fourth.
The new audio codec could also be used by broadcasters with future ancillary video services that could be available under a planned Enhanced-VSB standard, Richer noted. E-VSB, which might be approved late in the fourth quarter, would enable broadcasters to send a secondary lower bit-rate video stream that would be more robust than typical DTV streams in low-signal conditions, he said. In one potential application, broadcasters could send news clips to laptops and PCs equipped with a DTV receiver.
DD may use NSS6 satellite for DTH
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr151.htm
NEW DELHI: Even as Indian pubcaster Doordarshan is fine-tuning its act to launch its proposed KU-band direct-to-home (DTH) television service via a non-Indian satellite early June, the Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms is the only private sector broadcaster to have offered at least five of its channels to DD's DTH platform on mutually agreed upon commercial terms.
"We are in the process of giving finishing touches to the DTH service, but it does not look like going on air before end of May or early June as the transponders have not been made available to us yet," Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma told indiantelevision.com, adding though an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation has been signed for transponder space on Insat satellites.
Though Sarma refused to spell out the details of the transponders, Prasar Bharati sources indicated that DD's DTH services is likely to be beamed initially via a New Skies Satellites (NSS)-owned 'bird' for which the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is negotiating for transponder capacity.
This has been necessitated as ISRO does not have additional and adequate transponder capacity on its exiting satellites, which are marketed under the brand name Insat. NSS is a Netherlands-headquartered satellite company and in recent times has been targeting the Indian market aggressively.
DD plans to launch its DTH service with a bouquet of 30-odd channels, out which 20 would be DD's own, while the rest private ones. The aim is to make the DD platform attractive enough for viewers by including some mass-based entertainment channels (like Star Plus, Sony, Sahara Manoranjan and Zee TV), even though the DTH service from the pubcaster is primarily targeted at those areas initially where cable and terrestrial TV signals are difficult to receive.
Though Prasar Bharati has sent feelers to private broadcasters like Star India and Sony Entertainment TV India, it is Zee Telefilms that has got back to the pubcaster saying that it is not averse to offering channels on mutually agreeable commercial terms.
"Prasar Bharati wrote to us and we said five free to air channels from the bouquet could be made available for DD's DTH service on commercial terms," a senior executive of Zee Telefilms told indiantelevision.com.
The Zee channels that have been offered --- subject to conclusion of revenue sharing deals --- include two Etc channels, the newly-launched religious channel Jagaran, Zee Music and Smile TV (a channel showcasing comedy-based soaps and films on Zee's own DTH service).
Pointing out that other pay channels like the bouquet flagship Zee TV could not be offered as DD's DTH platform will not be a paid encrypted service, the Zee executive added, "If they insist, we can add Zee News to the offer list."
When asked about Zee's offer, Sarma refused to make any comments, saying no deals have been signed yet. However in the past, he had indicated that Zee's Dish TV DTH service has included DD channels in the package without paying Prasar Bharati any money for the same --- an issue that he said would be taken up with the Zee management.
20/04/04
Live satellite chat tonight 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards
From my Emails & ICQ
From [email protected]
For Sale Satellite/FTA Meter
FOR SALE: Rover DL4-Digiline Dual Screen Combined Digital/Analogue RD-TV
CATV and Satellite Analyser. C/W with QPSK Demodulator Board/MPEG2
Board/DVB Terrestrial COFDM Demodulator Board and CAS Card Reader Board.
Less than 18 Months Old and in excellent Condition A$4500.00
All enquiries to [email protected]
From the Dish
No lyngsat report received
NEWS
INTERVIEW: NZ's Sky TV Says Has 563,559 Subscribers
From http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/040420/15/3jlvv.html
WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--Sky Network Television Ltd. (SKY.NZ), New Zealand's main pay TV company, has had a bounce back in subscriber growth following the lull during the Rugby World Cup in the last quarter of 2003, and Tuesday confirmed its full year earnings forecast.
Sky Television has 563,559 total subscribers as of Tuesday, up from the 548,041 at the end of December, chief executive John Fellet told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.
"We have had real good growth over the last few months," he said.
The growth of 15,518 subscribers in the first three and a half months of 2004 is a huge improvement over the growth of 5,150 during the Sky TV's fiscal first half year to the end of December, which suffered because the Rugby World Cup was shown on free-to-air television.
"The new channels have helped, because we're not getting any more on sport than we have had before," said Fellet.
Over the past 12 months, Sky TV has added UKTV, Disney and History channels to its network.
The company is still on track to meet its net profit forecast for the financial year to June 30, 2004 of NZ$28 million to NZ$35 million, Fellet said.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization is still expected at NZ$175 million to NZ$180 million, he said.
The company made a NZ$12.4 million net profit in the six months to Dec. 31.
Fellet said Sky TV is on track this fiscal year to report its lowest ever churn figure - a measure of how many subscribers disconnect their service.
Sky will increase the cost of subscribing to its digital satellite television service by an average 3.6% from June, Fellet said.
The increase will cover additional costs and keep the company on a sound enough financial footing to meet its goal of paying dividends to shareholders in coming financial years, he said.
Sky has never paid a dividend, but Fellet said he is hoping to announce the company's dividend policy before June 30.
Scientific-Atlanta Launches New PowerVu Digital Receiver
From Presss Release
AFRTS Selects New Receiver for Global Use to Deliver a More Convenient, Versatile Viewing Experience -
LAS VEGAS, April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NAB2004 -- American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS), one of the earliest adopters of Scientific-Atlanta's PowerVu® digital content distribution system, has begun to deploy a new version of Scientific-Atlanta's satellite receiver (Model D9834)(TM). The enhanced receiver is available for reception of AFRTS- delivered programming by US service men and women on land and aboard Navy ships, Department of Defense civilians, and their families stationed outside the continental United States.
The new receiver offers these expanded, convenient features for AFRTS viewers:
* Smaller footprint - Reduced size (compared to previous model) uses space more efficiently in entertainment centers or atop viewers' televisions.
* Factory presets - The AFRTS satellite tuning parameters are programmed into the receiver to provide quicker and simpler set-up. Additional user configurable pre-sets (up to 64 total) may be stored in the receiver.
* 10 Mbps Ethernet data port - Enables carriage of IP data services for delivery into corporate LAN/WAN networks. The Ethernet data port can be activated via a software download available early summer 2004.
"Scientific-Atlanta's longstanding relationship with AFRTS has produced a wide range of both analog and digital solutions that have helped them expand the availability of programming to American military forces," said Paul Kosac, vice president of market development, Media Networks/Headend, Transmission Network Systems at Scientific-Atlanta.
"As AFRTS has shared its needs with us, our response to meet those needs has delivered the products, such as the new D9834 receiver, that accompany the great technical support and innovation that Scientific-Atlanta has delivered to AFRTS since the 1980s."
In addition to reliable programming delivery and convenience for its viewers, AFRTS must have a secure distribution system that it can depend upon to protect its suppliers' valuable content. This new IRD will help AFRTS offer a state-of-the art, reliable entertainment experience for its military forces throughout the world, while confidently addressing the security concerns of the content owners.
Scientific-Atlanta's relationship with AFRTS spans over 20 years, and has grown from support for a single video program to over 10 video services, more than 11 stereo and several mono radio services, and three data services for content distribution.
"Over the years, AFRTS has pushed the performance limits to the maximum on every platform we have provided for them," Kosac said. "Reliable, high-quality performance is a 'must have' requirement for AFRTS and we're proud of the way our products have delivered for their troops."
The PowerVu D9834 Satellite Receiver, which ships with a hand-held remote control, is currently available for commercial order. This receiver is well- suited for secure delivery of programming to support a corporate communications network containing content such as video, audio and/or data broadcast. The D9834 can be used to deliver programming to hotels, multiple dwelling units (MDUs), homes and commercial establishments such as restaurants, retail stores, etc.
About AFRTS
AFRTS operates one of the world's largest private television networks, distributing programming over its PowerVu digital compression network via seven satellites to PowerVu receivers in 177 countries and US territories, and on board US Navy ships. The service is designed to "bring a touch of home" to the thousands of US military personnel, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians, and their families stationed overseas.
About Scientific-Atlanta
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. (NYSE: SFA - News; http://www.scientificatlanta.com ) is a leading supplier of digital content distribution systems, transmission networks for broadband access to the home, digital interactive set-tops and subscriber systems designed for video, high-speed Internet and voice over IP (VoIP) networks, and worldwide customer service and support.
"Forward-looking statements," as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may be included in this news release. A variety of factors could cause Scientific-Atlanta's actual results to differ from the anticipated results expressed in such forward-looking statements. Investors are referred to Scientific-Atlanta's Cautionary Statements (Exhibit 99.1 to the Company's most recent Form 10-Q), which statements are incorporated into this news release by reference.
Humax to Export $2 Mil. Set-Top Boxes to Russia
From http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/tech/200404/kt2004041917180911780.htm
Humax, the world's fifth largest set-top box maker, signed an agreement on Monday to supply $2 million worth of digital set-top boxes to Russia's largest digital cable TV broadcasting operator, Versatel JSC.
``The payment for the set-top box shipments will be made all in cash. We will supply the ND-1010c model, which has an interactive program guide function to the Russian cable TV broadcaster,'' said Jang Sae-chan, a Humax spokesman.
Jang said Humax was the first to directly supply satellite broadcasting receivers to the Russian channel among Korean set-top box supplier. They are currently the largest satellite broadcasting receiver supplier in Russia with more than a 50 percent market share.
``The deal with Versatel JSC is believed to contribute to our future export deals with cable TV broadcasters in the Eastern European market,'' said Jang.
CodecSys to Provide Full-Motion, Full-Frame Video Including High Definition At Fraction of Bandwidth
From http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Apr/1032855.htm
LAS VEGAS, April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Broadcast International (BULLETIN BOARD: BCST) , a pioneer in video-powered business solutions, today unveiled its Multi-Codec System -- CodecSys -- at The National Association of Broadcasters' NAB2004 tradeshow.
CodecSys employs real-time artificial intelligence systems to dynamically manage libraries of standard and specialized codecs to efficiently process a particular scene, or even frame, of video and then switches on the fly to another codec that is better suited to the next scene or frame. Exploiting the best attributes of multiple codecs enables 50 to 75 percent reductions in bandwidth compared to single codec solutions.
"CodecSys will have a dramatic effect on any application that employ's video broadcast technology," said Rod Tiede, president and CEO of Broadcast International. "Including high definition video, it can deliver full-frame, full-motion video at a fraction of the bandwidth of current technologies."
CodecSys allows video broadcasters to shift from single, generalist codec solutions to multiple and specialist codec systems. And, since CodecSys is a software solution, newly developed codecs can easily be incorporated into the system ending costly hardware obsolescence and re-encoding.
CodecSys cuts bandwidth significantly with full-screen, full-motion video including HD quality under 3 MB, DVD quality at 512 K, and VHS quality at 256 K.
"Soon we will complete our migration to digital, and as we do so we will have a greater need to produce high quality video in real time from the field," said Michael Declue, Clear Channel Television vice president director of engineering. "As a distributor of multi-channel television on the DTV spectrum any technology that allows us to dish out more video in a limited bandwidth environment can solve our remote capabilities immediately."
People today want high-quality video in full-screen, full-motion broadcast video without increasing network bandwidth, IT infrastructure and cost. Delivery platforms that benefit from CodecSys include: satellite, cable, Internet, LAN, and wireless networks. CodecSys will provide multi-codec compression for a variety of different applications including:
* Newsgathering -- CodecSys enables high quality remote broadcasts from virtually any location via an IP satellite network.
* Cable set-top boxes -- CodecSys will enable more channels to be delivered without increasing bandwidth, and provides more efficient video-on-demand.
* Home networking and video-on-demand -- The DSP or chip-based version of CodecSys would enable home networking equipment to deliver video-on-demand.
* Direct-to-home (DTH) satellite receivers -- CodecSys enables more channels without increasing bandwidth and delivers high-definition at much lower bandwidths.
* IP video conferencing -- CodecSys enables high quality videoconferencing at lower bandwidths over IP networks.
* Telemedicine -- Telemedicine applications have always struggled to get adequate quality over available bandwidths. CodecSys allows exceptional video quality over sub T1 networks.
CodecSys also enhances other bandwidth hungry applications including: streaming video and web casts, network TV programming, digital cinema, distance learning, security monitoring, online advertising, and digital signage.
CodecSys Technology is available immediately by contacting Broadcast International.
About Broadcast International
Broadcast International is a leading provider of video-powered business solutions, including IP and digital satellite, Internet streaming, and other types of wired/wireless network distribution. In addition, BI assists clients with video production, rich media development and a full range of network support services. CodecSys is a patent-pending technology that enables BI clients to enhance video quality at current bandwidths or reduce the cost of bandwidth while maintaining quality.
Broadcast International was founded in 1984 and is a public company (BULLETIN BOARD: BCST) headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. For more information, visit http://www.brin.com/ or call +1-801-562-2252.
Broadcast International, Inc.
CONTACT: A. Cory Maloy, [email protected], or David Hill,[email protected], both of Snapp Norris Group, +1-801-226-3223, for BroadcastInternational
Web site: http://www.brin.com/
Windows Media 9 Series Gains Broadcast Support
From http://www.connectedhomemag.com/HomeTheater/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=42402
Windows Media 9 Series has gained support from a handful of broadcast companies as well as from hardware and software production companies, Microsoft announced at the National Association of Broadcasters 2004 (NAB2004) trade show. Two consumer TV services, VOOM and US Digital Television (USDTV), announced that they will use Windows Media 9 Series to deliver programming, and companies including Adobe Systems, BOXX Technologies, and CineForm announced new Windows XP-based solutions for High-Definition (HD) video production.
VOOM, a satellite service launched late last year by cable- and content-provider Cablevision Systems, plans to use Windows Media 9 Series as a compression technology to offer additional stations to its customers. The service's primary offerings include HD programming and select regular (standard definition--SD) channels, such as Comedy Central, MSNBC, MTV, and TNT. VOOM designed its set-top box with the goal of using a next-generation compression technology to deliver additional programming in the limited amount of available satellite space. The company considered the MPEG-4 format but decided to use Windows Media 9 Series for SD channels later this year and for HD channels early next year. The technology will let the company double its offerings, offer better quality, and save money.
The other TV service, USDTV, will use Windows Media 9 Series later this year in 30 US markets to deliver 12 of the most popular cable channels through "over-the-air" digital terrestrial antennas. USDTV wants to provide an alternative for consumers who are looking for core cable TV programming at an inexpensive price.
Video professionals who want to use XP to edit HD content now have a solution. BOXX and CineForm announced new Adobe Premiere Pro-based hardware and software for enabling real-time editing on the XP platform. "The HD revolution on the Windows XP PC desktop has now begun," Dave Fester, general manager of Microsoft's Windows Digital Media Division, said. "For the first time, real-time multistream HD video editing is now a reality on the Windows XP desktop with new breakthrough solutions from Adobe, BOXX Technologies, and CineForm for professionals in video, film, and broadcast production."
In related news, Microsoft's goal of gaining standard approval for the compression technology used in the Windows Media Video (WMV) 9 codec (VC-9) recently took another step closer to reality. The Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE) Video Compression Technology (C24) Technical Committee recently elevated the VC-9 technology to Committee Draft status. "The elevation of VC-9 to Committee Draft status represents consensus that the basic structure of the document is correct and that we can now start on the detailed work," Peter Symes, SMPTE vice president of engineering, said. The creation of a standard based on VC-9 will make adopting the technology easier and more appealing for the broadcasting and entertainment industry.
PANAMSAT’S PASPORT TAKES BROADCASTERS ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE AROUND THE GLOBE
From Press Release
Worldwide Hybrid Network Delivers Quick, Easy Global Program Distribution in the Air and on the Ground
LAS VEGAS, NV, April 19, 2004 -- PanAmSat Corporation (NASDAQ: SPOT) today launched PASport, a global, on-the-spot broadcasting service for the transmission of breaking news and live events around the world.
Leveraging the power of PanAmSat’s 24-satellite fleet with its’ 22,000 mile video fiber network this new service gives broadcasters and video content producers access to PanAmSat’s global hybrid network from virtually every corner of the globe.
“PASport enables PanAmSat to combine its fiber service capabilities that stretch from Europe to Singapore, with over 400 satellite paths on 14 global satellites resulting in the world’s largest and most complete broadcast contribution network. With these assets, PanAmSat is even better positioned to provide seamless, high-quality global transmission solutions for our core broadcast customers,” said Mike Antonovich, senior vice president, sales and marketing of PanAmSat. “The fiber network complements and strengthens our world-class satellite fleet, enhancing our ability to offer complete door-to-door services in a single, managed solution. By combining the reach and ubiquity of satellites with the efficiency and economy of terrestrial fiber, PanAmSat provides even more options and alternatives for the transmission of video around the world.”
PanAmSat has interconnected over 24 access points or points of presence (POPs) throughout the world, easing the connectivity to existing satellite uplink facilities. Now locations that previously could not access satellites directly are able to connect to the PanAmSat fleet on a more efficient and cost effective basis. In addition to improving network access in media-intensive markets such as Paris, London, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Singapore, it marks the first time that PanAmSat has owned technical and network facilities in Europe.
About PanAmSat
PanAmSat Corporation (NASDAQ: SPOT) is one of the world’s top three satellite operators managing a global fleet of 29 satellites, 24 of which are wholly-owned by the Company, for the delivery of news, sports and other television programming. In total, this fleet is capable of reaching more than 98 percent of the world’s population through cable television systems, broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home operators, Internet service providers and telecommunications companies. In addition, PanAmSat supports the largest concentration of satellite-based business networks in the U.S., as well as specialized communications services in remote areas throughout the world. PanAmSat is 80.5 percent owned by The DIRECTV Group Inc. For more information, visit the company’s web site at www.panamsat.com.
The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (NYSE: DTV) is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment, broadband satellite networks and services, and global video and data broadcasting. The DIRECTV Group, Inc. is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is approximately 82 percent owned by News Corporation Ltd.
19/04/04
The ABA are investigating the Adult services broadcasting on NSS6 Details in the news section.
B3 Globecast mux Tamil Community radio is new on 12524V Apid 1121 Sid 16
TVNZ has started broadcasting onscreen "bugs" on Tv1 and Tv2 not sure if its a trial the transparency seems ok its not to noticable.
Sky NZ have put up prices AGAIN, and as for Sky Sports 3 I reckon it will be %90 replays of stuff on the other Sky Sports channels and the global world sports news channel they speak of sounds like Eurosports news.
Dear MR .X
At Sky , we work hard to make your service the best value that your entertainment dollar can buy. This involves holding costs as low as we can while at the same time adding additional channels, services and programmes that research tells us our subscribers want.
In the past year we have introduced three new channels, Disney Channel, UKTV and the History Channel. Other than Sky1 these three channels are the most viewed in our "Start-up" package. We will continue to seek additional options for our viewers.
Soon we are launching a new sports channel. SKY Sports 3 will allow us to cary more live sporting events, replays in prime time of key events you may have missed and in between times a sports news service covering the global sports world.
In spite of our best efforts we find that increased costs have now made a small adjustment to our subscription rates unavoidable.
Starting with your June bill your new monthly subscription will be $82.25 (Previously $79.25).
At Sky we'll always keep working to improve our service to you and look forward to continuing to provide you with great entertainment in the future.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve
'Bugs' on TVNZ Channels
The TVNZ channels, TV One and Channel 2, now have opaque logos on
the top-right-hand corner of the screen. Both on the Sky satellite
and also the terrestial transmitters (Mt Cargill).
Steve D
From Glenn Gibson
Videoland Sports FTA
Videoland Sports has been FTA on the Pas 8 TAS Mux for the past day or so.
(3860H 28000, 5/6)
Checked it a minute ago and its still there currently showing baseball.
There is an English program guide 'somewhere' on their site if you have the
patience to find it.
Took me ages to find it last time but forgot to bookmark it :o(
Here's the link to the website
http://sport.videoland.com.tw/
Cheers
Glenn
From Hans
TV5 - Asiasat 2 Version française
This message is only for people who have a parabolic antenna pointed towards the Asiasat 2 satellite and a digital receiver.
Changes have recently been made to the broadcasting of TV5 Asia. In fact, some "General Public" receivers now seem to be incompatible following technical modifications (which is not the case for professional receivers installed for Asian cable operators).
We are of course aware of the inconvenience caused and after investigating various technical possibilities we have set up a second broadcasting channel for TV5 on Asiasat 2, which will no longer pose any problem: this is channel 2 of the multi-channel package on Asiasat.
The reception settings remain the same. However, as TV5 is accessible on a MUX as part of the European multi-channel package, 5 channels are available on the same frequency: TV5, RAi, TVE, RTPI and DW. TV5 was initially in the 5th position, it is now in the 2nd position.
In practical terms, when all the settings are entered into the decoder all you have to do is flick from one channel to the next using the decoder remote control (as you would with a television remote) to select the channel that you want to see on the screen.
It is not necessary to modify the equipment or the antenna.
From Jon C Thailand
New Thaicom 2/3 KU Band
Thaicom 2/3 KU BAND
12567 - 25812 (9 T/P's playing test patten - all FTA)
12396 - 26667 = "PDR1" "Channel 11 - News 1" FTA
From the Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 10975 H "La Ferme Celebrites" has started on Mediaguard, PIDs 169/116.
PAS 8 166E 3815 V "Arirang TV World 2 has replaced Arirang TV Korea" on , PowerVu, SR 4400, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1120.
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "Videoland Sports" is Fta.
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "Life TV has replaced Phoenix InfoNews", Fta, PIDs 1104/1105.
AsiaSat 4 122E 3880 H "CBN" has left .
AsiaSat 4 122E 4162 H "MTA International" has left .
Palapa C2 113E 11472 V It's SBN - Scholar Business Network on , Fta, PIDs 2101/2102.
Palapa C2 113E 11472 V "Azio TV and Fashion TV India" have replaced ETTV Movie and Yoyo TV on, Viaccess, PIDs 2501/2502.
Cakrawarta 1 107.7E 2625 H "Xing Kong" has left .
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4020 V "Sahara Samay Mumbai" has started regular transmissions on , Fta, PIDs 515/680.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3669 VA BlueKiss promo has replaced the Malibu TV promo on , Fta, PIDs 2081/2082.
ST 1 88E All channels in the Space TV mux on 3632 V are Fta.
ST 1 88E 3582 H "TVBS Golden has replaced Azio TV" on , Fta, PIDs 44/35.
Insat 2E 83E 3819 V "DD Bihar and occasional DD Bihar feeds" have started on , Fta,SR 6250, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/650 and 513/660, zone beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3545 V A test card has started on , Fta, PIDs 337/338.
NSS 703 57E 4065 L Occasional feeds on , SR 6600, FEC 1/2, global beam.
Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
NSS 703 (57.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0570
==============================
Udaya TV INFO CARD on 3.808 (R): Udaya TV Has Left Replaced by Info Card, Will be available only in Digital Mode
OS download (DCP) on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1120,1160)
OS download (CCP) on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1120,1160)
Ch. 340 Dedicated Channel on 4.055 (V,25994,1460,1420,1460)
Ch. 428 IOR Audios 1-8 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1120,1160)
Ch. 430 IOR Audios 3-4,5-6 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1122,1160)
Ch. 431 IOR Audios 3-4,7-8 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1122,1160)
Ch. 432 IOR Audios 5-6,7-8 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1130,1160)
Ch. 434 IOR Audios 11-12,13-14 on 4.055 (V,25994,1222,1222)
Ch. 435 IOR Audios 13-14,15-16 on 4.055 (V,25994,1230,1230)
Ch. 436 IOR Audios 17-18,19-20 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1320,1160)
Ch. 441 IOR Audios 29-30,31-32 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1430,1160)
Ch. 444 IOR Audios 37-38,39-40 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1530,1160)
Ch. 445 IOR Audios 41-42,43-44 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1620,1160)
Ch. 446 IOR Audios 43-44,45-46 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1622,1160)
Ch. 447 IOR Audios 45-46,47-48 on 4.055 (V,25994,1160,1630,1160)
VOA News Now / Music Mix (Mongolia) (IOR 3 - Left audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): It has started
VOA News Now / Music Mix (E.Timor) (IOR 4 - Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): It has started. Additional programmes in Indonesian
Radio Sawa Sudan (IOR 7 & 8) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): It has started
VOA Music Mix (IOR 9 & 10) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): Replaced VOA / VOA News Now / VOA Music Mix / VOA East Timor
Radio Sawa Iraq (IOR 11 & 12) on 4.055 (R,25994,1222,1222): It has started
VOA News Now/Music Mix (South Iraq) (IOR 13 & 14) on 4.055 (R,25994,1230,1230): It has started
Radio Free Asia (IOR 17 & 18) on 4.055 (R,25994,1320,1160): It has started
Radio Free Asia (IOR 19 & 20) on 4.055 (R,25994,1322,1160): Replaced Voice of America
VOA (IOR 22 - Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1330,1160): Also carries Hindi & Russian services. Replaced Radio Free Europe
VOA News Now/Music Mix (IOR 27 - Left audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): Replaced VOA / Radio Liberty (Kabul)
RTVA (IOR 28 - Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): Replaced VOA (Bangladesh) / VOA News Now
VOA/Radio Liberty (Kabul) (IOR29 - Left audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): It has started
VOA News Now/Music Mix (Bang.Betar) (IOR30 - Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): It has started
Radio Sawa Levant (IOR 31 & 32) on 4.055 (R,25994,1160): It has started
VOA/Radio Liberty (IOR 37) (Left audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1530,1160): It has started
VOA/Radio Liberty (IOR 38) (Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1530,1160): It has started
Radio Liberty (IOR 39) (Left audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1532,1160): It has started
Radio Liberty (IOR 40) (Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1532,1160): It has started. Also carries Cantonese & English programmes
Radio Sawa Egypt (IOR 42) (Right audio) on 4.055 (R,25994,1620,1160): It has started
Radio Sawa Gulf (IOR 43 & 44) on 4.055 (R,25994,1622,1160): It has started
VOA / Music Mix (Djibouti) (IOR 45 & 46) on 4.055 (R,25994,1630,1160): It has started. Also carries French programmes
Feeds (MPEG TEST SERVICE) on 4.066 (L,6601,1160,1120,1160): It has Started
Feeds ( ) on 4.066 (L,6601,1160,1120,1160): It has Started
AL HURRA on 4.066 (L,6601,1160,1120,1160): It has Started
Feeds ( ALHURRA ) on 4.066 (L,6601,1160,1120,1160): It has Started
TVNZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC1IG1 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.161 (R,5632,512,650,8190)
NZ feeds (TVNZ-BBC2IT3 8m/b1 PAL) on 4.195 (V,5632,512,650,8190)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
INTELSAT 902 (62.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0620
==============================
DATA on 4.180 (V,31530)
Star TV - Sky News on 4.180 (V,31530,512,650,128)
BT 62E OU ch 1 on 4.180 (V,31530,513,660,129)
BT 62E OU ch 2 on 4.180 (V,31530,514,670,130)
Sky News Intl on 4.180 (V,31530,515,680,131)
At the Races on 4.180 (V,31530,516,690,132)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
INTELSAT 906 (64.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0640
==============================
Ciao FM on 11.478 (H,2200,7501): It has started
East Africa FM on 3.644 (R,13330,514): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
INTELSAT 704 (66.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0660
==============================
TV5 ASIE on 4.055 (R,27500,120,130,120)
CFI ASIE PRO on 4.055 (R,27500,220,230,220)
Route 66 on 4.055 (R,27500,320,330,330)
DASSAULT-IS704 on 4.055 (R,27500)
GCA-TEST on 4.055 (R,27500)
KATELCO-ASTA on 4.055 (R,27500)
KATELCO-ALA on 4.055 (R,27500)
DASSAULT-IS704-2 on 4.055 (R,27500)
RFI Francais on 4.055 (R,27500,1700,1700)
RFI Langues1 on 4.055 (R,27500,1701,1701)
RFI Langues2 on 4.055 (R,27500,1702,1702)
RFI Musique on 4.055 (R,27500,1703,1703)
RFI Palapa on 4.055 (R,27500,1700,1700)
RFI Cambodge on 4.055 (R,27500,1700,1700)
RFI French-Eng on 4.055 (R,27500,1700,1700)
RFI China on 4.055 (R,27500,1702,1702)
RFI Russia on 4.055 (R,27500,1701,1701)
RFI Kaboul on 4.055 (R,27500,1700,1700)
RFI WS Ouest on 4.055 (R,27500,1700,1700)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
PANAMSAT 4 (72.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0720
==============================
NTV feeds on 12.720 (H,6620): It has started
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
LMI 1 (75.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0750
==============================
TFC-ME on 12.610 (H,20000,255,256,255)
C-One on 12.610 (H,20000,767,768,767)
PCTV on 12.610 (H,20000,1023,1024,1023)
TFC-EU on 12.610 (H,20000,1279,1280,1279)
DZM on 12.610 (H,20000,1536,1536)
DWR on 12.610 (H,20000,1792,1792)
DATA on 12.610 (H,20000,51)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
TELSTAR 10/APSTAR IIR (76.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0765
==============================
Feeds on 12.270 (H,5207,1160,1120,1160): It has started
TTV on 12.553 (H,22425,2624,2625,2624): It's clear now
PTS on 12.553 (H,22425,2688,2689,2688): It's clear now
TCT World on 12.584 (V,22425,1616,1617,1616): It has replaced PTV-1
NRi on 4.037 (H,2300,33,36,33): New NID
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
THAICOM 2,3 (78.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0785
==============================
TGN on 12.480 (H,27500,522,750,8190): It's clear
RS20 on 12.562 (H,25776,524,5634,140)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
EXPRESS 6A (80.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0800
==============================
STS (+7h) on 11.660 (V,5100,2160,2120,2160): It's back
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
INSAT 2E, 3B (83.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0830
==============================
MANA-TV-1 on 11.558 (V,13328,33,34,33): It Has Started
MANA-TV-2 on 11.558 (V,13328,1057,1058,1057): It Has Started
MANA-TV-3 on 11.558 (V,13328,2081,2082,2081): It Has Started
MANA-TV-4 on 11.558 (V,13328,3105,3106,3105): It Has Started
MANA-TV-5 on 11.558 (V,13328,5153,5154,5153): It Has Started
DATA on 11.558 (V,13328): It Has Started
FEEDS on 11.627 (V,2000,4194,4195,4194): It Has Started
FEEDS on 11.642 (V,1900,512,513,512): It Has Started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
ST 1 (88.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0880
==============================
Taiwan Music Channel on 3.632 (V,26666,561,545,561): It's clear now
CASA on 3.632 (V,26666,5169,5153,5169): It's clear now
Taiwan Music Channel on 3.632 (V,26666,561,545,561): It's encrypted again
CASA on 3.632 (V,26666,5169,5153,5169): It's encrypted again
Savoir Knowledge Channel on 3.632 (V,26666,49,33,49): It's clear now
Taiwan Music Channel on 3.632 (V,26666,561,545,561): It's clear now
Schoolar Movie Channel on 3.632 (V,26666,1057,1058,1057): It's clear now
Rainbow on 3.632 (V,26666,1585,1569,1585): It's clear now
CTS on 3.632 (V,26666,2097,2081,2097): It's clear now
FTV News on 3.632 (V,26666,2609,2593,2609): It's clear now
Formosa TV on 3.632 (V,26666,3121,3105,3121): It's clear now
BBC World on 3.632 (V,26666,3633,3617,3633): It's clear now
CTV - China TV on 3.632 (V,26666,4145,4129,4145): It's clear now
CASA on 3.632 (V,26666,5169,5153,5169): It's clear now
Public TV Service on 3.632 (V,26666,6193,6177,6193): It's clear now
TTV on 3.632 (V,26666,7217,7201,7217): It's clear now
TTV on 12.642 (H,24000,33,36,33): It's clear now
CTV on 12.642 (H,24000,102,103,102): It's clear now
Formosa TV on 12.642 (H,24000,1163,1131,1163): It's clear now
CTS on 12.642 (H,24000,1164,1141,1164): It's clear now
PTS on 12.642 (H,24000,4194,4195,4194): It's clear now
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
INSAT 3A (93.5E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0935
==============================
ZEE TV on 11.510 (H,27500,160,80,160)
AUDIO 3 on 11.550 (H,27500,1306,1306)
AUDIO 4 on 11.550 (H,27500,1309,1309)
PHILIPS DOWNLOAD 1.1 on 11.550 (H,27500)
ETC 1 on 11.550 (H,27500,160,80,160)
ETC PUNJABI on 11.550 (H,27500,33,710,33)
REALITY TV on 11.550 (H,27500,162,88,162)
NEPAL 1 on 11.550 (H,27500,163,90,163)
CARTOON NETWORK on 11.550 (H,27500,164,96,164)
CNBC on 11.550 (H,27500,165,98,165)
CNN on 11.550 (H,27500,166,104,166)
DD-9 KARNATAKA on 11.550 (H,27500,167,106,167)
DD-5 PODHIGAI on 11.550 (H,27500,168,108,168)
DD NEWS on 11.550 (H,27500,169,110,169)
ETV TELUGU on 11.550 (H,27500,702,703,702)
BBC WORLD on 11.550 (H,27500,706,707,706)
AUDIO 5 on 11.630 (H,27500,1311,1311)
AUDIO 6 on 11.630 (H,27500,1313,1313)
KAIRALI on 11.630 (H,27500,160,80,160)
VISSA on 11.630 (H,27500,161,82,161)
CCTV 9 on 11.630 (H,27500,162,88,162)
DD INDIA on 11.630 (H,27500,163,90,163)
DD ORIYA on 11.630 (H,27500,164,96,164)
NDTV 24X7 on 11.630 (H,27500,165,98,165)
JAYA TV on 11.630 (H,27500,166,104,166)
TV 5 Asia on 11.630 (H,27500,167,106,167)
JAGRAN on 11.630 (H,27500,168,108,168)
MAA TV on 11.630 (H,27500,169,110,169)
GEO PAK on 11.630 (H,27500,159,114,159)
ESPN on 11.630 (H,27500,171,172,171)
AUDIO 7 on 11.670 (H,27500,1316,1316)
AUDIO 8 on 11.670 (H,27500,1319,1319)
SMILE TV on 11.670 (H,27500,160,80,160)
STAR SPORTS on 11.670 (H,27500,161,82,161)
FX MOVIES on 11.670 (H,27500,162,84,162)
ACTION CINEMA on 11.670 (H,27500,163,86,163)
CLASSIC CINEMA on 11.670 (H,27500,164,88,164)
PREMIER CINEMA on 11.670 (H,27500,165,90,165)
POGO on 11.670 (H,27500,166,92,166)
DD SPORTS on 11.670 (H,27500,167,94,167)
AAJ TAK on 11.670 (H,27500,168,96,168)
DD NATIONAL on 11.670 (H,27500,169,98,169)
TCT WORLD on 11.670 (H,27500,170,100,170)
SAB TV on 11.670 (H,27500,171,102,171)
GEO PAK on 11.630 (H,27500,159,114,159): It Has Started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
NSS 6 (95.0E)
http://www.satcodx3.com/0950
==============================
NTD TV on 11.544 (V,27500,1025,1026,1025)
Channel 208 on 12.594 (H,8970,640,641,640)
Onnuri1 on 12.728 (H,26400,512,650,128)
Onnuri2 on 12.728 (H,26400,513,660,129)
ENC3 on 12.728 (H,26400,514,670,130)
DD Bharti DD DTH on 12.650 (V,19546,512,650,8190): First Phase of DD DTH Has Started Testing
DD Sports on 12.650 (V,19546,513,660,8190): It Has Started Testing
DD India on 12.650 (V,19546,514,670,8190): It Has Started Testing
DD Feeds on 12.650 (V,19546,515,680,8190): It Has Started Testing
DD News on 12.650 (V,19546,520,730,8190): It Has Started Testing
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
ASIASAT 2 (100.5E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1005
==============================
APTN Feeds ()APTN GVW +442074827430) on 3.799 (H,5632,200,280,8190)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
TELKOM 1 (108.0E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1080
==============================
Data Service on 3.600 (V,25156): It has started
Data Service on 4.189 (V,2025): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
KOREASAT 3 (116.0E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1160
==============================
Comedy TV on 12.410 (H,27490,1552,1553,1552): TID/NID added
Q Channel on 12.410 (H,27490,1568,1569,1568): TID/NID added
SBS Drama + on 12.410 (H,27490,1584,1585,1584): TID/NID added
Nongsusan TV on 12.410 (H,27490,1600,1601,1600): TID/NID added
CCTV 4 on 12.410 (H,27490,1616,1617,1616): TID/NID added
KBS TV 2 on 12.410 (H,27490,1632,1633,1632): TID/NID added
Midnight Channel on 12.410 (H,27490,1648,1649,1648): TID/NID added
Beauty Channel on 12.410 (H,27490,1664,1665,1664): TID/NID added
LG Homeshopping on 12.410 (H,27490,1680,1681,1680): TID/NID added
SkyChoice on 12.410 (H,27490,1696,1697,1696): TID/NID added
OUN on 12.410 (H,27490,1712,1713,1712): TID/NID added
Citizen TV on 12.410 (H,27490,1728,1729,1728)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1561,1561)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1570,1570)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1571,1571)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1572,1572)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1573,1573)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1574,1574)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1575,1575)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1576,1576)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1577,1577)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1580,1580)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1581,1581)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1582,1582)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1583,1583)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1584,1584)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1585,1585)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1586,1586)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1587,1587)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1588,1588)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1589,1589)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1590,1590)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1591,1591)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1592,1592)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1593,1593)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1594,1594)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1595,1595)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1596,1596)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1597,1597)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1598,1598)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1599,1599)
Radio Service on 12.410 (H,27490,1602,1602)
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
APSTAR 1A (134.0E)
http://www.satcodx4.com/1340
==============================
ShenZhen TV Test Card on 4.044 (H,6930,160,80,8190): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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Weekly SatcoDX News 09 April 2004 - 16 April 2004
OPTUS B3 (152.0E)
http://www.satcodx5.com/1520
==============================
TCT World on 12.501 (H,30000,513,514,513): It has started
The God Channel on 12.501 (H,30000,769,770,769): It has started
SET Asia on 12.501 (H,30000,1260,1220,1260): It has started
ABC TV Northern on 12.689 (H,30000,832,833,832): It has started
WIN TV on 12.689 (H,30000,1536,1537,1536): It has started
Golden West Network on 12.689 (H,30000,2900,2901,2900): It has started
Dig Radio on 12.703 (V,30000,2321): It has started
SBS Western on 12.718 (V,12600,161,81,161): It has started
SBS World News on 12.718 (V,12600,162,83,162): It has started
SBS EPG on 12.718 (V,12600,163,85,163): It has started
WIN TV on 12.736 (V,14300,33,36,33): It has started
Golden West Network on 12.736 (V,14300,2910,2911,2910): It has started
(C) SatcoDX Inc. (C) TELE-satellite International magazine
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NEWS
ABA turns sights on satellite porn
From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/19/1082326139544.html
Television pornography channels beamed into Australia via satellite will come under the spotlight after the broadcasting watchdog today announced an inquiry into the services.
The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) will contact overseas broadcasters, satellite providers and their Australian-based marketers to test whether they are breaking local laws.
The subscription channels, some of which show hard-core porn movies, are available to anyone with a satellite dish, decoder and smart card for as little as $4 a week.
The content has not been vetted by Australian censors, but it is illegal to show pornography which involves violence, coercion, demeaning behaviour or minors.
Adult services including Free-XTV, Backroom, Sexz.TV and BlueKiss have started to sign up Australian subscribers and the inquiry will try to establish who the provider is in terms of broadcasting laws.
ABA investigator Jenny Brigg said while an overseas broadcaster might not be subject to Australian laws, local distributors or marketers would be.
"It's a test in that the legislation is clear, this sort of content is prohibited, but the question is, who is providing that content into Australia?" ABA investigator Jenny Brigg said.
"They look like they have got European bases but they are distributed in Australia and people are selling the cards and marketing them."
She said ABA staff would contact the broadcasters, marketers and satellite companies in coming weeks.
Sexz.TV has European content but lists an office in Sydney and distributors around Australia, while Blue Kiss operates out of London but satellite provider New Skies has an office in Sydney.
ABA commences investigation into adult satellite services
From http://www.aba.gov.au/abanews/news_releases/2004/35nr04.htm
NR 35/2004
19 April 2004
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has released terms of reference for an investigation into ‘adult services’ being broadcast into Australia from overseas via satellite. The ABA has received complaints concerning the apparent availability of ‘pornography’ on these adult services.
‘The broadcasting of program material that has been refused classification, or has been classified as ‘X’ by the Office of Film and Literature Classification is prohibited,’ said Professor David Flint, ABA Chairman. ‘A formal investigation will enable the ABA to consider all relevant material and reach a view on whether there has been a breach of the Broadcasting Services Act.’
The ‘adult services’ being investigated include: Free-XTV and Backroom, Sexz.TV and BlueKiss.
The investigation will be conducted into the following matters:
Into which category of broadcasting service, listed in section 11 of the Broadcasting Services Act, do these adult services fall?
What person or persons provide these adult services?
Do these services comply with the Broadcasting Services Act and any applicable licence conditions and codes of practice, or any international cooperative agreements, particularly with regard to program content?
What action, if any, should the ABA take in relation to its findings on the matters listed in paragraphs (a) to (c) above?
The ABA will seek further information from service providers before finalising a report.
The terms of reference are available on the ABA website.
http://www.aba.gov.au/tv/investigations/projects/adult_satellite/index.htm
http://www.aba.gov.au/tv/investigations/projects/adult_satellite/Terms%20of%20Reference_15April04.pdf
Media contact Donald Robertson, ABA Manager Media and PR on (02 (Number cutoff in press release)
(Craigs comment, Stay tuned things are about to get interesting. I can't see any way they can stop it)
A renewed debate on 'a la carte' TV
From http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/business/2004/04/18areneweddebateo.html
In the dream world of some television viewers, they would pay their cable or satellite companies only for the channels they want. Some might not pay for MTV, because they don't want their 8-year-olds watching it. Others would turn down ESPN Classic, because they've already seen the 1975 World Series. Others would eschew TeleFutura, because they don't speak Spanish.
Reality is far different.
No U.S. cable or satellite company offers what are called "a la carte" plans. In order to get the Discovery Channel from Comcast Corp., for instance, District of Columbia viewers have to pay for an "expanded basic" package that includes MTV, FX, MSNBC and 33 other channels.
That may change, if some lawmakers and consumer groups get their way, as the cable industry finds itself under increasing scrutiny. Lawmakers report that their constituents are angry about cable bills that have risen at three times the rate of inflation since the industry was largely deregulated in 1996. Others want government to do something about the rising incidence of profanity and nudity found on pay-television systems.
One possible solution being proposed is a la carte cable, a way to give consumers more choice over what they watch and how much they pay for it. But cable companies say it would cost too much.
Expensive set-top boxes would be needed to give consumers the pick-and-choose capability, and the upgrade could cost the industry billions of dollars. Companies would inevitably be forced to pass on some or all of the expense to subscribers.
"Frankly, that is where long-term the industry is going to go - to video-on-demand," said James Robbins, president of Cox Communications, whose system has 6.3 million subscribers. "But there's a $30 [billion] to $40 billion bridge to get there." Besides adding to the cost, cable companies say, selling channels individually might make it difficult for lesser-watched, niche channels to survive.
Under an a la carte system, top-rated cable channels such as USA Network would likely thrive because ratings suggest enough people would choose to buy it individually to make it worth a programmer's while. However, less-watched channels that serve distinct but smaller audiences, such as TechTV and BET, may not survive, because not enough viewers would pay for them. Under the current system, consumers effectively subsidize less-popular channels, which cable companies say provides diversity in the cable and satellite universe.
However, some consumer advocates and members of Congress don't buy that logic.
"When I go to the grocery store to buy a quart of milk, I don't have to buy a package of celery and a bunch of broccoli," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. "I don't like broccoli." He argues that it's not an either-or situation for cable companies: They could continue to offer packages for consumers who wanted them and a la carte for other viewers.
McCain is working with Consumers Union, the nonprofit organization that publishes Consumer Reports, to draft an amendment designed to make a la carte available.
The cable industry is urging the government not to return to the days when it regulated rates and demanded public access channels and other programming, arguing such mandates stifle innovation. But recent events have brought the industry unwanted congressional attention. Contract quarrels between cable networks such as ESPN and cable providers such as Cox have gone public, with each side blaming the other for higher cable bills for consumers. As a result, some members of Congress recently mulled setting limits on how much cable channels could charge distributors for each channel.
The industry is also under attack from people upset about content they consider indecent. Government decency rules and fines apply only to channels broadcast over the public airwaves, not to cable and satellite television, because courts have reasoned that subscribers elected to receive them. But McCain, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps and others have proposed extending the FCC's enforcement powers to cable channels because the industry does not give consumers enough options to drop individual channels they find objectionable.
The cable industry opposes the move. As an alternative, the cable industry's major trade group, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, proposes giving consumers - at no cost - the equipment needed to block unwanted cable channels in their homes.
India TV to go on air from Sunday
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/622783.cms
NEW DELHI: Putting all speculations to rest, television presenter Rajat Sharma's maiden 24-hour Hindi news and current affairs channel, India TV, will go on air from Sunday.
Relying on polls to push through his channel in the already crowded news space on tube, India TV will have on prime-time a daily three-hour Election special called ‘Chunaav Ki Baat’.
The programme will be co-hosted by Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka fame. The election special will lead to the formal launch of 24-hour programming on India TV in the third week of May 2004.
India TV has chosen to remain free-to-air and will be beamed from the PAS 10 satellite, which also beams channels such as Sony, Ten Sports, ESPN, HBO, MTV, BBC and CNN.
Sharma is also supported by his wife Ritu Dhawan in his latest venture. Dhawan has been trained in 24-hours news broadcasting at BSkyB, UK and has 16 years of experience in TV production and broadcasting. The channel claims to have deputed a reporter every 100 miles to give viewers a comprehensive coverage of elections.
Rajat Sharma's Hindi news channel ‘India TV' will have a daily three-hour election special which will be launched as a 24-hour channel from the third week of next month.
"Responsible reporting supported by world-class technology, fresh faces and an international look will make India TV different," Sharma said.
Supported by wife Ritu Dhawan, Rajat Sharma's latest endeavour also includes head of news Ramesh Parida, editor news services Hemant Sharma, head of distribution Arun Poddar and advertising and marketing head Sanjay Reddy.
The statement said India TV's broadcast centre at Noida is spread over 80,000 square feet and has fully automated digital newsrooms, four studio floors and computer-controlled lighting specially designed for 24-hour live news broadcast.
It said India TV will have a reporter "every 100 miles" and the channel will use fibre optic links for video transmission. These fibre optic links will connect 110 stations to the broadcast centre.
Sharma said the election special, called 'Chunaav ki Baat' will co-hosted by him and Tehelka chief Tarun Tejpal and the three-hour non-stop programme will carry out in-depth analysis of each day's election events
TELE-satellite News - Number 16/2004 18 April 2004 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by
TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A & P A C I F I C
AXN TO LAUNCH EAST ASIA FEED
SPE Networks' AXN Asia cable and satellite channel is
set to launch a second dedicated feed in the East Asia
region, specifically for Hong Kong and Thailand on May
3. According Nielsen Media Research data, AXN was the
top non-sports international channel in both full day
and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. primetime among the 15-44
demographic in Hong Kong from January 1 to March 31.
AUSTRALIA
FOXTEL DIGITAL PLANS SUFFER SETBACK
Only a month after Foxtel launched its digital
service, Australia's largest pay-TV operator has
suffered several setbacks that could upset its plans
to increase its customer base. Foxtel - jointly owned
by Telstra, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch - has been
forced to pull back its $15 million advertising
campaign in the face of problems installing the
service. It also got a slap in the face from the
Federal Government last week when Communications
Minister Daryl Williams failed to make any major
changes to the list of sports shown exclusively on the
free-to-air (FTA) networks. Foxtel's ownership is also
looking more complicated, after opposition
communications spokesman Lindsay Tanner said a Labor
government would force Telstra to sell its 50 per cent
of the pay-TV group. Packer's Publishing &
Broadcasting and Murdoch's News Corp are believed to
be keen to take control of Foxtel. However, it's not
clear News Corp would be allowed to increase its 25
per cent stake now that it plans to incorporate in the
US. On top of all of that, the increasing popularity
of DVDs is taking viewers away from both free-to-air
and pay-TV. According to OzTAM data, in the first
eight weeks of the ratings year, total prime time
viewing of broadcast and pay--TV fell 1.5 per cent
from the same period last year. Pay-TV was one of the
biggest losers with its share falling 8.1 per cent.
Foxtel spokesman Mark Furness said so far, sales of
its digital service had exceeded targets, with more
than 175,000 sales since the March 14 launch and more
than 40,000 homes connected. Foxtel's target of having
the service in 40 per cent of Australian homes by 2008
does not take into account a change in the
Government's anti-siphoning list, which guarantees
viewers will be able to watch most major sporting
events on free-to-air TV until at least 2010. However,
Foxtel was disappointed the Government had only
removed a few events, such as local football,
basketball, the International Grand Prix and Hong Kong
Sevens rugby, from the list.
CHINA HONG KONG
DISCOVERY AND SHANGAI MEDIA GROUP TEAM UP
The Discovery Channel is negotiating with Shanghai's
biggest media conglomerate on a joint venture to
produce television documentaries for Chinese
audiences, the companies said on April 14. "We're in
discussions with Shanghai Media Group," Beijing-based
Discovery Channel spokeswoman Connie Kang, told The
Associated Press. Kang refused to give other details
but said any deal would require approval from the
Shanghai Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
An executive at Shanghai Media Group, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said the Chinese media giant
planned to launch a new digital channel to carry
programmes jointly developed with the Discovery
Channel. Shanghai Media Group has a separate cable TV
documentary channel of its own. But the new, pay-TV
channel, would be aimed at "higher end" audiences, he
said. The deal would involve joint production of
documentaries in China. State-controlled Shanghai
Media Group, China's second largest entertainment
conglomerate, already has an alliance with American
media group Viacom Inc., the owner of the CBS,
Nickelodeon and MTV television networks. According to
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, the company is
also in talks with Time Warner and Disney about
co-producing television shows.
HKBN OPTS FOR CISCO TECHNOLOGY
Cisco Systems on April 15 announced that Hong Kong
Broadband Network Ltd (HKBN), a subsidiary of the City
Telecom Group, has deployed the Cisco Optical Core
Network solution to build a high-availability,
high-bandwidth network for its new digital pay-TV
service. The Cisco solution has provided HKBN with
extensive bandwidth and multi-service capability to
generate additional revenue streams and achieve
substantial cost savings for its continuous business
expansion. In 2002, HKBN established the world's
largest Metro Ethernet broadband network with Cisco's
Metro Ethernet Switching solution, realizing its goal
as a "triple-play operator" in offering voice, data
and video services over a single network. HKBN is one
of the major operators in the fixed telecom network
service market in Hong Kong, extended its network
coverage to 1.2 million homes passed, representing 60%
of the total number of households all over Hong Kong
by the end of 2002.
Internet http://www.hkbn.net
INDIA
INDIAN UNIVERSITY TO LAUNCH TV CHANNEL
UNIVERSITI Teknologi Mara (UiTM) will soon be
operating its own TV channel making it the first
university to have such facilities. This has been made
possible through collaboration with Network Guidance
Sdn Bhd (NGSB). It will be called Fine TV. UiTM
Vice-Chancellor Datuk Seri Prof Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NGSB
managing director Ida Rahayu Datuk Mohd Noor recently.
In his speech, Prof Ibrahim said that UiTM has 22
faculties spread over 12 branch campuses, three
satellite campuses and six city campuses. It offers
over 200 programmes.
DISH TV ADDS FIVE NEW TV CHANNELS
Dish TV, India's first DTH service from ASC
Enterprises, has signed exclusive deals with five
international channels: Eurosport news, Fashion TV,
English music channel Trace by MCM, nature sports
channel Malibu TV and lifestyle Platinum TV Network.
The service has so far garnered over 100,000
subscribers. Dish TV, which started with 48 channels
last year, added ESPN and STAR Sports recently to take
its bouquet offering to 50. The company recently
indicated its plans of doubling its channel bouquet to
100 by April-end. The service, which offers channels
from various genres, also includes exclusive
international and movie channels such as FX (English
action movies) and Smile TV (comedy) as part of its
'basic plus' package. Other channels include ones from
Zee Turner distribution alliance, state-owned
Doordarshan bouquet and BBC World, CNN, Aaj Tak and
regional channels.
IRAQ
IRANIAN SUPREME COUNCIL TO SET UP TV NETWORK
The political advisor to the head of Iraq's Supreme
Council of the Islamic Revolution (SCIRI) has said
that a satellite news network is to be set up in Iraq.
Speaking to ISNA's international politics
correspondent, Sayyid Muhsin [al-] Hakim, political
advisor to the head of Iraq's Supreme Council of the
Islamic Revolution, added: The council is making
preparations to set up this network. The network may
be called Al-Furat and will broadcast programmes to
the whole of Iraq. Hakim stressed: Presently, local
television stations broadcast the council's programmes
in Basra, Najaf and Kut. During the next few days, a
television network will be set up in Baghdad. In
addition, the council is making preparations to set up
a radio station to broadcast programmes to the whole
of Iraq.
EGYPTIAN BUSINESSMAN TO LAUNCH IRAQI TV CHANNEL
A billionaire Egyptian businessman, whose company
heads a consortium operating a mobile phone service in
central Iraq, and another Egyptian firm plan to start
a private TV station in Iraq, company officials said
April 13. The station, to be initially called "Hawa"
or Arabic for "air," is expected to hit the air waves
in early June and carry content driven by news and
entertainment. Orascom Telecom company heads the
consortium that was awarded the license to operate the
IRAQNA, or "our Iraq," mobile phone network, will fund
70 per cent of the $25 million start-up costs for the
TV station, while Video CairoSat, an independent
Egyptian news provider, will fund 30 per cent of the
project. The channel will operate terrestrially for
the first six months before being transmitted via
satellite to gain a wider Middle Eastern audience.
Advertising will be the station's main revenue source
and the consortium didn't expect to make any profits
in the first five years. The Iraq Communications and
Media Commission, set up on 24 March by US
administrator Paul Bremer, has yet to announce the
result of more than 60 applications which have been
submitted for licences to set up TV and radio stations
in the country. At least two other new satellite
channels aimed at Iraqi viewers - Al-Sharqiya and
Al-Diyar, run by Iraqi media tycoons Sa'd al- Bazzaz
and Faysal al-Yasiri - are due to start transmission
soon.
JAPAN
WOW OPTS FOR CONAX
Conax, a supplier of conditional access technology for
digital TV, is to supply CAS to World On Wireless
(WOW) of Bermuda, which will provide a broad range of
television channels from the US, Canada and Europe
using a UHF Wireless Cable System. WOW owns Bermuda's
exclusive UHF Wireless Cable System licence to provide
TV channels of digital subscription television and the
required capacity for two-way communications for
high-speed Internet, data and telephony to all
residences and businesses. WOW will use the Conax CAS5
conditional access system to encrypt the digital
signals and to control the services that are provided
to each customer's Set-Top-Box. The Conax CAS5 system
will be linked to WOW's Subscriber Management System
that supports billing, customer information systems,
customer invoices and management reports based on
services received.
MALAYSIA
RTM1 GOES INTERNATIONAL
RTM1 will have correspondents in ASEAN countries as
the channel proceeds with its plan for a
round-the-clock international broadcast, Deputy
Information Minister Datuk Donald Lim said on April 9.
Lim said the Ministry officials had visited two
satellite companies in Hong Kong last year, the
established Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company
(AsiaSat) and its competitor Asia Pacific
Telecommunications (APStar), to help with the
international broadcast. He said the Ministry was now
waiting for the Finance Ministry to approve the RM7
million needed to launch the broadcast. He said an
annual sum of RM2 million would be needed to maintain
it. According to Lim, Information Minister Datuk
Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir has yet to decide on
the actual date of the broadcast but said that it
could possibly start by the middle of this year.
