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[Keeper's note: I know one of the FCC URLs has been obsoleted, but I have
had time it yet. Also, this will probably be the last one of these posted for a while, because I've got to move and don't know how long it will take me to get set up. In the meantime, there's always the web page.] See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge rec.video.satellites.dbs This document is the Frequently Asked Questions list for the Usenet newsgroup, rec.video.satellite.dbs. Contents: - Charter Part A: Introduction and About the FAQ A.1: Introduction and disclaimer A.2: Scope of the FAQ A.3: Common Usenet abbreviations A.4: Acknowledgment Part B: Netiquette & About the Newsgroup B.1: Charter B.2: History B.3: Crossposting B.4: Binaries B.5: Quoted text; One-line replies B.6: Advertising B.7: Dealing with flamewars and obnoxious posters B.8: Anonymous addresses B.9: Controversial issues B.10: Other resources B.11: Writing good questions Part C: Frequently Asked Questions Charter: rec.video.satellite.dbs rec.video.satellite.dbs will be for the discussion of new, emerging DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) technologies, e.g. DSS. DBS/DSS is a digital home-entertainment service which will transmit cable-style programming via higher-powered satellites in a compressed and encrypted format. DBS customers purchase a small (18" or so) receiving dish and associated components which enable them to subscribe to cable-type programming without having to be wired for cable, or in areas not served by cable TV. This new group would cover all DBS systems worldwide. rec.video.satellite.dbs will be gatewayed to a 'yet to be started' mailing list if this proposal is successful. Part A - Introduction & About the FAQ --------------------------- This section of the FAQ contains information about the FAQ, and should be read before the other sections, so that the reader can get the most out of the FAQ. --------------------------- Subject A.1: Introduction and disclaimer Every Usenet newsgroup finds that certain questions are asked again and again. Regular readers eventually get tired of reading the same old questions (and posting the same old answers) again and again, leading new readers to wonder why they're seeing so many impolite replies, and so few useful ones, to perfectly reasonable queries. The result is frustration all around. This document is an attempt to consolidate many of those questions, and their answers, in a single location. It also attempts to deal with popular misconceptions, misinformation, and errors. It will be posted to rec.video.satellite.dbs (r.v.s.d) bi-weekly. If you're a new reader, or even if you're not, and have a question regarding DBS systems, you should check this document first, to avoid wasting bandwidth (and other peoples' time) on a subject which has already been discussed ad nauseam. But this document is by no means an attempt at moderation; if you have new information on a new topic, or even on an old one, by all means share it with the group. Further questions are welcome; send any comments, corrections, new questions, or new answers to btrosko@primenet.com, with 'R.S.V.D FAQ' in the Subject: line. Keep quoted material down to a minimum in such mail, please (Really, just the subject number you're talking about is sufficient). In addition to the bimonthly posting, this document will be available at http://www.primenet.com/~btrosko. The HTML version will be the most up-to-date version, since it's the easiest to change. It will also contain improved formatting and presentation not available in the text version. The FAQ author has made every effort to present accurate and unbiased information. Where there is some disagreement or controversy over an issue, the FAQ author has attempted to present both points of view. This FAQ file is copyright 1996 by Brian Trosko. It may be freely copied, redistributed, archived, or reused, provided no profit is derived from such reuse, the author is given proper credit, and statements are not taken out of context in such a way as to significantly alter their meaning. The author makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of any information provided in this document, and is not responsible for any consequences of its use. ------------------------------ Subject A.2: Scope of the FAQ This document attempts to go beyond simply answering common questions. It is intended to be a guide for the new user, at least so far as r.v.s.d is concerned. It is not intended to be a general purpose guide for all of Usenet. It is hoped that this FAQ can provide information that is not normally available on the newsgroup, i.e. detailed, researched, and comprehensive answers that are beyond the scope of normal newsgroup discussion. It is hoped that the information will be useful to not only new readers, but also for long-time readers looking for information in areas they have not previously dealt with. Some of Part B might be controversial, but the FAQ author feels that its inclusion is justified; with thousands of new Usenet readers every day, it can be hard for the average "newbie" to learn how to deal with such things as flamewars, trolls, and MAKE.MONEY.FAST. Part B should give new readers guidance on how to deal with these issues, or at the least on how they are handled on r.v.s.d. This FAQ is not a comprehensive guide to Usenet, nor is it a comprehensive guide to netiquette. It is strongly advised that _all_ persons participating in Usenet discussion read the various informational documents posted to news.announce.newusers on a regular basis. --------------------------------- Subject A.3: Common Usenet Abbreviations :-) = Smile :) = Smile :-( = Frown :( = Frown ;) ;-) = Winks AFAIK = As Far As I Know AKA = Also Known As BTW = By The Way FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions FTP = File Transfer Protocol FWIW = For What It's Worth HTTP = Hypertext Transfer Protocol IIRC = If I Remember (or Recall) Correctly IMHO = In My Humble Opinion IMNSHO = In My Not-So-Humble Opinion ISTR = I Seem To Recall RL = Real Life ROTFL = Rolling On The Floor Laughing ROTFLMAO = Rolling