31/07/03
Not much to say today, Optus B3-C1 transponder swap this morning must of gone ok. How about some reports?
From my Emails & ICQ
From Anon NT
12518H cnr 18.
12558H cnr 16.
with a promax mc-377+
From Chris Pickstock
C1, 12558 H has a channel loading labelled "Optus C11308" and it is FTA.
Don't get too excited, its the ABC again
Chris
From the Dish
PAS 2 169E 3803 H "Occasional feeds", SR 5632, FEC 3/4.
Optus C1 156E 12367 V "JC-TV" has left replaced by Mac TV .
NSS 6 95E 12729 V New PIDs for Fashion TV : 513/514.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3960 V "DD Sahayadri" has left , new SR: 5000.
ST 1 88E 3582 H "SuperSport 3 has replaced Star Sports", enc., PIDs 36/37.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "Daystar TV" has started, Fta, PIDs 5153/5154.
NEWS
Intelsat second-quarter profit down 44 percent
From http://reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?storyID=3189146&type=bondsNews
Satellite operator Intelsat Ltd. on Wednesday said second-quarter profit fell 44 percent amid a protracted industry slump caused by excess network capacity.
Intelsat, which provides satellite services to telephone, media and government customers, posted earnings of $42.6, or 27 cents a share, down from $75.5 million, or 45 cents a share, a year earlier.
Revenue fell to $244.5 million from $246.7 million a year earlier but was up 2.3 percent from $238.9 million in the first quarter.
"We view this increase (from the first quarter) as a positive indicator that our core business is stabilizing and is poised for recovery," Chief Executive Conny Kullman said in a statement.
The revenue decline from a year ago was primarily due to a drop off in services provided to a key customer that filed for bankruptcy last year, Intelsat said.
Kullman described the business environment as challenging and told analysts in a conference call that there was "no major change from the last quarter."
"There continues to be a certain amount of overcapacity in our business," said Kullman. Intelsat continues to experience pricing pressure in Latin America and Asia, he said.
Intelsat, in a statement, said it still expects full-year 2003 revenue to decrease at a slower rate than in 2002.
Earlier this month the company agreed to buy six North American satellites from Loral Space & Communications Ltd. LRLSQ.OB for up to $1.1 billion. Loral filed for bankruptcy as a condition of the deal.
Four of the satellites are in operation, serving cable television, broadcast and private data network customers. The other two satellites are under construction.
Intelsat and Loral filed a joint application earlier this week seeking approval of the deal, Intelsat said. The review process is expected to take about 180 days, it said.
The companies also plan to file with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice.
Intelsat expects to close the deal in early to mid-2004.
"With operations generally doing OK, the main items they need to address are how to pay for Loral's satellite fleet and when and how to complete their initial public offering," said Hoyt Phelps, an analyst from KDP Investment Advisors.
The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's revised its outlook on Intelsat to "negative" from "stable" after the company announced the Loral deal.
Kullman told analysts on Wednesday that retaining an investment-grade rating was a top priority.
Intelsat's 7.625 percent senior notes due 2012 were last seen trading late Tuesday at a spread of 2.5 percentage points over Treasuries.
Intelsat was set up by the U.S. government in the 1960s and was supported by scores of other countries. It was privatized in July 2001. Its largest shareholder is Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT.N .
The company began announcing its quarterly results in February. Its bonds became publicly traded in December.
Intelsat is required by law to begin publicly trading its stock in order to dilute its existing shareholders' stakes, but it has put off an initial public offering due to poor market conditions.
Kullman said Intelsat is committed to an IPO and hopes one can be held shortly after closing of the Loral deal, which requires approval from a bankruptcy court and regulators.
Zarlink Targets Fast-Scan, Low-Power Demodulator Chip at Booming Asian Markets for Digital Satellite TV
From Press Release
- New demodulator selected by leading Chinese manufacturer - strengthens Zarlink's position in RF (radio frequency) chips for digital satellite STBs (set-top boxes) - Automatically scans complete satellite broadcast band in minutes
Zarlink Semiconductor (NYSE/TSX:ZL) today added the industry's fastest-scanning, lowest-power channel demodulator to its successful family of RF chips for digital satellite TV systems.
Zarlink's ZL(TM)10312 chip is aimed primarily at STBs sold in Asia and the Middle East that receive "free-to-air" digital TV channels on satellite broadcast bands. The demodulator is also suitable for the European and U.S. satellite STB markets.
The ZL10312 device, combined with Zarlink's SL1925/1935 tuner chips, offers manufacturers a complete RF subsystem for tuning, scanning, decoding, and demodulating digital satellite TV signals. Approximately 70% of the digital satellite STBs manufactured in China use Zarlink tuners, according to company research.
To provide consumers with STBs that are easier to use, manufacturers want demodulators that quickly scan and lock onto digital satellite TV channels with little or no user input. The ZL10312 demodulator automatically scans the complete satellite broadcast band in minutes - the industry's fastest auto- scan performance. In comparison, competing demodulator chips can take hours to perform the function, and require consumers to input such variables as frequency, code rate, and symbol rate.
Proven, second-generation design
"Market acceptance has been excellent for auto-scan STBs based on Zarlink's first-generation MT312 satellite demodulator. The new ZL10312 chip provides even better performance at lower power," said Huang ZhenFen, General Technical Supervisor at FuZhou ZhuoYi Electronics, a leading manufacturer of satellite TV equipment.
"Fast auto scan is a very popular feature with consumers, and our new demodulator delivers the best performance in the industry," said Jim Wallace, marketing manager, Satellite, Cable, and Terrestrial Products, Zarlink Semiconductor. "Coupled with our market-proven tuners, we're making it simpler for manufacturers to build complete RF front-ends for digital satellite receivers."
Zarlink's new satellite demodulator is the lowest-power chip in its class, with consumption of only 300 mW (milliwatts). As STBs shrink in size, heat-sensitive RF tuner and demodulator chips are being packed into smaller areas. The ZL10312 demodulator minimizes heat generation, improving RF performance and field reliability.
Top-notch features and performance
Zarlink's ZL10312 chip is a digital satellite demodulator that supports QPSK (quaternary phase shift keying) and BPSK (bipolar phase shift keying) modulation schemes. The device uses advanced digital filters to detect and decode symbol rates from 1-45 MS/s (megasymbols per second), allowing it to process a flexible range of satellite channels without external components.
A unique, on-chip hard-wired controller helps the ZL10312 device achieve its ultra-fast channel scanning capability. The controller saves time by implementing scan routines at high speeds with little intervention from an external processor. This allows manufacturers to minimize software overhead and reach markets more quickly.
The ZL10312 chip features a direct interface to version 2.2 of Eutelsat's DiSEqC(TM) (digital satellite equipment control) bus. This interface reduces the need for external components to control satellite dishes and LNBs (low- noise blocks).
ENERGY STAR® "sleep" pin
The ZL10312 demodulator features a "sleep" pin that dramatically lowers power consumption in stand-by mode. The pin reduces the chip's power requirement 1,000-fold when a STB is not in use, thus assisting manufacturers in meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR® requirements. The ZL10312 also complies fully with European DVB-S (Digital Video Broadcasting-Satellite) specifications and the U.S. DSS (Digital Satellite System) standard.
Pricing and availability
Zarlink's ZL10312 satellite channel demodulator chip is now in production. The chip is packaged in a 64-pin LQFP (low-quad flat pack) and measures only 7 mm (millimeters) by 7 mm. In 1K volumes, the ZL10312 is priced at US$3.85. For more information please visit http://products.zarlink.com/profiles/ZL10312.
About Zarlink Semiconductor
For almost 30 years, Zarlink Semiconductor has delivered semiconductor solutions that drive the capabilities of voice, enterprise, broadband and wireless communications. The company's success is built on its technology strengths, including voice and data networks, consumer and ultra low-power communications, and high-performance analog. For more information, visit www.zarlink.com.
Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among others, the risks discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are encouraged to consider the risks detailed in those filings.
A high-resolution photograph is available at http://news.zarlink.com/visual_center/. Zarlink, ZL, and the Zarlink Semiconductor logo are trademarks of Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. DiSEqC is a trademark of Eutelsat S.A. ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Waiting for DTH
From http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/television/2003/july/59945.htm
One more reason to wait for September 1 the day Zee Telefilms plans to launch its direct-to-home (DTH) platform. The conditional access system will also be implemented on the same day.
With DTH a viewer will have two options to receive TV channels CAS (using a set top box) and DTH (using a seven inch dish antenna). So will Mumbaikars have this option from September 1? Jawahar Goel, head of Siticable, says, “Our DTH platform is primarily targeted at non-cable service areas and standalone homes. In metros like Mumbai, it is technically feasible but it depends on the focus of our marketing arm.”
At the moment, Goel says, ASC Enterprise (Zee Telefilms’ DTH arm) has four transponders which can provide approximately 48 channels. “The bouquets are being prepared. The channels offered will include free-to-air channels and popular channels, not only Zee channels.”
The exact list of pay channels is being worked out as over the coming weeks “commercial arrangements” with other broadcasters to carry their channels on ASC’s DTH platform will be worked out. Goel adds, “The platform is a neutral distributing entity.”
As of now, however, ASC Enterprise is yet to get over the legal formalities and receive the license to operate from the government.
When asked whether CAS will take a backseat now that Zee Telefilms is surging ahead on it DTH plans, Goel responds: “CAS and DTH will go hand-in-hand.
We will continue to push for CAS as the consumer will benefit from it greatly and we want to continue working with cable operators. CAS can deliver more channels and cable will always be ahead of DTH.” DTH, however, does not need a middleman (local cable operator) and facilitates better picture quality.
ASC has already booked to have 12 transponders in total so that 144 channels can be provided. A new satellite needed to carry more transponders is expected to be installed by November.
ASC Enterprise is just one of the service providers offering the DTH platform. Space TV (affiliated to Star) and Prasar Bharti are the other players.
30/07/03
More B3-C1 changes tonight
Thu July 31st 0430 AET B3/T12 (12501 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T16 (12518 H)
Thu July 31st 0500 AET B3/T13 (12564 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T17 (12558 H)
See image below
New FTA channel on Globecast mux on C1 12367V, MACTV from Taiwan. I have been told it will stay FTA which good to hear.
I have heard something about Tarb's selling their decoders for $150 and lowering subs to $49.95 for those who purchase the decoder. Interesting are they trying to raise some quick cash ?
A reminder to those having trouble with reception off C1/B3 in some areas the stronger C1 signals will be over riding the weaker B3 stuff. If you have lost channels and a reload of the home transponder won't find them. You need to call your provider and have them send someone to adjust the skew angle of the LNBF. Of course most people reading this site are probably capable of doing this themselves. You can see from the animated image below that some vertical and Horizontal clash this is where the Cross pol problem occur. Once all signals have left B3 this problem should be resolved (August 5th?).
B3 to Optus C1 Phase 1 then Phase 2 you can see what's happening. The Red ones are the verticals, as seen by Bill Richards in South Australia.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Gavin Barbour (Christchurch, NZ)
Well its too soon to give a real answer because the levels are still changing
but on nokia and 2m dish at CHCH Nz
12366V down on previous
12406V down on previous
12566V about the same
12646V down on previous
12720V not seen
cheers
Gavin
From Ahmad Mobasheri
For Sale:
Hi All,
Nokia Mediamaster, 9600s, equipped with CI2.6 software.
S/N: 262 6915-65/- 0000556 7462
Remote control and manual, many software on disk (Never installed)
Excellent condition
NZ$800
Irdeto CAM (no card) Ok for Aurora.
NZ$170
Email:[email protected]
From the Dish
Insat 3A 93.5E 3985 V "Headlines Today and Aastha TV" are now Fta
Insat 3A 93.5E 4025 V "BBC World India" was Fta but has encrypted.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4065 V "Red 93.5 FM" has started, Fta, APID 1301...
JCSAT 3 128E 4050 V "Da Ai TV" has started , Viaccess, PIDs 1072/1073.
ST 1 88E 3582 H "Star Sports" has replaced SuperSport 3, enc., PIDs 36/37.
NEWS
Zee to offer DTH from Sept (in india)
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=101311
NEW DELHI: The Zee group will launch its Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting service from September 1, this year, following test -launch in August. The government on Tuesday issued the letter of intent to Subhash Chandra's ASC Enterprises to launch its DTH service.
To start with, the Zee group plans to offer 50-odd channels at a monthly subscription cost of around Rs 200. In addition, DTH subscribers would also have to make a one-time investment of around Rs 4,000 for a pizza-sized dish antennae and a digital decoder. Plans are afoot to offer upto 150 channels, including several niche ones, over first year of operation.
According to Jawahar Goel, additional vice chairman, Zee group, there are plans to offer several niche channels and value added service through the DTH platform.
With condition access regime set to come into force from September 1 in the four metros, DTH service providers would give an option to TV viewers to bypass the existing cable TV network.
STAR TV-promoted Space TV is also awaiting governmental nod for launch of its DTH service. Prasar Bharati is gearing up to be the third player to offer DTH service by early next year. Prasar Bharati's DTH service would be driven largely by Doordarshan's existing fare and is targeted at areas such as North East and Rajasthan where its terrestrial service is not readily available. DTH subscribers to Prasar Bharati's service would just have to make a one-time investment for the decoder and the dish antennae, with no monthly subscription charges.
With the tussle between DTH service providers and cable TV networks to attract subscriber share expected to hot up in the coming months, television watcher are certainly not likely to complain.
29/07/03
Livechat tonight 9pm NZ and 8.30p.m Syd time onwards
Sorry no site update today not feeling well
28/07/03
The 2nd phase of the B3-C1 swapover has taken place early this morning. I have not heard of any problems so far. If you are having a problem reload 12407V and that should load the new transponders.
All seem to be a bit weaker at my place here in NZ on Nokia with 76cm dish. Of course 12527v and 12720v are not available as they are on a different beam.
12646 V is the strongest at my place.7C on Nokia the others are 75. Please keep sending in those before and after signal reports.
From my Emails & ICQ
From ANON (Solomon Islands)
RE:Solomon News feeds
The info I gave you (last week) was right, but we changed to Pas 8. 2 was no-go.
We are on 3955 and another. Can't remember, I'm in the hotel office, but
9meg up or down. SR 6111 and 3/4.
Hope it helps. Have to run.
(Craigs comment, there you go try Pas 8 for Solomons feeds)
From Zapara (W.A)
All Aurora transponders are now 100% except 12407vert this is 94%
From Anon (NT)
85cm Dish
12407 V CNR 20 dB (AUS/NZ)
12527 V CNR 17 dB (AUS)
12566 V CNR 15 dB (AUS/NZ)
12646 V CNR 15 dB (AUS/NZ)
12720 V CNR 17 dB (AUS)
From Mr Humax
A big improvment on C1 with this mornings changes
was getting 12527 5F before now getting 7F-81, 85cm, nokia dbox, Brisbane
From Marc
C1 reception report.
12,527 V - 73% 93-97% quality. Before: 67% 49-51% quality
12,720 V - 75% 100% quality. Before: 69% 45-47% quality
This is on a humax on a 65cm dish in Cooma, NSW.
Marc
From Various
B1, 12367V sr 6666 Fec 3/4 had the Rugby test coverage for Tv3 NZ
From the Dish
Optus C1 156E 12407 V switched to Aus/NZ beam
Optus C1 156E 12527 V moved here from B3
Optus C1 156E 12595 V moved from B3 now 12566V on C1
Optus C1 156E 12658 V moved from B3 now 12646V on C1
Optus C1 156E 12720 V moved here from B3
(Reports needed!)
JCSAT 3 128E 3996 V A GE Americom test card has started , PowerVu, PIDs 1460/1420.The two other test cards are now also encrypted.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3585 V "Sanskar TV" has left , replaced by an info card.
NEWS
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 30/2003 27 July 2003 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
SET TO BROADCAST TO MIDDLE EAST
Sony Entertainment Television (SET), the general entertainment Hindi channel, has launched a dedicated Middle East beam, facilitating the broadcast of programmes suited to the timing preferences of the regional audience. Previously, the Middle East received the SET content as part of its India beam, and hence only two hours of daily programming could be earmarked for viewers here. In the Middle East, SET will provide all new programmes simultaneously with their Indian launch.
AUSTRALIA
ABA ANNOUNCE DIGITAL TV PLANS
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has published its regional digital TV plan, which outlines the channels that TV broadcasters can transmit digitally. The plan gives details of the channels that will be available (some capacity is being reserved) in fourteen regional areas.
CHINA - HONG KONG
CHINA OPTS FOR EUROPE’S DVB STANDARD
China has decided to use the European-dominated standard for its digital television (DTV) cable broadcasting as a transitional one as it pushes ahead with its campaign to develop DTV in China. "Our national standard has not been decided, so we will adopt the digital video broadcasting-cable (DVB-C) standard temporarily," said Bai Weimin, chief of the broadcasting and television division under the Ministry of Information Industry. She said as the need to start DTV broadcasting becomes more urgent, China will first switch to the European standard. A home-grown DTV-C standard, which was expected to come out this month, was delayed mainly due to the immature state of technology. However, Bai said China will eventually adopt its own standard, which will be compatible with the DVB-C standard. Wang Kuang, general manager of Hangzhou Science and Technology Co Ltd and head of the development team for the DTV-C standard, said the domestic standard will be ready this year and it will have interactive functions, better support for data services and will be easier to use than DVB-C. Last year, China decided the standard for digital television satellite broadcasting, but it is still working on the other two standards: cable and terrestrial broadcasting. According to the 10th Five-Year Plan for broadcasting, film and television (2001-05), 30 million households are expected to receive digital TV programmes transmitted via satellites, with another 30 million receiving their signal via cable, by 2005.
COURT RULING OUTLAWS PAY-TV PIRACY
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) announces that the High Court in Hong Kong has entered judgment in favour of the plaintiffs in civil actions against the five remaining defendants for importing and trading in unauthorized satellite TV signal decoding equipment. In his ruling, the Judge granted an injunction prohibiting the defendants from trading in unauthorised “smart cards” and associated apparatus stating that such use was “offensive and must be stopped”. In the Judgment the Court held that the defendants had breached Hong Kong’s copyright law and had no licence to deal in the plaintiffs’ broadcasts. The defendants were found to have been “importing, possessing and supplying apparatus obtained in territories outside Hong Kong designed to infringe the plaintiffs’ copyright”. The plaintiffs named in the actions are STAR, CNN, Turner Entertainment Networks Asia, ESPN STAR Sports, Discovery Networks Asia and NGC Network Asia.
CCTV OPTIMISTIC OVER FUTURE
The international unit of the Chinese state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) has posted ambitious plans to double its profits on sales of programming to overseas outlets in two years. The unit, China International TV Corp, (CITVC) wants to increase profits on sales of content to €54 million by 2005. CITVC is mainly engaged in selling advertising space on CCTV's channels 5, 8 and 12 as well as providing much of the content for the latter. However, as overseas broadcasters make limited inroads into the Chinese market, CITVC believes it can sell CCTV's content to foreign channel providers. CITVC vice president Zhao Jian said Chinese communities in Asia and Australasia will be the first target for the ramped-up sales drives, followed by North America and Europe. CITVC also hopes that increased interest in China generated by its economic development amid the world recession and the build-up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing will increase interest in Chinese content. Other sources suggest that CCTV programming will also carry a far lower tariff that western-produced product, which will assist its uptake among cash-strapped cable and satellite TV operators, particularly in the Asia Pacific.
ATV TO SIGN AD REVENUE SHARING DEAL
Asia Television is expected to agree an advertising revenue sharing deal with the Guandong government within the next three months, according to Liu Changle, the company's largest shareholder. The deal is expected to allow ATV, Hong Kong's second-ranked broadcaster, to retain 70% of revenues -; more than that enjoyed by rival broadcaster Phoenix, on account of ATV's higher ratings share.
HKCBC GETS 12 YEAR LICENSE
Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Co (HKCBC) will have its licence renewed for another 12 years, despite earlier speculation that it would only be allowed to operate for another three years, the South China Morning Post has reported. Both Commercial Radio and Metro Broadcast have been granted 12-year licences when their current licences expire on August 25 next year. These will be subject to a mid-term review in 2010.
GALAXY TO LAUNCH IN NOVEMBER
Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting, the pay-television arm of Hong Kong’s Television Broadcasts (TVB), said it would launch its pay-TV services as scheduled in November despite being granted approval to extend the deadline to February, the South China Morning Post has reported. "Our launching schedule remains unchanged. We had said we would launch our services in the fourth quarter of this year when we announced the deal with Intelsat, a leading global communication provider. There is nothing that has changed in our plan," said Galaxy Chief Operating Officer Stanley Tang. Earlier, the Broadcasting Authority approved Galaxy's application to defer the deadlines of three relevant milestones required for its licence by six months to February 23. The original milestones required Galaxy to invest at least US $15.7 million of capital expenditure, and offer at least 24 channels to 150,000 households by August 23. Galaxy had sought the authority's approval to delay the launch deadlines because of troubles in securing an investor to take up a 51 per cent stake in the operator.
INDIA
STAR NEWS GETS TWO WEEK EXTENSION
Star News, 24-hour Hindi news channel and a News Corp.’s venture, has been granted a fifth extension to uplink its channel from India. The decision was withheld on July 23. The channel managed to remain on air as it had obtained a stay order from the Mumbai High Court. The Information and Broadcasting ministry's decision was delayed as it needed more time to evaluate the clarifications given by the channel on issues such as company structure and arrangement with companies for infrastructure support and news gathering equipment. The government is still considering the critical issues such as company structure of Star News’ licensing company Media Content and Communications Services and arrangement with Hughes, Rent Works and Touch Telecontent, according to information available. Earlier this week, Star India had submitted a "voluminous" response to the second set of comprehensive clarifications sought by the government on its uplinking application for its 24-hour news channel. India's fast-growing market of 1.02 billion people is viewed as one of Asia's most promising. Star says that its broadcasts of news, music, sport and entertainment reach a weekly audience of 120 million in more than 50 countries.
ZEE OWNER SELLS PART OF HIS STAKE
India's Zee Telefilms's owner Subhash Chandra has sold a 2.45% stake in the media company, CNBC TV18 India reported on July 24. The sale will reduce Chandra's share in Zee Telefilms to 48.04%. Chandra raised 1.22 billion rupees via the share sale. Chandra has sold stakes in the company in 2001 and 2002 to repay a INR2.2 billion loan. CNBC TV18 India is a joint venture between CNBC Asia and Television Eighteen Ltd.
CAS TO BE INTRODUCED FROM SEPTEMBER 1
Putting at rest rumours that implementation of the conditional access system would be further deferred in the view of the Assembly elections, the Indian Government has decided to proceed with the revised schedule in the nominated zones of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, besides the whole of Chennai from September 1 this year. The Government had decided to defer CAS from July and go in for a zone-wise introduction in the four cities earlier this month. However, the issues with broadcasters and cable operators need to be sorted out before CAS is implemented from September 1. While the broadcasters have said they will be able to waive the subscription fee for only a month (from August 1-31) and not four months, the cable operators want the subscription fee for free-to-air channels to be raised to $3.8 until pay channels are free-to-air. CAS was earlier deferred due to the non-availability of enough boxes in the four metros, estimated to have more than 6.7 million cable households.
INDONESIA
CELESTIAL MOVIES SIGNS CARRIAGE DEAL
Celestial Movies, the world's first global Chinese-movie channel, has inked a carriage deal with Kabelvision in Indonesia. The 24-hour channel launched on July 15 as part of Kabelvision's basic package. It will feature new Chinese-language films, as well as titles from the Shaw Brothers library. Celestial Movies has plans to launch throughout Asia, Australia, North America and Europe.
