CFTM to go digital in August (on Anik)
Robert Smathers
>
> Just received a FAX from CFTM they confirm their intention of returning to Ani
k
> in August and that they deliver their signal to Telesat in Analogue but as par
t
> of Cancom they will see their signal digitalized, possibly as early as August.
Cancom is going digital as early as August?
> Question (sorry this is a newbie question) will the Radio signals CITE and CKA
C
> be affected as well? Gary you know?
well, I think they're going digital as well (since my understanding
is that the majority of the audio services on Anik E1 that we get
are just as much part of the Cancom package as the video stuff we
are used to talking about).
Robert
rob...@triton.unm.edu
Jake White
> Just received a FAX from CFTM they confirm their intention of returning to Ani
k
> in August and that they deliver their signal to Telesat in Analogue but as par
t
> of Cancom they will see their signal digitalized, possibly as early as August.
>
> Question (sorry this is a newbie question) will the Radio signals CITE and CKA
C
> be affected as well? Gary you know?
*****>> I imagine that all Cancom programming (audio and video) will be
affected -- this is **truly ghastly news** if all the Canadian programming
goes digital in August. Whoooosh! It is most certainly possible.
I don't even want to think about losing CFTM and TV5 -- time to fire up
the VCR and start taping like crazy.....
-- Jake / Seattle
Austin Dridge
I have a feeling that this is a misunderstanding. Since Cancom sells
their services to the public and since no digital receiver is available
to the public until at least Spring 95 with the exception of some of the
DBS services, I suspect what really will be happening to CFTM is that they
will scramble their signal using the Oak sometime in August. I also think
that it would be impossible for Cancom to do this now since they just
started an advisement campaign which gave a free Oak decoder to anyone
buying a subscription to the Cancom package for a period of one year.
Any comments?
Austin
adr...@panix.com
Robert Smathers
> I have a feeling that this is a misunderstanding. Since Cancom sells
> their services to the public and since no digital receiver is available
> to the public until at least Spring 95 with the exception of some of the
> DBS services, I suspect what really will be happening to CFTM is that they
what says Cancom can't make a S.A., G.I. Digicipher I, CLI Spectrumsaver,
TV COMM video compreesion system available for rent with a subscription
to a Cancom package?
I can see them (Cancom) going compressed in August -- space on the
Anik isarce and I can see Cancom sending out boxes for rent so
their customers can get the digital stuff.
Very possible!
Robert
rob...@triton.unm.edu
Gary Torrens
>Very possible!
>Robert
>rob...@triton.unm.edu
Just to add to the mix....this article was in Satellite Journal Itl a few weeks
ago. I think it might clear up some questions.
Gary
------------------------------------------------------
Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. (Cancom) plans to offer viewers in
western Canada network television signals coming from Seattle and Minneapolis in
addition to those currently from Detroit.
Cancom has applied to add KCTS-TV (PBS), KING-TV (NBC), KOMO-TV (ABC) and
KIRO-TV (CBS) from Seattle and KARE-TV (NBC) and WCCO-TV (CBS) from Minneapolis
to the eight television signals it now makes available to cable
systems across the country.
The Seattle signals would be added for cable affiliates rates in British
Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories via a Vancouver uplink to
the satellite. The Minneapolis signals would go to cable systems in
Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
"Cable television operators in these areas of Canada may prefer to have access
to television signals that are within their community of interest, and for the
first time this becoming economically viable,"say Cancom President and CEO Alain
Gourd.
The viability comes from digital video compression .
The move is part of Cancom's pledge to meet the U.S. multi-channel "deathstar"
challenge head-on by giving its cable television affiliates more choices than
are currently available from any source under the Canadian broadcasting system,
and
access to signals that are more regionally relevant.
