# Big Dish loses analog HBO



## Doug E (Jul 6, 2002)

I am not sure this is the forum for this, but this article points up the not-so-gradual loss of programming on the BUD..

"HBO and Cinemax Analog Signals Discontinued. C-band analog VideoCipher II Plus (VCII Plus) satellite TV feeds for HBO 2—East , HBO2—West, MoreMax--East and HBO Signature—East, that were on S4 (4DTV W4) channels 10, 12, 17 and 19 respectively, have stopped transmitting. The four services are still available via digital C-band 4DTV channels. HBO 2—East is on G1, 103. HBO2—West is on G1, 105. MoreMax--East is on G1, 127. HBO Signature—East is on G1, 106. A 4DTV satellite receiver or add-on 4DTV sidecar decoder and a subscription to a 4DTV programming package that offers 4DTV HBO and Cinemax channels is now required to tune in the digital C-band 4DTV feeds of HBO 2—East, HBO2—West, MoreMax--East and HBO Signature—East."


----------



## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

Wow, my dad is going to go into HBO withdrawal. That was the main reason they were hanging with their BUD. I smell another Dish customer soon.


----------



## jgerow (Apr 12, 2004)

Don't expect a mass exodus to the little dishes -- all digital programming is not compressed equally -- E*, D*, and V* are clearly blurry. (aka Convenient yes, gourmet no).

There are many more HBO, etc. feeds on BUD. And with the 1 yr comitments, the hardware upgrades are very reasonably priced... (e.g. have your father check the NPS promotions).

[ypsiguy: if your father does upgrade, you may be asking him if you can "borrow the 4DTV remote".]


----------



## Doug E (Jul 6, 2002)

Also, I just read that the "Outdoor Channel" (now in the clear in analog) is going digital (doesn't say if it will be 4DTV or not). You are soooo correct about the quality difference. I recently moved and had hoped I could set up my BUD here, but I learned that the line of sight needed for the birds I need is not there. Bummer. I have gone to DISH.


----------



## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

jgerow said:


> Don't expect a mass exodus to the little dishes -- all digital programming is not compressed equally -- E*, D*, and V* are clearly blurry. (aka Convenient yes, gourmet no).
> 
> There are many more HBO, etc. feeds on BUD. And with the 1 yr comitments, the hardware upgrades are very reasonably priced... (e.g. have your father check the NPS promotions).
> 
> [ypsiguy: if your father does upgrade, you may be asking him if you can "borrow the 4DTV remote".]


Nah, they don't want to spend the money on a 4DTV receiver. Plus my mom wants locals. I receive HBO via cable (Digicipher 2) and Dish. There is little difference between the two. Mpeg-2 ruins the picture just about equally. The cleanest pictures I still see out there is the old VC II + picture, or undigitized FTA, but those will soon be gone. Looks like they may still have HBO-East and HBO-West on G5. If they do, then Dad will still be happy.
:lol:


----------



## Steveox (Apr 21, 2004)

Remember 15 years ago there was a satellite protester who called himself "Captain Midnight"? He disrupted the HBO signal and protested this message 
" $15.00 a month?
NO WAY!
Showtime and cinemax 
BEWARE! 

So we need another satellite prostester to disrupt and jam Dish & Direct tv signals.


----------



## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

Good grief.... Anyway, I'll bet u can't name the movie that was playing when Captain Midnight interrupted HBO... I believe the price wasn't $15, but $12.95.
It was a movie that a right-winger like u would enjoy, Steveox.


----------



## Steveox (Apr 21, 2004)

ypsiguy said:


> Good grief.... Anyway, I'll bet u can't name the movie that was playing when Captain Midnight interrupted HBO... I believe the price wasn't $15, but $12.95.
> It was a movie that a right-winger like u would enjoy, Steveox.


I cant remember the movie but youre tright $12.95 My bad.


----------



## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

The movie was one of my favorites, "Falcon and the Snowman".