NEW ZEALAND
MAORI TELEVISION PROVES A HIT
Seven out of 10 Maori have watched the new Maori
Television channel, a survey has found. The AC Nielsen
survey, commissioned by Maori Television, found 69 per
cent of those surveyed had watched the channel in the
10 days after its introduction on March 18. The same
number said they were likely to watch the publicly
funded channel in the coming week, and 84 per cent of
the 400 Maori aged over 15 surveyed said they were
aware of Maori Television. The nationwide survey was
done in the 10 days after the channel went to air. Of
those surveyed, 12 per cent were fluent in Maori, 78
per cent had basic language skills, and 10 per cent
were not Maori speakers. It is the first clue as to
how the channel is faring since its launch 2½ weeks
ago. Its ratings will not be issued for three months.
PAKISTAN
TWELVE SATELLITE TV LICENSES TO BE AWARDED
It has been decided in principle to award licenses to
twelve Pakistani companies for operation of satellite
television channels in the country. The decision to
this effect was taken at a meeting of the Pakistan
electronic media regularity authority held in
Islamabad on April 15. Already ten licenses have been
granted by the authority for operation of satellite
television channels in the country this year. In order
to liberalize and ease restrictions on cross media
ownership of electronic media the Authority decided to
setup a working group to formulate recommendations for
making amendments in the PEMRA ordinance and PEMRA
rules 2002. The PEMRA has awarded licenses for
establishment of FM radio stations and cable TV
operations in the country. It has taken wide ranging
steps to promote electronic media in the private
sector in the country with the objective of giving
greater access to the people of Pakistan to the mass
media and for raising standards of information,
education and entertainment.
SOUTH KOREA
MBC TO INVEST IN MOBILE TV VENTURE
Munwha Broadcasting Corp. (MBC), one of South Korea's
three major television networks, will invest 6.5
billion won (US$5.7 million) in a mobile TV venture
initiated by SK Telecom Co., the country's biggest
cell-phone carrier, according to venture firm TU Media
Corp. on April 12. The investment is equivalent to a 5
per cent stake in TU Media, the company official said.
TAIWAN
SCOPUS GETS CSTV CONTRACT
Tel-Aviv based Scopus, a supplier of digital
compression technology for the broadcasting industry,
announced it has been selected to upgrade Chinese
Satellite Communications' 'C-Skynet' direct-to-home
(DTH) satellite broadcasting system. Taiwan-based CSTV
is utilizing Scopus digital broadcasting platforms to
expand its reach for 'C-Skynet' among Chinese speaking
populations across the Asia-Pacific region to 80
channels from 30 channels previously. At its Taiwan
head-end, CSTV can now transmit over seven
transponders and has an upgraded CAS. The company will
also upgrade MTV Networks Asia's digital broadcast
capabilities in the Asia Pacific region. The regional
broadcaster, based in Singapore, will be utilising
Scopus' digital broadcast platforms to further improve
quality content distribution through its various
satellite uplinks to China, Hong Kong, India, Japan,
Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and
Taiwan.
TURKMENISTAN
CONTRACTORS FOR FOURTH TV CHANNEL APPROVED
President Niyazov signed on April 12 a decree to award
contracts for establishment of fourth channel of
Turkmen TV. He also instructed the minister of culture
and information to improve the standard of TV
programmes. The fourth TV channel is supposed to
broadcast in six foreign languages including Russian,
English, Farsi, Arabic and Chinese. French company
Bouygues would do the civil work for the new channel
and provide studio hardware. The facilities should be
ready for operation by June 30. British company
Eurasia Trans Ltd. would supply studios, mobile TV
studio and related equipment. The delivery should be
made by May 30 and the Ministry of culture and
information would act as the client for the project.
A F R I C A
IVORY COAST
RTI BROADCASTING VIA SATELLITE
Transmissions by Channel One television station and
national radio stations can now be received all over
sub-Saharan Africa. From Libya to Senegal and South
Africa, via Madagascar, the transmissions of the RTI
[Ivorian Radio and TV, government-owned broadcast
media company] will be received on the Intelsat
satellite. This is the first phase of the digital
transmission programme. According to Paul Alfred
Kadio, [RTI] director-general's advisor for
international affairs, this innovation is ongoing and
will cover Europe and the United States, he stated.
But paradoxically, the transmissions are not received
in the north and northwest of the country.
18/04/04
No update Sunday
17/04/04
No update Saturday
16/04/04
Superbird 6 launched to 158E with no problems
You can see a log of the launch plus the launch itself on the links posted yesterday.
Abu Dhabi channel has left 12658V on B3(still on 12524V) has been replaced by JCTV (was colour bars this afternoon) I would say just a shuffle to get all the arab channels on the one transponder.
Latest Satfacts magazine contains, "No card , no Cam Pay TV without paying (Explanation of how it works)" "American TV in the Pacific report". "Marketing and installing FTA systems" "Divitone receiver report" "Dreamcrypt new C.A format"
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve
Telkom 1 FTA.
Some chanels on Telkom are FTA. ATM. including Hallmark, CNBC, BBC and some other Indonesian but nothing to get worked up over.
From MR Humax
Telkom1 FTA
3500 H is running FTA... again
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 3744 V New PIDs for BBC World on : 1160/1120 and 1460/1420.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4106 V Occasional PTV feeds on , SR 3333, FEC 3/4.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4140 V "Zee TV Asia" has started on , enc., PIDs 100/101.
NSS 6 95.5E 12650 V DD Bharati, DD Sports, DD India, DD News and occasional DD feeds have started, Fta, SR 19546, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/650-520/730,
Indian beam.(Indian Govt DTH mux)
Insat 3A 93.5E 3912 V The test card has left . New PIDs for Cine World: 264/265.New SR: 2950.
Yamal 201 90E 3908 L "Rambler TeleSet (+0h)" has left .
Intelsat 709 85.2E 11486 V "ATV Home Channel and ATV World Channel" have left .(Hong Kong beam)
(W Zaremba)
NEWS
LS Successfully Launches Superbird-6 Satellite for Japan
From http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Apr/1032073.htm
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --(Business Wire)-- April 15, 2004 -- The Superbird-6 satellite is in orbit tonight thanks to a successful launch on an Atlas IIAS rocket provided by International Launch Services (ILS).
Liftoff of the Atlas vehicle, built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), was at 8:45 p.m. EDT (00:45 April 16 GMT). The rocket released the satellite into its target transfer orbit 30 minutes later.
This was the fourth launch conducted this year by ILS, a Lockheed Martin joint venture. It also was ILS' second launch for Space Communications Corp. of Tokyo. Both Superbird spacecraft are 601 model satellites from Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS) of Los Angeles.
"We appreciate that SCC again placed its confidence in ILS and Atlas," said ILS President Mark Albrecht. "And we're delighted to have a role in inaugurating new telecommunications services in the Western Pacific region."
Albrecht added: "Tonight's launch marks the 80th mission since the start of the commercial Atlas program. I want to acknowledge BSS and the team that builds the 601 model - 26 of these satellites have flown on Atlas rockets of various configurations over the last 11 years. So this launch is a reunion of a winning trio of companies."
The vehicle flown tonight was the 28th in the Atlas IIAS configuration. Two more flights of this model are scheduled in the next two months. This mission also was the second in two months carrying a satellite for Japan. On March 13, another Atlas rocket carried the MBSAT satellite for Mobile Broadcasting Corp. of Japan, in which SCC is an investor.
The Atlas launch vehicle line has proven its operational reliability over 71 consecutive successful flights since 1993. The current generation of vehicles has a wide performance range for payloads ranging from approximately 3 metric tons to 10 metric tons, with either a 4-meter or 5-meter diameter fairing.
ILS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Russian rocket builder Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. ILS markets and manages the missions on the Atlas rocket in the United States at both Cape Canaveral and at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; and on the Proton rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Together ILS Atlas and Proton vehicles have launched more than 30 satellite payloads for commercial services in the Asia-Pacific Rim.
ILS was formed in 1995, and is based in McLean, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C.
The Atlas rockets and their Centaur upper stages are built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in Denver, Colo.; Harlingen, Texas; and San Diego, Calif.
Atlas rocket carries Japanese commercial satellite aloft
From http://www.forbes.com/technology/sciences/newswire/2004/04/15/rtr1334286.html
Reuters, 04.15.04, 10:07 PM ET
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 15 (Reuters) - An Atlas 2 rocket carrying a Japanese communications satellite made a picture-perfect nighttime launch from Cape Canaveral on Thursday, lighting the Atlantic seaboard in central Florida like a shimmering torch.
The 8:45 p.m. EDT (0045 GMT Friday) liftoff followed a perfect countdown and extended the string of successful launches by Lockheed Martin's Atlas to 71, dating back to 1993.
This was the fourth launch of the year for International Launch Services, a partnership between Lockheed Martin and the Khrunichev State Research Center in Russia, according to International Launch Services.
The 3.5-tonne Superbird 6 satellite separated from the Atlas upper stage about 30 minutes after liftoff. It will be operated by Space Communications Corp. of Tokyo and provide home and business video and data services to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea and Hawaii.
The satellite was built by Boeing Satellite Systems, a subsidiary of Boeing Co. (nyse: BA - news - people)
Boeing Satellite President Dave Ryan told Reuters that while commercial satellite customers make up a shrinking share of the company's business, following a glut of launches in the late 1990s, the U.S. government is more than making up for that drop-off.
Ryan said satellites serving the U.S. armed forces and intelligence agencies will grow from $7 billion in business in 2003 to about $17 billion a year in the next decade.
"As we've seen in the Middle East and Afghanistan, when you need communications quickly, you also need a lot of it," said Ryan. The government is reaching the point where every military radio will be able capable of contact with every other military radio on the planet, not only for audio communications but also for data and streaming video, he said.
"What we expect is about two-thirds government, one-third commercial for the next few years," Ryan said.
Twelve Satellite Television Licenses To Be Awarded To Pakistani Companies
From http://www.paknews.com/flash.php?id=9&date1=2004-04-16
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan : April 15 (PNS) - It has been decided in principle to award licenses to twelve Pakistani companies for operation of satellite television channels in the country. The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Pakistan electronic media regularity authority held in Islamabad Thursday.
Already ten licenses have been granted by the authority for operation of satellite television channels in the country this year. In order to liberalize and ease restrictions on cross media ownership of electronic media the Authority decided to setup a working group to formulate recommendations for making amendments in the PEMRA ordinance and PEMRA rules 2002. The PEMRA has awarded licenses for establishment of fm radio stations and cable TV operations in the country.
It has taken wide ranging steps to promote electronic media in the private sector in the country with the objective of giving greater access to the people of Pakistan to the mass media and for raising standards of information, education and entertainment
Starz CEO John J. Sie Predicts Movies Will Premiere on Cable, Satellite
From http://www.prnewswire.com/
Advent of HDTV, Broadband VOD Platform, Compelling Economics Will Drive Studios to Show Films First in the Home Before Theatrical Release
Home Debut Could Generate First-Day Revenues of $200 Million per Film Within Next Decade
BOSTON, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz Encore Group Chairman, Founder, and CEO John J. Sie today predicted that movies will regularly premiere on cable
and satellite, rather than in theaters within the next ten years.
Sie told the Harvard Business School Media Conference that the widespread adoption of high definition television sets by consumers and ubiquitous deployment of VOD platforms enable millions of Americans to have a theater-like experience in their homes, and that the economics of the movie business will drive studios to make use of this audience to debut their films.
"Last year, the theatrical screenings of films generated about $5 billion in revenue for the studios," Sie told members at the conference, "compared with $4 billion from cable and satellite. Clearly we are rapidly approaching the tipping point where it will make more sense for studios to release their films first on cable and satellite, and later in the theaters."
Releasing a film on satellite and cable can save millions in distribution costs, Sie pointed out. "And the economics are irresistible." Sie noted that there are about 5 million HD capable sets in the United States today. In the next decade, that figure will likely rise to 50 million or about 50% of US television households.
"If a major studio can debut a film at a price of $19.95 (about what it costs two people to go to the theater) and attract 20% of HD homes to watch,that would generate $200 million in revenue on the opening day, a blockbuster number in anybody's book," he said.
Sie did not forecast the demise of the movie theater. "Millions of Americans still love the experience of getting out of the house and going to a theater and always will," he said. "But in the future, big films will debut in the home and create the buzz for their theatrical releases, rather than the other way around."
Sie, a 30-year veteran of the cable and satellite business, has played a key role in many television breakthroughs, including two-way cable, the packaging of multiple premium networks, the digital standard for High Definition Television, and multiplexed thematic premium television channels.
Starz is the largest provider of premium movie services in the United
States with approximately 151 million pay units. Starz offerings include the
Starz Super Pak(R), with up to 13 digital movie channels and more than
750 movies per month, Starz On Demand(R), the only on-demand pay TV
subscription service available on cable, satellite, and broadband platforms,
and a suite of advanced video offerings, including STARZ! HD(SM), Encore
HD(SM), and Starz On Demand HD(SM). Starz is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L, LMCb), http://www.starz.com.
(Craigs comment, won't the Pirates love this....)
Court asks Ten to furnish financial details on cricket
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr125.htm
NEW DELHI: The cricket series is about to get over, but the fight between Doordarshan and Ten Sports continue; with the former today asking the latter in the Supreme Court to make available financial details and the benefits that accrued to it by relaying the cricket matches on DD too.
On the basis of the application filed by Prasar Bharati, a bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare and Justices N Santosh Hegde and SB Sinha, asked Taj India (Pvt) Ltd., the Indian representative of Ten Sports' Dubai based parent company, to file all relevant documents pertaining to the query raised by Prasar Bharati on or before 3 May, the next date of hearing.
According to agency reports, appearing for the national broadcaster, Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee submitted that for the purpose of calculations of losses, the release (advertisement) orders received by the Indian concern of Ten Sports and its sub-distributor HMA Udyog Ltd. (a KK Modi company) were of extreme importance.
Keeping this in mind, the national broadcaster had asked for seven documents to ascertain the exact relationship between Taj TV Ltd., Dubai and Taj TV (India) Pvt Ltd. and Ten Sports and the relationship between Andrew Kumar with Taj TV Ltd., Dubai/Taj TV (India) Pvt Ltd. and HMA Udyog Ltd., news agencies said basing their reports on the court proceedings.
The national broadcaster also wanted to know "the revenue generated" by Ten Sports from the telecast of India-Pakistan cricket series thus far including the revenue generated as a result of transmission of the logo and advertisements of Ten Sports on Doordarshan.
Ten Sports, which is the exclusive rights owners for broadcasting the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket series, had earlier refused to share the terrestrial rights with DD.
Modi Entertainment Network, which is the exclusive distributor of Ten Sports in India, today claimed it had suffered huge losses because of the telecast of the event by Doordarshan and the arbitrators to be appointed by the apex court should quantify the same.
Since the Chief Justice will retire before the next date of hearing in the matter, it was directed that in his place Justice SB Sinha would be the third judge on the bench.
Ten had moved the SC last month after a Chennai high court ruled in favour of DD. The apex court, in an interim order in March on the eve of the first one-dayer between India and Pakistan, had directed that DD should relay Ten signals. Later the court added that the relay should be done in toto - logo and advertisements booked by Ten - in public interest as DD was airing its own ads, a fact protested at by Taj India.
The court had also asked DD to deposit Rs 500 million with it as surety towards compensation payable, if any, to Ten Sports in regard to the dispute.
15/04/04
Sorry things a bit late today. Not much happening
Get the very latest info on the launch of Superbird 6 at the link below
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/ac163/status.html
and of course live video of the launch here
http://streamvox.ninesystems.com/ils/041504/
From my Emails & ICQ
Nothing to report
From the Dish
JCSAT 2A 154E 3915 V New SR for BYU TV on : 4166.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 12276 H Occasional China Telecom feeds on , SR 6111, FEC 3/4.
ST 1 88E 3657 H "Golden TV" has left .
PAS 10 68.5E 4034 H The test card has left .
NEWS
Rocket poised to launch tonight Satellite to help TV news gathering, Internet access
From http://www.floridatoday.com/news/space/stories/2004a/spacestoryN415SUPERBIRD.htm
CAPE CANAVERAL -- The stars should be shining as a communications satellite launches tonight on an Atlas 2AS rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The 45th Weather Squadron is predicting an unusually perfect evening, with a zero percent chance of bad weather violating launch rules.
"Everything's going great," Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Julie Andrews said Wednesday. "The final launch readiness review took place this morning at 9. There are no issues being worked for the launch vehicle and the satellite. The weather is perfect. What more could you ask?"
Superbird-6, built by Boeing Satellite Systems, will join a constellation of communications satellites.
Launched by International Launch Services on behalf of Space Communications of Tokyo, it will provide business communications to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea and Hawaii.
The satellite will assist in such areas as TV news gathering, distance learning and Internet access, according to Boeing.
The launch window extends from 8:45 p.m. to 9:18 p.m. EDT. For updates during the countdown, visit our launch journal at floridatoday.com
Scramble to show Lonhro's last race
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9281355%255E7582,00.html
FANS of champion racehorse Lonhro declare there are three certainties in life: death, taxes and Lonhro. But as the black flash prepares for his farewell appearance in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Sydney's Randwick racecourse on Saturday, the odds are that most of his admirers will not be able to watch the race
Especially cruelly, unless they can get to the track and watch him live, it's the fans in the imperious stallion's home town of Sydney who are most likely to miss out.
Thanks to an internecine dispute between NSW TAB Ltd and the Sydney race clubs over broadcast rights, no Sydney thoroughbred races have now been aired on the TAB-owned Sky Racing pay-TV channel, or beamed to pubs and clubs through the Sky satellite service, for a month. And no one believes that's about to change by Saturday.
Australian Jockey Club spokesman Jeremy Wilshire says the club has approached all the free-to-air networks about televising the race, with no success so far.
"If I was a betting man I'd say it won't happen," he says. "That the majority of punters are not going to see . . . Lonhro run his last race is disappointing for the club and the industry."
A TAB spokesman says the organisation is "horrified" at the thought of punters not being able to see the race, but can do nothing.
"It's not for want of trying to get a deal done," he says. "We have put out a number of overtures (to the racing clubs) in recent weeks but there hasn't been any real progress. It's bad news for pubs and clubs and it's bad news for punters."
Every year the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing codes otherwise known as the racers, pacers and chasers hold 5600 meetings comprising some 56,000 individual races. And for almost two decades Sky Channel has had a monopoly on the audio-visual broadcast rights to those races.
The rights to the 123 metropolitan thoroughbred meets held annually in Sydney belong to the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club. Sky has been paying them $4.5 million each a year for the rights. But when negotiations over a new rights deal started last October the turf clubs held out for more money and more control. Talks have been dragging on fruitlessly ever since.
Last month the existing deal expired and Sky's coverage of all races from Sydney's four thoroughbred racetracks ended.
"It isn't a case of Sky just turning off the pictures," says the TAB spokesman. "It's a case of on March 4 Sky losing the legal right to show Sydney thoroughbred racing."
Meanwhile the roughly 10 per cent of the population officially designated as punters (people who bet at least once a week) are suffering. Although TAB-owned Sydney racing station 2KY is still calling, punters hate betting on races they can't watch.
Their misery has reached its peak this week with the running of the Easter Carnival, the biggest racing event of the year in Sydney and after the Melbourne Cup the second most important in the nation.
If they have to miss Lonhro's final race as well, cats may be kicked.
Theoretically, Melbourne and Brisbane punters have been able to watch the Sydney races on their local community TV channels, thanks to weekly deals struck between the channel operators and the Sydney turf clubs. But many have not been able to tune into them.
And NSW form students have not even had that option. Aside from going out to the course, the only vision available to them has been a broadband broadcast on the AJC website.
It's a dire state of affairs and one the AJC and the STC say they are determined never to see again. To that end, they have come up with a bold scheme with the potential to change the face of race broadcasting radically and for good or at least for long enough to give themselves more leverage in their dickering with Sky.
As of last weekend, says Wilshire, "we have started our own racing channel. It will show all AJC and STC races from now on. And we are scurrying around to roll that out to as many pubs and clubs in Sydney as we can."
For months the AJC and the STC have threatened to do the seemingly unthinkable and set up their own channel to take on Sky. What at first seemed like mere bargainer's bluff became reality at 1pm last Friday when Australia's newest TV channel so new it doesn't even have a name yet, but is being provisionally called Sydney Races TV beamed its first test transmission into Sydney's Clovelly Hotel.
Heading the fledgling operation is one of the best respected names in TV sport, Gary Burns, who until a surprise parting of the ways at this time last year was for 17 years head of sport at Nine. Now running his own production and consulting business, Burns Broadcasting, he says he was approached by the Sydney turf clubs to get the new channel up and running just six weeks ago.
"I've found it very interesting to set something up from scratch," he says. "It's something very few people get the opportunity to do. But we've been on an emergency footing for six weeks. Name anything and it's been a challenge."
One difficulty was finding people to front the channel who weren't already tied to the NSW TAB. But thanks to his racing contacts Burns has managed better than alright on that front, assembling a team headed by legendary tipster Ken Callender, formerly of Sky's Retro Racing program, and also including David Callender, retired cricketer and keen punter Mark Waugh, Joe McKinnon (also ex-Sky) and Russell Barwick.
"We're broadcasting everything that moves on a racecourse," Burns says. "We go continuously live from roughly 15 minutes before the first, about midday, to about 5.30. We do everything to create the atmosphere that you're at the race meeting. We do the lawn parties, the celebrities that are visiting, the tents, the acts that are on. We do a heap of interviews with jockeys and trainers. We throw whatever's suitable on screen."
But is anyone seeing it? Under Burns's supervision satellite installation company AAACOM has been working feverishly to get NSW and Victorian pubs and clubs hooked up to the service, installing satellite dishes and set-top boxes. Nevertheless, as of last weekend only about 100 were online. As of yesterday it was about 500. Burns hopes by Saturday it will be 1000, most of them in NSW, where interest in the Sydney race meeting is greatest. "We got a list of the biggest pubs and clubs and we're working our way through them," he says. "All my feedback is that it has been received very well."
Eventually the AJC and the STC say they want to get some 2000 pubs and clubs hooked up, most of them in NSW. (The Sky satellite broadcast went to more than 5000 pubs and clubs around Australia, about half of them in NSW.) Beyond that the channel will need more content to fill its airtime than just the 123 Sydney meets.
The turf clubs are supplying and installing the dishes free of charge, and providing free content for 12 months, which Wilshire says is costing "a fair bit". They have committed about $1 million to the roll-out, at $500 per outlet for the dish and installation, not counting the expense of producing the coverage.
As the TAB spokesman is quick to point out, all these costs come on top of the $9 million in forgone rights fees. "Let's see how they roll that (channel) out and good luck to them . . . But on paper it doesn't seem like a very bright commercial decision," he says.
However, the Sydney clubs say that if all goes to plan the financial burden will be eased when Sky's rights agreement with Racing Victoria expires in a year's time. "Then they will come across to the channel as well," Wilshire says. "I don't think we as a club are going off and spending this amount of money if we didn't think it was for the long-term future of the club."
And its plans don't stop in pubs and clubs. Burns hopes to get the new channel into pay-TV alongside Sky Racing which is available in 2.5 million households a week via Foxtel by August at the latest. "By the new racing season we hope to be in homes."
Then again, if there's a breakthrough in the rights negotiations, the whole venture may be dead by then.
"If (the AJC and the STC) do a deal with Sky, it will all just close down," he says. "Or, the deal might include a separate racing-only channel and we keep it going. I hope it will still be around in a year. I think there's a good chance. Now it's getting down the track and getting more and more established, it's going to get to a point fairly soon where it has got it's own existence."
Humax leaps into big league of digital TV
From http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/04/15/200404150043.asp
Korea's leading maker of set-top receivers moves from obscurity to survive
Kim Jang-yong, co-chief executive of Humax, is a desperate man taking a leap of faith.
He is reinventing his company of 370 employees into a digital television manufacturer, putting him on a collision course with corporate titans like LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.
But Kim is confident. In fact, he thinks Humax's technology is superior and has no doubt that he will succeed.
How a company transformed itself from a venture startup in 1989 to a global player spoiling for a severe challenge is a story of unnoticed success at home. It also reflects the risks small Korean technology companies are taking just to survive as economists and officials urge more export diversity.
Humax began in 1989, the brainchild of seven engineering Ph.D. students at Seoul National University. Until late 1990s, it was known as a small supplier of CD karaoke and video CD players.
Then it switched to set-top boxes - the electronic devices designed to decode signals so that conventional televisions can receive digital satellite broadcasts.
It joined a wave of Korean digital set-top receiver makers, who now account for an estimated 10 to 12 percent of the global supply. While Humax is the No. 1 seller in Korea, it is relatively obscure because of the low level of digital TV penetration here. Humax is in fact more European than Korean.
"Digital set-top boxes can become the backbone of the economy in the future. Korean set-top box makers have become a dominant player in the global market," said Na Ghi-hwan, assistant director of the digital electronics industry division at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy. "Humax is such a nimble competitor."
Market prompts change
Still, worldwide demand has not reached critical mass, leading to a price war and low profit margins. Around 70 out of 100 Korean set-top boxes manufacturers have recently gone out of business, according to the Commerce Ministry officials.
That has also prompted Humax to tap into the lucrative but slowly growing digital home appliance business.
"We're desperate for something new to replace our growth engine," said Kim, who is in charge of the company's digital TV business.
"The digital TV market is still in an infant stage. Any company with competitive technology and reputation could become a big player. Why not us?" said Kim, a marketing expert who joined in 1997 from Samsung Corp.
This month, Humax shipped its own 17-inch liquid crystal display television sets with both built-in digital and analogue tuners to Europe, the most developed digital TV market. A 42-inch plasma display TV receiver is scheduled for release later this year in Australia.
Company executives are confident of building up market share. Overseas sales of set-top boxes built up the Humax brand as a solid value choice. Plus, the company can take advantage of its existing distribution channels of set-top boxes.
"We're a dominant player in the European set-top box market. And our brand name is well recognized by European customers," said Kim.
Around 95 percent of Humax's revenue is generated overseas, where it competes against Thomson and Motorola. Inc. In 2002, Humax was No. 7 in terms of global market share in digital set-top boxes, taking up 3.5 percent, according to the Commerce Ministry.
Last year, Humax, sales rose 363.7 billion won, slightly up from 2002, but the operating profit more than halved to 43.7 billion won for the same period according to the analysts' estimates. The company forecast that the sales this year would be between 430 billion won and 480 billion won with a 9 percent operating profit.
"They've got a bumpy road ahead of them this year. I expect its margins will deteriorate further on its entry to the new business," said Steve Oh, tech analyst at Samsung Securities. He forecast this year's operating profit will fall to 8.6 percent, from last year's 12 percent
Analysts skeptical
Many analysts doubt whether a small player like Humax can succeed in the global digital home appliances market. The market is overcrowded with some 20 global electronics makers, including Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
Industry insiders estimate the local electronics giants saw double-digit growth in their digital TV sales between January and March compared to a year earlier, thanks to the rising demand for made-in-Korea digital TVs from Europe. Samsung and LG expect to reach 20 million units this year, double last year's total production.
Analysts also pointed out that Humax, as a small player, lacks the marketing expertise and cash of its rivals to build a global brand.
"To me, it doesn't sound positive at all." said Lee Tae-jin, tech analyst at Tong Yang Investment Bank who has a "neutral" rating on the stock. "Whether it will be another important performance driver remains to be watched closely."
He said the company's latest expansion into the new digital appliance business is unlikely to give it momentum for further growth in terms of profit in near future.
Differentiated products
Company officials said Humax would not compete directly against the global behemoths in the immediate future. "For now, we will not compete with major TV makers in every corner," said Kim. "But eventually it's inevitable to avoid competition against the big players," added Kim.
Humax will focus on digital TVs with a built-in set-top box. The company's digital TV receivers have a unique feature called Personal Video Recorders. It functions as a computer hard disk and allows users to record an abundance of data.
As information technology is increasingly infused into digital broadcasting and television, digital TV and home-media server systems are the most appropriate areas that can create synergy with the set-top box technologies, company officials say.
"The digital convergence in the home appliance market will give fresh opportunities for small players like us," said Kim.