IRAQ
IRAQ MEDIA NETWORK ON SATELLITE
Iraq Media Network broadcasts from Arbil, northern Iraq, for one hour (1500-1600 GMT) daily on 11137 MHz, horizontal polarity, via Hotbird satellite - same frequency as Kurdistan Satellite TV of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. The programme is repeated the following day at 0800 GMT. The broadcast is carried by Kurdistan Satellite, still using the old logo which consists of a circle around the map of Iraq with "Iraq Media Network" outside the circumference of the circle. The programmes include local news, music and national news in brief.
COUNCIL THREATENS ACTION AGAINST ARAB SATELLITE CHANNELS
An informed Iraqi source disclosed that the interim governing council might start legal proceedings against several Arab satellite channels that broadcast pre-recorded videotaped messages of groups identifying themselves as ‘resistance cells’. A spokesman for the Iraqi National Congress (INC) accused Arab satellite channels that have previously aired videotaped messages of Iraqi groups claiming they represent ‘cells resisting the [US] occupation’ of implementing a “pre-planned project”. He also stressed that the newly formed interim governing council is currently mulling legal action against them to limit their activity within Iraq.
JAPAN
SONY SELLS STAKE IN AXN JAPAN
Sony Pictures Television International has sold a 35 per cent stake in AXN Japan to Jupiter Programming, Japan's largest multichannel television programming and content provider. Jupiter, a joint venture with Liberty Media International and Sumitomo Corporation, will add the action adventure channel to its program offerings. AXN Japan is carried throughout the country on DTH platforms SkyPerfecTV! and SkyPerfecTV! 2, as well as on cable systems including, J-Com Broadband.
BROADCASTERS AND MANUFACTURERS PROMOTE DIGITAL TV
Dozens of broadcasting stations, electric appliance makers and other companies agreed on July 23 to form a council to promote terrestrial digital television broadcasting. The companies, including Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK), Nippon Television Network Corp., Sony Corp., Sharp Corp. and Dentsu Inc., said they will report to the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications about their plan to launch the council in August. Terrestrial digital television broadcasting is set to start in parts of the three major urban areas of Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in December and then elsewhere in the country by the end of 2006. But public awareness of the launch of the services is relatively low, and appliance makers' development of products to receive terrestrial digital broadcasts is being delayed. The companies said they agreed to standardize the products and make efforts to promote the services.
MALAYSIA
ANDREW TO UPGRADE EQUIPMENT FOR RTM
Andrew Corporation broadcast products are being used in Radio/TV Malaysia's (RTM) countrywide update of Malaysia's television sites bringing improved television coverage across the country. These are the first complete broadcast antenna systems (from transmitter output flange to antenna, including combiners, switches, and transmission lines) Andrew has provided within Malaysia. The order is part of a contract awarded to Global Technologies Support Sdn Bhd (GTS) through APEX Communications Sdn Bhd, a system integrator in Malaysia. Andrew broadcast products are being installed at 19 broadcast sites across Malaysia. These sites cover 30 VHF and UHF television channels and reach some 15 million viewers in Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia.
Internet - http://www.andrew.com
PAKISTAN
CABLE OPERATORS WILL NOT AIR BANNED CHANNELS
Cable operators in Lahore have assured the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) that they will not telecast banned channels, the Dawn newspaper has reported. The assurance was given by representatives of the Cable Operators Association to PEMRA officials at a meeting on July 21. The newspaper quoted a PEMRA official as saying the government viewed pornographic content of foreign channels as a contradiction to the norms and values of the society. The cable operators were told to provide society with useful information, education and entertainment.
OWNERSHIP RULES TO BE EXTENDED
Pakistan has decided to allow newspaper owners to set up and run private television and radio stations. The cabinet of Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali has already approved a law to allow the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to issue licences. "The system of cross media ownership will greatly help diversify dissemination of entertainment and knowledge," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said. The minister said initially the government plans to grant licences for the opening of 10 private TV channels and broadcasting facilities. The number may increase in the future, he added. Presently the country has three main private TV channels, one of which is operated from Dubai and is owned by the Jang group of newspapers.
TV NETWORK TO EXPAND GLOBALLY
Pakistan Television Corporation is preparing to expand its transmission to 157 countries during next month by connecting its two channels to satellite, said Managing Director PTV Akhtar Waqar Azeem on July 25. MD PTV said, a number of steps have been taken to improve PTV transmission in Kashmir and Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has set the February 5 deadline for completing the project of TV station project there.
TAIWAN
EASTERN TV WANTS TO BROADCAST IN CHINA
Eastern Television has applied to Chinese regulators for the right to broadcast two of its channels on the mainland, only months after a Hong Kong media company ended a joint venture with the Taiwanese under pressure from Beijing. Eastern Television, the most popular terrestrial on the island, admitted that it has asked the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (Sarft) for landing rights for the Yoyo children’s channel and the ETTV Asia infotainment channel. Eastern Television created a joint venture with Sun Media of Hong Kong in March under which the former would create content for the Sun TV channel. However, Chinese officials threatened to restrict Sun Media’s operations in China if the deal went ahead.
27/07/03
Sunday no update
26/07/03
Aus vs NZ Rugby League was live via Starsports Asiasat 3 last night. Rugby Test Aus vs NZ there tonight? (NZ by 15pts!)
Some activity with Sky NZ, all the Saturn stuff (that wouldn't load for last 3 or 4 months) has gone and there are now 2 Sky SBO ppv channels listed. Looks like Sky will now have space to add more channels (yeah right!)
A reminder Phase 2 of the Optus B3-C1 swapover is early a.m Monday morning. Assuming no changes have been made to the plan.
Mon July 28th 0330 AET B3/T8 (12720 V) Aurora Moving to C1/T10 (12720 V)
Mon July 28th 0500 AET B3/T5 (12527 V) Aurora Moving to C1/T6 (12527 V)
From My Emails & ICQ
From Mr Humax 25/07/03
Optus B1, 12429 V 6617 3/4 Aus vs NZ rugby League seen
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E Sky Movies, The Living Channel, Sky MovieMax, Hallmark Channel Asia,E! Entertainment TV, Rugby Channel, Rialto Channel and The Soccer
Channel have left 12734 V.This mux is now a part of Sky TV.
JCSAT 3 128E 3960 V "Celestial Movies" has replaced ETTV Satellite TV, Viaccess 2,PIDs 1232/1233.
AAP 1 108.2E 12551 H The KCTA mux has left again.
NSS 6 95E 11480 V The KCTA mux has left.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3960 V New SR and PIDs for DD Sahayadri 6250 and 258/257.Occasional DD Mumbai feeds on PIDs 514/513.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3985 V "MTV India" is now Fta.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4120 V It's occasional DD Gujarati feeds, SR 5000, FEC 3/4.
Yamal 102 90E 3725 L Radio GTRK Dalnevostochnaya is still on , Fta, APID 257.
PAS 10 68.5E 3808 V "Ten Sports Middle East" has started, Irdeto 2, PIDs 50/52.
PAS 10 68.5E 4034 V Occasional DD feeds on , PIDs 515/680.
Intelsat 906 64E 3898 L "Sun TV (India)" has left .
NEWS
Red tape hits TV dish cost
From http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6812513%255E13569,00.html
Red tape will double the cost of installing satellite TV dishes in the Territory, it was claimed last night.
Katherine installation expert David Nolan said needless regulations for installing the dishes would become a consumer issue.
"It's a bit like microwaves in the 1980s - people didn't know much about them," he said.
"With satellite TV dishes, that will all change, because in the next five years, 25 per cent of NT homes will have them."
Mr Nolan, who has been installing dishes in NT regional areas for 10 years, said NT laws made it illegal to erect the roof-mounted dishes without a certificate of compliance.
"It's in the NT Building Act 1993. It's an additional cost consumers don't need, because you have to get an extra certificate from a structural engineer, drawings and a building certifier inspection," he said.
Mr Nolan said he called the NT Department of Lands and Planning and spoke to officers who confirmed his interpretation of the legislation.
"It's a curious position for them to take because there's about 4000 dishes already erected in the NT and many of them -- if you accept what the government is saying -- are illegal. It's silly because if you apply the rule across the board, air conditioner units, TV aerials and even a pot plant on a roof-top balcony would be illegal."
Mr Nolan estimated the cost of erecting an 85cm satellite dish was $900 because of red tape, when it should be about $300.
He said NT consumers would become more questioning of what they pay when 85cm dishes become readily available later this year following the recent launch of the Optus C1 Satellite.
NT Lands and Planning officials were not available for comment yesterday.
Snags in DD, BBC sharing platform
From http://www.hinduonnet.com/bline/stories/2003072601070400.htm
NATIONAL broadcasters, Doordarshan and BBC, harboured dreams of using each other's platforms for showcasing content. But the deal seems to have fallen through and is unlikely to see the light of day.
Officials in Prasar Bharati said that while BBC wanted to use Doordarshan, the former was not too keen on offering its platform to latter. "Consequently, there was no consensus and plans have come unstuck," said sources. In fact the CEO of Prasar Bharati, Mr K.S. Sarma had recently gone to the UK to discuss the issue with BBC officials.
BBC World's Director of Operations, Dr Alistair Brown said that there is a training arrangement between Prasar Bharati and BBC. "The only association we have is with NHK of Japan for documentary features," he added.
However, the two broadcasters are gearing up for the Indian news channel market that is witnessing fierce competition. Prasar Bharati has decided to relaunch the DD Metro channel as a 24-hour news channel. It is seeking a Rs 115-crore grant from the Ministry of Finance to get the channel up and running.
Officials in Doordarshan said that since DD News channel would be a terrestrial as well as a cable channel, the reach would be tremendous. Hence, this channel would attempt at targeting a wide range of audience. "We are planning regional language bulletins and programmes targeting different regions of the country. J. Walter Thompson will work on creating and promoting the DD News brand," said the official.
Meanwhile, DD National, which currently doubles up as a news and current affairs channel, would have more number of entertainment programmes. A daily soap on social issues, co-produced by DD and funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), would be launched shortly.
On the other hand, BBC World also seems to be upping its ante in the Indian sub-continent. The channel is focussing on shuffling its India-specific programming mix to keep it fresh and interesting. Also, in the next 18 months, the broadcaster is planning to have a separate feed for the South Asian region.
Dr Brown said that there would be a separate beam through Pan Am Sat 10 and programmes would be scheduled to suit the region. However, for the present, there are no plans to launch an India-specific channel. But, the bottomline is that the two broadcasters cannot ignore the over Rs 300 crore news channel market.
25/07/03
Not much going on today. Pretty sad looking update in fact.
Optus C1 page added
From my Emails & ICQ
From Mr Humax
Subject: B1 Feed
12397 H 7200 3/4 Service is "BTQ TRAILER SNG" (BTQ is 7 Brisbane)
From the Dish
AsiaSat 4 122E 12274 V "RAI International 4" has started, Fta, SR 10000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 512/513. (Lyngsat lists this as Australasia beam? can anyone get it? might be a mistake)
AAP 1 108.2E 12551 H "Weather News Korea" has left , replaced by a test card, Fta.
Asiasat 3 105.5E 12502 H "Movie channel?" Sr 5500 fec ? (Mentioned this the other day, close to lock 2.7M solid W.A)
NSS 6 95E Real Estate TV Network, Korea Music TV, KBS Korea, LG Homeshopping,MBC Dramanet, Arirang TV Korea, WEN TV, SBS Drama + and two test cards (Fta) have started on 11480 V, PowerVu, SR 26000, FEC 7/8,PIDs 1060/1020-1960/1920, NE Asian beam.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 12438 H "UBC Inside" has replaced The History Channel , Irdeto 2, Pids 522/750.
NEWS
Nothing to report ,sorry
24/07/03
Bad news for music fans, MTV on Pas 8 to encrypt. Oh well had to happen eventually just think of the many hours FREE viewing you had from them. I have also had someone tell me JCTV that was running as a test on Globecast Adhoc (Optus C1 12367V) did not get enough support for it to continue there. They will continue to transmit it FTA via I701 Cband though.
Be on the lookout for feeds from the Solomons via Pas 2
From my Emails & ICQ
From Gareth Welsby
Subject: Encryption of MTV on PAS-8
Dear Craig,
We have been advised by MTV that they will commence
encryption of their PAS-8 signal on 1 August 2003.
Regards,
Gareth E Welsby
From ANON
Solomon Island feeds
PAS2
12C_A 4017
12C_B 4026
12C_C 4035
12C_D 4044
12C_E 4053
12C_F 4062
S/R 6111
FEC 3/4
These are our available channels. Should be on D, E or F.
From John Harrison
Optus C1 report
I know, its a bit late, but just put up an 85cm offset.
Location FNQ
Decoder Emtech 210B
12367V 94% (C1)
12438H 96% (C1)
12407V 96% (C1)
12688H 96% (C1)
12501H 91% (B3)
12626H 93% (B3)
12315H 86% (B3)
From The Dish
PAS 8 166E 12326 H "MKTV Sat" is back on , MDS, PIDs 515/643.
Optus C1 156E 12398 H "Country Music Channel" has started, enc., PIDs 522/650.
Palapa C2 113E 11132 V "SuperSport" has left .
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 4030 H "Occasional feeds" , SR 2500, FEC 3/4.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V "Fashion TV" is back on , Fta, PIDs 1025/1026.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3520 H "MKTV Sat" is back on , MDS, PIDs 512/640.
NEWS
Television interactivity and choices galore are on the way
From http://afr.com/articles/2003/07/22/1058853063928.html
The Australian consumer is expected to witness a revolution next year when Foxtel upgrades its pay TV network to digital.
It will open opportunities for a host of new consumer devices.
Digital TV offers high-definition TV, near video-on-demand and interactivity.
For UK pay TV company BSkyB, which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, ordering pizzas through the TV and gambling on football matches are killer applications.
As part of its content-sharing agreement with Optus, Foxtel has promised to launch digital services.
It was originally slated for this October, but is now expected in early 2004. The company plans to spend $600 million on digitisation, and Foxtel says that during the initial phase more than 120 channels (up from 47 channels) of enhanced content and new services will be provided to subscribers.
In the second phase, the number of channels will surge to 400.
Foxtel is also opening up its digital cable and set-top boxes to third parties, which will give local content providers and new entrants a chance to launch channels.
Sports bodies, for example, could start their own pay TV channels.
Foxtel spokesman Mark Furness says digital will allow subscribers to get things like near video-on-demand movies, interactive sports and an interactive news channel.
For example, there will be a basic news channel, but linked to that will be other screens that allow viewers to reach specialised areas such as business and sports.
Watchers of digital sports channels will get access to different camera angles, different commentaries and things like player statistics. There will also be a video game channel.
One thing that could come later is interactive gambling, but there are no immediate plans.
Of course, there will be other benefits of digital, such as Dolby sound, wide screens and clearer pictures. "There will be more in the shop," Furness says. "And we will encourage them [subscribers] to shop aggressively."
Australia's rural population has had a taste of digital television.
Austar supplies digital TV to 350,000 of its 406,000 subscribers.
Services already available include an electronic program guide, interactive games channel and weather information. Austar customers can use their TV remotes to set program reminders and block certain content.
Austar's group director for corporate development and legal affairs, Deanne Weir, says: "It's all about giving the customer a lot more control and a lot more information."
Austar customers watching Channel V, for example, can listen to songs, or flick through and get gossip and the latest news.
It also offered interactive features with the ABC series Long Way to the Top and Walking with Beasts.
Weir describes the current offering as the "first generation level of interactivity".
The next step she says is "contextual interactivity".
She cites BSkyB's sporting information and statistics and variety of camera angles offered with sporting events. Transactional services could also be offered.
Weir says the digitisation of Foxtel's offering will provide scale for channels that want to spend on interactive services.
(Craigs comment, 400 channels? hype hype hype, the American pay tv providers don't even offer that many..and did i miss their plans to launch 3 more satellites at 156E?)
BBC Sets Sights On Separate South Asia Transmission
From http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=38679
New Delhi: BBC World is in the process of rescheduling its programme timings specifically for the South Asian market, including India. Indian cable TV homes tuning into BBC World may get to watch their favourite shows at a more convenient time from the end of next year.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, BBC World director of operations Alistair Brown indicated that the company is gearing up towards a separate South Asia beam. The broadcaster will take around 18 months to put this system in place. The initial work has already begun in London. As for offering more desi content, no decision has been taken yet.
The broadcaster plans to go for an opt-out mode, which will allow it to schedule programmes and advertisements according to the specific needs of a market.
With the objective of effective programming in a particular region, a separate stream would allow BBC to opt out of some markets while staying with others at a certain time in the day. For instance, Mr Brown pointed out that a breakfast show for Indian audiences should be beamed in the country only in the morning, and a common time for several markets beats the purpose.
The opt-out mode is an accepted practice in the international media business, and NDTV (with two news channels) is also keen on it to capture local viewers.
Mr Brown, however, categorically said that no India-specific channel was being planned by BBC. The company had earlier applied to the government for an uplinking permission. One interpretation then was that the UK-based broadcaster was interested in a 24-hour news channel from India, but the company denied any such move. Also, the government made it clear through its revised uplinking guidelines that no channel with foreign equity over 26 per cent could beam news live from India.
On plans to uplink from India, there’s nothing specific as of now, Mr Brown said.
Satellite shark
From http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au
A FEMALE shark named "Ticka" sporting a valuable and complex satellite tag has shown up in the waters off Port Lincoln.
The 3.5-metre shark was tagged by the Fox Shark Research Foundation at Dangerous Reef on July 12 with a special archival, pop-up satellite tag.
Chief scientist with the foundation Rachel Powell said local contacts had informed her a shark with a "big, black box on its back" had been seen on several occasions in the bay.
The last sighting occurred on Monday when the shark allegedly swam near harvesting activities and a freezer boat at the tuna farms.
Ms Powell said it was vital the shark was left alone to do its own thing.
She estimated it would have only taken about a day for the shark to swim from the tagging location to where it was seen.
The 20-centimetre pop-up tag is scheduled to separate from the shark on November 30 when it will transmit, via satellite, various data such as where the shark swam as well as what temperatures and pressures it encountered on its journey.
The custom-made satellite tags were expensive at around $8000, but it was always a risk as to whether the devices succeeded.
The first tagging of a 4.5-metre male shark that was regularly seen at the Neptunes took place last year but the foundation never received the information from the tag, nor has the shark been seen.
The foundation is asking for anyone who sees Ticka to contact them on 8276 4457 or to email [email protected] to help assist with their research.
Port Lincoln-based marine biologist Kate Rodda also records sightings of sharks and can be contacted at 8683 2555.
(Craigs comment, well we had satellite tracked sheep yesterday so....Ok so news is a little quiet at the moment...)
23/07/03
Not much to say up here today. Sorry I had to leave chatroom early I had a headache.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Mike Hammond
Subject: Herbalife change to b1
Herbalife is moving from B3 to B1 12367 V Sr 3700 ,only on when program is scheduled from July 21st
From Abdul Allouch
Hello, i would like to know what coverage of soccer is on the asiasat-2 satellite.
If possible can you tell me the type of soccer (eg, Eng Premier League), and also the channels which broadcast the mathces.
(Craigs Comment, I don't know much about soccer coverage but there use to be a guy who emailed in all the coverage that was on various satellite channels. Perhaps he can help if he is reading this?)
From Ranime
Subject: B1 Rove Live feed seen 22/07/03
Rove live feed B1 12429 V 6666 3/4
Gobecast / rove live testcard up now at 5:42pm WA time
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 12326 H "MKTV Sat" has left .
AAP 1 108.2E 12551 H Real Estate TV Network, Korea Music TV, KBS Korea, a test card, LG Homeshopping, MBC Dramanet, Arirang TV Korea, WEN TV, SBS Drama + and Weather News Korea have started , PowerVu, SR 26000, FEC 7/8,PIDs 1060/1020-1960/1920.
NSS 6 95.E 11543 V "Fashion TV" has left , replaced by a test card.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3890 V "Lashkara" has NOT started on .
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3520 H "MKTV Sat" has left .(This is a Tarbs channel has it shutdown??)
Gorizont 32 53E 3675 R "Perviy kanal (+2h), Radio Rossii and Radio Mayak" have left (SECAM).
NEWS
Boeing Co. restructures launch and satellite business to trim costs
From http://www.canada.com/technology/story.html?id=9DCD3883-9B1D-4675-AE3A-8A405263E9B9
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Only a week after announcing a planned second-quarter charge of $1.1 billion US due to weakness in the commercial space launch market, Boeing Co. said it will realign its launch and satellite businesses to cut costs.
"The commercial space market has eroded to a point where it is no longer a driving factor in either our satellite or launch services business," Jim Albaugh, chief executive of St. Louis-based Boeing Integrated Defence Systems, said in a release.
Boeing will consolidate Boeing Satellite Systems into Space and Intelligent Systems. Expendable Launch Systems, which has become primarily a supplier to the Air Force, will be aligned with Air Force Systems.
And Rocketdyne Power and Propulsion, builders of the Space Shuttle Main Engine and power generation systems for the International Space Station, will become part of NASA systems.
"In the commercial space segment, we've seen the market dip to historic lows and do not expect a near-term recovery," Albaugh said. "In addition, we have had performance problems in this area."
Boeing expects the realignment to have a minimal effect on employment. The company will continue to report financials along its four established reporting segments.
Boeing, which is also dealing with problems in its commercial airplane unit, is scheduled to report second-quarter results Wednesday. Analysts are expecting a loss of 42 cents a share for the quarter.
This compares to the earnings of 45 cents a share they were expecting before the announcement of the planned $1.1-billion pretax charge, which amounts to about 87 cents a share.
Boeing shares rose 22 cents to close at $32.57 US on Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange.
INSAT-3E launch set for Aug. 28
From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/02221813.htm
Less than five months after the launch of INSAT-3A, India's another communication satellite, INSAT-3E, is now scheduled to be hurled into space onboard European space consortium Arianespace's Ariane 5G rocket early on August 28, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sources said today.
"INSAT-3E's launch is scheduled for early August 28," sources in the Bangalore-headquartered India's space agency said.
The Flight 162 from the South American spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana is slated to launch INSAT-3E, meant for telecom and TV coverage, and two other payloads -- Eutelsat's e-BIRD and European Space Agency's SMART-1, Arianespace sources said.
INSAT-3E's scheduled launch comes around four-and-half months after the successful launch of INSAT-3A on April ten.
According to ISRO officials, INSAT-3E will carry 24 C-band transponders and 12 extended C-band transponders and, when commissioned, would substantially enhance the INSAT system capacity, which now provides about 120 transponders in different bands.
INSAT-3E, which would weigh 2,750 kgs at lift-off, has already been transported to the launch centre in Kourou, where it would be tested in detail.
While e-BIRD is meant for Internet applications, SMART-1 has a mission pertaining to advanced research and technology test-bed for the first European moon mission.
Prasar Bharati gets space department nod on DTH
From http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/230703/detNAT22.shtml
The Prasar Bharati Corporation plans to become the first broadcaster in the country to launch the direct to home (DTH) technology, now that the Department of Space (DoS) has cleared the project.
Moreover, in a letter to the Prasar Bharati last week, the DoS has offered to provide four transponders on the Insat satellite for the project. It might also try to procure transponders for Prasar Bharati's DTH on foreign satellites.