Cancom will not increase rates for its existing services to meet the cost of
introducing digitly-compressed signals, says Mr. Gourd. Digital decoders will
be provided free to all cable systems with fewer than 1,000 subscribers that
take the Seattle and Minneapolis signals. Cable affiliates of BC-based BCTV
and Edmonton-based CITV be given free decoders to accommodate compression of
their signals. BCTV and CITV are two of the eight signals Cancom currently
distributes via satellite to remote ad undeserved communities.
The alternative signals could be available as early as January 1995 if the CRTC
approves these applications.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
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* In each issue:
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+Sufflebird (latest changes)
Austin Dridge
The problem is that there is no such decoder on the market right now
and will not be until at least the spring. If they plan on releasing rental
version plus convert all of the cable headends, they have an awfully short
time to do it in especially since there are thounsands of subscribers
involved. Even if they could do it, why launch the recent (2 to 3 month old)
ad campaign offering free decoders to all new subscribers with a one year
subscription. There are possible consumer and pr relations problems here
that might develop.
Austin
rkob...@vmsmail.gov.bc.ca
I re-read the FAX from CFTM very very carefully and it says clearly that they
will return to Anik in August and that Telesat/CanCom will digitialize their
signal at that time. SInce we listen to CITE radio in our house I was very
concerned about loosing this programme. I looked thru the SSSVC last night
and found no example of an ASC on a Compressed transponder so I guess I am
out of luck at that time!
I sent a number of eMAILs to telesat asking for some direction since I don't
plan on going digital till those receivers come out at a fair price
I guess 2 years from now???? So I asked them about the plans to compress
the Ku signals, chiefly Radio-Quebec and TQS, neither are part of CanCom.
Once (if) I hear back I'll post here.
On the related topic , so, in August their will be a restoral of the second
Anik (or at vary least a possible series of changes as to the way the T301
and Anik signals are located, with the possibility of some going digital)
I wonder if we can presume that with the two birds Anik would make one
bird 'digital' and the other 'analogue' ? I seriously doubt that at this time
the tax payer sponsored networks such as CBC/SRC/TV5/Access/Knowledge
(Radio Quebec???) will go digital, and that would apply to the Radio services
such as CBC/SRC/RFI and any subcarriers. So all I can hope is that CITE
switches to a non-compressed transponder. Which I doubt will happen :(
I know telesat people read this group so anyone want to comment?
We would all like the FUD to be cleared up ..
robert k
rwko...@bcsc02.gov.bc.ca
-speaking only for myself-
Robert Smathers
>
> Robert
> The problem is that there is no such decoder on the market right now
> and will not be until at least the spring. If they plan on releasing rental
there IS a decoder! Not a consumer one, but there are at least
3 commercial ones out. I know that Primestar is either renting or
giving a consumer rent-free a Digicipher I (with subscriptions to
Primestar, you get to use the Digicipher I to get the service).
I can EASILY see Cancom going digital soon (and renting or giving
free-use of decoders as long as the subscriber is subscribed to the
Cancom package).
On a related note, Gary Torren's posting of an item from a previous
SJI -- great for cable co's, but it makes me wonder what is going
to be done for individuals. time will tell, I guess.
Robert
rob...@triton.unm.edu
Austin Dridge
Aren't the commercial decoders much more expensive than the consumer
models? If you were Cancom and had the choice of using commerical decoders
now or waiting 6 to 18 months for a consumer model, wouldn't it be
better to wait for economical reasons? Remember Primestar has much fewer
subscribers that Cancom and doesn't have to deal with the cable headends
either? Also why the sudden change, only two months ago it was posted
that Cancom did not plan to go digital until the end of 95? This information
fits with the free decoder (Oak) campaign that is going on now in Canada.
Austin
adr...@panix.com
rkob...@vmsmail.gov.bc.ca
in August and that they deliver their signal to Telesat in Analogue but as part
of Cancom they will see their signal digitalized, possibly as early as August.
Question (sorry this is a newbie question) will the Radio signals CITE and CKAC
be affected as well? Gary you know?
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