Although it has no plan to enter the Korean market in the immediate future, it hopes to capture a significant share in the home media server market when the country's home networking industry takes off. "I'm sure you'll succeed if you're hungry enough," said Kim.
14/04/04
Not much of an update today things pretty quiet.
Mystery signal on I701 is it Tarb's???? personally I doubt Tarb's would broadcast much ethnic stuff into the islands. Firstly is there the population up there to support it? The Asiasat 3 Zee mux is widely pirated up there on cband so the attraction of paying to receive Indian channels is very low. Could it be that Tarb's will offer a small english language package to the islands with the usuals, Discovery, Espn etc? or are they planning to be an addon package to Fiji TV's service? stay tuned its getting interesting on 701!
Tarb's tests on I701 ku, this from Bob Cooper.
This from April issue of Satfacts which might explain what is being reported:
" TARBS Pacific test. March 8-11, Australian based TARBS lit-up I701/180E Ku band spot beam (36 MHz, MCPC, FTA during test) S2 delivering test cards from Sydney to allow locations from New Caledonia to Fiji to "measure" signal. TARBS has plan to deliver 15 channel subscription service into area, possibly featuring multiple channels in various Indian dialects targeted at Fiji residents as well as other ethnic languages as perhaps fit the target area. Fiji TV, as reported here (SF#115, p. 2), also plans MCPC package with hoped-for July 1 start date. Two for one here?
From my Emails & ICQ
All quiet nothing to report.
From the Dish
No lyngsat in yet
Optus C1 156E 12407V all services were FTA yesterday, has encrypted again
NEWS
Sydney company extends $40m Telstra support deal
From http://www.itnews.com.au/storycontent.asp?ID=12&Art_ID=19128
Digital services provider Broadcast Services Australia (BSA) has won a multi-million-dollar competitive tender to provide support and maintenance to Telstra in Sydney and Brisbane for another two years.
The contract, which covers new telephone connections, extensions and fault repairs between local exchanges and business or home customers, is expected to net between $43 million and $48 million in revenue from May 2004 to June 2006.
Ian McGregor, company secretary at ASX-listed BSA, said the Sydney-based firm had been the incumbent services provider for Telstra in 'a major portion' of Sydney and Brisbane but the job had late last year been put out to tender.
"We have been doing that work, but it went out to tender around Christmas and 12 companies tendered," he said.
McGregor said BSA had won the deal partly because Telstra saw the services provider as a good partner. Telstra had apparently had no qualms about giving BSA one of the last areas of its business that had been done in-house, he said.
"We have an internal proprietary system [for example] which we know interfaces with [Telstra's] system to give them savings as well," McGregor said.
One of BSA's main foci was in migrating analogue communications to digital, he added.
Mark Foley, joint MD at BSA, said BSA's proprietary installation, contractor, billing and management back office system allowed for streamlined call routing and contractor management.
The deal would better position BSA as a contracting company in the telecommunications sector, providing "significant synergies" with its existing contractor services division.
McGregor said the Telstra deal was "a volume-based business".
"So we should be able to deliver higher margins. That's the theory. The ability of this contract is it gives us a fixed-volume base, which enables us to ramp up to the next level of commitment of our business," he said.
BSA has also just been accredited to train contractors to support Telstra services. Its new Telstra-registered Training Provider certification would allow it to train new contractors as well as up-skill existing contractors.
McGregor said the new certification was expected to help address increasing levels of demand for those skills as more end-users opted for digital telecommunications over analogue.
BSA, which has 140 staff based at offices around Australia and 400 to 600 contractors, has two divisions, Contracting Solutions and Transmission Solutions.
Contracting Solutions provides domestic and commercial satellite broadcast and high-volume telecommunications services. Transmission Solutions supplies turnkey equipment and infrastructure services to the broadcast industry.
Foxtel, for example, expected to double its 800,000 subscribers to 1.6 million in two years. Further, Foxtel had claimed it had 22 percent of the market here and would increase that to 35 percent in two years, McGregor said.
Foxtel was a major business partner of BSA, he said.
"We've been advertising [for more contractors] since pre-Christmas. And I wouldn't say we've sucked the market dry but I would say we've taken a swag of those out there," McGregor said.
Chandra's DTH service to enter urban market in May
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/615102.cms
NEW DELHI : Six months after the soft-launch of the Subhash Chandra promoted Dish TV, the country’s first and only Direct-To-Home services platform is broadening its focus from rural and remote areas to a wider and all encompassing urban areas.
The Big Bang commercial launch across metros is expected in end May-June. Efforts are on to increase the platform strength from the present 50 channels to 104 by then.
And as part of its plans for a foray into the cities, Dish TV has signed exclusive deals with five international channels at the recently concluded MIP TV event at Cannes .
The exclusive acquisition of the international channels, Eurosport News, Fashion TV, Trace by MCM, Malibu TV and Platinum TV Network means that these channels would be available only Dish TV and no other DTH platform. Star TV is planning to launch DTH services in the country in November.
Speaking to ET, Essel group vice-president (corporate brand development) Ashish Kaul who is steering the DTH operations through Zee-affiliate, ASC Enterprises, said that a fresh pricing strategy would be worked out for the metros.
At present Dish TV claims it has nearly 100,000 subscribers in remote and cable-less areas. It offers 50 channels a basic tier of 38 channels comprising Zee’s bouquet, several free-to-air channels, business channel CNBC and ESPN-Star Sports for Rs 100.
A basic plus tier priced Rs 100 comprising comedy channel, Smile, a new movies channel, Premier, Action Cinema and Classic Cinema and FX has been added on.
With taxes included a subscriber is paying Rs 220 for the DTH offering.
The pricing of the new channels signed up at Cannes is yet to be worked out. Says Mr Kaul, “Our aim is to provide exclusivity and flexibility to the cable-weary consumer who has just gotten off the CAS merrygo-round totally disillusioned.”
Exclusivity there would be : Eurosports is a sports specific news channel, Trace by MCM is devoted to “international” English music, Malibu TV boasts of nature sports like para-sailing, mountaineering, surfing etc.
While FTV needs no introduction to the Indian viewer, Platinum is a lifestyle channel that includes health shows, celebrity lifestyle, travel shows, good food and good living programmes.
Dish TV signs on Eurosport news and FTV
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
Dish TV, India's first DTH service from ASC Enterprises, has signed exclusive DTH deals with five international channels: Eurosport news, Fashion TV, English music channel Trace by MCM, nature sports channel Malibu TV and lifestyle Platinum TV Network. The deal was signed during the MIP TV event Cannes recently.
The service has so far garnered over 100,000 subscribers. Dish TV, which started with 48 channels last year, added ESPN and STAR Sports recently to take its bouquet offering to 50. The company recently indicated its plans of doubling its channel bouquet to 100 by April-end.
The service, which offers channels from various genres, also includes exclusive international and movie channels such as FX (English action movies) and Smile TV (comedy) as part of its 'basic plus' package. Other channels include ones from Zee Turner distribution alliance, state-owned Doordarshan bouquet and BBC World, CNN, Aaj Tak and regional channels. The company web site says five exclusive international channels will be introduced shortly.
Dish TV is expected to be challenged by state-owned DTH service from Prasar Bharati, scheduled for April, and News Corp.'s joint venture with conglomerate Tata Group, which is scheduled for a Q4 launch.
Scopus expands reach in Asia
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
Tel-Aviv based Scopus, a supplier of digital compression technology for the broadcasting industry, announced it has been selected to upgrade Chinese Satellite Communications' 'C-Skynet' direct-to-home (DTH) satellite broadcasting system.
Taiwan-based CSTV is utilizing Scopus digital broadcasting platforms to expand its reach for 'C-Skynet' among Chinese speaking populations across the Asia-Pacific region to 80 channels from 30 channels previously. At its Taiwan head-end, CSTV can now transmit over seven transponders and has an upgraded CAS.
The company will also upgrade MTV Networks Asia's digital broadcast capabilities in the Asia Pacific region. The regional broadcaster, based in Singapore, will be utilising Scopus' digital broadcast platforms to further improve quality content distribution through its various satellite uplinks to China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan.
13/04/04
Back after a weekend break, Live satellite chat tonight 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards in the chatroom
New signal reported on Intelsat 701 180E 11464 H Sr 6770 Fec 1/2 (New Caledonia beam most likely)
April Issue of Sat Magazine is out get it from http://www.satmagazine.com
Odds and ends
New "Emulation" software released for Humax 5400
http://dvb-upload.com/index.php?action=download&pid=5480
http://www.satpower.ch/Spezial%20SoftFirmware.htm
Interesting Free Java software Sat Finder available here
http://vps.arachnoid.com/satfinder/
Video Stream for TRT International mms://212.175.166.3/trtint
Some more Info About Superbird 6, to launch this week. It Will be renamed to Superbird A-2 once its up.
High quality communications links The quality of communications links have also been upgraded, improving the overall quality of the satellite. In addition, linearizers are used to reduce interference among the links for the Ku-band.
Equipped with steerable beam in the wide Ka-band (20/30 GHZ Circular pol with movable spotbeams that can Cover Aus/NZ etc!)
The number of Ka-band transponders has been increased to four for SUPERBIRD-A2, which is also equipped with Ka-band steerble beam. This means that the satellite can be used in all areas where it is visible, across a broad swathe of the Pacific region, including Hawaii and Micronesia, as well as Australia and New Zealand in Oceania, and Okinawa, Taiwan and Korea. After its launch, three SUPERBIRD will be operating at 144°E, 158°E and 162°E to cover the Asia-Pacific, significantly enhancing our international communication services.
Wide area coverage possible for broadband data transmission
SUPERBIRD-A2 will enhance the quality of services already provided, such as image transmission for Satellite News Gathering (SNG), relays for events and HDTV, as well as high data rate/wide area data transmission for in-house corporate communications, DirecPC and other services, and also VSAT services.
Moreover, Ka-band steerble beam will enable ultra-high data rates/large-volume communications at any spot in the covered area, making possible applications such as the relay of images for events, distance learning and ultra-high data rate communications.
From my Emails & ICQ
From D Dawson
Have a look at this site - it can show if your satellite of interest can 'see' your house or not.
Doesn't tell what the TX footprint is though!
http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/uncgi/Earth
Denis Dawson
From Vk4bkp
Re: I701 new signal
Try 11464H sr 6760 FEC 1/2. Reasonable signal on a 1.2m and Invacom
LNBF in Mackay. 2 services load as radio but no video or audio pids.
%45 on Powtek signal quality
And Some screenshots from Optus B3
The Church Channel, GWN, JCTV
Oman TV, Daystar TV
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3960 V "BCN, UBS and CTS - Christian TV system" have replaced UBS 1-3 on ,PowerVu, PIDs 53/54-73/74.
Optus B3 152E 12525 V "The God Channel" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2560/2520.
Optus B3 152E 12564 H "Sydney Races TV" has started , Fta, SR 30000, FEC 2/3,PIDs 1160/1120.
Apstar 1A: 134E 4045 HAn SZTV test card has started on , Fta, SR 6930, FEC 1/2, PIDs 160/80.(Good DX targett? those in W.a that get weak analog off this bird may like to try?)
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3725 V "BTV World" has started regular transmissions on , Fta, SR 4450, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
ST 1 88E 3632 VAll channels in the Space TV mux are encrypted again.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3610 V "PTV 1" has left , replaced by occasional PTV feeds.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3614 V "Occasional PTV feeds" on , SR 3333, FEC 3/4.
Telstar 10 76.5E 3631 H "TV Lanka" has left .
PAS 10 68.5E 3864 H "ARY Digital USA" has started on , Irdeto, PIDs 520/730.
NSS 703 57E 3808 R "Udaya TV" has left , replaced by an info card.
NEWS
News backs Telstra, Foxtel ties
From http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9261657%255E15317,00.html
NEWS Limited chairman Lachlan Murdoch has thrown his support behind Telstra's 50 per cent ownership of Foxtel, rejecting reports that News wanted Foxtel's co-founder removed from the pay-TV partnership.
Mr Murdoch met Opposition Leader Mark Latham recently and newspaper reports have suggested that News supported Labor's push to force Telstra to sell its 50 per cent stake in Foxtel.
That policy was reiterated by Opposition communications spokesman Lindsay Tanner at last week's pay-TV conference in Sydney and in television interviews at the weekend.
"Telstra is already substantially a monopoly provider in telecommunications ... there will be major negative effects for consumers if Telstra is able to spread this monopoly power into the media," he said. "In short, Labor wants Telstra to be a carrier not a broadcaster."
News, publisher of The Australian, owns 25 per cent of Foxtel and manages the business. The reports suggested News favoured the Opposition's plan for Telstra selling out of Foxtel.
"That was incorrect," Mr Murdoch told The Australian when asked about the reports. "Telstra has been a fantastic partner in Foxtel and we have no interest in them leaving."
On Sunday, Mr Tanner said News "may not necessarily" be the preferred buyer of Telstra's Foxtel stake if a Labor government ordered the carrier to sell the investment.
"Obviously, if we head down this path we would want Telstra to maximise value for the taxpayer as a majority shareholder and also the minority shareholder," he told the Ten Network.
"We would want any sale to be for the highest bidder to be the maximum amount of proceeds that can be obtained. Whether there is any constraint on that in the contractual arrangements between existing owners I am not aware of that."
Foxtel's other shareholder is Kerry Packer's Publishing & Broadcasting Ltd, which owns 25 per cent of the pay-TV business. News, publisher of The Australian, and PBL also equally own the Premier Media Group, which produces and owns the profitable Fox Sports pay-TV channels.
The Australian has learned that Mr Packer is keen to reduce the price of Foxtel's basic package -- now set at $48.95 per month for both cable and satellite digital subscribers - to entice more subscribers to the service.
Mr Murdoch said he was unaware of Mr Packer's view.
"I can't agree or disagree with Kerry Packer until I've heard his point of view," he said. "But I don't think it's too expensive. You get a fantastic offering and everyone with the digital service was impressed with the interactive elements and the new channel package.
"And if it was too expensive you wouldn't have people waiting to sign up."
The new Foxtel Digital package - providing more than 100 channels, full interactive services and near-video-on-demand movie channels - was launched at a gala event last month. But the launch was marred by the company's contracted installers going on strike seeking improved pay, training and working conditions.
Asked about the strike, Mr Murdoch said: "It was a real shame and people were just trying to take advantage of a very exciting launch."
Mr Murdoch, who is also deputy chief operating officer of News Limited's parent company The News Corporation Ltd, was in Australia last week to reveal News's plan to move its primary stockmarket listing to America.
Humax Exports to Middle East
From http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200404/kt2004041217505411860.htm
Digital set-top box maker Humax exported $8 million in digital set-top boxes to the Middle East's largest satellite broadcasting service provider Arab Digital Distribution (ADD).
Jang Sae-chan, spokesman of the world's fifth largest set-top box supplier said on Monday the company will supply IR-ACE 2, its latest digital set-top box model with an applied conditional access system developed by Irdeto Access of the Netherlands, to ADD.
He said his company has also formed a strategic partnership with ADD in developing a satellite-broadcasting receiver in the Middle East.
ADD, which airs 60 for-fee satellite broadcasting channels in the Middle East and Northern Africa, plans to secure 1 million subscribers by next year, he said.
Foxtel's digital rollout strikes snag
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/11/1081621834497.html
Only a month after Foxtel launched its digital service amid great fanfare, Australia's largest pay TV operator has suffered several setbacks that could upset its plans to increase its customer base.
Foxtel - jointly owned by Telstra, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch - has been forced to pull back its $15 million advertising campaign in the face of problems installing the service.
It also got a slap in the face from the Federal Government last week when Communications Minister Daryl Williams failed to make any major changes to the list of sports shown exclusively on the free-to-air (FTA) networks.
Foxtel's ownership is also looking more complicated, after opposition communications spokesman Lindsay Tanner said yesterday a Labor government would force Telstra to sell its 50 per cent of the pay TV group.
Mr Packer's Publishing & Broadcasting and Mr Murdoch's News Corp are believed to be keen to take control of Foxtel.
However, it's not clear News Corp would be allowed to increase its 25 per cent stake now that it plans to incorporate in the US.
On top of all of that, the increasing popularity of DVDs is taking viewers away from both free-to-air and pay TV. In the space of a year, the number of Australian households with DVD players has risen from 24 per cent to 51 per cent. Mostly, people are watching movies on DVD.
But a wider range of movies is one of the things Foxtel hopes will lure customers to its service.
According to OzTAM data, in the first eight weeks of the ratings year, total prime time viewing of broadcast and pay TV fell 1.5 per cent from the same period last year. Pay TV was one of the biggest losers with its share falling 8.1 per cent.
Foxtel spokesman Mark Furness said so far, sales of its digital service had exceeded targets, with more than 175,000 sales since the March 14 launch and more than 40,000 homes connected.
Mr Furness conceded demand was outstripping Foxtel's ability to install the service, partly because of a technicians' strike - now resolved - but also because of inadequate technical and call centre staffing.
"We have reviewed our marketing to get a better balance between the demand we were creating and our delivery on that demand," Mr Furness said.
"But that is fairly standard practice."
However, only about 15 per cent of digital subscribers are new Foxtel customers.
Foxtel's target of having the service in 40 per cent of Australian homes by 2008 does not take into account a change in the Government's anti-siphoning list, which guarantees viewers will be able to watch most major sporting events on free-to-air TV until at least 2010.
However, Foxtel was disappointed the Government had only removed a few events, such as local soccer, basketball, the International Grand Prix and Hong Kong Sevens rugby, from the list.
"There was a step forward but there are still many sports in the list that are not covered by the FTA networks," Mr Furness said.
"The key disappointment is that the reform is so piecemeal."
Maori TV popularity rises despite signal problems
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2872693a8153,00.html
Some potential Maori Television viewers in remote areas are having trouble picking up the channel, a television aerial installer says.
Whakatane Aerial Master owner Chris O'Sullivan said many of the people the service was aimed at could not tune their sets to watch Maori Television.
His company installs television aerials in the eastern Bay of Plenty and offers an alternative to pay-TV viewing with a satellite dish and receiver.
"I don't think it's reaching the very people it is aimed at," Mr O'Sullivan said. "Many of these people live in very remote coastal and more settled Maori regions like Te Kaha and they just aren't getting a signal."
Some people from those areas had already gone to major expense to receive the channel and many more were thinking about it.
"I've fielded a number of calls from people making inquiries. People are saying it is good to watch and want to be able to watch it," Mr O'Sullivan said.
The Maori channel is available only through ultra-high frequency (UHF).
People living within an area covered by the frequency, and those with sets already receiving Prime, have no problems tuning into the channel.
But those who don't require a satellite dish and receiver.
Sky Television viewers can also receive the channel.
The owner of Teleonics in Rotorua, Barry Gainsfield, said he had received only "... about a dozen calls. I'm not sure if it's people aren't interested or that a lot of people have Sky so will be receiving it already," Mr Gainsfield said.
Maori Television Service communications manager Sonya Haggie said that although it would be about three months before AC Nielson Media Research poll results would be known, the switchboard at the Newmarket-based studios had received many calls from people throughout the country wanting to know how to receive the channel.
"The public have been ringing in for help on how to tune their sets in. In the months running up to the launch we received thousands of calls and still people are making inquiries," Sonya Haggie said.
BTV goes satellite today (Sunday 11th April)
From http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/04/11/d40411250196.htm
Prime minister to open transmission at 7 this evening
Bangladesh Television (BTV), renamed BTV World, launches its satellite transmission today, after a delay of over three months.
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will inaugurate the transmission from Rampura Television Centre at 7:00pm, BTV Director General Mustafizur Rahman said.
The inauguration will be followed by a cultural show BTV will broadcast live from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, Rahman told Star City.
BTV planned to go on satellite transmission on December 25, 2003 but put it off to April 11 as it missed several deadlines because of technical setbacks.
According to a contract, BTV will have to pay a yearly rent of Tk 1.75 crore to AsiaSat 3 for 24-hour satellite transmission. An earth uplink station and other equipment have been installed at a cost of Tk 3.75 crore.
BTV will use the Band C of AsiaSat 3 satellite that covers New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Asia, Middle East, Western Europe and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries.
"People in those regions will be able to watch BTV World. We are going on air with our canned programmes to start with … but we will design a slot for new programmes in phases," Rahman said.
"We are understaffed and run short of technical facilities like camera and editing panels for satellite transmission … all are now engaged in terrestrial programmes," he said.
BTV will gain ground on Bangla-speaking viewers in other countries, but Bangalees overseas are not able to watch all Bangladeshi satellite channels because of government policy, cable operators' interest and technical problems. "We plan to produce programmes in English for the international audience," the DG said.
BTV continues terrestrial transmission 14:30 hours, with the first run from 7:00am to 9:30am and the second from 12:00 noon to 12 midnight. For satellite transmission, the programme department will have to fill a 9:30-hour slot to carry on 24 hours.
The programme department planned to fill the slot with 'canned programmes' from the BTV archive, new programmes and updates of English and Bangla bulletins.
BTV will transmit the programmes of terrestrial transmission from 7:00am to 9:00am, a mix of new and old canned programmes from 9:00am to 12:00 midnight, including band music, folk songs, drama and other entertainment programmes, and archived programmes from 12:00 midnight to 7:00am.
The schedule will be different on Friday when BTV will continue terrestrial and satellite transmissions from 7:00am to 12:00 noon, satellite transmission from 12:00 noon to 3:00pm, terrestrial programmes from 3:00pm to 12:00 midnight and satellite transmission from 12:00 midnight to 7:00am.
PanAmSat Has Global Appeal, But U.S. Bidders Have an Edge
From http://www.quicken.com
Europe's three largest satellite operators are circling to grab some or all of the assets of U.S. rival PanAmSat Corp. (SPOT, news), but industry officials believe private-equity groups will have the inside track when bids are opened today, Tuesday's Wall Street Journal reported.
That is because News Corp. (NWS, news), PanAmSat's controlling shareholder, wants to avoid the delays and complications that likely would follow any sale to an overseas entity, particularly another satellite operator, according to industry officials. The bids are expected to range around $4 billion, these officials said.
They also said News Corp. has made clear to prospective suitors the goal is a "quick and clean" transaction that steers clear of extended antitrust and regulatory reviews.
As many as six competing bids are expected, with a final decision likely to come in the next few weeks. The high level of interest shown by several different teams of private-equity groups -- as well as by the industry's top European players -- indicates that pressure for international satellite-industry consolidation is heating up again. And despite a protracted global slump in demand for satellite capacity, prices being talked about are higher than many industry officials and consultants anticipated barely a few months ago.
Spokespersons for PanAmSat, Wilton, Conn., and DirecTV Group Inc. (DTV, news), El Segundo, Calif., which owns 80.5% of PanAmSat, have declined to comment on the bidding. So has News Corp., which owns a controlling stake in both those companies. News Corp. is based in Australia but wants to move its corporate home to the U.S.
According to industry officials, two of the shareholders of Eutelsat SA, of Paris -- Texas Pacific Group and Spectrum Equity Investors -- are expected to make a direct bid for PanAmSat. By contrast, Europe's two other major satellite- services providers -- SES Global SA of Luxembourg and New Skies Satellites NV (NSK, news) of the Netherlands -- are angling to snare certain satellites and orbital slots from the eventual winning bidder in a subsequent transaction, according to these officials.
That leaves at least a trio of anticipated U.S. private-equity proposals firmly in the running. In addition to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., which is expected to offer its own bid, Apollo Management LP has decided to team up with Madison Dearborn Partners LLC. Thomas H. Lee Partners LP is joining forces with Bain Capital LLC and the Quadrangle Group to lob in another bid. Still one more group that has performed some due diligence and expressed a definite interest in PanAmSat includes Blackstone Group LP, Carlyle Group LLC and Providence Equity Partners Inc.
Sydney Race TV DIY instructions
"DO-IT-YOURSELF" INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUSTRALIAN PUBS & CLUBS
(These instructions are for accessing the signal on B3 T13)
1 Under no circumstances should the Sky Channel downlink system be reconfigured without Sky Channel's authorisation
2 The alignment and configuration of an existing downlink system (other than the SKY Channel downlink system) should only be undertaken where the antenna is already aimed at Optus B3 (situated at 152 E) and can be utilised for this purpose
3 Where an existing downlink system is aimed at another satellite (eg B1 @ 160E, C1 @ 156E, PAS, etc) and can be utilised for this purpose, an installer should be used to minimise error in the repointing exercise
4 Be aware that an existing set-top-box [STB] should be suitable for use, with Irdeto-2 Conditional Access [scrambling] to be applied for at a later date
5 If all of the above have been considered and the realignment is to proceed, the following steps should be taken:
· Connect the STB to a vision monitor via correct A/V cabling
· Access the "Installation" section of the STB menu
· Set tuning / transponder parameters to: Frequency - 12563, Symbol Rate - 30000, FEC - 2/3 (or auto), Polarity - H
· Connect the RF cable from the antenna / LNB to the STB at "Antenna In", "RF In" or similar port if not already so connected.
· If the LNB is dual polarity capable or already physically set in "H polarity", the STB will acquire signal and lock.
· Rescan channels. A single service designated as "Horse Channel" will appear and audio (may be test tones during non-race periods) will be heard.
· If there is no lock, the LNB likely needs realignment. Go to the LNB and slightly loosen the circular locking bracket. A screwdriver or hex wrench will be needed.
· Rotate the LNB 90 degrees in either direction (taking care not to twist the attached cable more than necessary). Relock the bracket.
· Check to see if the STB has now locked or indicating signal and rescan the transponder.
7 It is not possible to be more specific with details on the retuning and rescanning operations as this does vary from one STB to the next, though all are essentially similar. If the person attempting realignment is not familiar with this aspect of their STB they should consult an installer.
Times expected to launch two TV channels in 'phase 1'
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr87.htm
MUMBAI: The country's most influential press publication, The Times of India Group, looks to have more or less finalised the channels with which it will make its entry into the television business.
Present indications are that the Times will be launching two channels either in tandem or spaced apart by just a few months. Lifestyle and entertainment channel Zoom and a "secular" spiritual channel are what will be coming off the Times Television's blocks in the initial phase, it has been confirmed to indiantelevision.com.
Lifestyle, events, music, fashion and of course the film world, will all form part of the content that goes into Zoom.
Times is tentatively targeting August / September for the launch of the channel(s), as per presently available information.
Queried as to what was the thinking behind the selection of the title Zoom for the lifestyle channel, Times Group managing director Vineet Jain told indiantelevision.com that the word association was with photography. Zooming in on the lifestyle and entertainment world is what the channel aims to do. The name selection is Jain's. It was Jain who chose the title Mirchi for the group's radio FM venture as well.
As for the name of the spiritual channel, according to information available with indiantelevision.com, though there are some names being debated, nothing has been finalised as yet.
To a question from indiantelevision.com about the buzz in the industry that the spiritual channel would primarily be focussed on the "Art of Living Foundation" and its "guru" Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Jain categorically ruled it out. Jain, terming the spiritual channel a "secular" one, said all faiths would be represented on it.
Jain was speaking to indiantelevision.com on Thursday on the sidelines of a media briefing announcing the signing of a formal agreement by the Times Group and BBC Magazines (a division of BBC Worldwide) to set up a 50:50 joint venture company to publish magazines in India.
Meanwhile, there are two more channels on the drawing board which have, however, been put on the backburner for the present - a business news channel and a music channel. Industry sources say it will take at least another year for the business channel to launch. When queried about it, Jain would not be drawn into a comment on what time lines, if any, had been set for the two channels' launches. He did say, however, that no firm decision had been made as to which might launch earlier - the business channel or the music channel.
The obvious advantage that the music channel offers is that it would cost far less to get up and running. As far as content is concerned, there are the Times Music titles that can be promoted. Of course, it is also a fact that Times Music, which is heavily into devotional music, could as well or possibly even better be leveraged on the spiritual channel.
If and when the business channel launches, the clear synergy that one expects would be leveraged is The Economic Times brand for both content and marketing.
India plans to EDUSAT in July
From http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/610945.cms
BANGALORE : India plans to launch EDUSAT - the dedicated education satellite using the indigenous Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3) in July this year, Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair said on Sunday.
"EDUSAT launch will be in July followed by the launch of INSAT-4A towards end of the year," Nair said here.