"The only problem is that we want our DTH signals to be of 51 KU but the Insat can offer only 45 KU. This is good enough for the launch but not the best. So DoS has agreed to look for a foreign satellite with a powerful signal from where we can launch the service initially and return to the Insat transponders once they are upgraded,'' a senior Prasar Bharati official said.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has already allocated a whopping Rs 500 crore for the DTH venture, and Prasar Bharati officials are working out a plan for the launch.
“We want a more powerful signal, in the initial stages at least, since stron-ger the signal, the smaller the DTH dish. So we have discussed the issue with ISRO and it will be resolved soon,” the official added.
The Prasar Bharati is working out a new subscriber management system for DTH. Sources said, on DTH, some of Doordarshan's channels might become paid channels.
To provide 'value added services, Prasar Bharati also plans to air some regional satellite channels. Officials are discussing the issue with the regional channels.
Another reason why Prasar Bharati is pushing for the DTH project is at present, DD, being a terrestrial channel, does not reach remote parts of the country like the Kashmir Valley and the North-East. Prasar Bharati officials argue that it is economically not viable to put up antennas in these areas for DD so DTH will solve the problem.
Sheep in Ireland shepherded from space
From http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s908383.htm
Over-grazing by sheep is damaging the steep mountainsides of Ireland
Former military satellites are being used to track sheep in the west of Ireland as part of a research project aimed at sustaining grazing and controlling soil erosion on the country's scenic mountainsides.
Ireland's agricultural research and advisory body, Teagasc, hopes the study will lead to a blueprint for farmers to protect the environmentally sensitive areas.
Traditional black-faced mountain sheep have grazed the mountains for centuries, but from 1980 to 1997 their numbers increased by almost 110%. Over-grazing resulted in some of the steeper and drier sections of mountainsides suffering particularly badly. In some cases the sheep eroded peat and soil to bare rock and vegetation would not grow again.
Gerry Scully, chief sheep advisor for Teagasc, said that following concern at expressed by European Union and national officials, about 150,000 sheep were removed from mountain grazing in a compulsorily de-stocking.
Traditionally mountains in the west in areas like Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Kerry have sustained almost a third of the country's sheep. Most of the grazing is unfenced commonage where a number of people share rights.
To try and draw up a scheme for grazing the mountains while still protecting the environment, special satellite tracking collars developed in Canada and Scotland have been fitted to sheep on an experimental farm at Erriff in County Mayo.
The study had as much to do with changing lifestyles as with sheep, Scully said. "There has been huge social change in these areas. Previous generations farmed full-time and moved their sheep around to areas where there was grazing. The present generation farm part-time - if they are working in other jobs, they don't have time to do that."
Dummy collars have had to be fitted to some sheep, after researchers found those wearing the real satellite collars were treated as outcasts by other members of the flock. "The sheep wearing the collars became persona non grata," Scully quipped.
"The collars allow us to follow the sheep 24 hours a day and track their grazing behaviour - where they go, when they sleep, what effect wind and rain has and so on," Scully said, ading that in January the sheep walked an average of 2 km per day, mostly in daylight. This increased to over 3 km as the year progressed and days got longer.
The satellite readings have shown the sheep are mainly grazing in specific areas and have a clear preference for particular parts of the farm. Sheep learn grazing behaviour from their parents and become territorial, a phenomenon known in highlands of Scotland as 'hefting'.
Scully said fencing to protect the sheep's favourite areas was not practical over huge tracts of mountainside. But all-weather blocks of supplementary feedstuff could coax the sheep to stay in areas for up to two weeks.
"With selective over-grazing, just removing 50% of the sheep won't work as it just means the other half will still concentrate on those preferred areas."
(Craigs comment, note this was found on an Aussie news site. UM no comment!)
22/07/03
Livechat tonight 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards in the chatroom.
Sorry not much going on today, Lyngsats quiet and so is the news section. The Vetrun FTA forum is running nicely if you havn't checked it out (see link on left messsage forums") its worth a look. Some experienced people in there that are prepared to help.
Abc Northern is up in strength on B1
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Hume
B1 12367v, 6666 "ITV news feed"
NEWS 24x7
Steve Hume
(Craigs comment, I think Globecast may now be using this for their feeds service. Maybe permanent to replace the "adhoc" channel they had on B3?)
From the Dish
Insat 3A 93.5E 3890 V "Lashkara" has replaced Channel Guide India , SR 3500, FEC 3/4,PIDs 318/256.
NEWS
Report: STT deal faces powerful opposition
From http://www.arnnet.com.au/index.php?id=1087713911&fp=2&fpid=1
Singapore Technologies Telemedia's (STT) attempt to take over Global Crossing faces powerful opposition from some officials inside the US administration, who think the deal may pose a threat to US national security, the Asian Wall Street Journal has reported.
Quoting unnamed sources familiar with the deal, the Journal said that the US Defense Department opposes a deal that would see Global Crossing's 160,000-kilometer worldwide fiber-optic network - which carries some US military and government traffic - fall into the hands of an overseas company, which might gain unwanted knowledge into US intelligence activities through its control of the network.
But the US Commerce Department is in favour of the deal, which will finally be judged by the multi-agency Committee for Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS). CFIUS will investigate the implications of the deal over the next 45 days after which President George Bush has a further 15 days to decide the fate of the deal, the Journal said.
STT is part of the Singapore Technologies Group, which is in turn owned by Temasek Holdings, the investment arm of the Singapore government.
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (SingTel), also majority-owned by the Singapore government, faced a similar hurdle when it acquired Australian carrier Optus in 2001. Optus owned a satellite which was to carry a lot of military traffic, causing some in Australia to oppose the deal on security grounds. SingTel was eventually allowed to go ahead with the acquisition.
Several media sources have reported that Singapore Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, has written to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney urging acceptance of the STT deal.
Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications Ltd. was originally to have been a partner with STT in the deal but withdrew when it became clear that the company's links with China would rule out any chance of its involvement being accepted by US officials.
21/07/03
A Taiwanese Cskynet mux was seen testing on Jcsat2a over the weekend with very good signal levels.
A Tarbs mux has appeared on NSS6 at 95E a clone of one of their Thaicom 3 transponders. BVN and Jame Jame is Fta in the mux. This has a very low look angle for offsett dishes.
UEFA Football, In our region VTV and RCTI channels have signed contracts to cover these matches.
Satfacts page updated
From my Emails & ICQ
From Mitch
Jcsat2a 154E 3880v Sr 30000 fec 3/4, loads 56% on 1.8 mesh west nsw on emtech
12 tv channels load, ubn, jet, ptv, set test card fta, disney audio fta,ustv1, ptv3, hatv fta, null, null, ptv2, sun, 8 radio 6 fta all same exept
one, prob testing
From Bassett
Tarbs on nss at 95E
NSS 6
Both 12.729, and 12.727 load and play three channels. NTD TV, Satlink Israel, Fashion TV
12.647 loads 13 channels,, 490 ESS Cont, ECS 1, ESC 2, NDM, NVL, NITV,NNNF,TLNC, MTV, FUTV, STV, AITV, IRB 3. all show encripted,
But STV [bvn-tv] and IRB 3, are playing.
I also loaded 11543 V 27500 7/8, with universial LNB [XTV] on the China beam ,,using 1.5 prime focus dish . No signal.. worth a try..
From Mathew Chung
re Nss6
Dear Sir,
Nss 6 freex tv, by using a joker cam with software 7.8 we can see free x tv uncrypted.
Regards,
mat
From the Dish
Intelsat 804 176E "RFO Tele Polynesie" has moved from 4027 L to 4027 R, Fta, SR 4566,FEC 3/4, PIDs 110/120, East hemi beam.
Optus B1 160E 12610 H "The ABC Kids & Fly TV info" card has left .
Agila 2 146E 3836 H New SR for Stellar on 3836 H: 2610.
Agila 2 146E 3986 H New SR and FEC for Kabayan TV: 2000 and 3/4.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3760 H "MTA International" has started , Fta, PIDs 1080/1081.
NSS 6 95E 12647 V A TARBS World TV mux has started, SR 28066, FEC 3/4.It's a copy of Thaicom 3: 3640 H.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3899 V New PIDs for Gurjari on : 4194/4195.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4025 V "BBC World India" is now encrypted.
Yamal 102 90E 3595 L "Kultura Telekanal (+2h)" has left .
ST 1 88E 3500 H "Nation Channel" is encrypted again.
ST 1 88E 3632 V "RAI International 4" has started , enc., PIDs 49/33, 00-07 HKT.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3683 H "Indiavision" has started regular transmissions , SR 3333, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1160/1120.
Apstar 2R 76.5E 3643 H "TV Lanka" has moved here from 3652 H, clear, SR 6500, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1160/1122.
Intelsat 602 at 50.5E Intelsat 602 has arrived at 50.5 East.
NEWS
ABC Optus Satellite Changeover Info
From http://www.abc.net.au/reception/news/optus_sat_chg.htm
This information is for viewers and listeners who receive their ABC radio and television services through a satellite dish and decoder directly from Optus satellite. Listeners and viewers of other ABC services are not affected.
Optus is replacing the current satellite (B3) that delivers ABC TV & Radio services with a new satellite (C1). The new Optus satellite has been designed to provide a comparable or slightly improved signal to most of regional Australia.
Services are planned to be transferred from B3 to C1 over the period from 16 July to 3 August 2003.
No changes to your satellite decoder should be required during these transfers.
ABC services are planned to be transferred from B3 to C1 on 28 July 2003, with services for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia scheduled to change at 3:30am AEST, while services for Western Australia and the Northern Territory are scheduled to change at 5:00am AEST (3:00am AWST).
In the unlikely event your satellite decoder "locks up" during transition, this should be easily corrected with a decoder power off at the wall mains power socket and on again after about 15 seconds.
Reception problems caused by dishes with alignment problems may occur when services transfer to C1 from 16 July. Optus has provided details of the satellite change to satellite system installers around Australia and the ABC recommends that you contact your local satellite system installer if you experience reception problems after 16 July.
(Craigs comment, this is for the Aurora transponder changeover)
Galaxy to launch in November as planned
From http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/Weekly2003/07.15.2003/HongKong20.htm
Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting, the pay-television arm of Television Broadcasts (TVB), said it would launch its pay-TV services as scheduled in November despite being granted approval to extend the deadline to February.
"Our launching schedule remains unchanged. We had said we would launch our services in the fourth quarter of this year when we announced the deal with [Intelsat], there is nothing that has changed in our plan," said Galaxy chief operating officer Stanley Tang.
On Thursday, the Broadcasting Authority approved Galaxy's application to defer the deadlines of three relevant milestones required for its licence by six months to February 23. Mr Tang said: "An extension of the deadline doesn't mean we will launch the pay-TV services on the deadline."
The original milestones required Galaxy to invest at least $122 million of capital expenditure, and offer at least 24 channels to 150,000 households by August 23.
Mr Tang said the application for an extension was natural after a six-month delay in TVB's divestment of the Galaxy stake.
Galaxy had sought the authority's approval to delay the launch deadlines because of troubles in securing an investor to take up a 51 per cent stake in the operator.
Panamsat claims increased earnings, reduced debt in 2Q 2003
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july144.htm
CONNECTICUT: Panamsat, which claims to be one of the world’s top three satellite operators managing a global fleet of 30 satellites, has reported its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended 30 June 2003.
In the second quarter, the company generated revenues of $203.6 million compared to $209.2 million in the second quarter of 2002; and increased earnings per share (EPS) to $0.20 versus $0.13 in the same period last year.
For the first six months of the year, total revenues were $403.3 million compared to $416.4 million in 2002 and EPS was $0.41 per share compared to $0.27 per share for the same period in 2002.
Business highlights of the second quarter of 2003 included:
- Solid financial results for the eighth consecutive quarter with growth in EPS of 54 per cent for the second quarter and 52 per cent for the first half of 2003 versus the same periods in 2002.
- The continued strong free cash flow enabled the pre-payment from cash on-hand of $350 million of the company's long-term debt on 14 July. This brought the total debt reduction in 2003 to $550 million with remaining cash and short-term investments of over $500 million and an unused credit line of an additional $250 million.
The company continued modernisation of the fleet with the launch of Galaxy XII. This is the first of a smaller, more versatile and robust set of C-band satellites that claims to provide excellent in-orbit protection; as well as support emerging technologies and video services - such as HDTV and expanded Homeland Security applications. The company claims that its fleet had one of the industry's top reliability records in 2002 with a rating of 99.99 per cent.
Speaking on the performance Panamsat president and CEO Joe Wright said: "We continue to reduce our cost base and, as a result, are able to record a meaningful increase in earnings and make a substantial pre-payment on our debt. All these actions position the company for continued future profitability today and even more so when the markets improve."
"Panamsat is performing well and continues to be as strong as it has ever been. In a weak market, we have had earnings increases every quarter. While our competitors keep adding more satellite capacity, we are taking the next step by combining the best aspects of satellite and fibre networks. While others are increasing debt, we are reducing ours. In addition, we are able to successfully manage challenges with our fleet resulting in no customer impact and minimal financial offset," Wright adds.
Chandra’s alternate cable distribution system HITS gets nod
From http://www.business-standard.com/today/story.asp?Menu=2&story=18942
The government has cleared the headend in the sky (HITS) project of Subhash Chandra’s Siti Cable as an alternate cable television distribution system.
According to senior information and broadcasting ministry officials, “We have cleared the proposal by Siti Cable to set up HITS as a platform to distribute cable television.”
Under this system, Siti would collate the satellite signals of all the broadcasters and then use a satellite to transmit them to the cable operators. The cable operators would use his network to distribute it to homes.
“This is one step ahead of the present system. Siti would uplink the channels from India to its satellite and them downlink them to the cable operators,” said the official.
The cable operators would work just as the last mile connectivity provider while the content would be provided by Siti Cable.
Significantly, it would not be possible to tamper with the feed received from the HITS system.
According to a blueprint of the headend in the sky proposal prepared by Siti Cable, the subscriber would use a set-top box to access the channel depending on whether it is a pay channel of a free-to-air channel.
The company is working on the logistics of the roll out of the system and it is expecting to roll out the services on August 15.
“We are working on the prices as well as how to roll out the system among the various cable operators in the country. We are at present undertaking the trial runs,” said a Siti Cable executive adding that the company would announce the prices for the channels and the services it would offer soon.
Conax to set up operations centre in Delhi
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july157.htm
NEW DELHI: Norway-based Conax A S, a leading supplier of conditional access technology for digital TV, IP streaming and security systems for interactive gaming and e-payment applications, plans to set up an operations centre in New Delhi.
Confirming its plans, Conax marketing manager Camilla H.H. Gulsett, said: "After the decision of the Indian parliament to make CAS mandatory, suppliers of conditional access have strengthened their focus on the growing Indian market. Setting up of operations centre in New Delhi will allow us to serve both the Indian and the Asian region with local technical support in an improved manner."
Gulsett added, "The operations centre will allow us to offer conditional access as a service in India. This implies that we undertake to establish and run the conditional access part of a DVB operation on revenue sharing basis, and more become a partner than a vendor."
In Asia, Conax has sales offices in New Delhi and Singapore, and it continues to supply state-of-the-art, highly innovative solutions for smart card-based conditional access, security and payment solutions, including 24/7 operation and support services.
Conax had earlier tied up with the Essel Group, which is gearing up for the HITS and DTH platform. "Winning this deal with a leading and important player, Essel, Conax has clearly established itself as a key CA supplier in this region. Conax will operate the CA platform for Essel form our operation center in New Delhi," said Gulsett.
Conax is part of Telenor, the leading Norwegian telecommunications company.
(Craigs comment, Looks like the HITS mux on Insat 3A at 93.5E will be Conax)
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 29/2003 20 July 2003 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
BANGLADESH
MORE SATELLITE TV CHANNELS TO BE ALLOWED
Information Minister Tariqul Islam told the House on July 15 that the government would grant permission for setting up more satellite television channels in the country. The minister said that the licence of Ekushey Television was cancelled by the highest court of the country because of corruption. He added that Bangladesh Television did not telecast any programme to victimise the opposition like the Awami League or its government. He said BTV was now telecasting 98 per cent own programmes and eight per cent imported ones.
CHINA - HONG KONG
PAY-TV CHANNEL TO DEBUT IN SEPTEMBER
China's first pay-TV channel will start to air movie programs this September on a trial basis in the digital TV accessible areas of 33 cities nationwide, according to a report in Beijing Star Daily. The service will charge free during the trial operation, and after that, it may charge a household some 20 yuan (US$2.4) each month, the report said, citing officials with the State Administration of Film, Radio and Television. The channel will serve 24 hours, airing 12 movies, each day during the trial operation. One of the 12 programs will be a new product everyday and there will be no advertisements between the movies. Since there are no ads on the channel, the fees collected from its viewers will be the only revenue source to cover all the costs. However, the high cost for a set-top box (more than 1,000 yuan) required by an analogue TV set to receive digital TV services may deter some TV viewers.
NDS TO PROVIDE EQUIPMENT FOR GALAXY PAY-TV SERVICE
NDS Group on July 14 announced that Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting has selected NDS end-to-end digital broadcasting systems to launch the operator's pay-TV services in Hong Kong. Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited is a joint venture between Intelsat, a leading global communications provider, and TVB, Hong Kong's dominant free-to-air broadcaster. The pay-TV service will launch by year-end 2003. Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited is 51% owned by Intelsat, and 49% owned by TVB. The Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting service will be an all-digital, multi-channel service featuring a range of premium Cantonese- and Mandarin-language programming. The satellite broadcasting service will launch by year-end 2003 with 24 channels initially.
HK CABLE SIGNS UP ASIA PLUS BROADCASTING
The 24-hour Asia Plus Broadcasting channel is expanding into Hong Kong thanks to a carriage deal with cable operator Hong Kong Cable Television. The channel, which airs drama, entertainment news, music videos and lifestyle and fashion programming, will launch on Cable TV on August 1.
GALAXY TO OFFER INTERACTIVE GAMBLING
Hong Kong pay-TV platform Galaxy aims to offer the territory's first interactive TV gambling service. The DTH platform, due to launch late this year, hopes that the gambling service will help it take on dominant pay-TV platforms i-Cable. Galaxy aims to sign up one million subscribers in its first year, and plans to reach 1.8 million customers after three years. Hong Kong residents are enthusiastic gamblers and Galaxy expects iTV betting to be a killer application for its service.
INDIA
CABLE OPERATORS OBJECT TO CAS FEE
The introduction Indian CAS regime faces further problems with some cable operators objecting to the Rs72 per month fee the government wants levied for all channels until the end of 2003. The all-inclusive fee is supposed to smooth the introduction of addressable set-top boxes ahead of the pay channels charging separately from 2004 onwards. Indian Cable industry bodies are understood to be unhappy at the proposed zonal system of introducing CAS in the four metropolitan areas earmarked for rollout. The cablers want a simultaneous implementation across the metros, as set out under the original plan.
DD SPORTS TO BECOME FTA SERVICE
Indian state-owned broadcasting division Prasar Bharati's sports channel, Doordarshan (DD) Sports, is set to become a free-to-air service after the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by Modi Entertainment Network (MEN), the distribution company which had opposed the channel's decision to go free-to-air. DD Sports is the first sports channel, which will be freely available. DD Sports was launched in 1999 before it became a pay-TV service in September 2000, but the channel has now decided to revert to becoming a free service, as the pay-TV option had not yielded the desired results.
IRAN
SATELLITE DISH OWNERSHIP ILLEGAL
Iranian security forces have carried out a series of raids targetting private owners of banned satellite dishes in areas of Tehran that were the scene of recent anti-regime protests, according to witnesses and press reports. The protests swelled after many residents of Tehran were urged to take to the streets by foreign-based opposition satellite television broadcasts. The ownership of satellite equipment is illegal in the country, and the paper said offending households received court summons and fines ranging between one and five million rials ($120-600). Meanwhile, the Iranian minister of post, telegraph and telephone, Ahmad Mo'tamedi, has criticized the practice of jamming satellite pictures. In his view, the current practice of jamming satellite signals had not been done through legal channels, it had created problems for satellite channel users and had harmed telecommunications systems.
MALAYSIA
MORE LOCAL TV CONTENT
Malaysia’s Deputy Information Minister Donald Lim says the ministry might gradually reduce the airing of imported movies and drama series during peak hours over state-run TV channel, Radio Television Malaysia (RTM), and replace them with locally produced shows, the Straits Times newspaper has reported. He said the ministry was expected to change the programmes of RTM beginning next month in order to cut the number of foreign movies and drama series aired between 19:00 and 22:00. About 80 per cent of all movies aired over state-run TV channels are imported. The ministry hopes the proportion of locally produced shows will be raised to between 50 and 60 per cent by year-end. The ministry also said that Chinese TV programmes should mostly be in Mandarin from next month.
NEW ZEALAND
TV NETWORKS AGREE ON MORE LOCAL CONTENT
New Zealand's biggest free-to-air broadcasters have agreed on voluntary local content quotas - but at levels below what they aired last year. The Television Local Content Group announced on July 15 that TV One would devote 53% of its 06:00-24:00 schedule to New Zealand content, TV2, 17%, and TV3, 20%. TV One and TV2 are owned by pubcaster Television New Zealand, and TV3 by CanWest NZ. Since December they have been negotiating voluntary content targets with public funding agency NZ On Air and the Screen Production and Development Assn.
SPICE 2 LAUNCHES ON SKY TV
Playboy TV International and SKY Network Television., New Zealand's DTH platform, have signed an exclusive agreement to launch Spice 2, a new premium adult entertainment offering in New Zealand. Spice 2 will make its debut on August 1, joining the established 24-hour Playboy TV and Spice networks. The service will be digitally encrypted with Parental PIN protection and available in 6-hour blocks on a PPV basis. The new Spice 2 channel line-up will mix the best erotic thematic films with episodes of a call-in clip show aptly named Spice Clips. The channel will offer non-stop programming blocks featuring high-quality adult films with edgier themes and alternative genres combined with erotically charged scenes from its extensive digitized library of classic and new adult films.
TELECOM NZ AND SKY TV SIGN RESALE AGREEMENT
Telecom Corp., New Zealand's biggest telephone company, and Sky Network Television on July 16 said they have signed two five year agreements for the resale and retransmission of Sky's pay-TV services to Telecom customers. Under the resale agreement, Telecom said it will launch new consumer communications packages comprising Sky's satellite pay-TV service and various Telecom products. Under the retransmission and content acquisition arrangements, Telecom will be able to transmit Sky's programming over Telecom's network should it decide to do that in the future. Simon Moutter, Telecom's chief operating officer in New Zealand, said the two companies will work together to develop a package of Sky content for retransmission via Telecom's cable or wireless networks. Telecom owns 12% of Sky.
PAKISTAN
NEW TV CHANNELS TO PROMOTE EDUCATION
Four new TV channels are being established for the promotion of education in the country, said Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman, Minister Incharge, Science and Technology. Addressing the seminar on World-class Machining and Evaluation, on July 16, he said these channels would help promote education that is imperative for progress and development of the nation. He said two TV channels would start functioning in November this year, while two would be made functional next year.
SINGAPORE
STARHUB TO LAUNCH DIGITAL TV SERVICE
Singapore's StarHub announced last week that it will launch its digital TV services by end 2003. StarHub, presently the only cable TV operator in Singapore, has awarded contracts to four key technology partners to put in place a system for its digital cable services. StarHub has appointed Thomson Broadcast & Media Solutions as the system integrator of its digital cable services. Besides being the prime contractor of the overall system integration, Thomson will also provide the backend systems support. StarHub's other technology partners for its digital cable services are Nagravision, Advanced Digital Broadcast Ltd and OpenTV.