On the Floor Laughing My Ass Off UL = Urban Legend URL = Uniform Resource Locator WRT = With Respect (or Regard) To WWW = World Wide Web YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary ----------------------------------- Subject A.4: Acknowledgments Parts A and B are large borrowed/stolen from Andrew Toppan's excellent FAQ for the sci.military.naval newsgroup, and are used with his permission. If you're interested, his homepage can be found at http://www.wpi.edu/~elmer/ Part B: Netiquette and About the Newsgroup ----------------------------------- Subject B.1: Charter The charter for rec.video.satellite.dbs, as proposed and voted on when the newsgroup was created, is as follows: rec.video.satellite.dbs rec.video.satellite.dbs will be for the discussion of new, emerging DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) technologies, e.g. DSS. DBS/DSS is a digital home-entertainment service which will transmit cable-style programming via higher-powered satellites in a compressed and encrypted format. DBS customers purchase a small (18" or so) receiving dish and associated components which enable them to subscribe to cable-type programming without having to be wired for cable, or in areas not served by cable TV. This new group would cover all DBS systems worldwide. rec.video.satellite.dbs will be gatewayed to a 'yet to be started' mailinglist if this proposal is successful. Discussion is governed by this charter. It is deliberately vague in terms of what can be discussed, because nobody can predict what issues might come up for discussion in the future. In short, anything related to DBS systems, technologies, or programming is fair game, within the bounds of netiquette. One special mention, however: At the time the group was created, general Usenet consensus was that advertising would only be allowed in a group if *specifically allowed* by the charter. The r.v.s.d charter has no such provisions allowing advertising, and while not strictly prohibited, it is not exactly welcome, either. --------------------------------- Subject B.2: History The group rec.video.satellite.dbs was voted into existence on September 23rd, 1994, as part of a Call For Votes which split rec.video.satellite into r.v.s.d, rec.video.satellite.tvro, and rec.video.satellite.misc. The group proposal received 247 "Yes" votes and 38 "No" votes, with 6 votes being rejected due to invalid formatting. For a complete history of the RFD/CFV results, please see: http://www.dbs-online.com/DBS/Usenet/rec.video.satellite-reorg.txt. ----------------------------------- Subject B.3: Crossposting. Crossposting can be a valuable tool for getting your message to the maximum number of people. It can also cause a discussion to degenerate into a senseless flamewar. In general, you should only crosspost a message to several groups if it is really and truly relevant to all of them. Contrived reasoning does not make a message relevant. For example, news that a DBS program provider will soon be providing the WGN superstation out of Chicago would probably be relevant to r.v.s.d, r.v.s.misc, and possibly even r.v.s.tvro; readers of all three groups would probably be interested, but many interested people probably don't read all three groups. But it would not be relevant to alt.sports.baseball.phila-phillies, just because the Phillies play against the Cubs, and the Cubs are on WGN. There is one special caution about crossposting. Be careful when crossposting articles between rec.video.satellite.dbs and rec.video.satellite.tvro, because flamewars between proponents of the two radically different systems often burst out, and can drown out normal discussion for days at a time. ---------------------------------------- Subject B.4: Binaries. The rec.video.satellite.dbs charter does not specifically allow binaries, so the posting of them is strongly discouraged. This is not because binaries are inherently bad. Rather, it is because of the large size of most binaries. Specifically, the reasons are thus: - Binaries take up far more disk space than a text file with a similar number of lines. Disk space is an important concern for news administrators, and binary groups are often dropped to save space. If a nominally non-binary group comes to carry too many binaries, it may get dropped for space reasons, with obviously negative consequences for the readers of the group. - Some people use off-line newsreaders, which allow them to download the entire contents of the group via modem for perusal at a later time. Many of these newsreaders don't allow you to select specific posts to download, so you have to download the whole thing. The phone and/or online time bills for unwittingly downloading a large binary via a slow (or even a fast) modem can be extreme. This isn't a problem for those of us with direct T1 connections, but most people read news over a modem. - What percentage of people will download a multi-part jpeg or gif file, reassemble it, unzip it, and then view it? Certainly fewer people than will read a plaintext post. A multi-part gif/jpeg is simply a waste of newsgroup space for the majority of people who don't have the time, ability, or inclination, to view it. Instead of posting a binary, you might consider: - sending it via email to the people who request it. - posting it to an appropriate alt.binaries.