EDUSAT (GSAT-3), a communication satellite, will carry five Ku-band transponders to provide coverage through five regional beams with spatial frequency reuse.
EDUSAT, ISRO officials said, to be used for interactive will have in addition, two Ku-band and six extended C-band transponders to provide India coverage.
Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh government's have already begun teleeducation programmes on a pilot scale using transponders of an INSAT satellite, which finally would be replicated on a national scale and migrated to EDUSAT.
GSLV-D3 would be fired from the Satish Dhawan Space centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh on the east coast, about 100 kms from Chennai.
INSAT-4A, to be launched by an heavier Ariane-5 rocket by Arianespace from the spaceport of Korou in French Guyana, will have on board, 12 Ku and 12 C band transponders.
INSAT-4A is the first of the seven INSAT-4 series of communication satellites ISRO is building and the seven satellites will take the total transponder capacity of India to 250 in various bands catering to demand of upto 11 Giga Bits per second (GBPS) capacity
TELE SATELLITE NEWS - Number 15/2004 11 April 2004 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by
TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A & P A C I F I C
ASBU TO LAUNCH ARABIC PACKAGE WORLDWIDE
Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) is planning to
expand its reach by launching a bundle of 10 Arabic
channels worldwide, most likely on the France
Telecom-owned satellite platform Globecast. ASBU is
hoping to follow one of its members, Abu Dhabi TV,
into Globecast's World TV package, which takes the
channel into subscriber homes in the US. Five
platforms were invited to bid for the contract for
ASBU channel distribution but Globecast was considered
to be the strongest contender. Abu Dhabi TV is
currently investing $17.5 million in a new studio in
preparation for the switch to high definition
broadcasting. Members of the ASBU include Algeria,
Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and United Arab
Emirates.
AUSTRALIA
PROFITS UP AT TEN NETWORK
Ten Network Holdings Limited posted a 33% hike in net
profit, to AUS$43.6 million ($33.2 million), with
revenue from its television division, Network Ten,
jumping 18% to AUS$376.6 million ($286.4 million) for
the six months ending February 29. In announcing the
results on April 7, executive chairman Nick Falloon
said the network had lifted its revenue share to
30.5%.
MORE SPORT EXCLUSIVELY ON PAY-TV
MORE AFL, rugby union, cricket, tennis, basketball,
golf and motor sport will be available to be shown
exclusively on pay-TV in changes to the anti-siphoning
list announced on April 7. But federal Communications
Minister Daryl Williams said the Olympic and
Commonwealth games would be added to the list,
ensuring their availability on free-to-air TV. The
anti-siphoning rules give the free-to-air networks
first pick on broadcast rights to specific sports
events deemed to be of national significance. The
10-year-old rules were introduced to ensure top sports
events such as the Melbourne Cup could not be
"siphoned off" and shown only on pay-TV, forcing fans
to pay to watch them. The changes, which come into
effect from January 2006, mean pay-TV operators will
be able to negotiate for more events without having to
wait to see if the free-to-air networks want them
first. Williams said the automatic delisting period
for events free-to-air networks opt not to broadcast
would also be extended, from six to 12 weeks. This
would give the pay-TV operators more time to negotiate
for the rights and arrange schedules and promotions.
Events to be removed from the anti-siphoning list
include cricket Test matches involving Australia that
are not played here or in Britain, rugby union's Hong
Kong Sevens tournament, overseas Formula 1 grand prix
and Moto grand prix races, the US Open golf and the
preliminary rounds of the US Open tennis.
BANGLADESH
MORE PRIVATE TV CHANNELS TO LAUNCH
According to a report in “The Daily Star”, the
information ministry may allow a few more private
satellite TV channels to go on air in a bid to
increase competition and professionalism in the
electronic media. Although the move is underway,
officials keep mum about the selection of the lucky
few from the 30 applicants. Sources named a series of
organisations that applied for permission: Media One,
Liberty Television, Dhaka TeleFilm, Telebangla, Bishal
Multimedia, KTV, Bengal News, Janata Television,
Daffodil Multimedia, Bishal Music, Bijoy Broadcasting
Univision, Bangla Television, Maxel Multimedia,
Development Media TV Channel, SAS World, TV Bangla,
Bangladesh Channel USA, Nationwide Communication,
Bangla TV London, Probashi Television Network,
National Television, Baishakhi Television, Sonali
Television, Gazi Satellite Network and Movie Tone
Media Communication. A channel currently on air is
also allegedly lobbying to block the permission for
new channels, as it fears it will lose in the
competition. The permission for new satellite TV
channels ran into red tape snags after the information
ministry allowed seven channels such as Channel i, ATN
Bangla, International Television (NTV), Inqilab
Television (ITV), Universal Television (UTV), Jamuna
Television (JTV) and Ekushey Television (ETV) to go on
air. Among them, only Channel i, ATN Bangla and NTV
are on air, but ITV, UTV and JTV have failed to
broadcast programmes even a year after the permission
and a Supreme Court verdict cancelled ETV's contract.
BTV TO LAUNCH GLOBAL TV CHANNEL
State-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) is to beam its
programmes across Asia, Australia and part of Europe
by launching a satellite channel this week. Prime
Minister Khaleda Zia launched the 24-hour "BTV World"
satellite service on April 10. BTV will broadcast its
regular domestic programmes through its satellite
channel. A selection of programmes will be repeated
between 1800 and 0100 UTC, when BTV's domestic channel
is off the air.
CHINA HONG KONG
CCTV-9 PLANS FOR MAKEOVER
Chinese television channel CCTV International is
planning a relaunch and makeover for next month,
designed to shake off its image as a boring government
mouthpiece. Jiang Heping, controller of CCTV-9 and the
deputy director of CCTV's overseas service, is
regarded as a reformer. He was behind a decision to
lengthen 15-minute programmes to 30 minutes and, for
the first time in China's television history, to
employ staff from non-Chinese backgrounds to anchor
two non-political programmes. CCTV plans to establish
channels in Spanish and French by October. News Corp,
the main distributor of the Chinese channel in the US,
has provided consultant John Terenzio to help polish
CCTV International's image.
FIJI
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE TV CHANNEL PROPOSED
A Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBCL) initiative to
set up a Fijian-language television station will not
only carry programmes in Fijian but also the languages
of Rotuma and Rabi islanders. FBCL's chief executive
Francis Herman says other Pacific Island countries
have their own language stations.
INDIA
MTV INTERESTED IN SS MUSIC
US media company Viacom Inc., is planning to launch
regional music channels and is looking at acquisitions
in the segment according to local press reports. The
channel is in talks with Martin Lottery Group-promoted
music channel Southern Spice Music or SS Music to
acquire the latter and thus make a foray into the
regional music segment. Senior company officials from
MTV Networks International were in India last week to
hold talks with SS Music as also look at other options
for entering the untapped regional music genre. SS
Music, launched in 2001, runs music programmes in five
languages - Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, English and
Hindi. SS Music is the only multi-lingual channel in
the country and has been put together to cater to an
audience that is primarily youth. The southern music
channel, apart from being available in entire South
India, is also available in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi
and other select parts of North India. MTV might also
look at another option of launching a second support
channel like the one in US - MTV2, on its own and make
it regional music channel.
MPCL PREPARES INFOTAINMENT CHANNEL
International production firm Moving Pictures Company
is to invest $4.2 million in an interactive
infotainment channel, aimed predominantly at Delhi
viewers. The channel will be free-to-air on the
Thaicom satellite and will tie-up with portals,
shopping malls and cinema halls in order to act as a
one-stop platform for information and entertainment.
The production company produces shows for state-run
Doordarshan and satellite channels such as Sony
Entertainment Television's Max and Zee TV.
INDONESIA
DISNEY SIGNS LOCAL CABLE DEAL
Walt Disney Television International has launched its
pre-school Playhouse Disney Channel on Kabelvision
pay-TV platform in Indonesia. The channel, a
commercial-free service which has been recently
launched in Hong Kong, is designed to engage and
stimulate pre-schoolers' imagination. Walt Disney
Television International (Asia Pacific) said that the
company is planning to extend the distribution of
Playhouse Disney across Southeast Asia and Korea. The
development follows an earlier deal with Hong Kong
pay-television operator, Now Broadband TV, for the
launch of 'Disney Channel' and 'Playhouse Disney'
Channel.
IRAN
IRIB EXPANDS SATELLITE TV SERVICE
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) continues
its policy of phasing out shortwave broadcasts to some
parts of the world, while expanding international TV
broadcasting in foreign languages. Iran's
international television service Sahar TV now features
news and streaming video on its web site in English,
Arabic, Bosnian, French, Azeri, Kurdish, Russian and
Urdu. Sahar TV broadcasts on the Eutelsat Hotbird
satellite at 13 East, 12.437 GHz H, SR 27500, FEC 3/4.
The foreign-language radio programmes of IRIB are also
available on this transponder.
MALAYSIA
RTM NEEDS ADDITIONAL CASH TO IMPROVE SERVICES
State-owned Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) needs
US$100 million and an additional 1,000 staff to
improve its services nationwide, newly appointed
Information Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said.
Kadir said RTM needed the extra funds to buy digital
equipment and refurbish its studios and broadcasting
equipment to provide better services and coverage.
Meanwhile, Deputy Information Minister Donald Lim said
the station’s RTM1 channel would go ahead with its
plan for a round-the-clock international broadcast. He
said the station would start the 24-hour multilingual
broadcast by the middle of the year. It would be
available throughout Asia, Australia, Russia, the
Middle East and most parts of Europe.
KHAZANAH CAN’T SELL ASTRO SHARES BEFORE OCTOBER
Malaysian-based Astro All Asia Networks said on April
8 that government investment arm Khazanah Nasional
can't sell shares of the pay-TV operator until October
2004. Khazanah is "currently subject to underwriters'
and the Securities Commission moratorium for a period
of 180 days and 1 year respectively from the date of
Astro's listing on 29 October 2003," Astro said in a
statement to the stock exchange. It was responding to
a local newspaper report that said Khazanah would sell
its 22% stake in Astro. Astro also described the
report as "speculative" and added "there are currently
no plans by Khazanah to dispose of any of its interest
in Astro."
SAUDI ARABIA
SAUDI STATE TV EXTENDS COVERAGE
Saudi Arabia has signed a deal with the Arab Satellite
Communications Organisation (Arabsat) under which its
state-run TV will be broadcast in most parts of the
world along with other Arab TV channels. According to
the official SPA news agency, Information Minister
Fuad al-Faresi signed the agreement with Khaled
Balkhiur, director general of Riyadh-based Arabsat,
which is owned by the Arab League member states. The
accord provides for Channel One of state television to
broadcast by satellite across Asia and the Americas
and in Africa, Australia and New Zealand as part of a
package also including the TV stations of Syria,
Sudan, Algeria, Oman, Qatar, Libya, Abu Dhabi (United
Arab Emirates) and Al-Manar, which is run by the
Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement.
YEMEN
PRESSURE GROWS FOR PRIVATE TV CHANNELS
Yemen has always stressed the need for democratic
reform, but the government has fallen short of
allowing private TV and radio stations. Now calls to
allow private stations in Yemen are gaining momentum
according to a report by Radio Netherlands. This
follows a survey in the Shoura newspaper that shows
there's increasing support for such a move amongst
officials, media personalities, businessmen and
intellectuals. Already, some Yemeni businessmen and
intellectuals have taken the first steps towards
starting new private TV stations. Among them is the
Democracy Channel whose initiator, Sheikh Abdulqawi
Al-Shuwai, has committed himself to establishing the
channel as soon as conditions permit to support
freedom of expression.
A F R I C A
GLOBECAST DISTRIBUTES 2M MAROC
Leading satellite services company GlobeCast announced
on April 2 the delivery of Moroccan television channel
2M Maroc to Africa via its digital satellite
television platform on NSS 7. GIobeCast - a subsidiary
of France Telecom - operates a global network of
satellite distribution platforms for broadcast and
advanced content delivery. Since March 1 GlobeCast has
been providing 2M with end-to-end channel distribution
including transmission, multiplexing and space
capacity. GlobeCast receives the feed in Casablanca
and delivers the signal via Telecom 2D to its Serte
technical operations center in Paris. From the Serte,
2M Maroc is inserted into GlobeCast’s channel
multiplex and uplinked to NSS 7 at 22°W for C-band
distribution over Africa. A powerful satellite for DTH
and cable distribution, NSS 7 boasts an established
international community of programmers including CNN,
EuroNews and Canal France International’s
French-language bouquet LeSat. 2M is the
second-largest television channel in Morocco, offering
24/7 programming in both French and Arabic. Its lineup
includes news programs, documentary features,
children’s entertainment and cultural programs as well
as the latest sporting events.
NIGERIA
FSTV TO REVOLUTIONISE TV VIEWING
The near monopoly which foreign cable television
companies have on the satellite television sector in
the country will soon be broken as Nigeria's first
indigenous satellite television company, Frontage
Satellite Television (FSTV) makes its debut. FSTV, the
brain child of renowned lawyer, politician and
businessman, Bashorun Reuben Ilemoboye Famuyibo, began
test transmission in Lagos two weeks ago, offering
viewers a 30-channel network. FSTV will beam
programmes from Europe, America, Asia and Africa to
suit the taste of people with a wide range of social,
religious, political, economic and ethnic backgrounds.
Among FSTV's 30 affiliated channels of international
repute are: God Channel, FS Sports 1 (Premier League,
the FA Cup, European League, Brazilian League, Spanish
League, Euro Cup, Real Madrid and England's top clubs
and Nigeria's premier league), Al-Jazeera,
Nickelodeon, MTV Base, BBC World, CNBC, Fox News,
EWTN, CNN, E Entertainment, Sony AXN, Discovery
civilisation, MTA, FS Movies (the hottest films,
drama, thrillers, action and love stories), Big Screen
Africa (African movies), FS Entertainment (current
American and European soaps, movies, mini-series and
chat shows), FS Africa (African soap operas, Nigerian
dramas, chat shows, African news, African music such
as juju, fuji, afro beat etc), FS Miracle Channel
(teachings from Nigerian churches and renowned
preachers) and HGTV. Although, the company is yet to
officially release its decoder and subscription
prices, its spokesman had assured that it is
definitely going to be "lower prices for better
services."
10-12/04/04
Easter break
9/04/04
Easter weekend and another new channel has popped up on B3 Globecast mux 12524V "God Channel" number 6 in an increasing amount of FTA religious channels. I doubt you will have any trouble finding "Easter themed" programming this weekend.
Superbird 6 to launch to 158E next Thursday
Satellite Use: Business communications throughout Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea and Hawaii.
Satellite Statistics:
-- Boeing 601 model
-- 26th Atlas launch of a 601 bus
-- 23 Ku-band and 4 Ka-band channels
-- Orbital location: 158 degrees East
-- 13 years mission life
http://www.ilslaunch.com/ will cover the launch live.
More Info Here http://www.ilslaunch.com/newsarchives/newsreleases/rec258/
From my Emails & ICQ
From Herb Gardiner
God Channel has now joined the Globecast bouquet on B3 12525V, s/r30000.
Herb.
From Woolly
B1
12366V 6667 3/4
12358V 6667 3/4
Both churchy concerts.
From Fishinngggg
Golf masters
Hi all
Golf is on pas2 3992v sr 26470. not sure what time it started.
regards
fishinggg
From the Dish
Optus B3 152E 12564 H A Sydney live cam has started on , Fta, SR 30000, PIDs 1160/1120.(Look for racing here this weekend?)
Palapa C2 113E 11472 V "SBN Finance Channel has replaced Unique Satellite TV International" on, Fta, PIDs 2101/2102.
NSS 6 95E 12536 V "DAN Cinema and the DAN test cards" have left again
Insat 3A 93.5E 3894 V "Lashkara" has left .
Insat 3A 93.5E 3912 V "Channel Guide" has left , replaced by a test card.
Yamal 102 90E Telekanal Dvina has left 3595 L, moved to Yamal 201: 3938 L.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "Cosmoradio" has started on , Fta, APID 33.
Telstar 10 76.5E 12734 V "TVBS, TVBS Newsnet and TVBS Golden " are now Fta.
SatcoDX Update #28/2004
1520 OPTUS B3 (152.0E)
======================
SBS Western on 12.718 (V, 12600, 102, 103, 102): It has started
1660 PANAMSAT 8 (166.0E)
========================
Z-Music on 12.405 (H, 2207, 308, 256, 8190): It has replaced Ten-Sports
MTV Australia on 12.525 (H, 28067, 515, 643, 8190): It has replaced MCM Asia
TVBS on 3.836 (V, 22000, 160, 80, 160): It's clear now
TVBS Newsnet on 3.836 (V, 22000, 161, 84, 161): It's clear now
TVBS Golden on 3.836 (V, 22000, 162, 88, 162): It's clear now
Much TV on 3.836 (V, 22000, 163, 92, 163): It's clear now
ERA News on 3.836 (V, 22000, 164, 96, 164): It's clear now
TVBS Asia on 3.836 (V, 22000, 165, 100, 165): It's clear now
Asia Plus on 3.836 (V, 22000, 167, 108, 167):
Test Card on 4.050 (V, 13236, 1360, 1320, 1360): It has replaced TVB XingHe TV
NEWS
'Aussie Gold' channel planned for UK
From http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds14155.html
A UK-based satellite channel showing Aussie soaps, drama and movies will launch towards the end of this year or early next, Digital Spy can report today.
Called Aussie Gold, the free-to-air station is aiming to feature the programming thusfar overlooked in the UK.
Head of programming Darren Gray , also a theatrical agent for Aussies in the UK, told DIgital Spy: "[We] will specialise in screening classic and more recent Aussie soaps and dramas. It's a bonza idea and I feel has great appeal for the huge numbers of Aussie soap fans living in the UK, as well as ex-pats from Down Under.
"Sadly the mainstream terrestrial channels are showing very little Australian product these days despite the audience demand for it and the fact that some wonderful material is available."
UNiTAB could up the ante on bid
From http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1265&storyid=1172463
THE interstate bidding war for NSW's TAB is heating up, fuelled by Queensland's UNiTAB hitting stronger form.
UNiTAB yesterday declared it would decide next week whether to better its $2 billion offer.
But the horseracing industry's moves to help pubs and clubs broadcast Sydney thoroughbred races is threatening to keep a lid on the prices.
UNiTAB boss Dick McIlwain, elated after the NSW Government said the bid would be good for the state, said the industry's move to give satellite dishes and set top boxes to pubs and clubs was one of several major factors which would affect his group's final offer.
The technology means the venues can broadcast races which have been blacked out by Sky Channel, the broadcaster owned by the TAB.
Sky pulled the plug after a bitter breakdown in negotiations for the industry's TV rights.
Horseracing insiders reckon the move is intended as a first step towards an industry-owned channel to rival Sky, which accounts for 15 per cent of TAB revenue.
"If that's the outcome we won't be increasing our bid," Mr McIlwain said.
"We have to form a deal over what it means. It's a very relevant point. No one is denying it is certainly a worry."
A spokesman for Melbourne challenger Tabcorp said it was also taking the industry's tech giveaway seriously.
The spokesman said Tabcorp already had a "superior offer" but when asked if it could respond to an improved UNiTAB bid, added : "Who knows."
Shareholders sent TAB shares up 8c to a record close of $4.74, amid growing speculation there will be a bidding war.
"The gates are open and we can now expect higher bids from both Tabcorp and UNiTAB," said Tolhurst Noall private client adviser Marcus Padley .
"The TAB share price is already anticipating a higher bid, but there is probably still some upside and not a lot of risk of a fall."
The technology has already been installed in many pubs and clubs in NSW and Melbourne and will be in 500 to 1000 venues in the second week of the Autumn Racing Carnival. TAB said it was pleased both groups were able to make bids.
Mr McIlwain said UNiTAB also wanted to scrap several major conditions surrounding the offer.
"So the bid's reasonably clean and shareholders can vote . . . on an understanding that there's not much that will stand in the road of the bid."
He acknowledged UNiTAB and Tabcorp had hit a "deadlock" around the $4.50-a-share offer level, and "we need to look at what we might need to do there to break the deadlock and give people a further reason for coming with us."
Conditions to be examined included the 10 per cent ownership restriction on TAB, which the NSW Government would need to lift for the takeover to proceed. In contrast to the TAB, UNiTAB shares dipped 6c to $6.56 and Tabcorp shares drifted 16c to $12.28.
Lib Dems urge review of free satellite TV
From http://www.epolitix.com/EN/News/200404/fa900250-004f-47a1-82a1-7dfe9342a5a4.htm
The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on media regulators to consider the provision of free digital satellite TV access.
Speaking on Friday, assembly member Eleanor Burnham said the move could compensate for poor TV reception across much of Wales.
The government remains committed to switching of the terrestrial broadcasting network, but the BBC's digital terrestrial service, Freeview, can only be received by around half of the Welsh population.
A recently published Ofcom report on the "digital switchover" commits the regulator to "consider whether regulatory intervention is needed to secure a viable free-to-view satellite proposition".
And the Lib Dems said this could address many of the reception problems experienced in Wales.
"Satellite transmission can give a near complete coverage. Freeview has been a successful service, yet access to it in Wales is relatively poor," said Burnham.
"I would urge the public service broadcasters to examine the possibility of providing a 'freeview' satellite service.
"The complete coverage of satellite makes it an appealing alternative free-to-view service. The digital television revolution must offer the Welsh viewer the best deal.
"Freeview has become increasingly popular and the price has been driven down. If a satellite service can replicate this, and be a free-to-view provider, no one in Wales will miss out on non-subscription digital television."
(Craigs comment, this goes to backup what NZ satellite people have been saying for the past few years. A National broadcast platform that does not involve SKY and unnecessary subscription or "decoder rental" fees. Giving all in NZ access to Digital TV for the cost of the hardware. I have forwarded this item to a number of people that I think should see it. I suggest others in NZ do the same. Your local M.P would be a start!)
Digital electronics exports hit record high
From http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/FD09Dg02.html
SEOUL - South Korean digital electronics makers saw their exports hit an all-time high last month, led by digital television exports, an industry report showed on Thursday.
South Korea's digital electronics exports in March were estimated at US$8.28 billion (9.44 trillion won), up 43.4 percent from the previous record of $7.72 billion registered in March last year, according to the report released by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy.
The nation's trade balance for digital electronics was $3.7 billion in the black last month as imports increased by 16.5 percent on the year to $4.57 billion.
"Despite some unfavorable factors such as a strong won and the rising prices of raw materials, including crude oil, digital electronics exports are expected to continue to increase on growing demand in the information technology market and emerging markets," Lee Gwan-seop, a ministry official responsible for monitoring the industry, said.
In the first quarter of this year, digital electronics exports and imports posted $23.06 billion and $12.45 billion, respectively, resulting in a trade surplus of $10.61 billion, the report said.
The trade surplus in the sector exceeded the nation's total trade surplus of $7.21 billion.
Digital TV exports led the boom by soaring 88.9 percent on-year, followed by exports of satellite broadcasting receivers with a rise of 78.7 percent, monitors with 72.8 percent, semiconductor goods with 65.4 percent, computer parts with 54.1 percent and mobile handsets with 30.1 percent.
Imports of portable computers, monitors and display appliances sharply rose, while those of cellular phones, digital TVs and personal computers shrank.
Meanwhile, South Korean digital electronics makers suffered deficits in trade with only two countries - Japan and Malaysia
8/04/04
Sorry about todays update being late, due to a power cut.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Simmo
B3 12564 H 30k has changed its name to 'horse channel' still views of Harbour Bridge.
Simmo
From Steve Hume
Re: new sports channel reported yesterday China Star1 87.5E
Townsville. Getting it very strong on the Topfield 3000. Around 80-90%
quality and signal on 3.8M dish
There are 2 new data channels.
List off Chinastar
3892V, 4996
3736V, 7406
4090H, 5632
3848V, 5632 is STV by looks of the logo that pops up sometimes.
From Andrew
RE: Chinastar 1 87.5E No signal in Melbourne on 3M dish
From Steve Johnson (NZ)
Greetings
Some one recently mentioned radio dropping out on local stations.
Radio Pacific , Solid Gold , The Rock , The Edge , Channel Z
and Global News are uplinked from Auckland as a NETWORK feed to
Intelsat 701 . There is Satellite dish and a STAR-GUIDE receiver
on C Band at each regional station . A local SERVER is used to inject
local Commercials , community announcements , weather and other local
items . A cue is sent on the satellite feed to trigger the local
servers . Sun Transit outages should be attended to by the local
stations but its often fogotten because of the 4 networks involved
in most regional stations and its right at a busy time of the day (
lunch time ) ALso the CLOCK in the local server has to be accurate
and if its missed several time correction cues from Master Control
a problem will also exist on the local breakouts
Hope this helps
SteveJ
From the Dish
No Lyngsat received yet
NEWS
Shake-up 'does little' for sports fans
From http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,9223863%255E421,00.html
LIVE sports lovers will remain at the mercy of commercial television networks under a shake-up of sports broadcasting rules announced yesterday.
Under the changes, the Federal Government moved to guarantee the commercial networks exclusive rights to the Olympic and Commonwealth games until at least 2010.
But there is little good news for AFL fans, with the Channels 9 and 10 retaining their dominance over the best weekend matches.
Changes to the list of protected sports - which will take effect from January 2006 - was met with mixed reaction, with the pay-TV industry slamming it as unfair to viewers.
"This is a start but it does not go far enough. We believe the commercial networks should be made to use it or lose it," said Nick Greiner, chairman of the Australian Subscription Television Association (ASTRA).
ASTRA represents pay-TV provider Foxtel, which is part-owned by News Limited, parent company of the publisher of NEWS.com.au.
AFL fans wanting access to the best live matches will be disappointed in the changes, with Nine and Ten retaining exclusive access to the best matches.
NRL games will continue to be shown on Nine, with Foxtel picking up live broadcasts of the remaining matches.
Formula One fans could also be forced to catch overseas races on pay-TV but local events will remain under the control of Channel 10.
While the major sports remain a protected species, Foxtel will be allowed the chance to bid for the US Open golf and US PGA tournaments.
Some tennis will also be up for grabs including the Adidas International and men's and women's hardcourt championships.
The qualifying matches of the US Open and French Opens could also be shown on pay-TV but the commercial stations retain exclusive rights to the finals matches in both tournaments.
Australian soccer fans could also benefit from the shake-up, with the commercial channels losing exclusive rights to National Soccer League fixtures.
Mr Greiner said the decision to lock up the Olympic and Commonwealth games was a political stunt.
"It's just protecting something that doesn't need protecting and the likelihood of subscription TV getting the rights to the Olympics is absolutely nil," he said.
"This is disappointing. It does very little for sports fans."
Commercial Television Australia, which represents the three commercial networks, welcomed the changes, which allow them control over most of the key sporting events.
More sport exclusive to pay-TV
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9223046%255E2722,00.html
MORE AFL, rugby union, cricket, tennis, basketball, golf and motor sport will be available to be shown exclusively on pay television in changes to the anti-siphoning list announced yesterday.
But federal Communications Minister Daryl Williams said the Olympic and Commonwealth games would be added to the list, ensuring their availability on free-to-air TV.
The anti-siphoning rules give the free-to-air networks first dibs on broadcast rights to specific sports events deemed to be of national significance.
The 10-year-old rules were introduced to ensure top sports events such as the Melbourne Cup could not be "siphoned off" and shown only on pay-TV, forcing fans to pay to watch them.
The changes, which come into effect from January 2006, mean pay-TV operators will be able to negotiate for more events without having to wait to see if the free-to-air networks want them first.
Mr Williams said the automatic delisting period for events free-to-air networks opt not to broadcast would also be extended, from six to 12 weeks. This would give the pay-TV operators more time to negotiate for the rights and arrange schedules and promotions.
Events to be removed from the anti-siphoning list include cricket Test matches involving Australia that are not played here or in Britain, rugby union's Hong Kong Sevens tournament, overseas Formula 1 grand prix and Moto grand prix races, the US Open golf and the preliminary rounds of the US Open tennis.
Foxtel spokesman David Malone said the digital pay-TV company was pleased with the limited reforms.