A F R I C A
SOUTH AFRICA
NEW LAW AGAINST SATELLITE TV PIRATES
South Africa's broadcasting laws might not have been able to catch pirate viewers but a new law can. Information technology and Internet law expert Reinhardt Buys said the prosecution of pirate viewers was impossible but the new Electronic Communications and Transactions Act would catch pirate viewers and people tampering with decoder smart cards. Buys was commenting on a Cape High Court ruling last week that allowed a pirate viewer to go free because outdated broadcasting law did not include in its provisions the pirate watching of a satellite broadcaster such as MultiChoice. The court also found that MultiChoice could be considered, up to May, to have been unlicensed as there were no transitional measures in the law to make provision for the period that the Independent Communications Authority considered MultiChoice's application for a licence. MultiChoice 'licensed' while application considered. This has now been remedied with Icasa issuing a letter to MultiChoice stating that the broadcaster would be "deemed to have a licence" while its application was under consideration.
HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING VIA SATELLITE
PanAmSat Corporation announced on July 17 that it has teamed up with the Liberty Foundation, a South Africa-based company that supports education and skills training, to deliver healthcare and educational programming via satellite across all regions of the country. Hosted on PanAmSat's PAS-7 Indian Ocean Region satellite, the Liberty Foundation is initially supporting two channels with programming produced by Mindset Network. Set to launch in late 2003, the Mindset Network's healthcare channel will focus primarily on the AIDS epidemic. The goal is to educate patients and workers throughout the country's healthcare system on the AIDS virus, as well as other diseases and possible treatments. Individuals will be able to view the channel in thousands of the government's primary healthcare clinics. Activate, which debuted in February 2003, focuses on educating students in the country's senior high school system. The initial curriculum includes instructional lessons and tutorials in Math, Science and English. Initially, it is being broadcast through Mindset's subscriber network, with plans to eventually make it available to South African schools free of charge. Currently, a pilot program is being tested in over 300 schools in South Africa. Expected to be fully deployed in over 1,000 schools by the end of 2004, the network will air seven days a week and 12 hours a day. In addition to these two channels, future offerings will include a business channel that will focus on entrepreneurship and creating future business leaders.
20/07/03
Sunday no update
19/07/03
No update today, back Monday, in the meantime have a look at jcsat2a 3880 V sr 30000 fec 3/4
18/07/03
Sorry about the late site update as usual on Friday I have other things to do that delay the update.
Is Tarbs falling to bits? I have heard rumour of an increase in subs to $80!! thats not right surely! meanwhile this interesting post was seen on a U.S sat message forum.
Someone wrote.
The lattest news on TARBS is that they are planning to scrap there north America DTH satellite platform on G10R ,when i do not know some of the channels will go to Dish network
Another satellite serves bites the dust,,,,,,,
DJK
16x9 video seen testing on Fv1 on Optus B1, TVNZ 12456V mux.
From my Emails & ICQ
A few C1 reports.
From Brett Martin, Christchurch, NZ
Christchurch NZ - 60cm
C1 Globecast signal 86% quality - no change
Brett.
From John Jajjo, Auckland , NZ
I live in Auckland & i have 90cm dish with strong receiver 98% signal for
12367v30000!!! same as before!
From John Harrison
Optus B1
12524H 6110 3/4 16:9
SNGAu Darwin "Cricket"
From the Dish
Optus C1 156E 12398 H "ABC TV National" is now Fta.
Asiasat 4 122E 12274V Sr 10000 Fec 3/4 "Rai Italy" (On the Asian beam, any reports?)
Palapa C2 113E 10990 V and 10994 V The test cards have left .
Insat 3A 93.5E 3985 V "DD Sports" has started, Fta, PIDs 169/110.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4025 V An ETC mosaic has replaced the Zee mosaic, Fta, PIDs 706/707.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4065 V "Zee MGM" is now encrypted.
(Signals above reported UP in power levels, those in W.A might like to try?)
PAS 10 68.5E 4034 V "DD Sports" is now Fta.
NEWS
Playboy TV adds Spice 2 New Zealand
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
Playboy TV International (PTVI) and New Zealand DTH platform SKY Network Television have signed an exclusive agreement to launch Spice 2, a new premium adult entertainment offering for New Zealand viewers.
Spice 2 will debut on August 1, joining the established 24-hour Playboy TV and Spice networks. The service will be digitally encrypted with Parental PIN protection and available in six-hour blocks on a PPV basis. “Playboy TV International intends to uphold its commitment to providing the widest variety of adult product to our New Zealand viewers. We are pleased to continue our already successful partnership with SKY by expanding our full-spectrum of networks with the addition of Spice 2,” commented Mark Rudolph, Managing Director, PTVI.
(Craigs comment, all 3 are PPV, $6.95 for each block looks like Skys still in an all out effort to become profitable. Come on SKY where are the real new channels? History, Comedy etc etc..)
INSAT 3E all set for August launch
From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/01171813.htm
Bangalore, July 17. (UNI): The third generation Indian National Communication Satellite, INSAT 3E, is all set for an August end launch onboard an Ariane V launch vehicle, from Kourou in French Guyana to enhance the much-wanted transponder capacity for communication and broadcast requirement in the country.
The 2,750-kg satellite was transshipped by an AN124 Russian cargo aircraft on July 15 and reached the Rochambeau International Airport in Cayenne yesterday afternoon.
Thereafter, it was moved to the European Spaceport of Kourou by road.
The satellite, which has 24 C band transponders and 12 extended C band transponders, would be one of the three satellites to be launched by the 162nd flight of Arianespace scheduled for August end.
When commissioned, the satellite would subtantially enhance the INSAT system capacity, which now provided 120 transponders in C band, Extended C band, Ku band and S band, meeting the requirement of various users, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a release here today.
The satellite would undergo various ground trials during the next 40 days before it was moved to the launch pad, ISRO sources said.
In the coming weeks, the appendages such as antennae and solar panels would be integrated with the satellite and the total spacecraft would be tested in detail.
After propellant filling operations are completed, it would be mated with the Ariane V vehicle for its launch, the sources said.
Indian government takes shine off Murdoch's Star
From http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,999967,00.html
Rupert Murdoch's Star TV could see its Indian news channel taken off air in a dispute with the Indian government over the service's ownership structure.
The Indian government has asked Star TV, a subsidiary of Mr Murdoch's News Corporation, to clarify what it claims is the "fuzzy equity structuring" of Star News.
If it is not happy with the answer, the government could shut down Star News' satellite uplink, preventing the service being broadcast in India.
Hong Kong-based Star TV has asked a Mumbai court to pre-emptively block any attempt to shut down Star News, arguing it has already dealt with the government's questions about the service's ownership structure.
Direct foreign investment in Indian TV news channels is limited to 26% but Star TV's holding in Star News exceeded this limit.
In April the Indian government gave Star TV three months to reduce its stake in Star News from 49% to 26%.
Star TV did this by distributing the relevant equity stakes among seven individuals.
But some of these people are thought to have now sold their shares and the Indian government wants to know where they have ended up.
Star TV is the only foreign media firm to have the same access to satellite uplink technology as domestic Indian broadcasters.
17/07/03
Where are all the Optus C1 signal reports?? please keep on reporting what you can see.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Jeff
DD Sports is now Free to air on Pas 10
The specs 4033 Mhz vertical ,symbol rate19565 FEC 3/4
Jeff in Perth...
From Mr Humax
12397 H 7200 3/4
Service is labeled "ATN SNG 1" only bars at present
From the Dish
Optus B3/C1 at 156E
The Austar/Foxtel mux has switched from Optus B3: 12438 H to Optus C1:12438 H.
The Austar/Foxtel mux has switched from Optus B3: 12689 H to Optus C1:12689 H.
The Austar/Foxtel mux has switched from Optus B3: 12376 H to Optus C1:12398 H.
The Optus Aurora mux has switched from Optus B3: 12407 V to Optus C1:12407 V.
The GlobeCast Australia mux has switched from Optus B3: 12336 V to Optus C1: 12367 V.
(M Williams)
ST 1 88E 3500 H "Nation Channel" is now Fta
Insat 3A 93.5E 3985 V "Nickelodeon" (Conax), CCTV 9 and a Tech TV test card have started, Fta, PIDs 161/81, 162/88 and 169/110.(Satcodx reports Videoguard..Conax can't be right...Think its been hacked already
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3687 H The Indiavision tests have left again.
PAS 10 68.5E 4154 V "DD Bharati" has left (PAL).
NEWS
Telecom NZ, Sky TV sign deal
From http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,6765992%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
TELECOM New Zealand will soon launch new Telecom and Sky TV bundled packages after the two signed a new five-year resale deal.
No date for the commercial launch has been set.
Chief operating officer Simon Moutter said Telecom was considering the possibility of delivering Sky content over Telecom's networks, development of pay-per-view and video on demand services and interactive television.
He said Telecom in October would announce a new range of Sky and telephone packages, including Internet services, under the resale agreement.
"That will start to make the benefits of the deal tangible to customers," he said.
About 30 percent of Telecom customers now subscribe to packages of various services.
Telecom customers currently on Sky packages would have the option of upgrading to the new offering.
Sky chief executive John Fellet said the deal fitted with Sky's philosophy of packaging Sky products services with other complementary services and having them delivered on a variety of different platforms.
Telecom owns 12 per cent of Sky and also owns 10 per cent of Sky's two thirds owner Independent Newspapers.
Because Telecom has two Sky directors, the deal had to get permission for the deal from the stock exchange's market surveillance panel. Telecom said the deal was conducted at "arm's length" and the waiver was granted.
Streaming video by year-end
From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2568119a1896,00.html
Counties residents and businesses will soon be receiving television and video via cable if Pukekohe-based broadband provider Wired Country has its way.
Wired Country, a division of lines company Counties Power, is spending $21 million to implement a hybrid fibre optic and wireless network, similar to Wellington's CityLink offering.
Wired Country general manager Mike Lancaster says he'd like to have some sort of video streaming or broadcast TV service available over the network before Christmas.
"Even video-on-demand would be pretty cool. Being able to book a movie without going out in the middle of winter and braving the elements. Just log on and go to your virtual video store," he says.
Wired Country's fibre network in the centre of Pukekohe is already live while the first of the wireless network points, covering Pukekohe, went live last week, with Papakura following late this week.
Between them, the two wireless sites will cover 15,000 homes and businesses.
Within three months the company expects to have five wireless sites connecting 24,000 homes and businesses throughout Drury, Tuakau and Waiuku as well as Papakura and Pukekohe.
Wired Country has an open access model, based on power industry models, which means Internet service providers can bundle their own services with the network access and sell to the end customer.
Five Internet service providers Iconz, ihug, The Packing Shed, Wave Internet and WatchDog are retailing the service. TelstraClear is also testing the network.
Auckland telco WorldXchange is trialling the network for voice communications, and Mr Lancaster says the telco is keen to wholesale a voice offering for the other ISP retailers.
Mr Lancaster says some of Wired Country's current partners already have relationships with the likes of Sky TV and could potentially resell TV content on the network. However, Wired Country hasn't ruled out the possibility of directly dealing with companies that could provide video and television feeds.
Mr Lancaster says Wired Country has run fibre into some new subdivisions.
"The opportunity is to get all services down that connection, so you don't have a Sky dish on the roof and a standard TV aerial and another dish for your satellite TV from other countries.
"There's lots of opportunity to get services integrated and brought together on the one connection."
Wired Country has been approached by community groups interested in having feeds from international satellite channels.
The company is in discussions with several security firms about using the network for remote monitoring of premises.
Mr Lancaster says Wired Country wants to have 1000 to 2000 customers using its network by the end of the financial year in March.
Wired Country is working with South Waikato power company The Lines Company which is interested in rolling out a similar network throughout its region. It's likely they will build the network together, Mr Lancaster says.
A number of other provincial towns have also expressed interest in similar models, he says.
(Craigs comment, very interesting perhaps Impactv can supply them with channels when they get started???)
GMA Network to begin int'l TV service early next year
From http://www.inq7.net/ent/2003/jul/17/ent_3-1.htm
GMA Network, Inc. has finally decided to go international, with a planned direct-to-home television subscription service to overseas Filipinos starting early next year.
"We are preparing for this (international service) but the details have not yet been ironed out," GMA Network corporate communications head Butch Raquel told INQ7.net.
Raquel said there was still no business entity that would handle the service but added GMA Network would establish it soon. In addition, GMA has still not decided on what region it would pilot its service and the international partnerships the network will enter into.
But Raquel assured the still unnamed GMA international channel would be available to overseas Filipinos by first quarter of 2004.
GMA Network's international group will provide GMA-7 shows "real time" to international subscribers on a 24/7 basis. Overseas Filipino audiences would view GMA-7's popular entertainment shows - such as GMA-7's variety shows, sitcoms, drama specials, and soap operas - and news and public affairs programs as they are viewed in the Philippines and would be replayed to cater region-specific timezones.
According to Sheila Pascual-Paras, GMA Network production unit manager for news, fresh segments in GMA's newscasts and new public affairs programs are being planned to cater to an international audience. "We are very much excited," Paras told INQ7.net. "We are looking forward to expanding our reach to serving more Filipinos around the world."
News anchor Mike Enriquez reveals the eventuality of international exposure as a "challenge" but rewarding in the network's expanded thrust of "Serbisyong Totoo." "This (international service) satisfies our overseas Filipinos hunger for news and entertainment from home," Enriquez said in an INQ7.net interview. "We are now able to serve Filipinos wherever they are in the world."
As a rival to ABS-CBN's The Filipino Channel, the unnamed GMA international channel would provide overseas Filipinos another choice in the delivery of television programs from the Philippines. "Filipinos overseas would not be tied to a single provider," Raquel said. "They now have an option."
(Craigs comment, Who will snap this one up in our region? Tarb's?....)
Corporates commit R225m to Mindset Network
From http://www.bday.co.za/bday/content/direct/1,3523,1390444-6078-0,00.html
Mindset Network, a multimedia satellite TV network, has been launched in Johannesburg with corporate support valued at R225 million. Mindset Network is a non-profit organisation which will address the education challenges which face South Africa, including schooling, health and entrepreneurship.
Ann Lamont, chief executive of Mindset Network, said: "The key partners committed to Mindset Network have put aside their different commercial objectives for the greater good of the country and all its people.The government departments of education, communications and health are also involved."
The impetus was the Learning Channel which was begun by William Smith and funded by Hylton Appelbaum, executive director of the Liberty Foundation 13 years ago. Appelbaum has long believed that South Africa needed to create a dedicated, multimedia, educational service that all South Africans could access.
The Liberty and Standard Bank Foundations, which conceptualised the network, have provided R74 million to start the project. In addition, they have been instrumental in securing additional partner support.
Derek Cooper, Standard Bank Group chairman, said: "We strongly believe that good education is critical if South Africa is to achieve sustainable growth and development".
Founding partners include the Nelson Mandela Foundation, PanAmSat, Multichoice Africa, Sentech and the Sunday Times. SABC is a key supporter of the project.
John Samuel, chief executive of The Nelson Mandela Foundation, explained that the foundation has provided additional seed funding to the Mindset Network to assist with the health and education channels.
"We are committed to raising substantial funds for Mindset Network and will be integrating the project into our 120 rural schools and clinic initiatives."
PanAmSat, one of the world's largest satellite services company which is based in the United States, has provided access to a transponder which allows Mindset Network the bandwidth for up to ten channels.
Steve Rich, vice-president of PanAmSat for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explained that the bandwidth it was offering enabled content distribution and has the ability to reach every school, home and clinic in Southern Africa.
The Sunday Times will be carrying print supplements to support the broadcast as well as giving exposure to the founding partners. South Africa's largest weekly newspaper is running a campaign to call South Africans to action to support the Mindset Network initiative.
16/07/03
Chatroom will be open for Optus C1 signal reports from 8.30pm NZ, 6.30pm Syd onwards. I welcome any service providers on Optus C1 to come in and hopefully get feedback on signal levels around Australia and NZ.
Dday for C1,
Change over Seems to have gone well with no major problems reported. The main loss over here in NZ was to those viewing SBS on 12407V this beams now changed to Aus only. Globecast on 12367v seems about the same level at my place that it has been at for the past week. One thing I noticed last night BBC radio has appeared on B3 12595V.
Keep those Optus C1 reports coming in!
Meanwhile over on B1 TVNZ on 12456V is now also listing Fv1 Fv2 Fv3 Fv4 3 of them are just teletext at the moment but it will be great if some new free to air starts there!
From my Emails & ICQ
From <[email protected]>
Termination of radio services on Aurora
Dear all,
Please note that from Wednesday July 16th, the 7 Satellite Music Australia
radio services will no longer be available on the Aurora platform.
This is due to conclusion of our arrangement with SMA to broadcast these services.
Regards,
Satellite Support Services.
"Yes" Optus
C1 Reception Reports from W.A
From Zapara
12407v and 12367 vert 100% on a Humax compared with 80 and 70% respectively.
90cm Jonsa dish and dual output Jonsa LNBF
Perth WA
All other services same as before
From Jason W.A
Reception on the new Optus C1 satellite in Perth on a 90cm dish is excellent today.
Globecast had a 40% increase in power from 55% to 79%
Aurora 12407V is now at 97% from 68%.
Jason
From Jeff, Perth W.A
Here in Perth 12407 Vertical for me used to be at 66 percent signal
quality,Now at 11:40am Perth time its at 98 percent .Good work Optus except
for New Zealand it seems.
Reciever Humax 5410z 90cm offset dish.
Jeff in Perth
C1 Reception Reports from Northern Aus
From Kuz
These are the test results from southern Arhnem Land this morning with an 85cm offset dish and a 1.2m offset.
Tp3: 1107V CNR 20dB up 5 on B3
Tp2: 1069V 18dB
Tp14:1133(?) H 20dB
Tp13:1098 H 17.5dB
Tp20:1389 H 19dB
Add 2dB extra for each one with a 1.2m.
It looks if they need some fine tuning later they are not consistent plus Tp 14 is not at the scheduled frequency centre so far.
I will keep you posted on this daily.
Kuz
C1 Reception Reports from Central Aus
From Rc256
Success with the transponder transfer.
I'm getting 92% signal strength and 82% signal quality on 12438 MHz
Horizontal where there had never been a signal before. The others are
similar, but I note that 12367 MHz Vertical, which I could get before on B3
at 12336 MHz Vertical now has a 20% improvement in it's signal quality.
C1 Reception Reports from NSW
Dear Craig and All.
12367 V is coming very strong here in the south cost of NSW CBermagui.)
Using 65 cm dish a Humax 5400z and universal Lnbf.
As Globecast was little bit weaker on B3, on C1 quality and Signal are 100%
on my box, never had a such signal before with a small dish.
Regards.
Bernie
C1 Reception Reports from NZ
From Dave Devon Oamaru, NZ (Bottom South Island)
South Island NZ 60cm
C1/ B3 12407 vert nothing
C1 Globecast signal dropped here from 94% quality to 60% Quality
From the Dish
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3551 H "STN Radio" has started, fta, APID 7217.
Insat 3C 74E 4165 H "DD Technology" has started, Fta, PIDs 769/770.
NEWS
HOTEL APOLOGISES FOR PIRATING SKY CHANNEL SIGNAL
From https://www.aapmedianet.com.au/scripts/DisplayRelease.dll?id=350640
A major hotel in the Riverina has remitted tens of thousands of dollars and publicly apologised for illegally using racing programming on Sky Channel.
The financial settlement and apology follows an admission by the Tattersalls Club Hotel in Mathoura that it pirated the Sky Channel signal using equipment purchased on the black market.
The hotel has also provided investigators with the identity of the source of the equipment.
The Chief Executive of Sky Channel, Geoff Want, said today the settlement was among a number of court actions launched in recent months against licensed venues found to be pirating the Sky Channel and Sky Racing (Pay TV) signal.
Similar actions have been successfully undertaken in country Victoria, southern New South Wales and Queensland, and other cases are pending Court decisions.
Commercial sites are either using illegal equipment purchased on the black market or are utilising domestic home Pay TV services in commercial premises.
“This case is another step along the road to stamping out piracy,” Mr Want said.
“In tandem with other Pay TV operators, we have received Federal Court orders to raid hotels in various parts of Australia and seize illegal equipment, and have charges laid. In particular we wish to thank Austar for their assistance in many of the cases.
“Our investigators will continue to swoop on venues committing these crimes.
“ Piracy threatens jobs and also cheats legitimate customers,” Mr Want added. “These pirates are thieves and we will remain vigilant in pursuit of them.”
Piracy is currently costing Sky Channel tens of thousands of dollars annually in lost revenues. It is estimated the practice is costing the Pay TV industry as a whole around $50 million annually.
The Executive Director of the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA), Debra Richards said: “ We have been overwhelmed with the response from the pubic providing information relating to subscription television piracy…it is a timely warning to people and businesses about being involved in a criminal activity.”
Gilat's new Aussie Vsat platform
From Press Release
Gilat's Skystar 360E VSAT Platform a Key Component in Optus' Broadband Satellite Communications Network for Interactive Distance Learning Applications in New South Wales and the Northern Territory
Australia's famous School of the Air among beneficiaries of program
Gilat SatelliteNetworks Ltd. (Nasdaq: GILTF) today announced that the Australian government has finalized an agreement with Optus to deliver learning services to smallrural towns and isolated homesteads in New South Wales (NSW) and across the Northern Territory (NT) using Gilat's Skystar 360E broadband VSAT platform.
Gilat has been selected by Optus to provide a 310-site, two-way satellite communications network to deliver broadband Internet services to these ruralcommunities and 540 School of The Air (SOTA) sites.
Gilat's Skystar 360E VSAT network is part of a new satellite infrastructure being deployed by Optus as part of the NT and NSW Interactive Distant Learning Initiative. The initiative was developed to establish a shared, broadband interactive distance learning (IDL) communications infrastructure for small rural communities and isolated homesteads in areas of NSW and the NT. The initiative is led by Optus, the NSW Department of Education and Training, the NT Department of Employment, Education and Training and the Australian government.
The satellite-based infrastructure will deliver education services to distance education students, isolated indigenous communities and adults seeking vocational education. Services will be delivered to approximately 3,700 users, including 239 small, isolated schools. An IDL satellite hub is being installed in Sydney with backbone links to teaching studios in several other locations, in addition to the rollout of the VSAT network.
The network will provide real-time streaming video, high-resolution graphics, full duplex audio, two-way data interaction and application sharingcapabilities. The courses offered via the network will cover primary,secondary and vocational material, including courses that are difficult or impossible to offer currently in remote and rural settings.
Oded Sheshinski, General Manager of Gilat's Australian office, said, "This project strengthens our cooperation with Optus, one of Australia's largest telecommunications companies. It is gratifying to take part in such an important government initiative and to know that our technology will enable so many people to take advantage of educational opportunities that were previously unavailable to them. Gilat hopes to carry this success to other locations in the region, including New Zealand."
Orbital Makes Final In-Orbit Delivery of BSAT-2c Satellite
From Press Release
Newest GEO Communications Satellite Based on the Company's STAR Platform Successfully Completes In-Orbit Check-out
Orbital Sciences Corporation announced today that it has made the final in-orbit delivery of the BSAT-2c satellite to its customer, Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT) of Japan. Based on the company's STAR platform, BSAT-2c is the third in a series of three geostationary (GEO) communications satellites that Orbital built for B-SAT since 1999. The BSAT-2c satellite was launched into orbit aboard an Ariane 5 rocket on June 11, 2003. Following the launch, a team of Orbital engineers conducted a thorough evaluation of the satellite's operating systems and its onboard communications payload and determined that it is functioning as expected. Operational control of the satellite system was transferred to B-SAT on July 15.