* group. - putting the file up for public access on an FTP or WWW site. In any of these cases, you will probably wish to post a pointer to it on r.s.v.d. Some people UUencode or zip plain text files prior to posting them. This just doesn't make any sense. Far more people will read a plain-text post than will unzip/UUdecode a file in order to read it. Further, a UUencoded post is generally *larger* than the original plain text file, so UUencoding doesn't save any space. Large binary files are also subject to cancellation by Richard DePew's bincancelbot (See news.admin.net-abuse.misc for details). Small binaries might succeed in evading the bot, but will probably draw many flames. ---------------------------------- Subject B.5: Quoted text; one-line replies Few things are as annoying as paging through 100 lines of quoted text, only to fine "Me, too!" at the end. When posting a follow-up (reply) to a message, delete all but the specific parts you are replying to. In most cases, you can trim to a sentence or two. Trimming the quoted material also makes it easier for readers to see which points you are responding to. If you are not replying to a specific part of the article, but have points based on the previous article, you might wish to delete the entire article and just post a brief summary, i.e. [Snip long DSS vs. BUD post]. Quoting someone else's .signature file is generally considered to be obnoxious. ----------------------------------- Subject B.6: Advertising Keeping in mind the context in which the carter was written, and that advertising is not specifically permitted by the charter, advertising is technically off-topic for rec.video.satellite.dbs. As such any posts consisting of entirely advertisements are quite unwelcome, as are those posts which appear to answer a posted question, but are really a thinly veiled advertisement. It is considered permissible to include a small plug in one's .sig, as long as the normal rule of keeping .sigs under four lines is adhered to. ------------------------------------- Subject B.7: Dealing with flamewars and obnoxious posters. From time to time a particularly annoying or obnoxious thread, discussion, person, or flamewar shows up. Although there is no sure-fire way to make such disturbances cease, so the group can get back to more reasonable topics, the following suggestions may help: - Avoid the mess in the first place. Look to Subjects B.3 and B.9 for advice. Stick to DBS matters. Don't start off-topic threads just because "someone might know," or "it's a convenient place." - Ignore the annoyance. Some people post inflammatory or inaccurate information just to get a response ("trolling"). If nobody reacts, they'll get bored and go away. - Killfile the person or the thread. Many newsreaders allow you to killfile articles based on the author or the subject, so you never see potentially annoying articles. See your newsreader's online help file for more information. With a killfile you don't have to look at the mess, and if enough people killfile something, nobody will be reading it and posting follow-ups. Killfiles should be used with caution, since they can cause you to miss worthwhile articles. - Eliminate crossposts. If the Newsgroups: line looks like this: Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite.dbs,alt.clueless.nimrods,misc.test,alt.flame edit it to look like this: Newsgroups: rec.video.satellite.dbs. You can also add a follow-up-to: line in the headers if you wish to redirect the discussion to a certain newsgroup: Follow-up-to: rec.video.satellite.dbs. - Move the discussion to another newsgroup. If there are no valid DBS topics left in the discussion, move the discussion elsewhere. Edit Newsgroups: and Follow-up-to: lines to suit the situation. - Go to email. If the subject has become a bitching match between two people, shift to email. If one party refuses to go to email, the other should be mature enough to take the argument to a private forum. A follow-up line can be adjusted to send replies to the post through email: Follow-up-to: poster - Change the Subject: line. To extract a valid topic from a flamewar, change the Subject: line to something new: Subject: UHF Remote? (Was DSS vs. E*) When doing this, you should also delete the References: line and the message IDs that follow it. This will ensure that all newsreaders treat the article as a new thread. - Respond with facts. Nothing annoys someone who is looking for flames more than a reasoned, well thought-out, accurate rebuttal. - Don't resort to insults. Calling everyone a "fucking idiot" won't end a flamewar. - Don't mailbomb. Mailbombing hurts everyone on both systems, puts your account in jeopardy, doesn't end the argument, and invites equally nasty retaliation. It's a silly, immature, childish tactic. - Request that the discussion be taken elsewhere. Sometimes, a short, courteous, polite note emailed to both parties can have desirable results. - Complain to the postmaster. If the mess is particularly bad, you may wish to complain to the offending party's postmaster. If the offending person is person@site.domain, send email to postmaster@site.domain. The note should be short, polite, and contain proof of the offense, including valid message IDs. Don't send email to postmasters just because you happen to be insulted; they're busy people, and their time is valuable, so save this response for more serious offenses, like mailbombing, binary bombing, newsgroup bombing, threats directed against you, activities that _seriously_ disrupt the newsgroup, ongoing long-term problems that can't be solved by any other means, and activities that can or do deny service to you or others. Postmasters are most likely to respond to denial-of-service issues. ---------------------------------- Subject B.8: Anonymous addresses Anonymous services should be used sparingly. Many people are automatically suspicious of people who do not identify themselves or otherwise attempt to conceal their identity. They will not respect what an anonymous poster says, and may totally ignore all posts from anonymous addresses. In the past some particularly obnoxious, rude, and loud people have posted from anonymous remailers. Because of this, many people have killfiled all the well-known anonymous services. Therefore, a significant number of people won't even see posts from the anon servers. For these reasons, posting through an anonymous remailer *will* reduce the number of people who read what you're saying, and those who do read it might be likely to discount or ignore it. On a related matter, many people post with butchered From: or Reply-To: lines. Whether this arises out of an attempt to dupe the various mailing-list bots which scrounge the newsgroups for potential customers, or out of simple ignorance, it is a substantial discourtesy to the readers. Also, it prevents people from answering any questions via email, so it is self-defeating as well. Just don't do it. ------------------------------------- Subject B.9: Controversial issues