Anti-Siphoning List 2006-2010
From http://www.dcita.gov.au/Article/0,,0_1-2_1..._118167,00.html
REVISED ANTI-SIPHONING LIST
(COVERING EVENTS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN 1 JANUARY 2006 AND 31 DECEMBER 2010)
Horse Racing
Melbourne Cup.
AFL
Each match in the AFL Premiership.
Each match in the AFL finals.
Rugby League
Each match in the National Rugby League (NRL) Premiership.
Each match in the NRL finals.
Each NRL state-of-origin match.
Each test match involving Australia whether played in Australia or overseas.
Rugby Union
Each test match involving Australia whether played in Australia or overseas.
Each match in the Rugby World Cup.
Cricket
Each test match involving Australia, played in Australia or the UK.
Each one-day international involving Australia played in Australia, the UK or any series where at least one of the matches is played in Australia.
Each World Cup one-day cricket match.
Soccer
The English FA Cup final.
Each match of the FIFA World Cup 2006.
Tennis
Australian Open and Wimbledon: each match.
The French Open and US Open: each singles quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals match.
Each Davis Cup tie involving Australia.
Netball
Each international netball match involving the senior Australian representative team whether played in Australia or overseas.
Golf
Each round of the Australian Masters.
Each round of the Australian Open.
Each round of the US Masters.
Each round of the British Open.
Motor Sports
Each race held in the FIA Formula 1 Grand Prix held in Australia.
Each race in the Moto GP held in Australia (formerly known as the FIM World 500cc).
Each race in the Australian Touring Car Championship.
Each Bathurst 1000 race.
Each race in the Australian IndyCar Grand Prix.
Olympic Games
Commonwealth Games
Kingston Provides DTH Customers With Increased Efficiency with New TANDBERG Television E5770 Multi-pass Encoding Engine
From Press Release
E5770 selected for channel delivery to satellite DTH platforms and European cable head-ends
Southampton, UK, April 7th, 2004 TANDBERG Television today announces that Kingston inmedia is set to become one of the first customers in the world to deploy its groundbreaking MPEG-2 low bit-rate encoding engine, the E577O. The move will enable Kingston inmedia, already a recognised innovator in the satellite distribution market, to further its technology excellence and benefit from important bandwidth efficiencies across both its Eurobird and New Skies DTH satellite services. The E5770 is being launched in the US at NAB this month, where TANDBERG Television will show how the new powerful encoder sets a new standard for excellence in MPEG-2 video compression performance (NAB booth # Su 8755).
Kingston inmedia is a leading satellite services provider and is continually working to give its customers access to the industry’s best technology. For many of its customers, Kingston provides a total service, from TV production studios through to channel playout direct to DTH platforms, such as Sky in the UK and cable head-ends across Europe. Kingston plans to upgrade a number of its existing TANDBERG E5710 encoders to the new E5770 multi-pass solution and expects the move to enable it to increase its bandwidth efficiency by between 10 and 15%. This ability to squeeze more channels per transponder is particularly important as forecasts predict a shortage in bandwidth and space segment on satellites that serve some of Europe’s premier DTH platforms.
“We are committed to enabling our customers to launch new DTH systems cost effectively and to efficiently deliver their channels to cable head-ends throughout Europe. TANDBERG Television is a world leader in professional video compression and with the introduction of the E5770 is pushing MPEG-2 technology to its limits. By deploying the E5770 we can offer multi-channel broadcast systems that deliver economies of scale, as well high performance and superb picture quality,” says Matthew Ivey, Director of Kingston inmedia’s Broadcast Service division.
Kingston’s satellite DTH and playout solutions are already being used by a number of TV channels such as ESPN Classic Sport and Zone Vision, and platform operators such as FSTV (Frontage Satellite Television), which recently launched a new DTH platform for Nigeria using Kingston’s end-to-end capability. FSTV is bringing 25 new channels, some exclusively, to a potential audience of 150 million people using satellite delivery, playout, TV studio and co-location services from Kingston inmedia. The system is based on a video head-end from TANDBERG Television, which includes the company’s market leading compression technology along with its MX5640 multiplexers.
“We have a strong and long relationship with Kingston inmedia and are delighted to be working closely with the company to enable the efficient launch of new satellite broadcast services for DTH operators such as FSTV. The combination of Kingston’s value-added end-to-end satellite services and the bandwidth efficiencies and high picture quality that our technology provides, means that broadcasters and channel owners can get to market quickly and cost-effectively with the confidence that they are basing their business models on a tried and trusted partnership,” says Roger Bolton, Director of Satellite at TANBERG Television.
TANDBERG Television is constantly pushing MPEG-2 technology to its limits and developing real-world solutions that are allowing more and more DTH systems to come to market. The E5770 is able to deliver high performance compression while minimising the total bit-rate through a unique multi-pass pre-processing technique that constantly optimises bit-rate allocation for critical scenes, ensuring that the final encoded video has the best possible picture quality available.
About Kingston inmedia
Kingston inmedia is a leading provider of global satellite-centric broadband applications, offering products and services that enable organisations in the broadcast, enterprise, and international carrier sectors to create, manipulate, store and distribute multi-media solutions. A strong commitment to investment in technology and facilities supports Kingston inmedia’s team of experts, placing the company in a unique position to offer end-to-end solutions for content owners, programme makers, broadcasters, corporations, carriers and Internet service providers. Headquartered in Gerrards Cross, Kingston inmedia serves a growing list of international customers such as BBC, BSkyB, CNBC, CNN, ESPN Classic Sport, IRN, ITN, ITV, Reuters, Xerox and Zone Vision.
Kingston inmedia is an operating division of Kingston Communications. For more information visit: http://www.kingstoninmedia.com.
About the Kingston Group
Kingston Communications is an established UK communications company. The Group's national business-to-business capabilities encompass the provision of fully integrated and managed network solutions, complemented by the delivery of voice, data and call handling services in the towns and cities served by the Kingston Communications network. This infrastructure comprises twenty-five metropolitan fibre networks and a long distance broadband network, which was initiated for service in May 2001. Kingston's new media activities include the DSL-based interactive television service, KIT, and satellite broadband content, storage and distribution arm, Kingston inmedia. The Group's East Yorkshire network operation has served business and residential customers since 1904.
About TANDBERG Television
TANDBERG Television (Oslo: TAT) creates products and systems for the delivery of high quality live video and on demand content across cable, DSL, fiber, IP, satellite and terrestrial networks. Recognized as a market leader, the company provides systems integration and global support capabilities through its sales and 24-hour support operations in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. TANDBERG Television’s customers include many of the major broadcasters, network operators and content owners around the world. For more information visit: http://www.tandbergtv.com
-ends-
For further information, please contact:
Gay Bell
Tel: +44 20 8964 9149
E-mail: [email protected]
FSTV Set to Revolutionise Satellite Tv Broadcasting
From http://allafrica.com/stories/200404070204.html
Very soon, the near monopolistic hold which foreign cable television companies have on the satellite television sector in the country will be broken as Nigeria's first indigenous satellite television company, Frontage Satellite Television (FSTV) makes its debut.
FSTV, the brain child of renowned lawyer, politician and businessman, Ekiti State-born Bashorun Reuben Ilemoboye Famuyibo, began test transmission in Lagos two Fridays ago, beaming world-class programmes from such popular channels like God, Fox, Al-Jazeera, FS Sports, Nickelodeon and FS Entertainment, among its 30-channel networks.
Spokesman of the 100 per cent Nigerian-owned satellite broadcasting station, Mr Nosa Gaius said FSTV "is a new experience," adding that "Nigerians now have a choice as it is set to blaze a new trail in local and international satellite television industry."
Gaius told newsmen at the premiere transmission that FSTV promises to revolutionise satellite television broadcasting in the country both in style, focus, presentation and cost.
In terms of style, he said, "we are introducing for the first time a pay-as-you-watch system whereby subscribers will be required to by scratch cards for all the available 30 channels."
On cost, Gaius said "our fees will not dig a hole in our subscribers pocket. It is what they are going to live with and enjoy."
With offices and studios located on Jide Oki Street in high browVictoria Island, the 30-channel direct-to-home television network is probably the nation's liveliest and most culturally diverse cable network. FSTV will beam programmes from Europe, America, Asia and Africa to suit the taste of people with a wide range of social, religious, political, economic and ethnic backgrounds.
Subscribers are indeed in for a real treat as they will be at liberty, at the touch of a button, to watch a diverse array of programmes from religious, action movies, news, sports, high-impact entertainment, musicals, business around the world, documentaries, fashion and lifestyles among other interesting programmes.
Among FSTV's 30 affiliated channels of international repute are:
God Channel - Where Christians and religious-minded viewers can get incisive sermons, and admonitions from renowned pastors from around the world.
FS Sports 1 - an unbeatable channel when it comes to Premier League, the FA Cup, European League, Brazilian League, Spanish League, Euro Cup, Real Madrid and England's top clubs and Nigeria's premier league.
Al-Jazeera - the fearless Arabic network with incisive news from Arab nations around the world.
Nickelodeon - a kiddies channel beaming all-round entertainment for the younger viewers.
MTV Base - probably the best music channel in the world beaming the latest in hip-hop, soul, and R & B 24 hours non-stop.
BBC World - beaming international news headlines, news bulletins, business news, 24 hours plus award winning current affairs, documentary and lifestyle programming;
CNBC - keeping a tab on international financial markets, money matters, the stock markets plus special features on Nigerian and African stock movements.
Fox News, for news from American Perspective and all the news happening in USA plus special international features.
EWTN - a Christian channel for Catholics and other Christian denominations
CNN - one of the most popular news channels with an extra edge and firm grip on business news and world developments.
E Entertainment - The hottest celebrities gossip channel from Hollywood.
Sony AXN - for films, mini series and entertainment from some of America's top production companies
Discovery civilisation - a channel specially dedicated to documentaries focusing on unusual events in the world.
MTA - a muslim channel with thought-provoking discussions and programmes on issues of great relevance to muslim viewers.
FS Movies - a channel beaming all the hottest films, drama, thrillers, action and love stories - from Hollywood and Europe.
Big Screen Africa - For interesting, educative and enjoyable African movies including the latest from Nollywood.
FS Entertainment - For the latest in current American and European soaps, movies, mini-series and chat shows.
FS Africa - For African soap operas, Nigerian dramas, chat shows, African news, African music such as juju, fuji, afro beat etc.
FS Miracle Channel - For dynamic, powerful teachings from Nigerian churches and renowned preachers.
HGTV - For all round home makers and lifestyle programmes.
Indeed there is something for everyone on FSTV, no matter who you are, what you do, where you come from and what you believe in. FSTV's portable decoders can be moved about to even the remotest villages anywhere in the West African sub-region in so far as there is electricity back-up.
For all these and many more, as time goes on, satellite broadcasting in Nigeria is indeed set for a new dawn of ample opportunities in terms of choice and price competitiveness.
Ultimately, the subscribers and the Nigerian economy will be the better for the advent of FSTV into the nation's cable satellite television market. For the subscribers, they will now have real value for their money. Although, the company is yet to officially release its decoder and subscription prices, its spokesman had assured that it is definitely going to be "lower prices for better services."
The other beneficiary is the nation's economy that has for long been robbed of substantial resources through rapacious capital flight as a result of huge fund repatriation by existing foreign cable satellite television operators in the country.
7/04/04
Things are very quiet at the moment, time to shake up some action!
India vs Pak cricket spotted on "DD Kolkatta feed" Insat 2E
From my Emails & ICQ
From srinivasan suresh
Hi Craig,
DD Bengal (INSAT 2E) Feed sometimes shows this (Cricket). I watched a couple of one-day matches and the first test 4th day's play. PTV1 shows it in terrestrial network and not the satelitte network.
Regards
Srini
From Fishinnngggg
Hi all
This was in the above newsletter. The Banner is the newsletter for Banyule City in Melbourne.
I know a family member who wants to install a 2.3 mesh. Do you think he
should do it without seeking council permit? Will the council actually challenge him?
Over recent years, residents would have noticed a proliferation of satellite
dishes particulty on domestic properties within residential areas. These
dishes are often erected by satellite dish companies on behalf of
individuals so that they can receive overseas or longer distance
telecommunications and television programs. Many of these dishes are small
and appropriately positioned, but others can be quite large and create an
unsightly visual intrusion in residential areas.
Regulations often don’t keep pace with changes in technology and until
recently it was not entirely clear whether these installations required
Council approval. Howeve a change to all Victorian Planning Schemes
introduced by the State’ Government last year has made it clear that a
planning permit must be obtained for the installation of a satellite dish
with a diameter greater than 1.2 metres in a residential area. There are
exemptions for dishes which have a diameter of between I .2 metres and 2.4
metres and are not visible from an ad joining property. Property owners are
advised to obtain approval from Council before installing a dish, or
authorising the installation by another party if it does not meet the above
exemptions. The illegal installation of a satellite dish could attract a
Planning Infringement Notice with a fine of between $500 arid $1000 and a
requirement to remove the dish.
If residents have any further queries regarding the local requirements
relating to satellite dishes they should contact Council on 9457 9808.
Fishingggg
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 4050 V "TVB Xing He Channel" has left , replaced by a test card, Fta.
Optus B3 152E 12703 V Dig Radio has left .
Optus B3 152E 12718 V The SBS mux has left .
Optus B3 152E 12736 V "Win TV and GWN" have left .
Sinosat 1 110.5E 4106 V New SR for Dragon TV on : 4800.
Sinosat 1 110.5E 12340 H Hunan TV and Yunnan TV 1 have started on , Fta, SR 15000, FEC 3/4,PIDs 337/5402 and 338/4518.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3820 V Anhui Music Radio has started on , Fta, APID 261.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3960 H "CNN Radio" has started on , Fta, APID 1122.
NSS 6 95E 11106 H "Realitatea TV" has indeed started on , Fta, SR 3255, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1160/1120, Australian beam.
Insat 3A 93.5E 11510 H Red 93.5 FM has started on , Fta, APID 1304.
ChinaStar 1 87.5E 3848 V "Great Sports Channel" has started on , Fta, SR 5632, FEC 3/4,PIDs 308/256.(Very interesting since this satellite is rarely used and provides big signals into Australia)
Insat 3E 55E "Occasional ETV feeds" on 3871 H, 3875 H and 3886 H, SR 2250, FEC 3/4.
Insat 3E 55E 3880 V "Occasional DD feeds" , SR 3690, FEC 3/4.
NEWS
Murdoch to shift headquarters from Australia to U.S.
From http://washingtontimes.com/business/20040406-105542-1779r.htm
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate, News Corp., plans to shift its incorporation to the United States from Australia, in a move the company hopes will stimulate demand for its shares.
The company is effectively already run from the United States, where Mr. Murdoch and other senior executives are based. Mr. Murdoch gave up his Australian citizenship in 1985 to become a U.S. citizen.
News Corp. owns the Fox television network, Fox News Channel, the New York Post newspaper and the Twentieth Century Fox studio in the United States.
DirecTV, the nation's largest direct broadcast satellite provider, is also part of the group. News Corp. purchased a 34 percent stake in the company last year, a deal federal regulators approved only after News Corp. assured them that competitors would still have access to its programming.
The company will move its primary stock listing to the New York Stock Exchange from the Australian exchange by the year's end.
The move reflects the company's strong presence in the United States, where it draws more than 75 percent of its revenue and profits. The move also could make it eligible for inclusion in major stock indexes such as the Standard & Poor's 500.
The company's key U.S. entertainment assets, including the movie studio, TV stations and cable networks, are held by its U.S.-listed subsidiary, Fox Entertainment Group.
A primary listing in the United States is expected to significantly increase its shareholder base, the company said in a statement yesterday.
"While historic gains in News Corp. stock have been impressive, our present status as a foreign issuer in the U.S. leaves many of the world's biggest funds and investors unable to invest in News Corp.," Mr. Murdoch told reporters in a conference call.
"That, we believe, is a prime reason our stock trades at a discount to some of our peers, despite our very strong financial performance in the past few years," Mr. Murdoch said.
Mr. Murdoch was a key figure in the broadcast industry's drive last year to persuade the Federal Communications Commission to loosen the government's media-ownership rules.
The FCC, in a party-line, 3-2 vote, adopted rules that allow a single company to own TV stations that reach 45 percent of the nation's viewers. Congress last year voted to roll it back to 35 percent, but in the end, lawmakers set the cap at 39 percent after the White House threatened to veto a giant spending bill in which the measure was included.
Despite its many U.S. media holdings, the company has retained its links with its Australian heritage, continuing to hold annual general meetings in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, where it has its registered office. The annual general meeting there later this year will be its last in Australia.
"I'll miss the Adelaide [annual meetings] I guess, but we're still going to have them there in the form of a big annual information meeting, which I certainly intend to chair," Mr. Murdoch said.
A formal shift of its incorporation to the United States will mark the end of an era for News Corp. that began more than 50 years ago when Mr. Murdoch inherited a small South Australian newspaper business from his father, Keith Murdoch.
Under the proposed changes, existing holders of ordinary and preferred shares and holders of ordinary and preferred American depositary shares will exchange their equity for equivalent stock in a new News Corp., a Delaware corporation that will become the new parent entity.
The proposed changes are subject to shareholder approval, and Murdoch family interests won't vote with other shareholders on any of the transactions, the company said.
The change is likely to have little effect on operations.
Govt justifies Maori TV funding after negative survey
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2868025a8153,00.html
The Government was challenged today to justify its $45m of spending on the new Maori Television Service after a survey found no one had watched it.
National MP Nick Smith said the Nielsen Media Research survey was carried out for the first seven days of the Maori Television which started broadcasting last month.
It "found not one person, zero, was found to be watching any of the Maori Television Service programmes," Dr Smith told Parliament.
Answering on behalf of Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said he was surprised by the survey.
"That's surprising since I've met a number of people I know who have been watching Maori Television programmes. Of course other people may have been watching the nightly news to see how the member's getting on with his legal problems."
Dr Cullen then withdrew and apologised for the remark about Dr Smith's recent sentencing for contempt of court over a Family Court case after being told to by the Speaker.
Dr Cullen said Mr Horomia was happy with the standard of programmes on the new channel.
Dr Smith asked since no one was watching the channel aimed to lift Maori culture and heritage, was the money setting up the channel was well spent?
Dr Cullen said he was optimistic about the future of the channel.
"I think it actually is important to support Maori language and culture but of course there are many members of the house that don't take any interest in European language and culture either."
ACT list MP Deborah Coddington also asked what the government was doing about funding being granted to two Maori television channels.
It was revealed last month that Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o Te Ika, which runs three radio stations in the Far North, received a $115,000 taxpayer-funded Community Employment Group grant to set up a regional television station called TEHIKU TV.
Today Dr Cullen said he was aware of the grant but the Government was only funding one Maori Television network.
Malays Top Kristal-Astro Subscribers
From http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Apr04/070404/nite10.htm
Bandar Seri Begawan - More than 30 per cent of Brunei households have Kristal-Astro, which goes on to show how multichannel television viewing has taken off in the country.
Brunei-Muara District has the largest number of Kristal-Astro subscribers and leading the subscribers' list are Malays followed by the Chinese.
The number of Kristal-Astro subscribers is estimated to have reached the 19,200 mark, and six per cent of the figure reportedly own more than one set in their homes and are active.
In its continuous efforts to boost the number of subscribers, Kristal-Astro, which began services on January 24, 2000, has currently revised its promotions and is now offering three types of packages namely ‘World Package’ inclusive of 18 channels in addition to Kristal Astro Favourites of six channels and 16 radio channels, ‘Movie Package’ inclusive of eleven channels in addition to the Kristal Astro Favourites of six channels and 16 radio channels and ‘Movie World Package’ which covers both ‘World Package’ and `Movie Package' in addition to the Kristal Astro Favourites of six channels and 16 radio channels.
Subscribers can also choose from the many payment plans and can opt to pay monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. For ‘World Package’ the subscription fee is as low as $35.95 for the monthly subscription plan, $36.95 a month for ‘Movie Package’ and for the best of both worlds of ‘Movie and World Package’ the monthly subscription fee is $49.95.
According to Roslan Johari, Marketing & Programme Manager of Kristal-DST Network Sdn Bhd, "The cost of the DMS has been heavily subsidised by Kristal-Astro in order to keep the service affordable. In addition to this offer, for the registration of second set, subscribers can enjoy a further $50 less on their DMS. The DMS complete with ODU is priced at $199 while DMT costs only $149. Subscribers are however required to remain active for twelve months."
Currently 46 channels are broadcast through Kristal-Astro.
However, in spite of the many enticing offers extended by Kristal-Astro, many households still reportedly subscribe through a neighbouring country.
Another factor is the alleged cloning of Kristal-Astro smart card and satellite dishes that are reportedly rampant.
The illegal practice involving `cloned' smart cards are reportedly found in Brunei, where some errant individuals are selling them for as low as $80.
The cloned cards reportedly include all channels for one-time payment.
The Kristal-Astro representative, however, declined to comment on the cloned cards. --
(Craigs comment, The Measat 1 Astro service is widely pirated throughout Asia, forget the talk of cards its as simple nowdays as entering key codes into the receiver each month!)
BANGLADESH: More private television channels to go on air
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=9872
The information ministry may allow a few more private satellite television channels to go on air in a bid to increase competition and professionalism in the electronic media
The information ministry may allow a few more private satellite television channels to go on air in a bid to increase competition and professionalism in the electronic media.
Although the move is underway, officials keep mum about the selection of the lucky few from the 30 applicants. Sources allege only relatives of ruling BNP bigwigs will figure on the shortlist. Information Secretary Nazmul Alam Siddique declined to comment on the issue but said: "You will get to know when the channels are given permits."
But sources close to the electronic media named a series of organisations that applied for permission: Media One, Liberty Television, Dhaka TeleFilm, Telebangla, Bishal Multimedia, KTV, Bengal News, Janata Televsion, Daffodil Multimedia, Bishal Music, Bijoy Broadcasting Univision, Bangla Television, Maxel Multimedia, Development Media TV Channel, SAS World, TV Bangla, Bangladesh Channel USA, Nationwide Communication, Bangla TV London, Probashi Television Network, National Television, Baishakhi Television, Sonali Television, Gazi Satellite Network and Movie Tone Media Communication.
An ex-vice-chancellor, a newspaper editor, industrialists and expatriates are among the applicants, some of them media analysts say have no strong economic background nor technical know-how.
"Launching a satellite television channel needs about Tk 60 crore," said a marketing manger of a satellite television.
A channel now on air allegedly went lobbying to block the permission for new channels, as it fears it will lose in the competition. "New channels may harm the media market unless it gets bigger," a media person said.
But media market critics say new channels will create more jobs, more competition and more exposure.
The permission for new satellite TV channels ran into red tape snags after the information ministry allowed seven channels such as Channel i, ATN Bangla, International Television (NTV), Inqilab Television (ITV), Universal Television (UTV), Jamuna Television (JTV) and Ekushey Television (ETV) to go on air.
Among them, only Channel i, ATN Bangla and NTV are on air, but ITV, UTV and JTV have failed to broadcast programmes even a year after the permission and a Supreme Court verdict cancelled ETV's contract.
In the wake of the ETV scam, the information ministry worked on a set of regulations that will be signed into a law to control the electronic media.
"A parliamentary standing committee sent the draft bill back to the information ministry for more relaxed regulations compared to other countries," a ministry official said.
According to the bill, a private satellite channel will require licence -- a rule that is not included in the current provision of permission.
UTV kids channel Hungama gets uplinking permission
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr53.htm
MUMBAI: UTV's kiddies channel Hungama is on schedule as far as its August launch date is concerned and has got the necessary uplinking permissions, UTV group CEO Ronnie Screwvala has said.
Screwvala, who spoke to indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Film Producers Guild of India media briefing yesterday, said that the channel would be beaming off the Panamsat-10 satellite.
There is still no word though as to the distribution platform Hungama will be on once it launches. UTV has been in talks with three players - Star, Sony and ESPN Star Sports - in this regard.
The new channel is being launched by Screwvala’s UTV Software Communications through its recently floated subsidiary United Home Entertainment (UHE).
6/04/04
Live satellite related chat 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards tonight in the chatroom.
Can anyone using a pc satellite tuner card tell me if there is software available to read the E.P.G of the channels on a pay tv service then save the entire thing as a file for import into a database or the creation of a personal TV Guide. A friend with a Tivo is wanting such a thing.
India vs Pakistan Cricket from Pakistan. Has anyone seen a feed or broadcast? I was told PTV1 on Asiasat 3 was screening it but they had to encrypt due to broadcast rights reasons.
You can sometimes watch the video stream of it at http://www.pakistanvision.com/site/ click on the link under news night shown as ____
Optus B3 12407V has a new Card up.
Asiasat 2 and 3 Satellite pages updated.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Vk4bkp
New Freq B3
B3 12565H 30000 2/3 ADHOC showing view of Sydney Harbour.
From Daryl
HI Craig
I thought you may be interested in the array of dishes I have here in Cobram all working on different Sats,Plus a pay TV dish for NSS 6.
Your page is excellent keep up the good work.
Regards Daryl VK3KLN
Cobram Vic
Australia
Feed seen yesterday
B3 12552V sr 6666 Fec 3/4 "Ten weather feed from Superdome"
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "CSN" is Fta.(Asian beam)
PAS 8 166E 12395 H "Thai TV Channel" has left again.
NSS 6 95E 12536 V "DAN Cinema" has started Fta, PIDs 273/274. Tamil Ozhi has left.( This is "DishTV Asia" they are beaming channels into Europe via Hotbird 2 at 13E website is here http://www.dishasia.net/)
Insat 2E 83E 3820 V "DD Bihar and occasional DD Bihar" feeds have left .
Insat 2E 83E 3820 V "NE TV" has started regular transmissions on , Fta, SR 3333, FEC 3/4,PIDs 308/256, zone beam.(Anyone in Australia getting it?)
NEWS
BCL covers the rugged bits to finish its digital upgrade
From http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Broadcast Communications says its national network of transmission towers is ready to supply digital terrestrial television, as it completes the last piece of a $40 million equipment upgrade.
The state-owned company is also on a recruitment drive as it seeks to pick up cell-site planning and building as part of Vodafone's 3G network project.
BCL has just finished putting digital microwave radio equipment into its sites on the West Coast of the South Island, plugging the last major gap in digital coverage.
The upgrade from analogue covers a 250km stretch from Nelson to Greymouth.
It adds capacity, allowing more TV and radio services to be delivered and giving extra bandwidth for BCL's wireless broadband service, Extend.
"It's where the most hospitable people in the country are, but it's the most inhospitable terrain," said BCL's managing director, Geoff Lawson.
About 150Mbps (megabits per second) of capacity now feeds that part of the network, quadrupling the analogue capacity.
That ends a major programme of capital expenditure for BCL, but more investment is likely to replace analogue microwave radio in Queenstown and Gisborne.
"That's a little more discretionary, but there are some business opportunities there," said Lawson.
The West Coast network is supplying backhaul for Vodafone and TelstraClear.
Lawson said demand for Extend broadband services, which are wholesaled through the likes of Telecom, ihug and Iconz, had been slow.
The network was still in a quasi-trial phase and did not have commercially available voice services.
He expected his retail partners to increase their wireless broadband marketing efforts soon.
The Government's plans for digital television remain in consultation phase, but Lawson said BCL was now able to deliver digital TV signals nationally.
"It makes us almost completely ready in the context of digital terrestrial TV," he said.
But the Government is making no strong moves to speed digital TV's implementation.
Michael Gibbs, spokesman for Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey, said the Government was still receiving replies to its request late last year for candidates to be in an "industry working party" looking at digital TV.
"It's not something that has to be sorted immediately," he said.
BCL advertised in weekend newspapers for people to fill several positions including project director for network build, radio frequency technicians and engineers and communications riggers.
BCL is negotiating with Vodafone to collect cell site planning work as it looks to install Vodafone's 3G equipment on its towers.
After HK, Disney targets Indonesia
From Satellite today
Walt Disney Television International has launched its pre-school Playhouse Disney Channel on Kabelvision pay-TV platform in Indonesia. The channel, a commercial-free service which has been recently launched in Hong Kong, is designed to engage and stimulate pre-schoolers' imagination.
Terming Indonesia and Hong Kong as launch pads, Doug Miller, senior vice-President and MD of Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific) said that the company is planning to extend the distribution of Playhouse Disney across Southeast Asia and Korea.