"We are very pleased to deliver another high-quality satellite to B-SAT, which has been an anchor customer for our small GEO satellites," said Dr. Ali Atia, head of Orbital's GEO communications satellite business unit. "The completion of the BSAT-2c check-out process adds yet another milestone to our drive to be the leading supplier of small-sized GEO communications spacecraft to the global satellite market."
The BSAT-2c satellite will operate in Ku-band frequencies from its orbital location at 110 degrees East longitude. The spacecraft is optimized for a 10-year design life and will provide additional capacity for B-SAT's satellite broadcasting service throughout Japan. BSAT-2c is the third Orbital-built GEO communications satellite to be put in service by customers in the past 12 months.
Orbital develops and manufactures small space and missile systems for commercial, civil government and military customers. The company's primary products are satellites and launch vehicles, including low-orbit, geostationary and planetary spacecraft for communications, remote sensing and scientific missions; ground- and air-launched rockets that deliver satellites into orbit; and missile defense boosters that are used as interceptor and target vehicles. Orbital also offers space-related technical services to government agencies and develops and builds satellite-based transportation management systems for public transit agencies and private vehicle fleet operators.
Court dismisses MEN suit against DD Sports turning FTA
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july117.htm
NEW DELHI: Pubcaster Doordarshan's sports channel, DD Sports, has managed to break out of the Modi Entertainment Network (MEN) grip, which was contracted to distribute it, and become a free to air channel.
Ruling in favour of Prasar Bharati, which oversees the functioning of DD and All India Radio, the Delhi high court today dismissed a petition filed by MEN that it would lead to loss of commercial interest if DD Sports turned free, a Prasar Bharati official said. The court had set time till 14 July for deciding on the matter.
When contacted for an official response on the developments, MEN's Amit Nag offered "no comments."
Doordarshan Sports, launched in 1999 to give exclusive coverage to sports, Indian as well as international, went pay in September 2000 as per the prevailing trend then.
Having tuned a pay channel, Prasar Bharati followed another trend and hired MEN as the channel's distribution and marketing agent on a revenue sharing basis. As part of the deal, MEN was required to increase the sports channel's connectivity, promote and publicize it aggressively.
However, in reality, DD Sports, available through PAS 10 satellite, suffered from poor connectivity and lack of publicity. Since the pay route was not yielding desired results, Prasar Bharati contemplated making DD Sports free. This also suited its public service broadcaster's image.
But MEN moved the Delhi high court earlier this year, saying Prasar Bharati proposal to make DD Sports an FTA channel would harm its commercial interests.
MEN had been distributing DD Sports along with Fashion TV and Hallmark. Since then FTV has gone FTA about a month ago as part of the countdown to CAS and also to avoid being censured by the Indian government. According to Prasar Bharati officials, turning of DD Sports into a FTA channel is bound to send positive signals to advertisers who have forked out Rs 880 million for the upcoming triangular series cricket featuring India, New Zealand and Australia. In addition, it is also likely to get more viewers for the first Afro-Asian Games to be held in Hyderabad in October.
(Craigs comment, lucky for Pas 10 viewers they get another Sports channel!)
15/07/03
Livechat tonight 9.pm NZ and 8.30 pm Syd time onwards
This is the info I have on tomorrows Optus B3-C1 change over. Confirmed by <[email protected]>
Be aware though details may change if problems occur.
Wed July 16th 0300 AET B3/T11 (12438 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T14 (12438 H)
Wed July 16th 0330 AET B3/T15 (12689 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T20 (12689 H)
Wed July 16th 0400 AET B3/T10 (12376 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T13 (12398 H)
Wed July 16th 0430 AET B3/T3 (12407 V) Aurora Moving to C1/T3 (12407 V)
Wed July 16th 0500 AET B3/T2 (12336 V) Globecast Moving to C1/T2 (12367 V)
Mon July 28th 0330 AET B3/T8 (12720 V) Aurora Moving to C1/T10 (12720 V)
Mon July 28th 0500 AET B3/T5 (12527 V) Aurora Moving to C1/T6 (12527 V)
Thu July 31st 0430 AET B3/T12 (12501 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T16 (12518 H)
Thu July 31st 0500 AET B3/T13 (12564 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T17 (12558 H)
Sun Aug 3rd 0500 AET B3/T14 (12626 H) Austar/Foxtel Moving to C1/T18 (12598 H)
From my Emails & ICQ
From Siamglobal
ZEE BUSINESS CHANNEL
Following your request yesterday , I made a standard transponder search on Asiasat 3 on the two published Zee tv frequencies. Only Zee Music came up FTA. This does not mean that Zee Business is not broadcasting as it could be on a new unpublished frequency. Also I have read of channels in a bouquet that have no identifier PID , so cannot be seen without insertion of the correct PID codes.
Sincerely, Siam Global
(Craigs comment, it might up today though?)
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E 12626 H, 12643 H, 12670 H,12688 H and 12706 H "The ABC Kids & Fly TV info cards have left" .
Insat 3A 93.5E Occasional feeds on 3811 V and 3835 V, SR 3800, FEC 3/4.
Insat 3A 93.5 3985 V EMTV Southeast Asia (enc.), DD India, DD Bharati, Aaj Tak (enc.),Headlines Today (enc.), Ten Sports India (enc.), Aastha TV (enc.), Arirang TV World 1 and a mosaic have started, Fta, SR 27500,FEC 3/4, PIDs 160/80-170/114 and 171/172.
Insat 3A 93.5E 4065 V "Zee MGM" is now Fta.
Apstar 2R 76.5E 3643 H "TV Lanka" has started, Fta, SR 6500, FEC 3/4, PIDs 1160/1122.
NEWS
Thai satellite targets Australia
From http://australianit.news.com.au
A NEW Thai satellite company hopes to offer cheap phone calls and broadband internet to up to one million homes in Australia by early next year.
The iPSTAR satellite system would cover 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region when it was launched in the first quarter of 2004, with an initial target of six million customers across the region, a spokesman said.
Australia would be the first country to trial the broadband services offered by the satellite, which is overseen by Shin Satellite, a key company within the corporate empire of Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The company would provide services to urban and rural locations in Australia, he said.
One of the main strengths of the new Thai service will be the ability to run applications that require high speeds such as video conferencing, telemedicine, and long-distance learning.
Shin Satellite executive chairman Dumrong Kasemset said the service costs for people in rural areas of Australia would be much the same as those in the cities.
"I think they will get probably the most efficient satellite system in the world," Mr Dumrong said.
Development of the satellite had taken six years, he said.
The Australian government's policy was to ensure rural communities had access to telephone and broadband services at similar prices to cities, Mr Dumrong said.
The main receiving gateways from the satellite will be located at Broken Hill in western NSW and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
A trial of the new service, starting from early August, will access the Intelsat 804 satellite until the iPSTAR satellite is launched next year.
The iPSTAR will be the fourth of the Thai satellites sent into orbit over the past decade.
Mr Dumrong said an agreement with Reach Global Services - a joint venture between Telstra and Hong Kong's PCCW - would enable deployment of the broadband satellite programs in Australia and New Zealand.
Australia and New Zealand, together with China and India are expected to be the main markets for the broadband services, with India expected to follow Australia in a trial of the service.
(Craigs comment, "A trial of the new service, starting from early August, will access the Intelsat 804 satellite until the iPSTAR satellite is launched next year" I think that confirms what those mystery I 804 signals were that some were seeing last month)
BT Broadcast Services to facilitate Hallmark's Asia distribution
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july98.htm
WASHINGTON: BT Broadcast Services has announced that it has finalised an agreement with Crown Media International to become the cable network operator's primary provider of broadcast transmission services to Asia. The three-year deal will allow Crown Media International to broadcast its Hallmark Channel from Hong Kong facilitating increased penetration of the Asian market.
BT Americas Broadcast Services GM Bill McNamara has been quoted in an official release saying, "We welcome the opportunity to assist Crown Media International and the Hallmark Channel in growing their service capabilities and functionality within the Asian marketplace. Our extensive domestic and international fiber network provides customers like the Hallmark Channel with cost effective distribution to all parts of the world and an enormous amount of flexibility and security in their transmissions."
Crown Media International VP operations Chuck Zabilski said, "We expanded our relationship with BT Broadcast Services as it has the right combination of state-of-the art broadcasting solutions and extensive industry experience necessary for servicing our needs in the dynamic and growing Asian market."
The release states that the new deal continues the successful working relationship between the two companies, as BTBS already services Hallmark's European distribution needs. As part of the BTBS digital network, the Hallmark fiber connectivity runs on a duplex fiber circuit from Denver to Hong Kong. This enables Crown Media International to originate, control and monitor the global distribution of its programming from a play-out center at its Denver headquarters to the Pacific Rim as well as Europe.
Galaxy selects NDS for Hong Kong digital TV service
From http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=705653&fid=942
NDS will provide Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting with the first full-functioned electronic program guide (EPG) in Hong Kong digital TV market.
NDS Group plc, a News Corporation company and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, today announced that Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited has selected NDS end-to-end digital broadcasting systems to launch the operator's pay-TV services in Hong Kong.
Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited is a joint venture between Intelsat, a leading global communications provider, and TVB, Hong Kong's dominant free-to-air broadcaster. The pay-TV service will launch by year-end 2003.
Sue Taylor, Vice President and General Manager of NDS Asia Pacific said, "With the fully digital and interactive network Galaxy can offer a new level of quality programming services unequalled in Hong Kong. NDS is committed to delivering in time for the year-end launch, and we are proud that Galaxy has selected us for this outstanding project."
Stanley Tang, Chief Operating Officer of Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited said, "We chose NDS because VideoGuard is the most robust conditional access system in the industry today. In addition, NDS offers unparalleled local support and proven ability to deploy systems in Asia."
The NDS Asia Pacific operations in Hong Kong and Seoul will be conducting systems integration for the set-top box and installing the NDS end-to-end systems at the TVB Tsueng Kwan O digital broadcasting center. NDS China operates a research and development facility in Beijing, which will be actively involved with designing the Galaxy EPG.
NDS solutions have been selected by many of the leading broadcasters in Asia Pacific. In China this includes CCTV Satellite Television Transmission Center, CCTV Channel 5, Chongqing Cable Network, Guizhou Cable Network, Information Network Center (INC) and Sichuan Cable Network. In other Asia Pacific countries this includes: China Network Systems (Taiwan); FOXTEL (Australia); Hathway Cable & Datacom (India), Indovision (Indonesia), SkyLife (Korea), Sky TV (New Zealand) and STAR (Regional).
Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting Limited is 51% owned by Intelsat, and 49% owned by TVB. The Galaxy Satellite Broadcasting service will be an all-digital, multi-channel service featuring a range of premium Cantonese- and Mandarin-language programming. The satellite broadcasting service will launch by year-end 2003 with 24 channels initially.
(Craigs comment, Interactive gambling is one of the first thing they plan on the service.)
14/07/03
C1 is at 156E, not long to go now!
Zee Biz (Asiasat 3?) started today? perhaps someone might like to take a look.
The Tvnz promo channel on B1, 12456V is now labeled "FV1" those that had trouble loading it, it may load ok now. Freeview 1 ?
From my Emails & ICQ
Nothing to report
From the Dish
Optus C1 156E Optus C1 has arrived at 156 East.
Asiasat 4 122E 12274 V Sr 10000 fec ? Reported on Asian site, maybe E.Asia Ku beam? someone might like to do a scan?
Insat 3A 93.5E 4065 V "DD Bharati" has left , replaced by a Zee mosaic.
PAS 10 68.5E 4011 H New SID and PIDs for Channel I on : 42 and 33/34.
NEWS
PanAmSat May Replace At Least Two More Satellites
From http://www.quicken.com
PanAmSat Corp. (SPOT, news), which already has spent $2.5 billion replacing substandard satellites, has suffered new technical problems that might force it to prematurely swap out at least two more orbiting spacecraft and seek additional insurance claims, Monday's Wall Street Journal reported, citing company filings and people familiar with the matter.
The developments complicate PanAmSat's efforts to slash capital expenditures amid a protracted slump in demand for satellite services world-wide. The cost- control strategy -- significantly different from those of its rivals -- entails forgoing construction and launch of large satellites over the next few years in favor of trying to lure customers by investing in less-expensive fiber-optic networks and other complementary ground facilities.
The latest glitches, which completely disabled the electric-propulsion systems on two relatively young satellites, raise new concerns that the same apparent design flaw could affect systems necessary to keep a dozen or so other Boeing 601HP satellites in proper orbits. PanAmSat, Wilton, Conn., continues to operate three more 601s susceptible to such shutdowns and has already written off two others.
A spokesman for Boeing Co.'s satellite-making unit in El Segundo, Calif., said "the incident is under investigation" and "we are in the process of notifying" other customers.
The propulsion glitches occurred in the past two weeks.
Malayalam news channel Indiavision launches Monday
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july94.htm
MUMBAI: IndiaVision, which claims to be the first exclusive television news channel in Kerala, is to simultaneously launch today from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and the United Arab Emirates.
Indiavision is promoted by Indiavision Satellite Communications Ltd, a public limited company, and vows to uphold secular and democratic values in its mission statement.
In a bid to cater to the English speaking Malayalee, the channel plans to have 30 per cent of its programmes in English.
Indiavision claims it will have a technological edge over the other regional channels because, apart from Kerala and the whole of India, Indiavision will be beamed throughout the Middle East. The channel can also be viewed in Europe, and the USA, where Indian language broadcasts are so far largely non existent. By this, Indiavision will reach a sizeable Keralite NRI population of the 15 million and odd overseas Indians. Special "Gulf Focus" bulletins and programs targeted at the sizeable Keralite population there are also planned.
The entire chain of operations - news gathering, studio production, post production, uplinking and downlinking of signals - will be configured on a digital platform, a company statement says. The channel will also have fully equipped Mini-OB vans deployed throughout Kerala, so that the 'live' element is predominant, the statement adds.
Dr MK Muneer, the minister for public works in the present cabinet of Kerala state, is the company chairman. MT Vasudevan Nair, eminent filmmaker, writer and journalist, heads programming, TK Vibhaker, formerly vice-president of Asianet, is the COO, while Nikesh Kumar is the executive editor.
At present, Kerala has four television channels -- Asianet, Surya, Kairali and Jeevan.
Siti gets additional clearances for HITS plan
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july84.htm
BANGALORE: Nagging doubts over Siti Cable's ambitious headend in the sky (HITS) project --- through which it is seeking to implement the conditional access in the four metros --- got cleared with the government giving some additional clearances that were necessary.
According to the Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms' additional vice-chairman Jawahar Goel, "We have got permission from the Indian government to `turn around' pay and free to air channels from the country."
Pointing out that this fresh nod from the government is over and above the licence for uplink that was obtained by another Chandra company, ASC Enterprises, sometime back, Goel told indiantelevision.com that the permission is for turning around 46 FTA and 36 pay channels. The formal letter was received by SitiCable, the cable subsidiary of Zee Telefilms, earlier this week.
The fresh permission was necessary as some doubts were raised whether Siti could implement the HITS project as it would mean turning round or uplinking channels from India, news and otherwise, which may attract the provisions of other media guidelines set by the Indian government.
This was also one of the reasons that had been cited by other broadcsters like Star India for being non-comittal on a Zee-ASC Enterprises-promoted HITS platform.
Sometime back Star India CEO Peter Mukrjea had told indiantelevision.com that he cannot commit Star channels being part of Zee's HITS platform as there were some technical and legal issues involved regarding turning around of channels in an encrypted form from a central facility.
The HITS project involves downlinking satellite channels at a central facility and after their encryption are uplinked again to a satellite that can be accessed by cable operators and MSOs for further redistribution to their susbcribers.
The project's touted USP: that it will reduce the financial investment that will be needed to be made by cable ops to upgrade their headends to facilitate conditioanal access or addressability
(Craigs comment, this service is via Insat 3a at 93.5E. It may be using the India only Beam)
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 28/2003 13 July 2003 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
BT BROADCAST SERVICES TO DISTRIBUTE CROWN MEDIA CHANNELS
BT Broadcast Services on July 10 announces that it has finalized an agreement with Crown Media International to become the cable network operator's primary provider of broadcast transmission services to Asia. The three-year deal will allow Crown Media International to broadcast its Hallmark Channel from Hong Kong facilitating increased penetration of the Asian market. This new deal continues the successful working relationship between the two companies, as BTBS already services Hallmark's European distribution needs. As part of the BTBS digital network, the Hallmark fibre connectivity runs on a duplex fibre circuit from Denver to Hong Kong, enabling Crown Media International to originate, control and monitor the global distribution of its programming from a play-out centre at its Denver headquarters to the Pacific Rim as well as Europe.
Internet - http://www.broadcast.bt.com
DISCOVERY CHANNEL A SUCCESS WITH VIEWERS
The Discovery Channel has remained Asia Pacific's most watched regional channel, according to the Pan Asia Pacific Cross Media Study (PAX). The survey, conducted in 11 key markets, including Bangkok, Hong Kong, India, Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo, was based on the past 7 day viewership. According to PAX, more than 2.6 million affluent viewers tuned in to Discovery Asia, marking a 2 per cent increase over the fourth quarter of 2002.
CHINA - HONG KONG
ATV DENIES I-CABLE TALKS OVER SALE OF STAKE
Asia Television Ltd. said on July 10 it hasn't been in talks with cable TV operator i-Cable Communications Ltd. to sell a stake in the company. The Hong Kong Economic Times reported earlier that i-Cable is in talks to buy a 14.9% stake in Hong Kong's number-two free-to-air broadcaster for HK$150 million, citing market sources. In a press statement issued later, the company said the report is "groundless and not true."
NEW PAY-TV SERVICE PLANNED
Hong Kong Telco City Telecom plans to launch its pay-TV service ahead of Galaxy, the Intelsat and TVB joint venture that plans to rollout in November, according to local reports. The telco plans to launch an IP-delivered pay-TV service on the island. The platform will launch with 10 channels but City Telecom must still apply for a pay-TV license.
INDIA
INDIA FIRM ON NEW CABLE TV ACCESS SYSTEM
The Indian government decided on July 10 to push ahead with its plans for a new cable television system despite opposition from broadcasting companies. Conditional Access System (CAS), which will allow subscribers to pay for only their favourite TV channels, has led to confusion in the industry, forcing the government earlier to postpone the planned launch from July 14 to September 1. The cabinet on July 10 reiterated it would launch CAS from September 1 in New Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. It added it could introduce new laws to tighten controls on broadcasters, who oppose the new system which could slash individual monthly cable TV rental bills by a third. Currently all channels are available to viewers for US$4 monthly, one of the lowest cable television rates in the world. The government is considering introducing limits on advertisements and the monthly rentals demanded by broadcasters from cable operators to air their channels. India currently has some 65 TV channels and nearly half of the 80 million television sets have cable and satellite connections.
JAPAN
NEARLY 3,5 MILLION SUBS FOR SKY PERFECTV
According to the Sat-Net-Cable Japan electronic newsletter, Japan's SkyPerfecTV satellite TV platform had 3.421 million viewers as of June. SkyPerfecTV's net growth for the month totalled 14,048, the publication said.
MALAYSIA
MEDIA PRIMA TO TAKE OVER CHANNEL 8
Malaysian media company Media Prima is expected to take over private television network Metrovision, or Channel 8, the New Straits Times newspaper has reported. Metrovision stopped broadcasting in November 1999 due to financial constraints. It was previously available only to viewers in and around Kuala Lumpur but now holds a licence to broadcast nationwide. Media Prima is also currently in the final stages of taking over the country’s first privately owned television station, Sistem Television Malaysia (TV3), via a restructuring of Sistem Television Malaysia’s parent Malaysian Resources Corp..
THE PHILLIPINES
ABS-CBN COULD SEE INCREASED PROFITS
Philippine broadcast network ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. may post profit this year in excess of 1 billion pesos. Under the weight of its large debt and a slump in advertising revenue, ABS- CBN's profit fell 87% to PHP167.8 million last year from PHP1.3 billion in 2001. Advertising revenue from its radio and television stations exceed a PHP1 billion in June.
SINGAPORE
SARS CHANNEL CLOSES DOWN
Singapore's SARS channel is to stop transmission as all SARS-hit countries have been taken off the World Health Organisation's warning list. About a million viewers have tuned in since the channel was launched on May 21. The cable provider said the SARS threat and public interest in the disease were now greatly diminished. Hence, there was no longer a need for a dedicated channel on SARS. The channel was a joint effort by Starhub, MediaCorp and Singapore Press Holdings.
THAILAND
CHANNEL 5 PREPARES FOR IPO
Tor Tor Bor 5 Co., a subsidiary of Royal Thai Army Television-owned Channel 5, is to be listed on the Thailand stock exchange by the end of 2003. In advance of the flotation, the company plans to increase its registered capital to Baht1.1 billion from Baht 250 million at the present time. Funds raised from the IPO will used to expand the Thai TV Global Network satellite service.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
ABU DHABI TV EXTENDS REACH
GlobeCast signed a long-term agreement with Abu Dhabi TV the satellite channel of Emirates Media, Inc. (EMI) to provide satellite delivery across Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia via seven digital DTH (“Direct to Home”) platforms operated by GlobeCast. Abu Dhabi TV will be carried on GlobeCast’s complete DTH platform inventory, including HOT BIRD for pan-European distribution, EUROBIRD to U.K. and Ireland, Telstar 5 (GlobeCast WorldTV) platform over North America, Hispasat 1C to Latin America, NSS 7 to Africa, Intelsat 701 over Southeast Asia, and Optus B3 covering Australia and New Zealand. GlobeCast is providing Abu Dhabi TV with end-to-end, seamless service including turnaround, multiplexing, standards conversion, uplinks and satellite capacity. Abu Dhabi TV, a 24-hour Arab-language channel, is a subsidiary of Emirates Media, Inc. (EMI) - the largest and most diverse media group in the United Arab Emirates and in the Arab world in general. 90% of the channel’s lineup consists of original programming, including politically-oriented shows, news reporting, cultural programming, family entertainment, televised series and documentaries. Abu Dhabi TV is particularly renowned for the quality and accuracy of its current-events coverage.
13/07/03
No update Sunday
12/07/03
More Indian news channels are coming, they must really love their news.
Optus C1 latest from Lyngsat has it at 154.5E
Asiasat 3 page updated. NSS6 Page added
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
2115 UTC
NSS 6
12727 V SR 27500 FEC 7/8 SID30 PMT768 Channel labeled as "GCBS"
No Video or Audio Pids Yet.
Regards
Bill
From Moose
NSS6 getting it on 85 cm with uni lnb
north coast nsw
12729v 27500 7/8
only gcbs scrambled on humax
gcbs
satlink
ntd
and fashion tv
From the Dish
NSS 6 95E 12729 V "NTD TV" is in Fta again.
Insat 3A 93.5E Zee TV Asia, Zee Cinema Asia, Zee Music, Zee News, Alpha Marathi, Alpha Punjabi, Alpha Gujarati, Alpha Bangla, Trendz, Zee MGM, Zee English and DD Bharathi (clear) have started on 4065 V, enc., SR 27500, FEC 3/4,PIDs 160/80-170/112 and 702/703. (For Zee's HITS headend in the sky project, can anyone get this?)
ST 1 88E 3500 H "Nation Channel" is encrypted again.