Certain issues frequently discussed in rec.video.satellite.dbs tend to draw vast amounts of conflict, argument, shouting, flaming, and general absurdity. For example, threads consisting of C-band system owners and DBS system owners who do nothing but call each other "fucking idiots" and loudly proclaim the superior virtues of *their* system are somewhat common. Such threads generate more heat than light, consisting of a lot of insults which, creative and entertaining as they may be, contain very little or no useful information. To reduce the inflammatory potential of such threads, be careful when posting to them. Avoid subjective statements, and stick to facts whenever possible. See section B.6 for advice on dealing with such a flamewar once it has started. --------------------------------------- Subject B.10: Other Resources There is a wealth of other information regarding these systems on-line. An exhaustive list is not provided here, but perhaps the most important are: Dish Network can be found at: http://www.dishnetwork.com/ DirecTV can be found at: http://www.directv.com/ USSB is at: http://www.ussbtv.com/ Alphastar is at: http://www.teecomm.com/ John Hodgson's page provides useful info: http://www.dbsdish.com/ Another excellent resource is DBS Online, found at: http://www.dbs-online.com/DSS/ DBS Online also contains Rich Peterson's excellent DBS FAQ, which serves different purposes than this document does. Any interested parties are strongly urged to read that FAQ, as well as this one. Rec.video.satellite.dbs is also available through a mailing list. To subscribe, send a message to listserv@vm1.nodak.edu with the following as the body of your message: SUBscribe DBSSAT <your full name> Likewise, to unsubscribe, send a message with the following in the body: SIGNOFF DBSSAT --------------------------------------- Subject B.11: Writing good questions To get a good answer one must ask a good question. It seems simple, but many times questions are poorly written. There are two basic types of question: requests for information and discussion questions. When requesting information, one should make every effort to provide sufficient context and to ask a specific question. Without context the question might be hard to understand, open to misunderstanding, and impossible to answer properly. If one doesn't ask a specific question, it's hard to know what information is being requested. For example, one common question goes like this: "I'm looking to get a satellite system, and I need information. Which is better, DSS or Primestar?" What does "better" mean to the author? Is he interested in the channel packages available, or the features of the hardware? Saying that he needs information is an incredibly broad request. What sort of information does he need? Try to be more specific about what you're looking for. For discussion questions, one should attempt to clearly define the topic to be discussed. State clearly the situation, given information, assumptions, conditions, exceptions, or other factors involved. That way everyone stands a better chance of discussing the same thing instead of a dozen barely-related issues. Part C: Frequently Asked Questions C.1: What does that access card thingy actually *do*? C.2: How do I erase my PPV information without paying for it? C.3: How do I clear my PPV information? C.4: What about these pirate cards? C.5: Is it possible to watch two channels at once? C.6: Is it possible to watch and record two different channels simultaneously? C.7: Is it possible to hook more than one receiver up to a single-LNBF dish? C.8: How many receivers can I hook to a dual-LNBF dish? C.9: What about PIP? C.10: Is it easy to install? C.11: Where do I point it? C.12: Do I have to ground it? C.13: What is rain fade? C.14: Can I point my dish at a tree/wall/airport/window? C.15: How do I hide my dish? C.16: Can I use my in-wall wiring, or do I have to run new cables? C.17: Is it true that the receiver needs its own phone line? C.18: What are the differences between the different DSS systems? C.19: What are the differences between DSS/Primestar/Alphastar/Echostar/C-band systems? C.20: Are DSS and E* compatible? C.21: Can I get my local networks? C.22: Can I watch Star Trek or Babylon 5? C.23: When will the song titles be added to Music Choice/Dish CD? C.24: When will the other superstations be added to DSS? C.25: Can I record off of my DBS system? C.26: What is Macrovision? C.27: Can I record while away from the house if I have a 1st generation DSS? C.28: Is it normal for the receiver to be so warm? C.29: If I buy the NBA/NHL/NFL/MLB package, do local blackouts apply? C.30: When is AC-3 (Dolby Digital) going to be broadcast? Part C: Frequently Asked Questions This section of the FAQ endeavors to answer many of the questions which crop up time and time again on the newsgroup. --------------------------------------------- Subject C.1: What does the access card actually do? DBS services broadcast across the entire nation. Obviously, not everyone subscribes to the same programming. The access card is what authorizes your decoder to decode the channels you are subscribed to. This access card is remotely programmable by your program provider, and it is this which allows you to change channel subscriptions without too much of a hassle. In short, the access card is what makes the system work. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.2: How do I erase my PPV information without paying for it? You can't. Stop trying. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.3: How to I clear my PPV information once I've been billed? There are no commands to do so, but the information will eventually expire. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.4: What about these pirate cards I've heard about? There are pirate cards which act just like a normal access card, with the exception that they authorize every single bit of programming This means that if you have one, *everything* is turned on. Every premium channel. Every PPV movie. TV Asia. Needless to say, these cards are quite illegal. They aren't too prevalent in the United States, since their expense is so great. Additionally, the program providers send out ECMs (Electronic Counter-Measures) on a regular basis, which often succeed in deactivating certain makes of card. DirecTv is currently implementing a card swap, thereby replacing the access card of every legitimate subscriber. In Canada, pirate cards are somewhat more widespread, due to the illegality of foreign DBS systems in general. This FAQ in no way endorses the use of pirate cards. In the opinion of the FAQ author, their use is highly unethical. Also, keep in mind that the person you're buying the card from is, in a sense, a professional thief, so you are not likely to have any legitimate avenues of recourse if you should feel cheated in any way. ----------------------------------------- Subject C.5: Is it possible to watch two channels simultaneously? The only way to watch two satellite channels at the same time is to have two satellite receivers. It *is* possible to watch a satellite channel and a channel from some other source simultaneously, of course. For instance, one could watch HBO off the satellite receiver and NBC off a broadcast antenna at the same time. ------------------------------------------- Subject C.6: How about watching one channel and recording another? The only way to watch one satellite channel and record another at the same time is to have two satellite receivers. Again, it is possible to watch a satellite channel and record off another source at the same time. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.7: Is it possible to hook multiple receivers to a single-output dish? DSS and Echostar work with circular polarity. With a single-output dish, the receiver sends a switched-voltage signal back to the LNB in order to flip it from clockwise polarity to counter-clockwise polarity, whichever is appropriate for the channel you have selected. If the signal from the dish is split to multiple receivers, there will be a conflict. This results in one receiver being a "master," able to watch any channel, and the other receivers being "slaves," only able to select channels of the same polarity as the one being received on the master unit. --------------------------------------------- Subject C.8: How many receivers can I hook up to a dual-output dish? Without additional parts, two. With the appropriate additional parts, at least 30. To hook up more than two receivers involves a part called a voltage switch. You will need one voltage switch for each receiver you want to hook up. The outputs coming off of the dish get split, and each voltage switch gets fed signal from both outputs. Then the output from the voltage switch gets fed to the satellite receiver. There are also parts called multiswitches that take feeds from both LNBs on the dish and distribute them to multiple receivers. In essence, a multiswitch is several voltage switches combined in one unit. Sony makes a multiswitch suitable for use with up to four receivers. It retails for around one hundred dollars. Multiswitches for many receivers, even 16 or 32, are available from companies like ChannelMaster, but are much more expensive. --------------------------------------------- Subject C.9: What about PIP? Concerns about PIP are similar in nature to concerns about simultaneous viewing of two channels. In order to watch two satellite channels at a time, two receivers are necessary. So, if you want to spend the dough, PIP can work, so long as the television is the sort which accepts input from an external tuner for PIP purposes. If the television has a second internal television tuner for its PIP, and cannot accept input from an external tuner, then PIP will not work properly with the satellite receiver. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.10: Is it easy to install? Opinions vary. The installation is not actually all that difficult, but it is technical in nature. A good litmus test is your VCR clock; if it is still blinking "12:00... 12:00...12:00," then you should probably not attempt to install your satellite system. The basic overview of the installation is as follows: - Cable must be run between the dish and the receiver. Obviously the difficulty of this step depends upon the desires of the individual. - The dish must be properly aligned with the satellite, which requires a compass. Sony DSS systems have an LED on the dish which lights up to indicate proper alignment. Other systems may have an audible tone to indicate alignment. In either case, the on-screen signal strength meter should be used to tweak alignment as perfectly as possible. - The receiver hooks up to the television/home-theater system in the same way that a VCR or laserdisc player does. - The system should be grounded. ---------------------------------------------- Subject C.11: Where do I point it? To find out, the surest way is to stop by a dealer who has the systems on display. The systems allow you to input a Zip Code, and provide you with a magnetic compass heading and an azimuth. DSS systems also allow you to simply input a latitude and longitude, if you're in an area where you're unaware of the zip code. For DSS systems, you can also find out through the interactive pointer at: http://www.dbs-online.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/DBS/Locator ---------------------------------------------- Subject C.12: Do I have to ground it? Grounding the system is *strongly* recommended. Of course, there are installation situations where proper grounding might not be possible (apartments, RVs, etc.), but in situations where it is possible, it should be done. Grounding the system necessitates direct grounding to an 8' grounding electrode, preferably the main electrical service ground for the house. If a second grounding electrode is driven, and the system is grounded to that, the second electrode must be bonded in turn to the main electrical service ground. This is not necessarily to protect against lightning; although proper grounding can certainly help prevent a strike, it will not save your equipment in the event of one. Rather, proper grounding is to allow the static charge that builds up in the dish a safe route to drain away. If the system is not grounded, this charge can run to ground through the receiver, which has a detrimental effect on the electrosensitive components inside. Also, nearby lightning strikes can actually induce a current in the cable, and proper grounding allows this induced current to safely run to ground. Grounding is actually quite a simple procedure, and the risks which it alleviates mean that it is worth your time to do it properly. ------------------------------------------ Subject C.13: What is rain fade? The signal sent from the satellites to your dish is of a frequency that is blocked by nearly anything, which is why your dish must have clear line-of-sight to the satellites in order to function. Water blocks the signal. When it rains, this reduces the signal reaching the dish, which reduces your overall signal strength. Severe storms can knock out your picture all together, but this usually doesn't happen, and if it does, it doesn't last for very long. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.14: Can I point my dish at a tree/wall/airport/window? Maybe. The dish needs to have a clear line-of-sight to the satellites, but the angle which the dish arm points at isn't the angle the signal is coming from. The signal comes in from roughly 20 degrees higher than the angle of the LNB arm. So, even if the dish seems is pointing right at a solid object, the signal might not be obstructed. The azimuth markings scribed into the dish assembly do take this difference into account. Some people who live near airports have reported transient, momentary interruptions of signal due to aircraft flying through the beam. Some individuals have succeeded in getting signal through a window. The type of glass matters enormously, with Plexiglas being the most favorable, single-glazed much less so, and double-glazed windows not working at all. Even if this does work, it will knock the signal strength back dramatically, so it should only be done when there are no other avenues to explore. ----------------------------------------------- Subject C.15: How do I hide my dish? Most anything that will hide a dish from view will also block signal. However, there are third party companies which sell concealment for the dish, usually in the form of a fake boulder or skylight. Also, people have reported hiding the dish inside a vinyl garbage can, or even a garbage bag, without too adverse an effect on signal strength. Keep in mind that HOAs can no longer prevent you from using a satellite dish under one meter in diameter, provided you own your house and your property. For further, more specific information, see the following FCC links: http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/otafacts.html http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Cable/Orders/fcc96328.txt -------------------------------------- Subject C.16: Can I use my in-wall wiring, or do I have to run new cable? Ideally, the coaxial cable between the dish and the receiver should be high-quality RG-6. High-quality RG-59 can work, but only for short runs, and even then it knocks the signal strength back substantially. Several individuals have reported successful installations using long runs of RG-59. If you've already run RG-59, you have nothing to lose by trying it - it just might work. But if you're running new cable specifically for the dish, play it safe and use RG-6. There is a coaxial RF output on the back of the satellite receiver, intended for a run to a second television, or for televisions without video inputs. RG-59 would be sufficient for that output. This means that it is possible to run from the RF output to your cable junction box and send the signal from one satellite receiver throughout the house. ---------------------------------------------- Subject C.17: Is it true that the receiver needs its own phone line? No. DSS and Dish Network receivers are intended to be hooked into a phone jack, but this does not necessitate a dedicated line; the receiver hooks into a jack just like an extension phone would. This is intended for several purposes. The first purpose is impulse pay-per-view. In this system, you do not need to pick up phone and call to order a PPV event. Instead, you simply select the event you want to watch, and a menu screen appears by which you can order the program. If you do, then that fact is recorded by your system. Every so often, the system will use the phone line to dial out and place a toll-free call to your program provider, and download the PPV information to them. This allows them to bill you correctly. The second purpose is for compliance with professional sports blackout restrictions. In order to know which games must be blacked out for each individual, your program provider needs to where you live. It does this by the ANI information which is part of all toll free calls. ANI is not Caller ID, and cannot be blocked in the same fashion. Neither of these purposes make the phone connection a necessity. If you do not hook your system to a phone line, then you will not be able to order the sports packages. Also, you can still order PPV events over the phone with DSS, but there will be a 2 dollar surcharge per event. Note that if you have multiple receivers, all receivers must be hooked into the same phone line. If they are not, you will pay full programming costs for each separate receiver. ---------------------------------------- Subject C.18: What are the differences between the different DSS systems? Generally speaking, not much. Fundamentally, all DSS receivers deliver the same potentially high-quality video and audio. All receivers also provide a program guide, which gives the programming lineup for the next several days, complete with program descriptions and classifications. These guides are not "Prevue" channel-style scrolling guides. Rather, they are completely interactive, giving the user not only the ability to jump forwards in time, but also the ability to specify custom guides for certain types of programming (Sports, movies, etc.), and favorite channels. What differs between different systems are the menu interfaces and other bells and whistles. Sony DSS systems have 32-bit processors to deal with the menu