The development follows an earlier deal with Hong Kong pay-television operator, Now Broadband TV, for the launch of ÔDisney Channel' and 'Playhouse Disney' Channel. In Hong Kong, Disney Channel will be available in three language tracks - English, Mandarin or Cantonese - by the end of the year. Selected shows will also be subtitled in Chinese.
The company has also major plans for India, where it has already approached the Indian government for launching a wholly-owned subsidiary to launch three channels.
Snell & Wilcox Announces New High Definition Compression Pre-Processor
From http://www.digitalvideoediting.com/2004/04_apr/news/wt4z0wfm.htm
Pre-Processor Frees Up Bandwidth While Improving Picture Quality
Snell & Wilcox announced today the introduction of the CPP1000 Prefix-HD, a new multi-standard high-definition compression pre-processor that provides the dual benefits of improved picture quality for viewers and lower bandwidth usage for cable, satellite, and terrestrial TV broadcasters.
The bandwidth savings that Prefix-HD delivers provides real benefits to users in the form of increased revenues and short payback time. For example, when using Prefix-HD with film-originated content, operators can achieve a bit rate saving of 3Mbit/s with a modest degree of pre-processing and 5Mbit/s with a more aggressive setting. The bit rate savings provided by Prefix-HD enables broadcasters and pay-TV operators to add extra HDTV channels to their line-up without having to add bandwidth. It is also a valuable production tool for content owners who are mastering programs for HD video-on-demand (VOD) delivery.
"Distribution of HDTV content puts broadcasters and pay television operators in a quandary. Viewers have high expectations of quality, yet delivering this quality puts a strain on available transmission bandwidth because as the required quality level goes up, the aggregate bandwidth per channel goes down," said Andy Major, product manager for Snell & Wilcox compression pre-processing products. "Prefix-HD addresses this dilemma by conditioning HDTV signals prior to compression. Prefix-HD produces significantly better picture quality than can be achieved with no pre-processing at all, while freeing up valuable bandwidth for cost reductions or additional channels and services."
Prefix-HD reduces noise-related artifacts in HDTV video in the pre-compression stage, so broadcasters can avoid encoding artifacts such as excessive film grain and video noise. The resulting pictures are clean and stable, result is better bandwidth efficiency and increased picture quality.
How compression pre-processing frees up bandwidth Because of the random nature of both noise and motion in video images, compression encoders cannot distinguish between them. Therefore, annoying picture artifacts such as excessive film grain and noise are encoded along with the essential picture elements. Without pre-processing to reduce these noise-related artifacts, encoded video is "bloated", requiring increased bandwidth to be of an acceptable quality level. This inefficient use of bandwidth resources results in the need for greater channel capacity at a higher cost.
It also results in lower quality pictures because noise and other signal artifacts can frequently result in visible blockiness and a speckle effect often called mosquito noise. These imperfections can be the source of viewer complaints, especially on premium HD subscription channels where video quality is expected to achieve the highest standard. Prefix-HD is the only product available that can eliminate these problems effectively and economically.
Thanks to sophisticated noise and grain management, and powerful Snell & Wilcox techniques to remove unwanted signal artifacts, the bit-rate needed to compress the output of the Prefix-HD is reduced. This means that valuable bandwidth can be freed up by the broadcaster for cost reduction or additional channels and services. For the viewers, this means greater choice of high quality HDTV programming.
The algorithms used in the Prefix-HD represent the culmination of nearly two decades of Snell & Wilcox experience in high-definition signal processing and build on the company's multi-award winning Prefix CPP100 standard definition compression pre-processor, which has an installed base of more than 1,000 units.
Prefix-HD CPP1000 Technical Specifications Housed in a compact 2RU enclosure, the Prefix-HD offers linear filtering, color gamut legalizer 4:4:4 internal processing, and supports AES, AC3 and Dolby ET audio. It also offers advanced metadata handling and insertion, including flagging cuts and 3:2 cadences in order to further maximize encoder efficiency. Like all Snell & Wilcox infrastructure products, it offers fully networked set-up, control and monitoring capability through RollCall. Included dual redundant power supplies make Prefix-HD ultra-reliable for mission critical transmission environments.
SNELL & WILCOX is a world-leading electronics design, manufacture and engineering group with an international reputation for the development of advanced image communications technologies for the world's broadcast television, video, satellite, cable, film and image communications industries. The company is dedicated to preserving the true content of the moving video image. Snell & Wilcox Inc. has offices throughout the United States and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Snell & Wilcox Ltd. is based in Hampshire, England with offices all over the world.
For more information wisit www.snellwilcox.com.
MTV channel in talks to acquire SS Music
From http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr062004/b2.asp
The US-based music channel, which plans to expand its presence in India, is looking at growth through niche regional music genre.
In a bid to expand its reach MTV Networks, owned by US media company Viacom Inc., is planning to launch regional music channels and is looking at acquisitions in the segment.
The channel is in talks with Martin Lottery Group-promoted music channel Southern Spice Music or SS Music to acquire the latter and thus make a foray into the regional music segment.
Senior company officials from MTV Networks International were in India last week to hold talks with SS Music as also look at other options for entering the untapped regional music genre. Confirming the development to Deccan Herald, MTV International Chief Operating Officer Alex Ferrari said: “we need to grow in India and look beyond MTV. There are many options. We are looking at organic as well as inorganic growth in the country.
The ideal strategy would be to come out with a second music channel which will cater to regional music. For that we are in talks with Chennai-based SS Music. However, nothing has been finalised as yet.”
SS Music, launched in 2001, runs music programmes in five languages Kannada, Malayalam, Telegu, English and Hindi.
SS Music is the only multi-lingual channel in the country and has been put together to cater to an audience that is primarily youth.
The southern music channel, apart from being available in entire South India, is also available in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi and other select parts of North India.
According to Mr Ferrari, MTV might also look at another option of launching a second support channel like the one in US MTV2, on its own and make it regional music channel.
MTV Networks forecasts 20 per cent increase in advertising sales this year in Asia, where 150 million homes now watch its programmes.
It is looking at healthy growth in India, China, and Korea.
MTV advertising sales in Asia last year rose 24 per cent, twice the pace of the rest of the world.
Lately, broadcast companies are looking at making its foray into regional music genre with Zee Telefilms acquiring ETC music channel in 2002 which provided Subhash Chandra-promoted channel a global platform and a market in Punjab through ETC Punjabi.
TELE SATELLITE NEWS - Number 14/2004 4 April 2004 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by
TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A & P A C I F I C
CASBAA REVEALS NEW SATELLITE TV MARKET DATA
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia
(CASBAA) has released the first aggregated data
endorsed on an industry-wide basis covering the size
and value of the Asia Pacific pay-TV market. The
CASBAA data shows that the Asian cable and satellite
industry in 2003 accounted for almost 190 million
multi-channel homes, 95% of which are pay homes.
Pay-TV advertising revenues for 2002 were US$2.6
billion in 2002 compared to an estimated US$14.8
billion in overall TV ad spend. In 2003, there were 48
million multi-channel subscribers in India, 12 million
in Korea, 8 million in Japan, 7.7 million in Taiwan
and 100 million multi-channel subscribers in China.
Total multi-channel ad spend stood at US$2.592 million
for the industry but with just US$205 million for pan
regional advertising buys. China leads with US$752
million; followed closely by India at US$739 million;
and Taiwan at US$586 million. The multi-channel total
TV viewing share is now over 50% in multi-channel
homes in many markets.
Internet http://www.casbaa.com
AUSTRALIA
FOXTEL OPTS FOR NDS TECHNOLOGY
NDS Group on March 31 announced it had successfully
completed the first phase of systems integration for
FOXTEL Digital. FOXTEL, Australia's leading
subscription television provider, launched its new
digital TV service, FOXTEL Digital, on March 14
offering consumers an unparalleled choice of more than
130 digital channels and services. The NDS solutions
used by FOXTEL are VideoGuard conditional access
system, StreamServer broadcasting management, Value@TV
interactive TV solution and iVideoGuard, which
interfaces between the conditional access system and
interactive applications to allow FOXTEL to offer
interactive content using subscription and pay-per-use
business models. NDS also developed interactive TV
games seen on The Arcade, which is available to FOXTEL
Digital subscribers through FOXTEL Gamesworld. The
Arcade currently offers five retro-style games and
will be updated monthly.
BANGLADESH
NEW LAW FOR SATELLITE TV BROADCASTS PLANNED
A parliamentary standing committee has recommended
introduction of a law to deal with the satellite
television channels. The standing committee on
information ministry at a meeting on March 29 also
asked the ministry to explain at its next meeting why
Bangladeshi satellite television channels are not
allowed to broadcast in India. The members of the
committee said all Indian TV channels should be
stopped to broadcast in Bangladesh if Bangladeshi
channels are not allowed to broadcast in India.
CHINA - HONG KONG
DIGITAL CABLE TV TO BE PROMOTED
China will promote digital cable TV, said a senior
Party official on March 28. Liu Yunshan, head of the
Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China
(CPC) Central Committee, said that the development of
digital cable TV will be conducive to the country's
information industry and economic growth and enrich
people's lives. The government will join hands with
enterprises and the market to promote the new
technology, building the facilities, developing
software and keeping the market in order, he added.
The government expects more high quality and popular
culture products to be produced in the digital cable
TV format, Liu said.
ZONE VISION SIGNS UP CCTV-9
Netherlands-based distributor Zone Vision has signed a
deal with CCTV-9, the English-language division of
China's state-run broadcaster China Central
Television, to sell CCTV-9 programming worldwide.
Under the deal, Zone Vision will act as the
nonexclusive agent for CCTV-9 programming worldwide.
The agreement encompasses the Chinese broadcaster's
24-hour overseas news service as well as its library
of documentaries and feature programs about Chinese
history, culture, government and economy.
EXTV OPTS FOR CONVERGYS BILLING SOLUTIONS
Convergys Corporation, the global leader in integrated
billing, employee care, and customer care services,
announced on March 29 a three-year billing contract
with exTV. The Hong Kong-based operator licensed
Convergys' WIZARD end-to-end billing product to
support its new, all-digital multichannel TV service.
Specially designed for Hong Kong viewers, exTV
recently launched its full-service package of 27
channels featuring local programming and entertainment
from around the world. exTV is operated by Galaxy
Satellite Broadcasting Limited (GSB), a joint venture
of Intelsat, a leading global communications provider,
and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), Hong Kong's
premium content provider and broadcaster. exTV is
transmitted via satellite through existing SMATV and
CABD networks into set top boxes of individual homes.
Internet http://www.extv.com.hk
http://www.convergys.com
WARNER BROS SIGNS DEAL WITH CHINA MOVIE CHANNEL
Warner Bros. International Television has inked a
multiyear television deal with China Movie Channel,
marking WBITD's first-ever volume programming
distribution deal with a Chinese broadcaster. The deal
involves television rights to a slate of current and
library feature films as well as made-for-TV movies
for broadcast in the People's Republic of China.
HONG KONG CABLE TV WANTS PENALTIES FOR PIRATES
Pay-TV service provider Hong Kong Cable Television
wants to introduce criminal penalties for using
unauthorised decoders to view pay-TV programming.
Cable TV, the city's leading pay-TV provider, said
there were more than 100,000 illegal decoders in use
in Hong Kong, far higher than the 60,000 estimated by
the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of
Asia. The media reports further added that the
operator plans to have its digital network fully in
place as soon as possible, which will enable it to
switch broadcast signals more frequently and thus
prevent use of unauthorised set-top boxes. But
legislator Ma Fung-kwok said that the piracy problem
will still exist even after the network is completely
digitalised and his opinion is supported by several
broadcasters including Television Broadcasts, Asia
Television, Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting, Cable TV,
TV Plus and Yes Television.
SMG AND CJ GROUP TO LAUNCH SHOPPING CHANNEL
China's Shanghai Media Group (SMG) wants to set up a
joint venture home shopping channel with Korea's CJ
Group with the intention of launching April 1. SMG is
taking advantage of China's new rules that allow
foreigners to make direct investments in Chinese
production companies in order to raise standards
closer to world levels. SMG and CJ Group will each
invest $12 million in the venture, although the
Chinese will have the majority stake with 51 per cent.
SMG believes the venture will reduce its dependence on
advertising, which currently accounts for 90 per cent
of revenue. CJ Group already runs home shopping
channels in South Korea and Taiwan and the Chinese
believe the model is suited for Asian audiences. They
have applied to the Chinese regulator, the State
Administration for Radio, Film and Television, for
permission to carry five hours a day of home shopping
programming on one of its cable TV channels. SMG
reaches around 3.5 million cable TV homes in Shanghai,
one of the wealthiest cities in China.
INDIA
CNBC-TV18 TO LAUNCH CHANNEL FOR INDIANS ABROAD
CNBC-TV18 is planning to launch an international
channel for the direct-to-home (DTH) service aimed at
overseas Indian audiences in the Middle East, UK,
Europe, US, Singapore and Hong Kong. It will have a
distinctly "business, general, political, lifestyle
and feature news" focus and will be launched towards
the end of the year. This will be in addition to the
Hindi business channel it's considering to launch this
year. "We are very actively looking at these options.
A final decision will be taken shortly," TV18 managing
director Raghav Bahl said.
NEW KIDS CHANNELS ON THE WAY
Zee Telefilms and Italy's Mondo TV are gearing up to
launch a new kids channel in India during the third
quarter this year. Production company UTV has baptised
its upcoming Hindi kids channel Hungama TV to reflect
the station's strong local slant. Hungama TV, which is
aimed at the 4-18 demographic, will be launched by
United Home Entertainment (UHE). Finally, Walt Disney
Television International has begun dubbing its
programming into Hindi, Tamil and at least one other
language spoken on the Indian subcontinent in
preparation for the launch of three Disney channels
and a fourth "in two to three years," company
president David Hulbert said.
TIMES GROUP TO LAUNCH 3 CHANNELS
Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd, publishers of The Times of
India, is planning to enter the television business
with a bouquet of three channels, including an
entertainment channel, a spiritual channel and a
business news channel. The entertainment channel will
be the first to go on air. The first channel is likely
to go on air in July. According to media industry
sources, the entertainment channel, expected to be
named Zoom, will focus on events, music, fashion and
lifestyle. The business news channel, which is
expected to be the last to take off, is yet to be
named.
JAPAN
BROADCASTERS TO BLOCK DIGITAL COPYING
NHK and the National Association of Commercial
Broadcasters in Japan will start on April 5 to block
attempts by viewers to illicitly duplicate digital
television programs for commercial purposes. The
duplication control will be applied to digital TV
programs aired by both terrestrial digital
broadcasters and broadcasting satellites, according to
NHK and the nation's biggest grouping of private TV
broadcasters. NHK and the member broadcasters of the
association will mingle special antiduplication
signals with conventional signals that make up the
digital images and sounds of their programs. The
special signals will make it impossible for people
with digital TVs and special tuners for receiving
digital signals to watch TV programs, unless they
insert a B-CAS card into their digital TV sets. B-CAS
cards are distributed to owners of digital TV sets at
the time of their purchase. The antiduplication
mechanism has already drawn criticism from some
quarters of the home electronics appliance industry,
which apparently fear the new mechanism may eat into
sales.
NEW ZEALAND
MAORI TV STATION LAUNCHED
New Zealand has launched its first ever national Maori
language television channel. The service will reach
more than 80 percent of New Zealand's population of
four million. The launch comes 13 years after the
nation's highest court ruled that the government had a
legal responsibility to fund Maori TV to protect the
language, under an 1840 treaty between Maori and
British settlers. The channel is required by law to
provide at least 50 per cent of its content in Maori,
which is now spoken by less than a tenth of New
Zealand's 530,000 Maoris. The NZ government is
providing $A26 million for the channel.
SINGAPORE
UNIVERSAL SIGNS LOCAL OUTPUT DEALS
Universal International Television has inked a
multiyear licensing deal with Singaporean terrestrial
Channel i, operated by SPH MediaWorks, that will see
the broadcaster taking on titles as diverse is the
quirky dramedy Monk, the reality series Mad Mad House
and the new science fiction series Battlestar
Galactica. Other highlights from the package deal
include Dick Wolf's three-series Law & Order
franchise, USA Network's new crime drama Touching
Evil, CBS's futuristic legal drama Century City and
the epic mini-series Spartacus.
YES TV TO EXPAND TO SINGAPORE
Yes TV Plus has inked a deal to offer SingTel's
broadband subscribers in Singapore an
Internet-delivered, video-on-demand programming
package. The platform will initially offer Hong Kong
terrestrial ATV; U.K. sports network Manchester United
Television; Soundtrack Channel, with music from movies
and television; Universal Chinese Film Videoclub, with
Chinese-language films; and Indian movie network Video
Sound.
A F R I C A
ALGERIA
ALGERIA TV EXPANDS GLOBALLY
Algerian satellite TV channel Canal Algerie, began
broadcasting its programmes to North America and
Africa on March 26, with Asia next on the cards. The
channel is a joint project between the National
Television Public Company [ENTV] and the Radio and
Television Broadcasting Company [TDA]. Algerian
officials said that the Telstar5 satellite is being
used to cover North America on the Ku multi-channel
package, while, at the same time, the NSS7 satellite
is being used to broadcast Canal Algerie programmes
and two radio stations to Africa...
NIGERIA
FSTV STARTS BROADCASTING
The first indigenous satellite television in the
country, Frontage Satellite Television (FSTV) on March
26 began test transmission in Lagos. FSTV is the first
indigenous satellite television in Nigeria and the
brain child of the popular politicians, lawyer and
businessman Bashorun Reuben Ilenoboye Famuyibo. It is
a 30-channel DTH service which was launched in the
United Kingdom in January. According to local press
reports, FSTV has already 20,000 subscribers waiting
to be connected to the multi-channels satellite
television.
SOUTH AFRICA
AIDS TV CHANNEL PREPARES FOR LAUNCH
The United States government has committed R19-million
to fund a South African satellite health channel
teaching about the HIV/Aids pandemic. "I'm sure people
will learn something; that they will always want to
watch [from the channel]," said Frederick Schieck, the
deputy administrator of the US Agency for
International Development (USAid). "It's not about the
money, it's about the quality and the people," Schieck
said in Johannesburg. He said he believed the funding
would be put to good use as HIV/Aids was a serious
disease threatening the lives of millions of South
Africans. The channel would be launched late this year
and it was hoped it would be broadcast to all 4 000
public health institutions in the country. The funding
formed part of US President George Bush's Emergency
Plan for Aids in Africa.
5/04/04
I will try and get some of the satellite pages updated tonight, Asiasat 2/3 might take some time.
From my Emails & ICQ
Various feeds seen on the weekend
B1 12358 V sr 6666 fec 3/4 V8's
B1 12367 V sr 6666 fec 3/4 V8's
B1 12397 H Sr 7200 fec 3/4 My restaurant rules
B3 12552 V Sr 6666 fec 3/4 Horse races
From Bill Richards 3/04/04
Pas 2
0430 UTC
Pas2 3804 Vert S/R 6620 FEC 3/4
Vpid1110 Apid1211 SID2 "Japanese Baseball Feed" Labeled *12K3C SLOT E
Regards
Bill Richards
From The Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 3769 R "The Church Channel" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2560/2520.
PAS 8 166E 3836 V All channels in the Era Bouquet on are Fta.(Much TV has english programs)
Optus B3 152E SBS EPG has moved from 12703 V to 12718 V, Fta, PIDs 163/85.
Optus B3 152E 12501 HBangkok Radio 94 FM, TRT FM, Voice of Turkey, 3ABN Radio and RNW 1-2 have started on , Fta, APIDs 651, 4353, 4609, 5121 and 5156.New PIDs for Daystar TV: 5153/5154.
Optus B3 152E 12525 V "The Church Channel" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2141/2142.
Optus B3 152E 12460 H "Occasional feeds" on , SR 6670, FEC 3/4.
Optus B3 152E 12689 H "Win TV and GWN" are Fta
Optus B3 152E 12736 V "Win TV and GWN" have started on , Irdeto, SR 14300, PIDs 33/36 and 2910/2911.
MBSat 144E
* Reception reports:
Test carriers on 2642 L.
(Y Sugimoto in Japan)
(Craigs comment, is there anyone with Sband circ pol reception equipment looking? One could use a modified Cakrawarta setup?)
AsiaSat 4 122E 3880 H "CBN" is back on , Fta, SR 26500, FEC 3/4, PIDs 560/563.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3760 H "MTA International" has left .
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 12425 H Occasional feeds on , SR 3000, FEC 2/3, East Asian beam.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 3840 H The Guangdong TV mux has left .
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4148 V "MSTV" has left , replaced by a test card.
NSS 6 95E 12536 V "Tamil Ozhi (enc.) and six DAN test cards" have started on , Fta,SR 21000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 257/258-1793/1794, Indian beam.
NSS 6 95E 12729 H "Onnuri TV has replaced YTN" on , Fta, SR 26400, FEC 3/4,PIDs 512/650.
Insat 2E 83E 3593 V "Jaya TV" has started on , Fta, SR 8680, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4194/4195,zone beam.
Insat 2E 83E 3790 V "DD Podhigai and both AIR" have left , moved to 3931 V.
Intelsat 906 64E 3962 R "The Church Channel" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2560/2520.
(M Schipplock)
SatcoDX Update #25/2004
0685 PANAMSAT 7, 10 (68.5E)
===========================
NOT USED on 3.730 (H, 26470):
0765 TELSTAR 10/APSTAR IIR (76.5E)
==================================
CTS on 12.736 (V, 21500, 169, 116, 169): It has started
0785 THAICOM 2,3 (78.5E)
========================
MV CHANNEL on 3.585 (V, 26667, 513, 641, 8190): Has Started Regular Transmission
RR FEEDS on 3.671 (H, 13333, 1057, 1058, 1057):
0830 INSAT 2E, 3B (83.0E)
=========================
DD PATNA 5-9 PM IST on 3.820 (V, 6250, 512, 650, 128): It Has Started between 5 to 9 PM IST
DD PATNA FEEDS on 3.820 (V, 6250, 513, 660, 129): It Has Started between 5 to 9 PM IST
DD Punjabi on 3.840 (V, 6250, 512, 650, 128):
Jalandhar Feed on 3.840 (V, 6250, 513, 660, 129):
0900 YAMAL 102, 201 (90.0E)
===========================
Telekanal Rossiya Tver on 3.923 (L, 3570, 308, 256, 8190):
1005 ASIASAT 2 (100.5E)
=======================
Saudi Channel 1 on 3.660 (V, 27500, 512, 650, 8190):
APTN Feeds on 3.675 (H, 4170, 200, 280, 2304): It has started
APTN Feeds (APTN1 GVW +442074827430) (APTN1 GVW +442074827430) on 3.799 (H, 5632, 200, 280, 2304):
1055 ASIASAT 3S (105.5E)
========================
SABe TV on 3.743 (V, 3300, 1160, 1120, 8190):
1450 GORIZONT 33 (145.0E)
=========================
Telekanal Rossiya on 3.723 (R, 3111, 522, 750, 128): It has started
Radio Rossii on 3.723 (R, 3111, 751, 128): It has started
STS on 3.731 (R, 3200, 4194, 4195, 4194): SID TID NID added
1460 AGILA 2 (146.0E)
=====================
NBN on 3.892 (H, 3000, 1160, 1120, 1160): New SR
Isat Feeds on 4.192 (V, 2169): It has started
SatcoDX Update #26/2004
0685 PANAMSAT 7, 10 (68.5E)
===========================
TSME on 3.808 (V, 12857, 50, 52, 50): NEW SID
YTN on 3.913 (V, 6510, 49, 52, 49): NEW PIDS and STN
KBS WORLD on 3.913 (V, 6510, 768, 769, 768): NEW PIDS and STN
Telly Track feeds (TellyTrack RSA) on 4.099 (V, 3255, 512, 560, 8190): NEW PIDS
(New Africa Network) on 4.099 (V, 3255, 3255, 3206, 3255): NEW PIDS
DATA on 4.099 (V, 3255): It has Started
0830 INSAT 2E, 3B (83.0E)
=========================
DD CHANDANA on 3.859 (V, 6250, 512, 650, 128): It Has Started, Moved From Insat3C
DD Karnataka Feeds on 3.859 (V, 6250, 513, 660, 129): It Has Started, Moved From Insat3C
0915 MEASAT 1 (91.5E)
=====================
Feeds on 4.104 (H, 2895): It has started
0935 INSAT 3A (93.5E)
=====================
Radio1 on 11.510 (H, 27500, 1301, 1301):
Red FM on 11.510 (H, 27500, 1304, 1304):
PHILIPS DOWNLOAD 1.1 on 11.510 (H, 27500):
EURO on 11.510 (H, 27500):
DISH TV INTERACTIVE on 11.510 (H, 27500, 702, 703, 702):
ZEE CINEMA on 11.510 (H, 27500, 161, 82, 161):
ZEE MUSIC on 11.510 (H, 27500, 162, 88, 162):
ZEE NEWS on 11.510 (H, 27500, 163, 90, 163):
A MARATHI on 11.510 (H, 27500, 164, 96, 164):
A PUNJABI on 11.510 (H, 27500, 165, 98, 165):
A GUJRATI on 11.510 (H, 27500, 166, 104, 166):
A BANGLA on 11.510 (H, 27500, 167, 106, 167):
TRENDZ on 11.510 (H, 27500, 168, 108, 168):
ZEE MGM on 11.510 (H, 27500, 169, 110, 169):
ZEE ENGLISH on 11.510 (H, 27500, 170, 112, 170):
PHILIPS DOWNLOAD 1.1 on 11.550 (H, 27500):
AUDIO 5 on 11.630 (H, 27500, 1311, 1311):
AUDIO 6 on 11.630 (H, 27500, 1313, 1313):
1055 ASIASAT 3S (105.5E)
========================
Guangxi TV on 3.806 (V, 4420, 255, 256, 255):
Oman on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1141, 1142, 1141):
Qatar TV on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1181, 1182, 1181):
Sudan on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1191, 1192, 1191):
Libya on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1121, 1122, 1121):
Al manar on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1161, 1162, 1161):
ABU DHABI TV on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1131, 1132):
Saudi 1 on 3.880 (H, 27500, 1171, 1172, 1171):
Dragon TV on 3.886 (V, 4800, 1110, 1211, 1110): New NID
Radio Shanghai on 3.886 (V, 4800, 1213, 1110): New NID
Radio Shanghai on 3.886 (V, 4800, 1214, 1214): New NID
Radio Shanghai on 3.886 (V, 4800, 1211, 1110): New NID
481 Cricket on 3.920 (H, 26850, 513, 644, 8190): It has started
493 ESPN China on 3.920 (H, 26850, 514, 648, 8190):
1105 SINOSAT 1 (110.5E)
=======================
CAN on 3.855 (V, 4444, 4130, 4131, 4130): It has replaced Macau TV
1131 KOREASAT 2 (113.0E)
========================
CH 11 on 12.290 (H, 25844, 1300, 1301, 1300):
TV Service1 on 12.619 (H, 12297, 3956, 3957, 3956):
TV Service2 on 12.619 (H, 12297, 1592, 1593, 1592):
TV Service3 on 12.619 (H, 12297, 2122, 2123, 2122):
TV Service4 on 12.619 (H, 12297, 4826, 4827, 4826):
TV Service5 on 12.619 (H, 12297, 4381, 4382, 4381):
MBC TV-LINK on 12.665 (H, 3700, 4194, 4195, 4194): SID/TID/NID added
FISH on 12.701 (H, 3000, 4294, 4295, 4294):
1220 ASIASAT 4 (122.0E)
=======================
TVSN on 3.864 (V, 4300, 1160, 1120, 1160):
TVSN on 3.864 (V, 4300, 1160, 1120, 1160):
1280 JCSAT 3 (128.0E)
=====================
FTV on 3.962 (V, 30005, 832, 833, 832): It's encrypted now
SET - Sanlih e-Television on 3.962 (V, 30005, 1088, 1089, 1088):
Hollywood Movie Channel on 3.962 (V, 30005, 1136, 1137, 1136): It's encrypted now
TTV on 3.962 (V, 30005, 1152, 1153, 1152): It's encrypted now
CTS on 3.962 (V, 30005, 1184, 1185, 1184): It's encrypted now
CTV on 3.962 (V, 30005, 1200, 1201, 1200): It's encrypted now
SatcoDX Update #27/2004
0550 INSAT 3E (55.0E)
=====================
ETV OB 12 FEEDS on 3.871 (H, 2250, 302, 202, 8190): It Has Started
ETV OB 13 FEEDS on 3.875 (H, 2250, 303, 302, 8190): It Has Started
ETV OB 17 FEEDS on 3.886 (H, 2250, 307, 207, 8190): It Has Started
0570 NSS 703 (57.0E)
====================
Star Plus on 11.179 (V, 14000, 512, 640, 8190): New Frequency
Star News on 11.179 (V, 14000, 513, 644, 8190): New Frequency
Fox Sports Middle East on 11.179 (V, 14000, 514, 648, 8190): New Frequency
0640 INTELSAT 906 (64.0E)
=========================
TBN US on 3.963 (R, 9100, 1360, 1320, 1360): New SR
JC-TV on 3.963 (R, 9100, 2260, 2220, 2260): New SR
0685 PANAMSAT 7, 10 (68.5E)
===========================
Feeds on 12.668 (V, 3900): It has started
0705 EUTELSAT W5 (70.5E)
========================
DATA on 11.389 (H, 27906): It has started
DATA on 11.427 (H, 27906): It has started
0765 TELSTAR 10/APSTAR IIR (76.5E)
==================================
TVBS on 12.736 (V, 21500, 160, 80, 160): It's clear now
TVBS-N on 12.736 (V, 21500, 161, 84, 161): It's clear now
TVBS-G on 12.736 (V, 21500, 162, 88, 162): It's clear now
0785 THAICOM 2,3 (78.5E)
========================
SEVEN on 3.551 (H, 13333, 1793, 1794, 1793): Correct Name
0830 INSAT 2E, 3B (83.0E)
=========================
TTV TEST CARD on 3.593 (V, 8679, 512, 640, 128): IT Has Started
Jaya TV on 3.593 (V, 8679, 2305, 2306, 2305): IT Has Started
0935 INSAT 3A (93.5E)
=====================
)DSNG-07 on 3.822 (V, 3800, 308, 256, 8190):
COXWIN-SIKKIM on 3.903 (V, 2000, 4194, 4195, 4194): It has Started
1005 ASIASAT 2 (100.5E)
=======================
Test Card on 4.148 (V, 11850, 350, 351, 350): It has replaced Macau Satellite TV
1055 ASIASAT 3S (105.5E)
========================
Star News on 3.780 (V, 28100, 514, 648, 8190): It's encrypted now
505 on 3.780 (V, 28100, 514, 648, 8190): It's encrypted now
1130 PALAPA C2 (113.0E)
=======================
DW on 10.970 (V, 7000, 33, 34, 33):
ABC on 10.970 (V, 7000, 1057, 1058, 1057):
Feeds on 3.977 (H, 2539): New NID
1660 PANAMSAT 8 (166.0E)
========================
TVBS on 3.836 (V, 22000, 160, 80, 160): It's clear now
TVBS Newsnet on 3.836 (V, 22000, 161, 84, 161): It's clear now
TVBS Golden on 3.836 (V, 22000, 162, 88, 162): It's clear now
Much TV on 3.836 (V, 22000, 163, 92, 163): It's clear now
ERA News on 3.836 (V, 22000, 164, 96, 164): It's clear now
TVBS Asia on 3.836 (V, 22000, 165, 100, 165): It's clear now
Asia Plus on 3.836 (V, 22000, 167, 108, 167):
DTA Aust/NZ on 3.980 (H, 27690, 2460, 2420, 2460): It has started
NEWS
AJC channel goes to air next week
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544699394.html
The Australian Jockey Club will launch its own racing television station next week to provide coverage of its multimilllion-dollar Easter carnival.