Insat 2E 83E 3668 VOccasional Jeevan TV feeds on , clear, SR 1800, FEC 3/4.
Thaicom 3 76.5E 3687 H "Indiavision" has started testing, Fta, SR 3333, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1160/1120.
NEWS
Bid to ban 'terrorist' TV station
From "Australian Jewish News"
By Bernard Freedman
THE Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) wants the Federal Government to stop the rebroadcasting in Australia of internet programs from Al-Manar, a Hezbollah-sponsored TV channel that solicits donations from Australians and incites violence against Israelis.
AIJAC executive director Dr Colin Rubenstein this week asked Federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams to consider whether the broadcasts on the Beirut-based Al-Manar TV channel breach racial-hatred laws and anti-terrorism laws, including those which ban Hezbollah and freeze terrorists' assets.
Anti-terrorism legislation passed last year makes it an offence to belong to, direct, recruit for, train with or provide training for, or receive funds from or make funds available to a terrorist organisation, whether in Australia or abroad.
These offences carry penalties of up to 25 years' imprisonment.
Other legislation has frozen Hezbollah assets and makes dealing with Hezbollah assets a criminal offence.
Al-Manar (Arabic for "beacon") is accessible throughout the Arab world and much of the United States and Europe via satellite. Australian viewers
receive it via TARBS World TV Australia, a Sydney-based broadcaster.
In a letter to the attorney-general, Dr Rubenstein said that AIJAC believes that it is now likely to be illegal under the Criminal Code Act for TARBS to provide Al-Manar access to its Australian audience.
This was because Al-Manar solicits donations for Hezbollah and incites terrorism not only against Israel but against the United States and, by extension Australia, because of their actions in Iraq.
He said section 102.7 of the act made it an offence for a person to provide support or resources that would help a terrorist organisation engage in "preparing, planning, assisting in or fostering the doing of a terrorist act". "It's outrageous that a terrorist organisation, seen by intelligence sources as 'a growing threat' to Australia, and proscribed by Australian law, should be allowed to spreads its terrorist ideology and give contact details for donations," Dr Rubenstein said.
A major feature in English on the site is a plea for donations "in support of the oppressed Palestinian people for the sustenance of the intifada". It gives an address, account number and fax number for donations to the "Lebanese Communication Group" and "The Islamic Resistance".
"There's no question that Al-Manar is run by Hezbollah which is committed to Israel's destruction and incites Palestinian terrorism against Israelis including arms and logistical training for suicide bombings," Dr Rubenstein said.
Songs on the site included lyrics saying "Strike with the spilled blood, death, death, death to Israel ...."
"There is no doubt by broadcasting on the internet they are inciting violence and hatred in Australia and that's a violation of our racial-hatred laws," Dr Rubenstein said.
Singtel, 72% increase on profits
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
Singapore Telecommunication's gamble to become a multimedia player by taking control of Australian pay TV platform Optus may at last be paying off.
A 72 per cent jump in fourth quarter profits was bolstered by its Australian arm, which was acquired by SingTel when it purchased Optus from Cable & Wireless in 2001 for E7.5 billion.
Optus' pay TV arm, which has around 230,000 subscribers was seen as a likely candidate for axing once SingTel took over. But major changes in the Australian regulatory framework for cable and satellite TV, combined with market leader Foxtel's de facto take over of Optus' operations mean that the platform could be a positive cash flow generator in three years, according to analysts.
In Australia SingTel Optus reported two consecutive quarters of growth and in May SingTel reported a net income of E310 million for the three months to March 31, a 72 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier.
Indiavision to turn Malayalam television newsy
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=72204
CHENNAI: The Rs 100-crore Malayalam satellite channel market is set to see a new player with Indiavision - a 24-hour exclusive news channel - gearing up to go on air on July 14. With launch functions slated for that day at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Sharjah, the speculation over the channel, which was in the offing for two years, finally comes to an end.
The Malayalam regional satellite television market is already crowded with six channels -Surya (part of the Sun network), Asianet, Asianet Global, Kairali and Jeevan, besides DD Malayalam in the fray. Since all these existing channels focus on general entertainment, the promoters of Indiavision decided on an exclusive news channel.
Indiavision is promoted by a group of well-connected personalities including IUML’s Dr M K Muneer, the present PWD Minister in the UDF government; Mr K C Babu, a leading sea food exporter; and Mr Ramachandran, promoter of Atlas Jewellery in Dubai. The promoters have reportedly invested close to Rs 30 crore in channel.
“News bureaus have been established in all districts of Kerala besides the four metros. In addition, there are a couple of overseas correspondents, who will focus on West Asia - which has a substantial Malayalee population," Indiavision's chief operating officer (COO), T K Vibhakar said.
Indiavision, which will be a free-to-air channel in the beginning, will be uplinked from Kochi through the company's own teleport. The channel will use Thaicom 3 satellite, which has a footprint covering Europe to Australia.
“The target segment will be the Malayalees and Indians abroad,” he said. The channel will air news specific programmes for the Middle East during their prime time, he added.
In a competitive environment, where several exclusive national news channels already exist, can a stand alone news channel survive and break even? "Some of these exclusive national news channels have grown by 200% over the last one year, which indicates that there is a market for Indiavision,” Mr Vibhakar said.
Explaining further on the move to have a news channel, he said, the Malayalam market was already crowded with general entertainment channels. “Since most of them thrive on film content, the existing channels have acquired the available films. Instead of competing for the content, we decided to focus on news segment instead,” company officials said.
News channel to replace DD Metro: Prasar Bharati
From http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=27457
New Delhi, July 11: While satellite broadcasters may be reeling under an acute CAS syndrome (symptoms fear of loss of viewership, loss of revenues etc.,), the Prasar Bharati Corporation has decided to add another channel to its flock of 21 free-to-air channels. A 24-hour news channel to replace DD-Metro will take shape in five months time, once the Information and Broadcasting Ministry makes available Rs 81 crore as grant to the Prasar Bharati Corporation.
CEO K.S. Sarma, said, the Prasar Bharati Board which met today, has approved the proposal to start a news channel, its operation will depend on the availability of resources.
While the I&B Ministry has agreed to the news channel in principle, since the Centre needs a channel of its own, availability of funds will determine its arrival.
11/07/03
Optus C1 is on the move!
The Intelsat I701 Canal Satellite service has changed to Seca Mediaguard 2 encryption. For Subscriptions in Australia see the links page.
New FTA Zee Biz business channel is starting July 14th (Asiasat 3) 3 other FTA's coming soon Zee Classic, Zee Comedy, Zee Mansi (womans)
From my Emails & ICQ
From Siamglobal
Subject: NATION
We were rather shocked to see your report today that the Nation Channel had appeared on ST1.
The law in Thailand gives a complete monopoly of satellite broadcasts to the Prime Minister's family who control and operate the Thaicom satellites.
We immediately contacted the Nation that denied completely any knowledge of the transmission on STI , a Singapore-Taiwanese owned satellite.
We then checked the Lyngsat website that not only confirmed your report but linked the program to the Nation website !
Finally we checked the transmission on STI. Yes, the Nation was there but came up as the Nation International so it looks as if Lyngsat did not check and jumped to the wrong conclusion that this was the The Nation Channel previously on Thaicom 2/3 , and soon to reappear, on Thaicom 1.
Next move an email to STI owners to confirm and find out whose channel this is !
Siamglobal Bangkok
(Craigs comment, it should be clear what's there now as its gone fta)
From the Dish
Optus C1 Optus C1 has left 152 East, moving east.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V New PIDs for Free-XTV on : 1281/1282.
ST 1 88E 3500 H "Nation Channel" is now Fta.(Thai News channel, should be available in Australia on good size dishes)
ST 1 88E 3562 H, Occasional feeds, SR 4960, FEC 7/8.
NEWS
All Star Game and Major League Baseball Brought to the World via Intelsat
From Press Release
Date: 10 July 2003
Release Number: 2003 -24
All Star Game and Major League Baseball Brought to the World via Intelsat
Washington, D.C. 10 July 2003 - Major League Baseball fans in over 200 countries will be watching the upcoming All-Star Game the same way they've been tuning in to regular season games; via Intelsat's Occasional Video Solutions (OVS) network.
Major League Baseball International, which coordinates network planning and broadcast of over 40 MLB games per week, chose all Intelsat-operated capacity to broadcast the upcoming All-Star Game, in addition to regular season games, to viewers worldwide. Using four Intelsat satellites, the 901 at 342ºE, 707 at 359ºE, 805 at 304.5ºE and 701 at 180ºE, the games will be broadcast from North America to Europe, Latin America and Asia, respectively. Intelsat picks up the signals via its major video switch interconnects, transports them by fiber to its Riverside and Fuchsstadt teleports, and uplinks the games to Intelsat satellites for transmission to broadcast receive sites around the world. BT Broadcast Services is providing Major League Baseball with Intelsat capacity for the Asian distribution, which includes over seven games per week to Asian rights holders.
"Using our state-of-the-art OVS network for this type of high value sports content is perfect for the special event distribution marketplace and customers like Major League Baseball," said Ramu Potarazu, Chief Operating Officer, Intelsat Ltd. "Customers are taking note of Intelsat's commitment to this service, not only because the reliability of our ground network and satellites are unmatched by any other provider, but also for the ease and flexibility of working with our staff. Our understanding of the video industry is thorough, since we've been providing video services for almost 40 years, and will benefit our customers looking for easy end-to-end solutions."
Russell Gabay, Executive Producer, Major League Baseball International, stated, "We needed to find one provider with exceptional customer service that could distribute our content globally over a reliable end-to-end network. Intelsat's transmissions of the first half of the regular season have been outstanding, so we knew that trusting their expertise to carry an important event like the All-Star game would be a smart decision on our part."
The 74th annual All-Star Game will be played at U.S. Cellular Field on 15 July at 8:00 p.m. EST. Intelsat's global terrestrial end-to-end infrastructure, which includes teleports in California, Maryland, Germany and Hong Kong as well as fiber interconnected Points of Presence in Los Angeles, New York, Frankfurt and London, has been in place and providing services to customers for over a year.
Airtime up on ‘RTB International'
From http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/thu/jul10h8.htm
Radio Television Brunei (RTB) has increased the airtime of its satellite channel, 'Sukmaindera', from just 2 hours to now 13.5 hours everyday and from today, the RTB satellite service has a new logo and will be known as 'RTB International'.
RTB announced the new airtime and logo at RTB yesterday morning by its director Pengiran Dato Paduka Hj Ismail. The enhancement also coincided with the 28th anniversary of Radio Television Brunei.
The Brunei Satellite started in 1994 with its footprint covering Asia Pacific using Palapa C1, and was known as 'Sukmaindera'. It was first launched together with Singapore International Television - SITV by the leaders of both countries. It was launched with His Majesty's Titah and a speech by the Prime Minister of Singapore through a telecast from Sukmaindera and SITV.
The TV Satellite services of Sukmaindera and SITV were at first only 2 hours of air-time each with Brunei Sukmaindera programme from 9:00 - 10:00 pm followed by SITV, Singapore from 10:00 to 11:00 pm.
Programmes included in this channel are news, current affairs and entertainment.
The Sukmaindera and SITV Satellite services were initially aired with a rented Transponder from Channel 9, Australia. Then the satellite services were aired using the PALAPA-C1 satellite transponder, which belongs to P.T. Satellite Palapa Indonesia. The transponder was rented by RTB since May 1995 with digital format through PALAPA-C2 that has a "footprint" much wider than PALAPA-C1.
According to RTB, looking at the importance for the Sultanate to tag onto the global bandwagon in improved television services, it is only natural to bring on a more mature image called RTB International.
The new logo has the current RTB logo with two eclipses around it and the words 'Brunei International'. It is hoped that with the change in logo and name will enhance its reputation as an international satellite service.
The repackaging of the services lends new breath in creating a satellite identity to avoid public ambiguity on its function and target audience. The rename to 'Brunei International' will also make it more easily understood not only by local audience but viewers from overseas.
10/07/03
Tvnz seem to still be playing with their 12456V mux on B1, 7 services listed there now. Some people have found they can't load the Promo channel. The promo channel is listed twice though pids are the same on both. Can anyone load 12483V and 12733V ? Perhaps someone with a nokia with scssi can take a look at the stream. Those 2 have not loaded here in months.
An update for the B3-C1 swapover just came in, listed below
From my Emails & ICQ
From SSS <[email protected]>SSS
Aurora Service B3-C1 Satellite Transition - *Update*
Dear All,
The Optus C1 satellite has currently completed the in-orbit testing of its commercial payload and is expected to be co-located with B3 on 15/7/03
ready for service. Services are planned to be transitioned from B3 to C1 over the period from 16/7/03 to 3/8/03.
The Aurora Home Channel on B3/T3 (12407MHz) will transition to C1/T3 without frequency change on Wed 16 July at 0430AET.
The remaining Aurora service channels on B3/T5 & B3/T8 will now transition to C1/T6 & C1/T10 respectively without frequency change on 28 July between
0330-0500AET, not 27 July as previously advised.
Providing decoders have been correctly tuned, no manual intervention should be required.
Cross pol issues with poorly aligned dishes may become evident when services transition to C1 and any instances of service loss or degradation should be investigated by checking the cross pol alignment. A poorly aligned installation should still operate under clear sky conditions up to between 10 & 15 degrees out of alignment.
Between 16/7/03 and 27/7/03 viewers can tune to the Aurora Tune channel on Ch 1 or the SBS channels on Ch 2 & 3 to check if they experience any
problems due to cross pol interference.
It is recommended that viewers leave their decoders on overnight when
these changes are planned. Any problem experienced with a decoder locking
up during transition should be able to be corrected with a decoder power
off at the wall outlet and on again after about 15 seconds
Please call us on 1300 301681 if further assistance is required.
Regards,
Satellite Support Services.
"Yes" Optus
Service Out of this World!
From the Dish
Palapa C2 113E 3926 H "Bali TV" has left , replaced by occasional Bali TV feeds.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V and 12729 V "Fashion TV" has started, Fta, PIDs 1025/1026.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V "Free-XTV" has started, SkyCrypt, PIDs 769/770.
NSS 6 95E 12729 V "NTD TV" is now encrypted in BISS.
ST 1 88E 3500 H "Nation Channel" has started, enc., SR 2400, FEC 3/4,PIDs 4194/4195.
NEWS
Channel 5 unit eyes listing by year-end
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/10Jul2003_biz78.html
Tor Tor Bor 5 Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Thai Army Television Channel 5, says it intends to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand by the end of this year through an initial public offering of 44 million shares.
Before listing, the company plans to increase its registered capital to 1.1 billion baht from 250 million baht currently. The raised funds will be spent on expanding its satellite network, Thai Television Global Network (TGN).
Kim Eng Securities is the financial adviser for the listing.
TGN is in the process of revamping its programmes and expanding its signal to cover 170 nations next year from 155 now, with a potential Thai expatriate viewing audience of 3.7 million.
The channel has spent more than one billion baht on testing the signal before starting commercial broadcasts.
Lt Narong Charoenrit, managing director of Tor Tor Bor 5, said the revamp was aimed at adding more news coverage and documentary programmes on Thai culture and tourism, and would include Thai movies by the end of this year.
As well, the company is in talks with GMM Grammy Plc, the country's largest entertainment group, about programme production for the channel.
Tor Tor Bor 5 is the holding company for three subsidiaries: Tor Tor Bor 5 Marketing Co and Tor Tor Bor 5 Production Co. The group expects to generate 570 million baht in total sales this year, and have a net profit of 120 million baht, including 70 million from TGN
Next year, it expects sales to rise 10% and profit to increase to 150 million baht. Last year, it lost 11 million baht.
(Craigs comment, They are broadcasting to NZ in October? I have emailed several Thai TV people with no response as yet. Trying to find out which satellite they will be on and whose platform?)
9/07/03
Chatroom was good last night with some interesting discussion about pay TV pricing and what people expect for their money.
I don't know whats going on with Lyngsat updates they seem to be a few days behind.
Things are quiet at the moment
From my Email & ICQ
Nothing to report
From the Dish
Palapa C2 113E 10990 V and 10994 V, Asialink test cards have started, Fta, SR 3000, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
AsiaSat 3 105.5E 3800 H "Star Sports Asia" has left (NTSC).
Insat 3A 93.5E Occasional DD feeds on 3822 V and 3828 V, SR 3800, FEC 3/4.
Insat 3C 74E 4121 H "DD North-East" is back on PAL, 5.50 MHz.
NEWS
Optus' global satellite service connects miners
From http://www.talksatellite.com/Asia161.htm
Optus announced a significant satellite deal with Ok Tedi Mining Limited to deliver reliable connections for data traffic between its mine in Papua New Guinea and its Brisbane data centre.
Ok Tedi Mining is the first customer to use Optus’ new international satellite service, SatData Global, which provides fast and reliable broadband access to remote locations. Its location in the near impenetrable Star Mountains in PNG makes Ok Tedi Mining an ideal candidate for the technology.
Warren Hardy, Managing Director Optus Wholesale, said the two-year deal is important as it delivers Ok Tedi Mining a cost-effective service that benefits its mining workforce through improved broadband access.
“Optus’ satellite service is a proficient solution for companies with remote workforces. There is little to no infrastructure required to increase access to an ‘always-on’ broadband connection via satellite,” he said.
Ok Tedi Mining Managing Director, Keith Faulkner, said it is important for people located at the mine to have reliable communication services to immediately access the company’s data and internal systems.
“Optus has been responsive to our needs. Its satellite service is providing consistent quality communications to improve the working environment at the mine through speedier access to the internet and email,” said Mr Faulkner.
Optus and Ok Tedi Mining worked closely with PNG Telikom to ensure the provisioning of the satellite services was completed.
The service operates on Optus’ very small aperture terminal (VSAT) network and delivers two-way connectivity via satellite links enabling dedicated bandwidth capacity. Additional services can be quickly activated because there is no need to build on the ground infrastructure.
The new global service is based on the existing Australian platform which has been extended to operate on an APT Telecom Apstar satellite, capacity that is accessible as part of the Optus/SingTel fleet.
Space centre to rise from ashes
From http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,6725202%255E1702,00.html
A SPACE facility destroyed in the January bushfires would be rebuilt as one of the world's best satellite tracking stations, the head of Geoscience Australia said today.
The Federal Government has signed a contract with Queanbeyan-based EOS Space Systems to rebuild the $6 million Geoscience Australia satellite laser ranging (SLR) facility at Mount Stromlo, near Canberra.
The facility was destroyed during the January fires.
"The Mt Stromlo station was one of the most technologically advanced satellite laser ranging systems in the world," Geoscience Australia chief executive officer Neil Williams said.
"This new contract means we can affirm Australia's position at the forefront of this important field."
Federal industry parliamentary secretary Warren Entsch said the rebuilt SLR facility would reinforce Australia's role in international satellite tracking.
"The Mount Stromlo SLR facility was one of only a small number of SLR stations in the southern hemisphere, determining the precise position and orbit of satellites crucial for global navigation, surveying and communication links," Mr Entsch said.
"I'm delighted at the signing this week of the contract to rebuild the SLR facility with the reconstruction work expected to be finished by the end of the year."
Stratos Adds 5th Satellite for Leased Inmarsat Services in Asia-Pacific Region
From http://www.prnewswire.com
BETHESDA, MD, July 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Stratos, a leading provider of global remote communications, is pleased to announce that effective immediately it will provide Inmarsat leased services through a 5th satellite located at 143.5E. This satellite will enable global voice and data communication services to all of Asia-Pacific, extending as far east as India and as far west as the tip of Alaska. The addition of this satellite now means that Stratos is the only Land Earth Station Operator (LESO) with access to the complete Inmarsat lease satellite constellation.
Stratos will make available on 143.5E its world-class solution suite of Inmarsat-B leased services and value-added technologies. 143.5E is a Generation 2 satellite and will provide approximately 50 dedicated channels that can be used for Inmarsat-B CN-17, 128K, and point-to-multipoint services.
The satellite will be down linked to Stratos' Auckland Land Earth Station (LES) in New Zealand.
In a time of increased satellite communications traffic globally, leased channels, which provide guaranteed bandwidth availability, are becoming increasingly important, particularly to the military. Stratos anticipates 143.5E will be of significant importance to satellite users in the covered region, including but not limited to government and military organizations.
"As the leading Inmarsat provider in the world, we are pleased to add this new satellite to our network of global connectivity," said Jim Parm, Stratos COO. "With this added coverage, Stratos is further positioned and committed to providing secure and reliable satellite communications to its targeted vertical markets, which includes government and military organizations around the world."
Stratos is currently the number one provider of leased services globally, and major customers of these services include the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, the Canadian Navy and Department of National Defence, the UK Ministry of Defence, the Australian Defence Force, and the New Zealand Defence Force.
About Stratos
Stratos (http://www.stratosglobal.com) is a leading publicly traded (TSX:SGB) international telecommunication services provider offering customers operating in remote locations a variety of satellite and microwave wireless technologies to provide Internet Protocol, data and voice solutions through a range of newly emerging and established technologies such as Inmarsat, Intelsat, Iridium, VSAT, Globalstar and others. Stratos serves an array of diverse markets including government, military, oil and gas, maritime, industrial,aeronautical, media and recreational users anywhere in the world.
8/07/03
Livechat tonight 9.pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd onwards.
The next week or two should be very interesting with the B3-C1 swapover taking place. Perhaps some surprises to come?
News section is still quiet.
From my Emails & ICQ
From SSS <[email protected]>
Subject: Aurora Service B3-C1 Satellite Transition
Dear All,
The Optus C1 satellite is currently undergoing in-orbit testing and is
expected to be co-located with B3 on 15/7/03 ready for service.
Services are planned to be transitioned from B3 to C1 over the period from
16/7/03 to 3/8/03.
The Aurora Home Channel on B3/T3 will transition to C1/T3 without
frequency change on Wed 16 July at 0430AET.
The remaining Aurora service channels on B3/T5 & B3/T8 will transition to
C1/T6 & C1/T10 respectively without frequency change on 27 July between
0330-0500AET. Providing decoders are correctly tuned to the Aurora Home
Channel at 12407MHz, no manual intervention should be required.
Due to the fact that on the C1 satellite all carriers on both
polarisation's operate into the same Australia wide beam, cross pol issues
with poorly aligned dishes may become evident when services transition to
C1. Any instances of service loss or degradation should be investigated
by checking the cross pol alignment. A poorly aligned installation should
still operate under clear sky conditions up to between 10 & 15 degrees out
of alignment.
It is recommended that viewers leave their decoders on overnight when
these changes are planned. Any problem experienced with a decoder locking
up during transition should be able to be corrected with a decoder
power-off at the wall outlet and on again after about 15 seconds.
Prior to contacting Optus SSS (Satellite Support Services), please ensure
local monitoring of other viewers' reception experience has been conducted
to reduce the number of calls the SSS may have to field.
Please call us on 1300 301681 if further assistance is required.
Regards,
Satellite Support Services.
"Yes" Optus
Service Out of this World!
And Another from them
Subject: Aurora Operation on C1 Satellite
Dear All,
In certain areas where higher satellite power is available, once Aurora
services are transitioned to C1 there may be a temptation to install new
Aurora sites with smaller dish sizes than is currently utilised.
Optus would recommend the existing Aurora dish sizes, as used since the
inception of Aurora, continue to be utilised to ensure satisfactory
operation of Aurora into the future. We recommend this in case Aurora
services are relocated onto another satellite, or if under restoration
activity, services were required to be transferred to B3.