interfaces, whereas the various systems produced by Thompson (RCA, Toshiba, GE) have only 8-bit processors. This means that navigation through the Sony menu system tends to be quite a bit faster and easier. Additionally, the current Sony systems have the added advantage of allowing the user to see the picture while navigating through the translucent program guide, and also do not block the sound while in the program guide. Thompson system program guides are opaque, blocking the picture and also interrupting the sound. Opinions as to which menu interface is better vary widely, so you should stop by a dealer who has the systems hooked up for viewing. All current DSS receivers have timers to allow recording of programs in conjunction with a VCR. Deluxe and Advanced systems also come with a VCR mouse to send commands to the VCR, which eliminates having to manually synchronize the VCR timer with the satellite receiver timer. The Sony Basic system does not include the mouse, but it is available as an accessory. ---------------------------------------- Subject C.19: What are the differences between DSS/P* /E*/A*/BUD systems? This is a complicated issue, and while this FAQ will present a basic overview, the reader is encouraged to do additional research for a more complete answer. DSS systems are by far the most popular home satellite system. The chief program provider, DirecTV, claims about 2.5 million subscribers at this point in time. DSS systems are sold under the following brand names: Sony, Toshiba, RCA, GE, Panasonic, Magnavox, and Uniden. These receivers differ in features, but all provide the same high-quality video and sound. Programming costs for a DSS subscription typically range from 30 to 60 dollars a month, but there are individual packages running from 7 dollars to 45 dollars a month. With DSS, there are *two* program providers, DirecTV, and their smaller partner, USSB. DirecTV is responsible for most general interest programming (CNN, Discovery, E!, etc.) but does offer a few premium movie services, like Starz!. DirecTV also offers the pay-per-view movie channels, regional sports networks, and seasonal sports packages. USSB offers most of the premium movie channels (Multichannel HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, etc.), major pay-per-view sporting events, and the Viacom networks (MTV, Nickelodeon, Lifetime). Dish Network is a competing 18" dish system commonly referred to by the name of the parent company, Echostar, or E* for short. Its principal advantage is that the programming costs are slightly cheaper, and the hardware can be significantly cheaper, especially when additional receivers are required. Programming costs for Dish Network typically range from 25 to 35 dollars a month, but the least expensive package is 10 dollars a month. Dish Network offers several general interest channels that DSS does not, primarily superstations like WGN, and also offers more foreign-channel programming, and religious programming. An additional advantage is that there is only one program provider to pay, which simplifies selection and billing. However, many people have reported that the picture has more visible digital artifacts than DSS, and also that the sound, particularly on the music channels, sounds flat and lifeless, or contains annoying high-pitched interference of some sort. Additionally, E* does not offer as many sports or movies as DSS, due to a lower amount of PPV stations (12 v. 60+) and lack of seasonal sports packages. Current Dish Network receiver interfaces are also a bit clunky, lacking many of the features present on the current DSS receivers. For example, Dish receivers give you the ability to search for only a type of program in the program guide, like "Movies," or "Sports." By contrast, DSS receivers allow you to search for "Comedies," or "Basketball." Dish receivers also currently lack timer controls; they will be available shortly in a downloadable software patch, but not on all models. Dish Network receivers do offer a "Browse" feature, which DSS receivers do not; this feature allows you to flip through an abbreviated on-screen guide without interrupting the viewing of the currently selected program. Despite any disadvantages, Dish Network is a very fast-growing product, and it is definitely worth a look. Primestar is not, strictly speaking, a DBS service. It is an operation of several of the major cable companies (TCI, Cox, etc.) and was originally intended as a means to deliver cable programming to people who lived in the boonies and did not have landline cable yet. Perhaps the most significant difference of P* is that you do not own it; you rent it, just like you rent a cable box. Costs for P* typically consist of at least a $200 installation, and then at least a $35 monthly fee for both programming and hardware. Primestar works off of a lower-powered satellite, and so the dish is around 36" in diameter, instead of 18" like DSS or E*. Alphastar (A*) is a system that has had major problems getting off the ground (no pun intended). They use a larger dish (Roughly 40") to provide programming, and are nowhere near as popular as the other systems described here. At this date, A* claims roughly 27,000 subscribers, as compared to DirecTVs 2+ million, or E*'s roughly 300,000+. Plans were being made by A* and Amway to provide the system door-to-door and through MLM schemes, but those plans have apparently fallen though. At this point, it seems that the primary advantage of A* is the availabilty of hardcore pornography, which isn't available on any other small-dish system. A* is also harder to install than other systems, since its use of linear polarity, rather than circular polarity, means that one must align the LNB separately from the dish itself. BUD is an acronym for Big, Ugly Dish, and refers to large-dish, conventional C-band or Ku-band satellite systems. Such systems are much more expensive than DBS hardware, but due to the wide variety of program providers and program packages, can be much less expensive on a yearly basis. BUDs also give access to various 'wildfeeds,' as well as a few channels, like NASA, that aren't offered over any DBS system. BUD systems are definitely beyond the scope of this FAQ, and there is another newsgroup, rec.video.satellite.tvro, which is devoted to them. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.20: Are E* and DSS compatible? Yes and no. The dishes are. The receivers are not. Theoretically, you could have a dish, a DSS receiver, and an E* receiver, but you would not be able to watch programs from both systems at the same time, for the very simple reason that the satellites for each system are in different orbital positions. ----------------------------------------- Subject C.21: Can I get my local networks over DBS? No. The various DBS satellites serve the entire country, and there are thousands of local affiliates. DirecTV does offer a network package of NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, and PBS, but this is not available to everyone. Federal law dictates that if you can receive your local affiliates over a roof antenna, or have received them over cable at anytime in the past 90 days, then DirecTV (or any other DBS provider) is not allowed to sell you other broadcast affiliates. The relevant sections of the US Code are available at: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/119.html. If you want to order that package, DirecTV will ask you if you can receive networks over a roof antenna, and if you have had cable within the past 90 days. If the answer to either of those questions is "yes," they will not sell you that package. Dish Network offers something similar, but has recently added a UPN affiliate. However, the UPN affiliate is not part of their network package, being instead included in their "America's Top 50" package, which is normally $25 per month. ------------------------------------------ Subject C.22: Can I get Star Trek or Babylon 5 over DSS? Strangely, no. The Sci-Fi Network is available, but that network doesn't carry either show. Current Star Trek series and Babylon 5 are syndicated and typically show up on local affiliates, which you can't get over DSS. Dish Network has recently added a UPN affiliate, which does show _Star Trek: Voyager_. Additionally, Dish Network has WB afilliates which show _Babylon 5_, _Deep Space Nine_, and _ST:TNG_. ------------------------------------------- Subject C.23: When will the song titles be added to Music Choice/Dish CD? As far as Music Choice goes, DirecTV claims they can pass that information on, but aren't doing so yet. They claim that they will do so by the end of the year, however. According to Dish Network, Muzak does not provide playlists for the Dish CD channels, so they have no capability to pass playlist information on to the subscriber. Supposedly, it would cost Dish Network much more for the playlists, and that's a cost which would have to be passed along to the consumer, and Dish Network does not want to do that at this point. ------------------------------------------ Subject C.24: When will the other superstations be added to DSS? DirecTV has no plans to add other superstations, like WGN, at this time. ------------------------------------------- Subject C.25: Can I record off of my DBS system? Certainly. Occasionally, individuals report difficulty in recording a certain show, but this is because they don't have things connected properly. --------------------------------------------- Subject C.26: What is Macrovision? Macrovision is a copy-protection signal. It can be embedded in the signal alongside with DirecTV and USSB programming. It results in any recordings being unwatchable due to fluctuations in color and synchronization. Neither provider has turned Macrovision on; DirecTV reserves the right to do so, and USSB claims they have no plans to ever do so. If the Macrovision logo present on the back panel of the more recent E* receivers is any clue, E* also have the capabilities to activate the Macrovision copy protection. So far as is known, Echostar has no official position on future use of Macrovision. ------------------------------------------------ Subject C.27: Can I record while away from the house if I have a 1st generation DSS or E*? To an extent. Because the receiver has no time, you will have leave it on and tuned to the channel you want to record. You will have to set the VCR timer normally. This means that you can only record off of one channel during a given absence. There are also several models of VCRs that can be used to control a first-generation DSS system. Model name include RCA and Mitsubishi. All second generation DSS systems have timers on them, and some have VCR control outputs. Timers will be downloaded for newer E* systems sometime soon; not all E* models will be capable of using them. -------------------------------------------- Subject C.28: Is it normal for the receiver to be warm? Yes. If you put it in a cabinet of some sort, be sure to allow it some breathing space on top. ----------------------------------------------- Subject C.29: If I buy the NBA/NHL/NFL/MLB package, do local blackouts still apply? Yes. Everyone who buys a package is considered to have a local team, even if they live in the middle of nowhere, and this local teams games will be blocked. ------------------------------------------------- Subject C.30: When is AC-3 going to be broadcast? The short answer is that nobody knows. It would require fairly substantial hardware investments on the part of the broadcasters, and they are unlikely to do such a thing without a sizable population of subscribers to take advantage of them. That said, it probably will happen eventually, because AC-3 is about as standard as things get. It is the current standard for laserdisc, and also for DVD, which is expected to replace laserdisc players, pre-recorded VHS tapes, and CDs. In any event, no current DBS receivers have built-in AC-3 outputs. It has been speculated that the Toslink output on the SAS-AD2 Sony system could act as an AC-3 port when the time is right, but nobody is sure. What seems most likely is that AC-3 data could be passed on to an external convertor/decoder through the data ports that are present on most receivers. End of document. User Contributions:
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