The TAB Ltd-owned Sky Channel's blackout of Sydney racing has forced the AJC to go it alone to provide coverage to off-course punters. The AJC is willing to incur a hefty financial burden to ensure punters can view next Saturday's AJC Australian Derby meeting from Randwick at selected pubs and clubs throughout the state. The service will be provided free but will not be shown in NSW TAB outlets.
The derby meeting kicks off the AJC's carnival, which has been condensed to a week in which four meetings will be conducted with more than $10 million in prizemoney distributed.
"We are going to provide satellite dishes to pubs and clubs," AJC chief executive Tony King said.
Due to the vast coverage required, the roll-out to pubs and clubs will be selective but in time the AJC is confident most outlets will be able to screen metropolitan racing held in Sydney.
The AJC is one of the richest race clubs in Australia and will bear the financial burden involved in ensuring punters can watch the best horses in the country compete at Randwick.
"It is not cheap but it is not a cheap argument," King said. "Ultimately we would like to think it will be available to them all."
Racing Victoria's media arm, ThoroughVisioN, will introduce a similar service that will be seen in pubs, clubs and TABCorp outlets.
The AJC's decision to go it alone confirmed its and the STC's commitment to setting up a new racing channel to rival Sky Channel.
Two weeks ago TAB Ltd abruptly ended broadcasting rights negotiations between Sky Channel, the AJC and STC.
TAB Ltd declared a blackout, with race meetings at Randwick and Warwick Farm, which are AJC tracks, and those at Rosehill and Canterbury (STC) not available on Sky Channel.
The two biggest clubs in the state have joined forces with ThoroughVisioN and are determined to secure a better financial agreement with Sky Channel, which made about $40 million profit last financial year.
When Sky threatened to black out the Chipping Norton Stakes meeting at Warwick Farm last month, King said: "I wouldn't like to have shares in it [Sky Channel]."
As King pointed out then, in 13 months the rights to all Victorian race meetings come up for renewal with Sky Channel, and the AJC chief executive has no doubt those south of the border will join the new channel.
Rebel races TV signs Waugh
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/04/1081017033686.html
Sydney's thoroughbred racing clubs and their broadcast rights holder, ThoroughVision, detailed plans to beat Sky Channel's blackout and broadcast the Autumn Carnival races in 150 pubs and clubs in Sydney by Easter Saturday.
The clubs said they had booked the satellite, dishes, and a production team including former Test cricketer Mark Waugh as part of the on-air talent.
Coverage on the new Sydney Races TV channel will expand to more than 500 hotels in NSW by the following Saturday, as well as being offered in selected pubs in Victoria.
"The roll-out is under way as we speak and will ensure that as many racing enthusiasts as possible can watch our showcase San Miguel Easter Carnival," said Australian Jockey Club chief executive Tony King.
But the clubs indicated that the door was still open for a new deal with TAB's Sky Channel, stating they were "happy to continue negotiations".
A TAB spokeswoman questioned the timing of the announcement with the NSW Government expected to make public the results of an independent assessment of UNiTAB's $2 billion bid for TAB by Thursday. The announcement could have a significant effect on negotiations between the clubs and Sky, TAB said.
If the report finds that NSW Racing's rejection of UNiTAB's bid for TAB was reasonable, Tabcorp, which already has a deal which appeases the three racing codes' governing body, will be favoured to acquire the Sydney gaming and wagering company.
TAB also questioned the racing clubs' ability to digest the substantial extra costs of setting up an alternative broadcaster on top of not receiving the $9 million for annual broadcast rights from Sky.
Ian Frykberg, who has been in negotiations on behalf of the AJC and Sydney Turf Club, said
there had been no further discussions between the clubs and Sky since negotiations broke down last month.
Channel 1 on Arabsat
From http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=42575&d=5&m=4&y=2004&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
RIYADH, 5 April 2004 Saudi Arabia signed a deal yesterday with the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) under which the state-run TV will be broadcast in most parts of the world along with Arab counterparts, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Culture and Information Minister Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy inked the agreement with Khaled Balkhiur, director general of the Riyadh-based Arabsat, which is owned by the Arab League member states.
The accord provides for Channel 1 of Saudi Television to be broadcast by satellite across Asia and the Americas and in Africa, Australia and New Zealand as part of a package also including the TV stations of Syria, Sudan, Algeria, Oman, Qatar, Libya, Abu Dhabi and Al-Manar.
BBC asserts largest intl news channel in Asia Pacific status
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr30.htm
MUMBAI: BBC World has been named the largest international news channel across four key markets in Asia Pacific, according to peoplemeter data for February 2004 in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea.
BBC World has the biggest audience share and viewers watch the channel for longer than any other global news network.
The BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel has a 50 per cent share of international news channel viewership (of the three channels, BBC World, CNN and CNBC Asia) among the people in Asia Pacific measured in the Nielsen Media Research - as much as CNN and CNBC combined.
Among the AB social class and PMEBs (professionals, managers, executives and businessmen), BBC World also leads with 46 per cent.
Viewers watch BBC World for longer than either of its two main rivals. Each viewer spends an average of 56 minutes per week tuned into BBC World, and the average upscale viewer 79 minutes, both far longer than results for its competitors.
The research shows that BBC World's total weekly reach in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea had grown from 967,000 in October to 1,024,000 in February. This is an increase of six per cent; BBC World is the only news channel to show a rise. Of that figure, 531,000 - more than half - are "exclusive" viewers, who tune in to BBC World but do not watch CNN or CNBC at all.
BBC World head of research and planning Jeremy Nye says, "These impressive results confirm and update growth seen in the Pan Asia Cross Media Survey [PAX] and Asian Target Market Survey [ATMS]. We've been conducting our own research in Asia and Europe to try to understand what is contributing to this growth. It reveals the increasing salience to our viewers of such long-term global problems as conflicts, corruption, hunger and lack of education, and attempts to alleviate them. It also finds that viewers in Asia value channels with a global agenda and in-depth coverage - hence the popularity of BBC World."
PanAmSat De-Orbits Back-Up Satellite PAS-6
From http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Apr/1028305.htm
WILTON, Conn., April 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PanAmSat today announced that it has decided to de-orbit one of its in-orbit international spares, PAS-6, due to a failure in the satellite's power system. Located at 43 degrees west longitude, PAS-6 was one of two backup satellites supporting PanAmSat's international fleet. PanAmSat anticipates that this will not affect its 2004 revenues.
As a result of this event, PanAmSat will record a non-cash charge within income from operations of approximately $100 million in the first quarter of 2004. This will result in an approximate $63 million non-cash charge to net income after taxes. Further, the Company anticipates reduced depreciation expense for full year 2004 of approximately $9 million. PanAmSat will adjust its 2004 guidance to reflect these changes when it releases its first quarter 2004 results.
Launched on August 8, 1997, PAS-6 is a Loral Space Systems model FS-1300 satellite. PanAmSat does not plan to replace this satellite.
About PanAmSat
PanAmSat Corporation is one of the world's top three satellite operators managing a global fleet of 29 satellites, 24 of which are wholly-owned by the Company, for the delivery of news, sports and other television programming. In total, this fleet is capable of reaching more than 98 percent of the world's population through cable television systems, broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home operators, Internet service providers and telecommunications companies. In addition, PanAmSat supports the largest concentration of satellite-based business networks in the U.S., as well as specialized communications services in remote areas throughout the world. PanAmSat is 80.5 percent owned by The DIRECTV Group Inc. For more information, visit the company's web site at http://www.panamsat.com/.
The DIRECTV Group, Inc.
The DIRECTV Group, Inc. formerly Hughes Electronics Corp. , is a world-leading provider of digital multichannel television entertainment, broadband satellite networks and services, and global video and data broadcasting. The DIRECTV Group, Inc. is 34 percent owned by Fox Entertainment Group, which is approximately 82 percent owned by News Corporation Ltd.
PanAmSat Corporation
CONTACT: Kathryn Lancioni, PanAmSat Corporation, +1-646-293-7415
4/04/04
No Sunday Update
3/04/04
No Saturday update
2/04/04
G.P from Bahrain? be on the lookout for feeds the media there are giving massive coverage to this event. Via Asiasat 2 perhaps?
New logo for tarbs and new website design
Quite a bad day for news items.
From my Emails & ICQ
Nothing to report
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 4121 V "Iglesia ni Cristo TV and Net 25" are back on , Fta, SR 4775, FEC 3/4,PIDs 267/268 and 613/614.
PAS 8 166E 12526 H "MTV Australia" has replaced MCM Top on , MDS, PIDs 515/643.
PAS 8 166E 12462 H "Dhammakaya" has started on , Fta, SR 2222, FEC 1/2, PIDs 4194/4195, NE Asian beam.
Optus B3 152E 12525 V "Oman TV Satellite" has started on , Fta, PIDs 2260/2220.
Telkom 1 108E 3460 H "Star Sports Asia" has left .
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3780 V "Star News India" is now encrypted.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3880 H "Abu Dhabi TV Europe" is still on , Fta, PIDs 1131/1132.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E 4148 V The Macau Satellite TV mux is back on , Fta, SR 11852, FEC 3/4.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3912 VChannel Guide has replaced Hindustan TV on , Fta, PIDs 274/275.
Yamal 201 90E 3674 L New SR for the SGU mux on : 14680.
Yamal 102 90E 3709 L "Telekanal Dvina" has left .
NEWS
Disney firms up plans to launch its three channels
From Indiantelevision.com
CANNES: Walt Disney Television International president David Hulbert is quite gung-ho about India. At MipTV in Cannes, Hulber told a European media website that his company was more interested in India than China. He said that Walt Disney Television is chatting with Indian distributors to introduce "two or three" channels in India this year.
"We are in discussions with people like Star, ESS and Sony about distribution as part of their bundle rather than launching the channel as a joint-venture," Hulbert told the website. The final call on its distribution partner is expected to be taken by July and a Diwali launch of the three Disney channels - Playhouse, Toons and TDC - is looking increasingly likely.
The media powerhouse only recently severed relations with its more than 10-year-old partner Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) and shuttered its joint venture with the Lalit Modi promoted MEN, Walt Disney India Private Limited.
Hulbert shrugged off the recent CAS imbroglio adding that he was quite sanguine that the Telecom Regulatory Authority (Trai) would not bring a heavy hand on the cable and satellite television broadcasting industry, working as a facilitator. He added that Disney has already started dubbing Disney programmes into Hindi, Tamil and Telegu for the new channels.
Additionally, the company is also on a recruitment drive for its proposed channels and has appointed local agencies to help it zoom in on the talent. The recent Ficci Frames conference held in Mumbai last month had witnessed the the senior Asian Disney management in full attendance.
According to its application with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board, it will be setting up a wholly-owned subsidiary in India, and will invest $10m in India over the next five years. Besides the new channels, the company intends to take a dekko at other forays such as production and distribution of local movies, branded merchandising, theme parks and resorts.
Zee TV to launch DTH-specific kids channel Space Toons
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k4/apr/apr1.htm
CANNES: Zee TV group outfit Padmalya Telefilms will be developing a kids channel as part its relationship with Italian firm Mondo TV. The channel called Space Toons it is slated to launch some time in August.
The channel has been designed as a formatted channel with different 'planets' representing various programming genres - Mercury for science, Mars for action etc. There will be a retail operation that extends the format brands into the Indian market. The announcement was made at MipTV in Cannes.
According to Mondo's vice-president Ricky Corradi the company is seriously interested in the Indian market. Its agreement with the Zee TV group includes an investment of $14 million in India, the production of four animation series in five years. Among the series that it will produce include Sindbad, Fab Five (26x30), and Panchatantra. In return Padmalaya will distribute Mondo's library in India in a deal reputed to be in excess of $five million.
The new channel will be put on the Zee TV group's DishTV and Punit Goenka who heads the DTH platform says, "We are hungry for content and Mondo is one of the few companies in the world that has a library big enough to feed that hunger."
PADMALAYA STRIKES DEAL WITH MALLARD, EALING
After its mega-deal with Mondo, Padmalaya has bagged another big order from Europe. It is joining hands with Mallard Media of Scotland and Ealing Animation of UK to produce 52 episodes of 10 minutes each in a deal worth $ 5.2 million.
A new animation series from the Aberdeen-based Mallard Media relates to the various exploits of two highland bulls called Clootie and Dumpling, and was launched at the ongoing MIPTV.
During MIPTV, Padmalaya , Ealing Animation and Mallard Media will be meeting with broadcasters and buyers interested in projects that have a strong merchandising potential combined with an underlying educational purpose.
1/04/04
Some strange happenings last night on NSS6, with the 12729V transponder going FTA for a while with all the Adult channels FTA! At one stage the transponder was listing 15 TV channels, including 9 adult ones.
Fashion tv replaced Asia Plus on Tarbs ( no not an April fools item!) You can see what Tarbs are doing slowly replacing various Ethnic channels with "english" channels.
Most of the Chinese regionals have left Asiasat 2 and moved to Asiasat3 which is good for us in NZ as the look angles slightly better.
www.satmax.ws in NZ has Innovia Blindsearchers in stock be in quick they are selling fast.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Herb Gardiner
New channel, B3...
TBN's 3rd network, Church Channel now has test card up: 12525V s/r 30000.
Vpid: 2141 Apid: 2142 PCR: 2141
From Aragorn
I just received the following from my contact at Asiasat
Just a quick note to advise you that transmission of the Chinese provincial channels on
AsiaSat 2 will be ceased from April 1. Most of those channels will however remain broadcasting on AsiaSat 3S. Please visit the 'Channel Guide' section of our website at
http://www.asiasat.com/eng/02_satellites/channel_03.html for the frequency assignment on AsiaSat 3S. Should you have further questions, please feel
free to contact us again.
Andrew (aragorn)
(Craigs comment, Lyngsats update today reports they have left on schedule, Asiasat 3 is looking good approx 60 FTA channels! and of course a better look angle for us in NZ compared to Asiasat 2)
From Jamal
Saudi 1 on Asiasat 3s
Saudi 1 on Asiasat 3s, 3880 horizontal,Symbol Rate 27.500 msps, Video pid 1171, Audio pid 1172.
Cheers
Jamal-Melbourne
From the Dish
Intelsat 701 180E 3769 R "Abu Dhabi TV Europe has left , replaced by a The Church Channel info card".
PAS 8 166E 4121 V "Iglesia ni Cristo TV and Net 25" have left .(Notice all the Filipino fta have left...political reasons....)
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3880 H "Abu Dhabi TV Europe" has left .
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3880 H "Saudi Arabian TV 1" has started on , Fta, PIDs 1171/1172.
AsiaSat 2 100.5E
Henan TV has left 3706 H.
The Qinghai TV mux has left 3713 H.
Fujian South East TV left 3720 H.
Jiangxi TV has left 3727 H.
Liaoning TV has left 3734 H.
The Guangxi TV mux has left 3806 V.
The Shaanxi TV mux has left 3813 V.
The Anhui TV mux has left 3820 V.
The Jiangsu TV mux has left 3827 V.
The HeiLongJiang TV mux has left 3834 V.
The Dragon TV mux has left 3846 V.
The Hunan TV mux has left 3847 H.
Hubei TV has left 3854 H.
The Shandong TV mux has left 3855 V.
CCTV 1 has left 3864 V.
The Jilin TV Station mux has left 3874 V.
The Sichuan TV mux has left 3946 H.
The Macau Satellite TV mux has left 4148 V.
The Beijing TV 1 mux has left 12329 H.
Shanxi TV has left 12339 H
The Hebei TV 1 mux has left 12349 H.
The Tianjin TV mux has left 12368 H.
TVSN (China) has left 3765 V.
NSS 6 95E 12729 H "YTN" has started on , Fta, SR 26040, FEC 3/4, PIDs 49/52,NE Asian beam.
PAS 10 68.5E 4099 V New PIDs for New Africa Network on : 513/641.
NEWS
Punters back in picture
From http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,9145869%255E10048,00.html
COUNTRY Victoria punters could receive coverage of Sydney races from Saturday week despite the Sky Channel blackout.
Saturday's Golden Slipper Stakes meeting will be shown live Australia-wide on Channel 7, but since the Sky Channel ban on Sydney races country fans have missed out.
Special satellite dishes will be installed in up to 500 rural hotels and clubs in the next week.
The ThoroughVisioN (TVN) board discussed the plan on Tuesday and the Racing Victoria board will meet clubs on Friday to formalise arrangements.
TVN spokesman Graham Duff said there was no plan to rush in the new alternative thoroughbred racing channel because interim arrangements were proving adequate.
In a separate deal, New South Wales' 1000 Pubtabs and 700 clubs will receive a rebate as compensation for loss of the Sky Channel signal since the blackout on March 20.
NSW Australian Hotels' Association president John Thorpe said Sky owner TAB Limited had agreed to the rebate.
"It's a matter of how much it will be," Thorpe said.
TAB Limited corporate affairs spokesman Graham Cassidy said a rebate was morally right.
PanAmSat Starts Consolidation of Their Satellite Operations on Integral Systems EPOCH IPS Satellite Control System
From Press release
Initial Program is to Transition Three Boeing 702 Satellites to EPOCH IPS System
LANHAM, Md., March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Integral Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISYS - News) today announced a contract with PanAmSat Corporation to migrate their three Boeing Satellite System 702 spacecraft from their current ground control software system to the EPOCH IPS (Integrated Product Suite) fleet control system supplied by Integral Systems. This program is the first step to eventually consolidating PanAmSat's satellite operations onto a single satellite control system. By doing so, PanAmSat will reduce its recurring long-term operations and maintenance costs, and future procurement costs.
PanAmSat currently uses Integral Systems EPOCH IPS to operate their Orbital Starbus satellites. PanAmSat, one of the world's largest and most experienced commercial satellite operators, made their selection of Integral's EPOCH IPS system after an extensive evaluation and analysis of systems available in the marketplace and on their direct operational experience with Integral Systems' EPOCH IPS product line. EPOCH IPS is the only COTS (commercial-off the shelf) satellite control system with a proven capability to operate diverse fleets of satellites (satellites from different satellite manufacturers in the same fleet) from a single satellite control system. Integral is also the only company that provides systems that operate satellites from every major commercial geosynchronous communications satellite manufacturer in the world, including Alcatel, Astrium, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital and Space Systems/Loral.
"We are extremely pleased to have our EPOCH IPS system selected by PanAmSat as part of the development of their centralized fleet management system," said Stuart Daughtridge, Vice President of the Commercial Division at Integral Systems. "PanAmSat is one of the most experienced satellite operations organizations in the world. They have used systems from almost all of the major satellite ground system suppliers, so their selection of Integral Systems EPOCH IPS system is another significant validation of the quality of our products and our customer support," he added.
"After significant testing and evaluation, the EPOCH IPS system was the clear choice for us," said Bridget Neville, Senior Vice President of Engineering for PanAmSat. "It is an important step in our long-term plan of moving to one central integrated fleet management system."
Integral Systems also has supplied satellite ground systems to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Loral Skynet, NEWskies Satellites, Echostar, Sirius Satellite Radio, Binariang Satellite Systems, Shin Satellite Public Company Ltd., SATMEX, GE Americom, Optus, Orbital, ChinaSat, EOSAT, Alcatel, TRW, ROCSAT (Republic of China), among others.
About Integral Systems:
Founded in 1982, Integral Systems is a leading provider of satellite ground systems and has supported over 190 different satellite missions for communications, science, meteorological, and earth resource applications. The Company was the first to offer an integrated suite of COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) software products for satellite command and control, the EPOCH IPS product line. EPOCH has become a world market leader in commercial applications with successful installations on 5 continents. The company also offers products and services for satellite integration and test and payload data processing as well as a full motion tracking antennas.
The Company's subsidiary, SAT Corporation, provides satellite and terrestrial communications signal monitoring systems to satellite operators and users throughout the world. Through its Newpoint Technologies, Inc. subsidiary, the Company also provides software for equipment monitoring and control to satellite operators and telecommunications firms. The Company's RT Logic subsidiary builds telemetry processing systems for military applications including tracking stations, control centers and range operations. Integral Systems has approximately 380 employees working at Company headquarters in Lanham, Maryland, and at other locations in both the U.S. and Europe.
DG2L to Unveil World's First Interactive HD MPEG-4 DVB / IP Set-Top Box at NAB 2004
From http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Mar/1027401.htm
NEW YORK --(Business Wire)-- March 31, 2004 -- DG2L Neuron Set-Top Box Offers Modular Interface for Deploying on Any Network; Provides Advanced Digital Services for Broadcast, Broadband, Satellite or Cable Networks at Breakthrough Price
DG2L Technologies, Inc., the premier provider of next-generation digital media technologies and producer of the most advanced set-top box solution, today announces that it will unveil DG2L Neuron, the world's first, multi-network, HDTV MPEG-4 set-top box (STB), at the 2004 NAB next month in Las Vegas (Booth SL2175). DG2L Neuron is the most comprehensive and versatile STB, capable of delivering High Definition and Standard Definition interactive broadcast and IP streams over DVB-S, DVB-C, DVB-T and IP networks respectively. The Neuron STB also offers advanced digital services, including video on demand (VOD), pay per view (PPV), personal video recording (PVR), and MPEG-4 systems layer interactive program guides, all at a significantly lower price than any other STB in its class.
In addition to DG2L Neuron, DG2L will also unveil several other new products at NAB: the Phoenix 200A and 200D, DG2L's line of analog and digital MPEG-4 broadcast encoders and IRD/decoders. The company will also launch the latest version of its DG2L Digital Cinema System.
DG2L Neuron Features and Benefits
DG2L Neuron sets a new standard for set-top box functionality and pricing. The feature-rich set-top box receives and delivers rich multimedia interactive, VOD, and live content over DVB or IP networks, and comes complete with extended PVR functionality. DG2L Neuron offers HDTV in MPEG-4 and MPEG-2, both live and on-demand. The state-of-the-art STB was designed to scale to the needs of homes connected to broadcast or broadband networks worldwide, while providing compatibility with standard and High Definition (HD) formats. DG2L Neuron receives and delivers audio-visual and interactive streams over DVB-S, DVB-C, DVB-T or IP networks.
DG2L Neuron Delivers World-Leading Functionality at World's Best Price. Cable and satellite operators have entered a new phase of heightened competition, said Ankur Sheth, CEO of DG2L. Interactivity, versatility, high definition television and extended service programming are the key differentiators for attracting and retaining customers. The DG2L Neuron set-top box delivers the most compelling offering for providers wishing to differentiate themselves. With advanced functionality, including pay per view, video on demand, personal video recording, high quality MPEG-4 and MPEG-2 HD and standard TV, coupled with the ability to receive signals over all DVB and IP standards, DG2L Neuron is the most powerful and competitively priced set-top box on the market today.
About DG2L Technologies
Founded in 2001, DG2L Technologies, Inc. is a premier provider of next-generation digital media technologies. The company is one of the first in the world to engineer technology solutions based on MPEG-4 standards. Through its acquisition of iVAST International, Morai Media Solutions Inc., and iVAST Inc's assets, DG2L became the only global vendor with the ability to design, deliver, install and create a digital media delivery system, supporting any codec across any network, to any device. DG2L is headquartered in New York with offices in Newark, California, Tokyo, Beijing, Taiwan, Singapore, Mumbai, Changsha, and ChongQing. For more information about DG2L, please visit www.DG2L.com.
For customers interested in learning more about DG2L and our products:
Global: +91-22-5693-0971
United States: +1-510-742-5611
Times group to launch three TV channels
From http://www.business-standard.com/today/story.asp?Menu=2&story=37618
Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd, publishers of The Times of India, is planning to enter the television business with a bouquet of three channels, including an entertainment channel, a spiritual channel and a business news channel. The entertainment channel will be the first to go on air.
Bennett Coleman President Arun Arora confirmed the company’s plans to launch three television channels. “A stand-alone channel does not make sense,” he said, without specifying the genres of the proposed channels. “We will finalise the details in the next 2-3 weeks,” he added.
According to Arora, it is still undecided whether the television business will be launched under a separate company. He admitted that the cost of the project was much more than the Rs 30 crore figure that the media industry had been talking about. The first channel is likely to go on air in July.
According to media industry sources, the entertainment channel, expected to be named Zoom, will focus on events, music, fashion and lifestyle.
The business news channel, which is expected to be the last to take off, is yet to be named. It is not clear whether Bennett Coleman will have an international tie-up for the news channel.
Currently, up to 26 per cent foreign investment is allowed in television news channels uplinking from India. “We are not going out and looking for tie-ups,” Arora told Business Standard.