Providing new Aurora installations with 65cm dishes, instead of standard
Aurora size dishes within the previous B3 High Performance beam area is
not considered prudent.
Please call us on 1300 301681 if further assistance is required.
Regards,
Satellite Support Services.
"Yes" Optus
Service Out of this World!
From Jason Wu
RE: UCN on 95E
NTD TV is the official name, the full name is New Tang Dynasty Television.
UCN is just loaded by IRDs as a channel name, it might be everything, eg: Service 1, CH 01, etc.
Cheers,
Jason
From the Dish
Lyngsat not arrived yet
NEWS
Dishing up dissent over the airwaves
From http://www.hillsnews.com.au/read.asp?article=3007668.txt&s=news
Fairfax Community Newspapers
A SATELLITE dish installed illegally in Cherrybrook two years ago can now stay on the airwaves - the second unauthorised dish in Rochford Way to be approved in recent weeks.
The dish was passed six votes to one at last week's council meeting because it fell in the "grey area" between the old Development Control Plans (DCP) and its forthcoming amendments.
Under the old DCP each dish was judged on its merits, with the major guideline being a 70 centimetre diameter limit.
The maximum height under the DCP amendments is 2.5 metres with approval needed for anything wider than 70 centimetres.
This latest dish is on a 5.5 metre high pole and has a 2.2 metre diameter.
Cr Nan Horne withdrew her motion that the dish be refused after being convinced of the plight of the applicant.
Cr Steven Russell said the applicant, who should have been aware of the guidelines, fell into the "grey area" between the old and new rulings because the dish had been installed two years ago.
"If the applicant had checked with the council when the dish was installed we wouldn't have had anything to tell them - and we still don't have anything to tell them," he said.
"I don't think it is right after two years to tell these people to take the antennae down."
Mr Dhar, who had installed the dish so that the family could keep in touch with their Indian culture, said he hadn't known that permission was needed.
"My mother doesn't feel comfortable with English channels - she finds them more risky," Mr Dhar said.
"Australia is a multicultural country and we need the facilities to hold onto our background as well as embrace this country."
Cr Benson said the council must weigh up the hardships of taking the dish away from people who spend a lot of time at home against the impact on the neighbourhood.
But Ian Latter of the Rochford Way Neighbourhood Association said this decision sets a precedent which could have an impact on the whole Hornsby shire.
(Craigs comment, another win to cbanders!)
INSAT-3E to be shipped to Kourou
From http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/02071611.htm
India's next generation communication satellite, INSAT-3E, will be shipped to the European Space Agency launch pad at Kourou in the middle of this month, ISRO sources said today.
"The satellite integration is getting completed and some tests are to be done. We expect it to be shipped in the next 10 to 12 days," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) sources said here.
ISRO Chairman Dr K Kasturirangan has said that the launch of the satellite by an Ariane rocket was slated for last week of August.
The European Space Agency, Arianespace, will use the heavier Ariane 5 rocket to launch INSAT-3E from the spaceport in Kourou at French Guyana in South America.
INSAT-3E will carry 36 transponders including 24 C-band and 12 Extended C-band transponders as payload.
The fourth in the INSAT-3 series, the satellite is expected to bridge the gap in demand for transponders by private satellite TV broadcasters, VSAT operators, telecom firms and government agencies.
7/07/03
Star Sports Analogue on Asiasat 3 finally switched off? I hope the Digital stays FTA they never responded to myfollowup emails perhaps I shall try them again.
Very cold here last night. I now know my LNBF works at -3 degrees air temp! signals increased slightly as well due to the LNBF cooling.
Very quiet start to the week not much news.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bassett
It would seem that Star Sports Analogue has been switched off..
(Craigs comment, It had to happen eventually hope the digital service stays FTA. Another Analog bites the dust!)
From Bill Richards
Pas 2, Telefe Internacional and Syria Satellite Channel
NSS 6 @ 95E UCN channel
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3860 H "CSN" has started, Fta, PIDs 440/441, 08-12 HKT.
JCSAT 2A 154E Occasional feeds on 12280 H, 12324 V and 12338 V, SR 4820.Occasoinal feeds on 12436 H, SR 3100.
JCSAT 2A 154E 12298 V A JCSAT 2A test card has started, Fta, SR 21096, FEC 3/4,PIDs 768/769.
Palapa C2 113E 4048 V "I-Radio" has started, Fta, APID 2203.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V "NTD TV" is now encrypted.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3899 V New PIDs for Gurjari on : 308/256.
ST 1 88E 3582 H "SuperSport 3 has replaced SkySport", enc., PIDs 36/37.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H "TCT World and Daystar TV" are back on , Fta, SR 13333, FEC 374,PIDs 7202/7203 and 7204/7205.
NEWS
T S I C H A N N E L N E W S - Number 27/2003 6 July 2003 -
A weekly roundup of global TV news sponsored by TELE-satellite International
Editor: Branislav Pekic
Edited Apsattv.com Edition
A S I A
AUSTRALIA
FOXTEL TO LAUNCH DIGITAL TV IN 2004
Foxtel is planning to launch an interactive digital platform in the first half of next year. The company is investing $600 million in converting its network to digital, the bulk of the cost being the heavily subsidised STBs. Lucrative contracts for STBs have been awarded to British manufacturer Pace, while NDS, 80 per cent owned by Foxtel partner News Corp, will provide the backbone IT and communications systems. The technological infrastructure will be similar to that of Britain's BSkyB, which is regarded as the world's most successful digital multi-channel operation. The NDS technology will be "return path" enabled, allowing two-way interactivity, while the "conditional access system" will provide the basis for video-on-demand, pay-per-view and shopping mall services. This interactivity could enable viewers to choose their own camera angles in sports telecasts, select enhanced news presentations, take part in polls and competitions and access additional program information such as recipes in lifestyle programmes and pull-down sports statistics. But one of the most attractive features of the STB is NDS' XTV personal video recorder, which is expected to become operational 12 months after the launch of the digital service. It will allow viewers to record programs and skip through the ads or watch one while recording another. Foxtel says the recording capacity is likely to be 60 to 70 hours. Open TV will provide software that will allow messages to be broadcast to individual STBs or groups of STBs for use as email and community messaging. There will be 120 channels available (more than twice the current offering), about 30 of which are expected to be near video-on-demand movie channels. With Seven and Ten expected to follow the lead of Nine, which has signed a digital retransmission agreement with Foxtel, the free-to-air networks' digital channels will also be seen via the STB. There will be numerous enhancements to the service, including DVD-standard picture quality, the ability to switch between two widescreen formats (16:9 and 14:9) and improved sound.
CHINA - HONG KONG
CABLE TV CHARGES INCREASED
Beijing has raised its monthly cable television charge by 50 per cent from 12 yuan ($1.50) per household to 18 yuan (nearly $2.20). The move, which come into effect on July 1, involves 2.2 million household subscribers in the capital city, which have access to about 40 television channels through the cable television network owned by Gehuaone Cable TV Network Co, which has been listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The previous monthly charge was set about 10 years ago when only 10 channels were transmitted by microwave, as against more than 40 through fibre optic cable now, the company explained. It said families living under the official minimum living allowance in both rural and urban areas would be exempted from the hike.
DIGITAL PAY-TV ARRIVES IN SHANGAI
Digital pay-TV made its debut in the metropolis of Shanghai on July 1, with the first group of 20,000 subscribers. The program it provides is a professional law program called "Legal World", which is shown from 19:00 to 23:00 every day. It covers legal news, including police reports and case studies. Shanghai is one of the first cities to experiment with the first phase of the digital television reform, which is being carried out by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. The city will complete television digitalization by the end of 2005.
AOL SELLS STAKE IN TV CHANNEL TO TOM.COM
AOL sold a 64% stake in the TV company to an outfit backed by Asia's richest man, Li Ka-shing. As part of the deal, Li Ka-shing's internet, publishing and advertising group, Tom.com, will pay $6.8 million for the stake and promise to invest $30 million into the loss-making broadcaster over the next 30 months. AOL's decision to sell its controlling stake in China Entertainment Television continues a retreat from China by the media giant, which had high hopes for the market when it won the right to broadcast in the southern province of Guangdong. CETV is making heavy losses and has managed to capture just 2% or less of the market in the southern city of Guangzhou after a year and a half of operations, according to US analysts. AOL will continue as a stakeholder in CETV, which provides Mandarin language entertainment programming to the province, with an option to buy back the controlling stake in 2007 at its market value or at 150% of Tom.com's original investment cost, whichever is the greater. It hopes that by that time, it will have made inroads into the Chinese mainland.
HDTV STANDARD TO BE KNOWN BY END OF YEAR
Chinese scientists are expected to announce a new domestic standard for high definition terrestrial television by the end of 2003. The government has invested heavily in developing a proprietary HDTV standard in order to give local consumer electronics manufacturers an advantage when services commence. However, there have been suggestions the project is misguided. Cable covers virtually all of China's urban population and along with the China's satellite broadcasters, has already adopted the European DVB digital transmission standard.
INDIA
DTH SERVICE TO LAUNCH IN MARCH 2004
State-owned broadcasting division Prasar Bharati has announced its plans of launching its direct-to-home service in March 2004. The broadcaster plans to carry 30 free-to-air channels including 15 from its terrestrial network, Doordarshan. "We will offer 30 free-to-air channels out of which 15 will be Doordarshan's own channels and we will take 15 other private free-to-air channels for which we will charge them a carriage fee to recover the cost," said S.Y. Quershi, Director-General of Doordarshan. Tenders from the broadcasters are expected to be invited in the next two months. Earlier this year, Prasar Bharati indicated that it will offer direct-to-home service (DTH) with an initial investment of $105 million. In the private sector, the Indian Government had given its consent to the Essel Group’s ASC Enterprises for launching DTH operations. ASC Enterprises, which had applied for the DTH license in June last year, expects to roll out DTH services by August. The Government had issued a letter of intent to NewsCorp’s venture Space TV for the proposed launch of the DTH service. Space TV will have to restructure its operations to comply with foreign equity participation and meet other guidelines in order to commence its DTH service.
INDIA DELAYS CAS INTRODUCTION PLANS
After months of haggling between broadcasters and cable television operators, the Indian government on July 4 announced it has delayed its plan to introduce a new cable TV system in four major cities. The new Conditional Access System, or CAS, will be implemented over a three-month period starting September 1, instead of July 15, said Ravi Shankar Prasad, the information and broadcasting minister. "The transition will be completed by December 1," Prasad said, adding the decision was made after extensive consultations to ensure a smooth transition. But political and consumer groups oppose the new system, saying many of the 12 million-plus homes with televisions in New Delhi, Bombay, Madras and Calcutta won't be able to afford it. Some broadcasters and media planners have demanded that the system be postponed, citing inadequate preparations. Under the present system, cable operators beam all channels into individual homes at fixed rates. They charge less for houses in low-income areas and more for affluent neighborhoods, a practice the government and broadcasters say results in underreporting of televisions and poor revenues. With the new system, every consumer must install a set-top box, or TV decoder, which will allow access to premium channels for a fee. Local cable operators will provide such boxes either for an upfront payment or a monthly rental. A consumer will pay a minimum of 72 rupees (US$1.50) to watch free channels, which mostly include news channels and state-run television. The viewer then pays extra for premium channels. Critics say the monthly fee for premium channels under the new system could be as high as 600 rupees, more than twice the amount viewers pay now. An insufficient number of boxes has forced the government to introduce the new system in phases. A tug of war between broadcasters and cable operators about pricing has also contributed to the delay. Cable operators say broadcasters must offer lower rates for popular pay channels, but the broadcasters say their rates are reasonable
ISRAEL
FUTURE OF CABLE CHANNELS UNDER QUESTION
The future of local cable channels appear in jeopardy following reports on June 30 that a merger of Israel's three cable TV operators - Golden Channels, Matav Cable Systems Media and Tevel International Communications - will not go ahead because of banking regulation issues and that Israel's largest cable company, court-protected Tevel, now faces liquidation. Channels unlikely to receive payments owed by Tevel, which was depending on a merger to save it from bankruptcy, include the Children's Channel and the Sports Channel. Also, Israel's three cablers have lost 200,000 subscribers since DTH outfit Yes entered the pay-TV market. A report from MSOs Matav, Tevel and Golden Channels cites the figure and notes 60% of the losses came from the Tevel camp. Meanwhile, Israeli supervisor of banks Yoav Lehman denied his division is blocking the three-way merger of the MSOs. Tevel has complained that local single borrower limits are hampering the deal.
NEW ZEALAND
INL WON’T PAY EXCESSIVE PRICE FOR SKY TV SHARES
Independent Newspapers said on June 30 it won't pay an excessive price for the remaining shares in Sky Network Television after it receives the cash from the sale of its New Zealand publishing assets. The sale of INL's New Zealand publishing assets to John Fairfax Holdings, an Australian publisher, for NZ$1.2 billion was approved at a shareholder meeting on June 30. INL said it hasn't decided what to do with the proceeds - around NZ$754 million after the payment of debt - but options include a cash return to shareholders or buying the remainder of pay-TV operator Sky TV, of which INL already owns 66.25%. INL is 45% owned by News Ltd., the wholly-owned Australian unit of News Corp., Rupert Murdoch's global media company.
SINGAPORE
MDA SEEKS VIEWS ON PAY-TV REGULATION
Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) said it is seeking feedback from the public and the industry about regulating the new landscape, The Straits Times newspaper has reported. The newspaper said that the MDA wants to know whether exclusive agreements between pay-TV and content providers need to be regulated, in case they are anti-competitive. And if so, it wants to know what appropriate regulatory framework should be adopted. The MDA was formed on January 1, from the merger of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority, Films and Publications Department and the Singapore Film Commission. Its role is to promote competition among the 'mass media markets' such as free-to-air TV, pay-TV and radio as well as newspapers. The submissions close on July 25.
SOUTH KOREA
KBS AND MEDIACORP SIGN BROADCAST AGREEMENT
In a move to strengthen further cooperative ties with broadcasters in the Southeast Asian region, Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Broadcasting Cooperation with Singapore’s largest media group, MediaCorp Singapore Pte. The two broadcasters have agreed to cooperate in coverage of events of common interest, co-productions, personnel exchanges, broadcast engineering and new media including Internet broadcasting. With the MediaCorp agreement, KBS has now established cooperative ties with 44 broadcasting organisations in 34 countries.
TAIWAN
HAKKA CHANNEL ON AIR
The Council for Hakka Affairs launched The Hakka Channel on July 1. While the channel receives its entire funding from the government, the council hopes to see it financially independent in its fourth year. Statistics show that among the nation's 4 million Hakka people, only 58 percent speak the Hakka language. Programs target many age groups and cover a wide spectrum of topics ranging from talk shows, prime-time soap operas, news, variety shows, English-language-education programs, financial programs, cultural drama, music programs. Currently there are five terrestrial and over 100 cable TV channels in Taiwan but none of them is Hakka.
DEREGULATION OF CABLE TV INDUSTRY TO ATTRACT INVESTMENTS
Deregulation of Taiwan's cable-TV industry will attract investment of US$200 million to US$400 million, according to Executive Director of Media Partners Asia, Vivek Couto. Couto told the South China Morning Post that a proposed amendment by the island's Government Information Office (GIO) would see the cap on foreign direct investment in the sector raised from 20 per cent to 49 per cent. "The foreign investment will be mainly in content, such as acquiring and creating new content to drive cable TV growth, technology for broadband Internet access, cable telephony, digital set-top boxes and interactive TV, as well as infrastructure," Couto said. In January, the GIO drafted amendments to the Radio and Television Broadcasting Law, merging it with the Cable Audio and Television Broadcasting Law and the Satellite Audio and Television Broadcasting Law into a single "three-in-one bill". Proposals include allowing more room for foreign investment and the creation of an independent super-regulator, the National Communications and Broadcasting Commission, to regulate broadcasting, television, broadband and telecommunications enterprises.
6/07/03
No update Sunday
5/07/03
Sorry about no site yesterday some Fridays I just run out of time.
DVB Stream explorer software for Nokias. http://jens.ri-center.com/ looks very interesting for those keen on studying the dvb streams in detail.
Pas 2, 8, 10 pages updated
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
0745 UTC
NSS6 @ 95E
12727H S/R 27500, FEC 7/8 Vpid257 Apid258 SID10 "UCN has started " Chinese
Regards
Bill
From Steve Hume
CSN Live Feed
PAS-8 3860 H S/R: 28000 VPID:440 APID: 441
In Cantonese I think
NEWS 24x7
Steve Hume
From JR
aMyDet Radio(B3) has begun broadcasting on B3 12313H 30000 3/4, courtesy of Vetruns FTA forum
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 4121 V "Iglesia ni Cristo TV and Net 25" are still on ,Fta, SR 4774, FEC 3/4, PIDs 258/259 and 513/514.
Optus B3 156E 12376 H It's an ABC Kids TV & Fly TV info card on , enc., PIDs 519/647.
Agila 2 146E 3836 H Occasional PRCI feeds on , PIDs 49/52.
Agila 2 146E 12541 V "IBC 13" has left .
Palapa C2 113E 3926 H "Bali TV" is back/still on , Fta, SR 4208, FEC 3/4, PIDs 33/36.
NSS 6 95E NTD TV has started on 11543 V and 12729 V, Fta, PIDs 257/258.
NSS 6 95E 12595 V The test card has left .
ST 1 88E 3582 H "SkySport, TBL Movies and TBL Xxx have replaced Super Sport Gold, TBL TV Asia and TBL TV Western, enc., PIDs 36/37, 40/41 and 42/43.
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H "Kairali Channel" is back on , Fta, SR 13333, FEC 3/4, PIDs 3105/3106.
Apstar 2R 76.5E 4038 H The test card has left .
Apstar 2R 76.5E 4050 H "NTV (Bangladesh)" has started regular transmissions, Fta, SR 3700, FEC 3/4, PIDs 308/256.
PAS 10 68.5E 3864 H "QTV" has started regular transmissions, Fta, PIDs 514/670. (Anyone have info on this channel?)
NEWS
Insats in hot race with foreign rivals
From http://www.hinduonnet.com/bline/stories/2003070402120400.htm
IS the new national satellite Insat 3A along with its siblings giving foreign commercial satellites over India a run for their money?
So it seems. The Department of Space, which can now market its Insat system capacity among private customers, thanks to a policy shift, has signed up 17 of them on the new bird. They include a handful of the broadcast channels that have migrated from the half a dozen foreign birds that beam into the country. And many more are about to join or waiting for their licence from the Ministry of I&B, according to key ISRO officials.
Insat 3A, which became operational over a month ago, is meant to be a predominantly broadcasters' bird. DoS says the satellite is fully booked except for four reserve transponders. And it is undoubtedly relishing the business of Insats (that includes 3A, 3C, the upcoming 3E and beyond), grossing at least Rs 40 crore from broadcasters and having a matching experience with the VSATs.
Meanwhile, the race for the sub-continent's skies is hotting up; for suddenly, "Some of our competitors, too, have started looking at us which was not the case two years ago and coming to us with various propositions" such as co-marketing of their idle capacity among Indian users, they told Business Line.
Hovering over the country are foreign commercial satellites such as New Skies Satellite, Thaicom-3, Panamsat with three satellites, Intelsat, Asiasat, Apstar and GE Americom. The ISRO under the DoS has itself leased some capacity on Thaicom-3 and GE.
For now, the Insats are apparently turning out to be a big hit among the private broadcasters, largely due to user-friendly pricing and terms. Insat 3A alone has customers such as Agrani, which has leased 3 C band transponders for head-end service and four on the Ku for DTH. There are also the Punjabi Lashkara, Gurjari and Channel Guide, besides five DD regional channels. Sahara Samay and NDTV have also signed up for another Insat bird, 3C.
VSAT operator HCL Comnet and public sector BPCL have each taken a Ku band transponder.
"The users are very buoyant. Insat pricing is 20 per cent lower and in rupee payment. There is no annual advance or bank guarantee that the foreign satellites would require. We have offered early bird incentives, in some cases accepted monthly payments instead of the preferred quarterly mode and an exit option after three months," they said.
Already, customers are queuing up for 3E, slated for launch around August 28. Space TV, Star's DTH venture, has signed up for the next generation 4A. Shortly, DoS expects to surrender three of the 10 Thaicom transponders it leased a few years ago and the rest when Insat 3E is ready.
Broadband Pacenet to enter HITS arena
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july34.htm
MUMBAI: After Zee Tele, Broadband Pacenet becomes the next Indian company to apply for a HITS license.
Multi-system operator (MSO) Broadband Pacenet India (BPI) which recently launched sophisticated indigenous set top boxes that include features like peoplemeters and ethernet output to enable Internet surfing, has asked for three transponders on the Insat 3 C satellite, with an option open for two more transponders.
According to Broadband Pacenet India CEO S Ravindran, the company is aiming to become 'primarily a HITS player' in India. For ZTL, which has thus far been the only player in the arena, this spells serious competition. Ravindran was speaking on the sidelines of the National CAS Media Summit, organised by Indiantelevision.com in Mumbai on Friday.
To be implemented by the company's cable arm Siti Cable, the Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms, Rs 4,000 million have already been invested by the various Chandra companies in the HITS and DTH facility, Zee is also actively proposing to offer dealers (cable ops) up to 40 per cent of the distribution margin as an incentive.
BPI meanwhile is the new entrant that could could give Zee some real competition. It is already forged an alliance with a consortium of 12 international promoters who are in the process of launching a smart card based payment mode for cable consumers and others who wish to avail of the service.
BPI is promoted by veterans of the cable trade - Jagjit Singh Kohli (chairman of BPI and director of ETC Networks) and S Ravindran (BPI CEO).
Ntv goes on air
From http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/07/04/d3070401077.htm
The fourth private television channel, ntv (National Television), started its journey yesterday.
President Iajuddin Ahmed pressed the button of its remote transmission panel set up at a local hotel to launch the channel's transmission last evening.
Information Minister Tariqul Islam was also present as special guest of the programme.
The inauguration ceremony was aired live.
Addressing the launch, the president hoped that the channel would be acceptable to all, remaining committed to national interest.
"We hope that through the maximum utilisation of high-tech in the age of information technology the ntv will encourage people's participation in the overall development of the nation, including expanding and improving the standard of education."
Prof Iajuddin said the news-persons and newspapers could express opinions with freedom because of the liberal policy of the government on the flow of information.
He said the healthy growth of private channels amid a competitive atmosphere would help expand and nourish democratic values.
The president said accountability and transparency of the organisation had to be ensured in a democratic society.
The government believes in the freedom of speech, but everybody should be alert to see whether there was any misuse of the right, he added.
He said the media had the right to question the transparency and accountability of other institutions, but they themselves were not above accountability.
The information minister hoped that the new private satellite channel would show the common man the path to welfare through its programmes, taking the advantage of the sincerity of the government to uphold the spirit of the free flow of information.
Tariqul said it was the BNP government that had opened up the sky news links when it had been in power earlier through taking measures to transmit news of the CNN, BBC and other channels through the BTV.
"Viewers will love our programmes as ntv will keep in mind their choices," Managing Director of ntv, M Enayetur Rahman, told reporters at a briefing at the city hotel.
Earth station, the telecast system of ntv, was set up by local and American experts.
People from any part of the country, Asia and Australia and most parts of Europe and Africa will be able to watch ntv which gives top priority to news service.
Executive Director of ntv Hasnain Khurshed, Director Mohammad Yunus, Programme Director Shamsuddin Haider Dalim, eminent citizens, high government and civil officials were also present at the ceremony.
(Craigs comment, NTV Bangladesh is on Apstar 2R 4050 H Sr 3700 Fec 3/4)
China to launch new comms satellite
From http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html
China plans to launch its third generation communications satellite, the Dong Fang Hong IV, in 2005. The satellite, better known as DFH4, meets China's need for a large capacity and long-term geo-synchronous communications and broadcast satellite.
The DFH4 is a state-of-the-art satellite. It has 50 transponders and has a life span of 15 years. Following the launch of the DFH4, China also plans to put into orbit a similar satellite for public communications use.
The new satellites mark a new era in China's space technology, greatly improving the country's communication, broadcast and information capabilities. China's first and second generation communications satellites were launched in 1984 and 1997.
4/07/03
Sorry I have run out of time to do the website today. Site will be updated Saturday. In the meantime keep looking for signals from Optus C1. Globecast transponder on B3 seems to be on higher power.
3/07/03
Just a few odds and ends today
Foxtel on C1 July 11/12th? and Sky NZ hoping to not lose the signal as they take National Geographic off B3 at the moment via a 6 M!
CCTV 1 now on Asiasat 3 and Pas 8 CCTV muxes?
Discovery feed for NZ? has it started on Pas 8 somewhere?
Tvsn has left channel 9 on Sky NZ, now running on channel 45.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Bill Richards
0745 UTC
NSS 6 12727 H, Sr 27500, FEC 7/8, Vpid 257 Apid 258 SID10 "UCN WILL BEGIN BROADCASTING ON THIS FREQUENCY AT 0000 HRS GMT JULY 3, 2003 Test Card with digital clock bottom right.Vpid513 Apid514 SID20 SATLINK ISRAEL Test Card.
Regards
Bill
From Siam Global
Subject: CONFIRMATION
IN VIEW OF RECENT CONTRADICTORY REPORTS ON THE WEBSITE, MAY WE CONFIRM , AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT, THAT BOTH PINOY CENTRAL TV AND THE SOUND TRACK CHANNEL ARE ALIVE AND WELL FTA ON PANAMSAT 8
SIAMGLOBAL BANGKOK
From VJ
Ihug Digital TV off Skytower
As ancticipated....
Ihug's IDTV has ceased transmission off the SkyTower in Auckland.
Oh well, it was good while it lasted...
VJ
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3718 V "Pinoy Central TV" is Fta still.
PAS 8 166E 4121 V "Iglesia ni Cristo TV and Net 25" have left .
Optus B3 156E 12376 H "SBS World News Channel" has replaced ABC Kids and ABC Fly TV on ,enc., PIDs 519/647.
Agila 2 146E 12541 H "Fashion TV has replaced Viva Cinema" , Nagravision, PIDs 170/120.
Palapa C2 113E The Satelindo mux have moved from 10970 H to 10970 V, SR 28125, FEC 3/4,north beam.Prima Channel, MTV Indonesia, a test card and Delta FM 99.5 have started on 10970 V, Fta, PIDs 516/654-518/656 and 660.Kantor Berita Radio has left this mux.(I wonder if this was due to those guys in W.A picking it up?)
NSS 6 95E A UCN info card has started on 11543 V and 12729 V, Fta, PIDs 257/258.
ST 1 88E 3632 V "BBC World and CASA TV" are now encrypted.
NSS 703 57E 3886 R "Lashkara, Gurjari and Action TV" have left .
NEWS
Digital TV just around the corner
From http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/02/1056825450063.html
Some time early next year Foxtel households should expect a knock at the door from a representative.
For once, they will not be trying to flog anything but will ask to replace your existing set-top box (STB).
For the 90 per cent of metropolitan pay TV homes on the Foxtel service, the digital STB - which, contrary to rumour, does not require a new digital monitor to work - will be the gateway to the interactive digital platform that Foxtel will launch in the first half of next year.
The company is investing $600 million in converting its network to digital, the bulk of the cost being the heavily subsidised STBs. Lucrative contracts for STBs have been awarded to British manufacturer Pace, while NDS, 80 per cent owned by Foxtel partner News Corp, will provide the backbone IT and communications systems.
The technological infrastructure will be similar to that of Britain's BSkyB, which is regarded as the world's most successful digital multi-channel operation.
The NDS technology will be "return path" enabled, allowing two-way interactivity, while the "conditional access system" will provide the basis for video-on-demand, pay-per-view and shopping mall services.
This interactivity could enable viewers to choose their own camera angles in sports telecasts, select enhanced news presentations, take part in polls and competitions and access additional program information such as recipes in lifestyle programmes and pull-down sports statistics.
But one of the most attractive features of the STB is NDS' XTV personal video recorder, which is expected to become operational 12 months after the launch of the digital service. It will allow viewers to record programs and skip through the ads or watch one while recording another. Foxtel says the recording capacity is likely to be 60 to 70 hours.
Open TV will provide software that will allow messages to be broadcast to individual STBs or groups of STBs for use as email and community messaging.
There will be 120 channels available (more than twice the current offering), about 30 of which are expected to be near video-on-demand movie channels. These channels will beam a roster of pay-per-view first-release movies at, say, 30 minute intervals, much like the in-house movies in hotel rooms.
With Seven and Ten expected to follow the lead of Nine, which has signed a digital retransmission agreement with Foxtel, the free-to-air networks' digital channels will also be seen via the STB.
But platforms and channel operators alike are keeping tight-lipped about how, or more importantly by whom, the additional channel capacity of the digital spectrum will be used.
While it is hoped that some new players will launch channels, it is expected that international brand-name franchises, such as Discovery, which offers channels dedicated to travel and adventure, kids and science in other multi-channel territories, will be jostling for space in the channel line-up.
The amount of new sporting events might be limited by anti-siphoning regulations that require major events to be shown on free-to-air channels.
There will be numerous enhancements to the service, including DVD-standard picture quality, the ability to switch between two widescreen formats (16:9 and 14:9) and improved sound.
With as many as 200 channels in the offing, channel surfing may become a thing of the past. As one industry figure put it, moving through the channels will be as unending as the painting of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Which is why the electronic program guide is being touted as the nerve centre of the entire digital delivery system.
Users will be able to customise the guide and bookmark their favourite channels and preferred genres, and receive prompts of programme starting times.
Meanwhile, regional provider Austar has flagged the possibility of relaunching its digital offerings at the same time as Foxtel. Austar already offers interactive services to most of its 400,000-plus customers.
(Craigs comment, what a load of B.S!)
India feed for Fashion TV from today
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/july/july11.htm
MUMBAI: The watered down version of FTV that has turned FTA and is available on Asiasat 2 now has a specially customised programme for India. According to a company release, the show, previously airing at 3.30 am India time (midnight in Paris) has been moved ahead to coincide with midnight in India. The India feed will enable viewers to catch the programme that much earlier, say FTV's current partners in India. The release, quoting Fashion TV president Michel Adam, says that as of 2 July, the broadcaster will have two independent channels dedicated for Asia.
While the supposedly 'hot midnight programme' has moved closer to Indian primetime, the channel maintains that 'by dedicating a complete control centre for Asia fashion tv has now complied to the requests of various government bodies such as India to adjust programming to local tastes and lifestyles and time zones.' The broadcaster's legal tiff with Modi Entertainment Network, its erstwhile distribution partner, continues meanwhile. MEN swears by a Delhi High Court ruling which restrains FTV from beaming a parallel feed, while FTV maintains that MEN violated several contract terms and the matter can only be settled by a UK court. A final verdict is yet to be reached.
After splitting from MEN, Fashion TV has teamed up with Worldwide Channel, part of the Worldwide Group, which is now contemplating bringing in two FTA English music channels into India by August this year. FashionX TV, the proposed pay channel from the Paris headquartered fashion and lifestyle channel, will air a more uncensored version of FTV when conditional access makes its presence felt in India.
The FTA version of Fashion TV that is now attempting to cater to Indian tastes with shows like Bollywood fashion, will air the fashion and lifestyle elements of at least two Indian films shortly. In May, the channel telecast the making and the fashion elements of Kaizad Gustad's soon to be released film Boom. The telecast of the show in 120 countries has helped the publicity of the film and propped up its music sales too, claims FTV.
Technical specifications of international signal -
Panamsat 10,
c band Frequency 3716
polarisation vertical.
West Asian, Indian fashion tv signal -
Asiasat 2.
Frequency.3796MHz
polarisation vertical
Asianet USA Joins GlobeCast U.S DTH Platform
From Satellite today
Direct-to-home provider GlobeCast and Intelsat jointly announced that Malayalam-language television channel Asianet USA has joined the GlobeCast DTH platform using the Telstar 5 satellite.
GlobeCast's platform on Telstar 5 is the fastest growing international broadcasting community on a North American satellite, and is dedicated exclusively to delivering international and specialty programming across the continent.
For its part, Intelsat is provisioning the end-to-end turnkey delivery of Asianet's signal from India to the United States. The program is received via the APR-1 satellite at the REACH teleport in Hong Kong where it undergoes standards conversion and encoding before it is uplinked to the Intelsat 701 satellite located at 180º East Longitude. GlobeCast provides turnaround at its international teleport in Los Angeles, managing the encryption and transmission of the channel via the WorldTV platform on Telstar 5 for direct-to-home distribution to subscribers in the U.S. market.
2/07/03
Optus C1 was sweep testing various transponders last night. Empty carriers seen between 12250 and 12335 H pol. No sign of any signals here though I didn't stay outside moving my dish trying to find C1 for very long as it was freezing out there. Best place for the latest C1 testing updates is the apsattv mailing list.
From my Emails & ICQ
From Steve Hume
PAS 8 166E 3718 V "Pinoy Central TV" is now encrypted in PowerVu.
Crap!! It's still FTA.
NEWS 24x7
Steve Hume
From Superfly
Bali TV
Bali TV on Palapa was still transmitting loud and clear last night. Maybe a
false report on Lyngsat.
From the Dish
Optus B1 160E ABC Kids and ABC Fly TV have left 12610 H, 12626 H, 12643 H, 12670 H,12688 H and 12706 H, replaced info cards.
Optus C1 152E "sweep testing has begun"
Koreasat 3 116E 11823 L "Speed Leisure Channel" has replaced Korea Sports Network ,Videoguard, PIDs 672/673.
NSS 6 95E 11543 V Two test card have started, Fta, SR 27500, FEC 7/8, PIDs 257/258 and 513/514, NE Asian beam.
NSS 6 95E 12729 V Two test cards have started , Fta, SR 27500, FEC 7/8, PIDs 257/258 and 513/514, Australian beam.
Insat 3A 93.5E 3899 V "Gurjari" has started, Fta, SR 3500, FEC 3/4, PIDs 4192/4195.
ST 1 88E 3582 H "Super Sport Gold" has replaced Star Sports, enc., PIDs 36/37.
Insat 2E 83E 3447 V "Kairali Channel" has left (PAL).
Thaicom 3 78.5E 3671 H "Kairali Channel, TCT World and Daystar TV" have left .
NEWS
On a rooftop near you: a dish with an eye to the world
From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/01/1056825394293.html
You might not often see them, but they're popping up all over the place. Above the phone lines and tram lines and spiky TV aerials, Melbourne now has thousands of satellite dishes.
With just one two-metre dish, you can tune into soap operas from Moscow, game shows from Greece, the latest news from Shanghai.
Cable network Foxtel is also contributing to the proliferation of Melbourne's dishes. In the film, The Dish, the satellite dish was big enough for the nerdy scientists to play cricket on it. But Foxtel subscribers living in areas where there is no cable get little 65-85-centimetre dishes so they can tune in to the footy and movies and Star Trek re-runs.
However, though small, these dishes could land their owners in hot water with their local councils.
In areas where there are heritage restrictions, residents need a permit to erect a satellite dish. In the City of Port Phillip, for example, you can be fined $500 fine for putting a dish in the wrong place. For a business, the fine can be up to $1000.
One Port Phillip resident said he was told recently that he faced a $100 bill to move a Foxtel dish. He was so angry that the company had not checked before installing the dish that he cancelled his subscription.
A Foxtel spokeswoman yesterday said the company took responsibility for keeping track of heritage-listed buildings. But she said it was unclear whose job it was to keep track of local council rules.
The manager of planning and building services for the City of Port Phillip, Bruce Phillips, said three-quarters of the shire was covered by heritage rules.
In those areas, residents needed permits - which are free - to put up a dish. Outside those areas, a permit was needed only for a dish larger than 1.2 metres in diameter.
In the City of Port Phillip, it falls to planning and environment officer Dora Choi to knock on the door of residents who have unwittingly broken the rules. In 31/2 years she has never issued a fine, but she has confronted several angry people.
Mostly Ms Choi is called out when neighbours complain about an unsightly dish. But if she spots a suspicious dish, she will stop and check it out.
There are about 10 complaints each year and in most cases, people simply move the dish to a more appropriate place.
"There are a fair number of dishes out there now, especially the Foxtel ones," Ms Choi said.
According to Gregory Wiseman, a Russian who lives in Caulfield and produces Sputnik, a Russian television program for Channel 31, the dishes have the strongest hold on the elderly emigres, especially those who struggle with English. For these people, a dish can ease a sense of isolation and make home seem a little less far away.
"They're very connected to satellite dishes," he said. "They're watching programs that are not very connected to Australian life. Moscow soap operas, sometimes news and game shows.
"The only place you can get Russian-language television programs is through the dish."
Vietnam to launch its first satellite in 2005
From http://www.spacedaily.com/2003/030701081006.s383cvf8.html
Vietnam expects to launch its first satellite into orbit in late 2005, officials said Tuesday.
"We have invited operators from the United States, France, Japan and Russia to bid for the manufacture and launch of Vinasat, Vietnam's first-ever satellite," said an official from Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Corp
The bid packages are scheduled to be opened later this month, he added, speaking privately.
Another official from VNPT, Doctor Luu Van Luong, senior adviser for Vinasat, told AFP it is the technical criteria rather than the price that will dictate who wins the contract.
"It is too early to say how much the project will cost. We will choose a contractor who meets our technical demands. The price could be negotiated," Luong said.
"The foreign contractor also has to help us in personnel training and technology transfer."
Vinasat, to serve the country's television broadcasters, aviation sector and voice and data communication services, will be designed as a medium-size satellite to avoid the risks of the launching process.
It will cover the whole of Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations, as well as parts of China, Japan and the Korean peninsula.
BBC World named Best International Pay TV News Channel at INTE 2003
From http://www.indiantelevision.com/mam/headlines/y2k3/july/julymam1.htm
NEW DELHI: British Broadcasting Corporation's commercially funded 24-hour international news and information channel, BBC World, has won the prestigious award for Best International Pay TV News Channel at the INTE (Industria de la Televisión en Español) annual ceremony in Miami, Florida.
According to a statement from the BBC, the jury, which comprised 32 senior executives from the Spanish-language television industry, recognised BBC World for its objective, high quality and in-depth news reporting. Four other channels were also nominated in this category.
Commenting on the win, the statement quoted Rachel Attwell, controller, BBC World, as saying: "BBC World is honoured to have been selected by the industry as the best channel against some stiff competition. The Latin American market is very important to us and we consider this a great endorsement for the exceptionally hard work of our teams of journalists around the globe. It is their coverage and analysis of complex events which
has been responsible for attracting more viewers to BBC World than ever before, particularly at a time when people are trying to make sense of our rapidly changing world."
According to Simon Cottle, Senior Network Development Manager for BBC World in Latin America, "This award is fantastic news for the channel and provides recognition of the highest editorial standards to which BBC World aspires.
It also demonstrates why BBC World has such a loyal and growing audience throughout the whole of Latin America."
Based in Miami, INTE aims to promote the best of Spanish language television content and talent in Latin America and around the world. Its annual awards ceremony, with 59 categories, was attended this year by nearly 700 people, including Latin American television executives, producers and journalists, and was filmed by 20 TV channels from the region.
Channel 5 revamps global satellite unit
From http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/02Jul2003_bus14.html
B70m profit expected for 24-hour service
Tor Tor Bor.5 Co, owned by the Royal Thai Army Television Channel 5, is in the process of revamping the programmes shown on its Thai Television Global Network (TGN) satellite channel, and expects the operation to post a net profit of 70 million baht this year.
The station began operating officially this year after Tor Tor Bor.5 spent about one billion baht experimenting on its signals over the past five years.
Lt Narong Charoenrit, managing director of Tor Tor Bor.5 Co, said the programme revamp was aimed at adding more news coverage and documentary programmes on Thai culture and tourism, and would include airing Thai movies by the end of the year.
The improved programming comes in conjunction with the station extending its broadcasting time to around-the-clock from 12 hours a day.
TGN reaches a potential 3.7 million Thai viewers in 155 countries. In October, the signal will reach New Zealand and next year it will reach 14 additional nations in South America.
The company said major local TV producers, including GMM Grammy Plc and RS Promotion, Thailand's two largest entertainment groups, were interested in producing programmes for the around-the-clock channel.
Grammy is now holding talks with Tor Tor Bor.5 about helping to launch a music programme on the station.
As part of the operation, airtime can be rented to independent producers at 60,000 baht per hour during prime time and 50,000 baht in non-prime time.
Currently, 70% of the airtime is taken by independent producers and remainder by Tor Tor Bor.5 for Thai-related shows including ones produced to help support government policy such as tourism or the One Tambon, One Product scheme.
Tor Tor Bor.5 is a holding company for three subsidiaries: Tor Tor Bor.5 Marketing Co, Tor Tor Bor.5 Radio Co and Tor Tor Bor.5 Production Co.
The group expects to generate 570 million baht in total sales this year, and have a net profit of 120 million, baht, including 70 million baht from TGN. Next year, it expects sales to rise 10% and net profit to climb to 150 million baht. Last year, it posted a loss of 11 million baht.
The company plans to increase its registered capital to 1.1 billion baht from the current 660 million in order to be able to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand by the end of this year. It has hired Kim Eng Securities as its financial adviser.
(Craigs comment, "TGN reaches a potential 3.7 million Thai viewers in 155 countries. In October, the signal will reach New Zealand and next year it will reach 14 additional nations in South America." Reaching NZ in October? mmm interesting wonder if it will be via B3 or C1?) Aroy Thai Suay Mak! :-)
1/07/03
Livechat 9pm NZ and 8.30pm Syd time onwards tonight in the chatroom
From my Email & ICQ
From Bryan (Wgtn NZ)
Hi Guys,
Just thought I'd drop you a quick note with my new web addy.
I'd appreciate it if you'd check it out, and offer any feedback.
Thanks in advance,
I look forward to hearing from you soon...
http://tncsat.co.nz
From the Dish
PAS 8 166E 3718 V "Pinoy Central TV" is now encrypted in PowerVu.
PAS 8 166E 12284 H "ABC Asia Pacific" has left .(This was supposed to be a temp backup link)
PAS 8 166E 12360 V "30 radio channels" have started , Fta, APIDs 511-801.( same as on the cband side)
PAS 8 166E 12406 H The test card has left .
Apstar 1A 134E 3800 H "CCTV 1, 2, 7 and 10-12 "have started , Fta, SR 27500, FEC 3/4,SIDs 301-306, PIDs 512/650-518/710.
Palapa C2 113E 3752 V "Occasional feeds" on , SR 3460.
Palapa C2 113E 3926 H "Bali TV" has left .
Insat 3A 93.5E 3960 V "DD Maharashtra" has started , Fta, SR 5000, FEC 3/4,PIDs 1110/1211.
NEWS
National Geographic Channel now on TARBS World TV
From Press Release - July 1, 2003
Australia’s multicultural communities can now enjoy the finest documentaries, spectacular imagery and amazing adventure stories with the premiere of National Geographic Channel on leading multicultural pay TV and radio provider TARBS World TV.
National Geographic Channel brings explorations, wildlife, cultures and natural phenomena to the small screen, continuing the tradition of exploring and increasing knowledge of the world which its founding body, the National Geographic Society, began over a century ago.
From Sir Edmund Hillary’s mountaineering feats and Bob Ballard's exciting underwater discoveries, to Paul Sereno's dinosaur finds, National Geographic Channel brings viewers the exciting journeys of adventurers and explorers through the remotest and fascinating parts of the earth.
TARBS World TV CEO Regina Boulos said, “We are very pleased to provide all our subscribers with the documentary channel recognised the world over for presenting the most fascinating view of the world. With National Geographic Channel now on TARBS World TV, our English line-up offers wider viewing choices, boasting not only the best in world news, the best in world sport, the best in children’s cartoons, but now also the best documentaries. Add to that the over 60 premium channels from around the world we offer, TARBS World TV provides a complete viewing experience for the whole family and guarantees the best of both English and world programming.”
National Geographic Channel Australia/New Zealand Managing Director Amanda Farrar said, “National Geographic Channel has always been a window to the world bringing our audience fantastic programming from all corners of the globe. National Geographic Channel celebrates our diverse cultures, our incredible wildlife and amazing stories of adventure & exploration. National Geographic Channel fosters a commitment to conserving our planet for everyone that shares its riches. We are very excited to share our wonderful programming with the diverse cultural backgrounds that enjoy TARBS subscription TV service and look forward to bringing them closer to many aspects of their cultural heritage.”
Owned by National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F), FOX Entertainment Group and the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), National Geographic Channel currently broadcasts to over 160 million households in 25 languages and in 143 countries around the world.
Regardless of the language service they subscribe to, TARBS World TV subscribers receive National Geographic Channel, plus six other first-rate English channels comprising CNN, ESPN, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, MCM and Sky Racing, at no extra cost.
To enjoy National Geographic Channel and over 60 quality television channels from around the world, subscribe to TARBS World TV today on 1300 13 30 25.
Broadcasters may take FTA route to beat ad curbs
From http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=53022
NEW DELHI: While there is a lot of discussion on pay channels in the CAS regime or the “dual-feed” regime, what has missed attention is that the government has ensured that free-to-air channel prices remain at a maximum of Rs 72 for a minimum of 30 channels.
While this is law, the government has informally convinced cable service providers to provide up to 73 channels.
MSOs reveal that there is pressure on them to increase the FTA tier to 80 channels. Imagine how this could be capitalised on by a politician in his poll speeches. It is another matter that half these channels are insipid, unwanted and often alien fare.
And that cable operators have already reiterated that non-CAS consumers would have to shell out a Rs 423 as monthly subscription for FTA (Rs 170.45) and most pay channels. (Rs 227.55)
While the government has always hoped that CAS would force pay channels to turn FTA that is not really happening. Star TV recently announced an FTA channel, Star Classic which will telecast choice programme pickings from across its bouquet.
Sony is reportedly planning something on similar lines, while Zee TV is also coming up with an FTA channel on comedy. While these are contingency plans to tide over CAS losses, all the pay channels are still insisting that they would remain pay.
Sensing the I&B ministry’s move to curb ads through a notification, broadcasters are already toeing the line. For CAS consumers, a handful of driver channels like Star Plus, Sony, ESPN, Star Sports is being offered for a little higher than Rs 200, including the FTA tier.
Still, this is being termed a breakthrough. If broadcasters had continued to be adamant, the government was already armed with a notification that would forbid cable operators from telecasting pay channels which carry advertisements, commercials, concerts, programmes and crosss channel promotional material or any other content which is in the nature of endorsements or sales promotions of any product or service.
To further tighten the screws on broadcasters, another clause on bundling was also contemplated. This would forbid variations in the declared individual maximum retail price of a pay channel if a subscriber (cable operator) purchases more than one from a channel operator ( a new term for broadcaster). However the last mile operator would be free to offer discounts sacrificing his margins.
If the above proposals are indeed made law, pay channels may still turn FTA, say sources.