----------



## rtt2 (Jan 27, 2003)

You can upgrade cheap to 4DTV (Digital) from NPS. Here is the offer from their website:

"BEST PRICE EVER on 4DTV Digital Receiver!
NPS and HBO have joined to offer the best 4DTV Digital Receiver price EVER! This special offer of $399.99 is half off the retail price of $799.99. To take advantage of this offer, you just sign up for a 1 year subscription to HBO/Cinemax and you save $400 on the 4DTV unit. Because you get 50% off the retail price, there has never been a better time to go digital.

The future of C-Band is in digital programming. Don't get left behind. Call now! NPS is working for C-Band Every Day. This special $399.99 offer is the lowest price in the industry. NPS, Your One Call Solution. Call 1-800-786-9677 to order your 4DTV Digital receiver and the HBO/Max Combo package today."

http://www.callnps.com/offers.htm

http://www.callnps.com


----------



## JohnH (Apr 22, 2002)

The Outdoor channel digital is Mpeg2/DVB FTA and is on the same transponder as the Analog signal. They have East and West digital feeds.


The "sidecar" was a better deal about 1.5 years ago. Only cost about $129 then with no commitment.

The deal they are offering assumes you have a BUD already and if you have a BUD you likely have an analog receiver. A deal on a "sidecar" would be nice, but they seem to have gone out of site on price.

Up until about a month ago, I was able to watch GoodLife TV on my "sidecar" for free. Now I can't even find a vender who offers the channel even though it is still up there.

BTW: DMX Audio channels are free on 4dtv.


----------



## fstanga (Jun 5, 2004)

I have a 4dtv receiver and remote with card in ,it has been gathering dust since i wen't to a dish 6000 two years ago. I was only using it for Denver locals. would swap for something
fstanga


----------



## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

Well, I've got more bad news for BUD owners - THREE more analog feeds are going digital only: (from CED magazine)

-Lifetime East analog signal will be terminated on 10/6/04 & go digital only using SA PowerVu. (which means, you can't get it even with a 4DTV unit)  The west feed is already digital with SA as well.

-A&E & History Channel east feeds are going digital as well, again with SA PowerVu. (no access for 4DTV units) The west feeds of both are already SA digital. 
History goes dark 12/15/04 & A&E goes dark 6/15/05


----------



## reedl (May 10, 2002)

Analog transmission of feeds is going away simply for one reason, and that is money. In the space that a single analog channel can be transmitted (A whole transponder costs at least $80,000 per month), they can transmit with the same (or better) quality at least 6 digital channels.

Reedl


----------



## robfwb (Jul 11, 2004)

More and more analog is vanishing. Our audio channel on AMC 7 is still around (thank god) but within two years or so there will be NO more analog out there.

Rob

http://www.cband.info


----------



## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

The BUD subscribers keep dwindling making the business model no longer feasible. At this point the only distribution channel with less subscribers is Voom.


----------



## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

BobMurdoch said:


> At this point the only distribution channel with less subscribers is Voom.


And it is just a matter of months before that service is shut down.

A sidenote: Some cable systems have removed all the premium channels from their analog tier. Many more are planning on removing them in the next few years.


----------



## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

Many have resisted ditching their cable boxes because they preferred using the tuners in their TVs to change channels. CableCards may fix this over the next few years, but I am still surrised by just how many people (mailnly senior citizens) who plug the coax into the back of their TVs and leave it at that......


----------



## Mike123abc (Jul 19, 2002)

BobMurdoch said:


> The BUD subscribers keep dwindling making the business model no longer feasible. At this point the only distribution channel with less subscribers is Voom.


Well the BUD business model really does not cost that much. The channels are already being uplinked for all the cable/DBS companies anyways. The subscriber foots the bill for the dish/LNB/receivers anyways. The only real cost is the cost of maintaining the subscription access list. The technology is what has really killed BUD... You have to buy an expensive setup, have only one channel at a time and have to move the dish between channels, etc.


----------



## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

What Mike said.


----------



## robfwb (Jul 11, 2004)

You can screw charlie back you know. Just get the right equipment dishes aiimed on al of his birds the right firmware and walla it works. This was discussed in our chat room a few weeks ago.

Rob

http://www.robfwb.com - come and join our chat.


----------



## Bill R (Dec 20, 2002)

robfwb said:


> You can screw charlie back you know. Just get the right equipment dishes aiimed on al of his birds the right firmware and walla it works. This was discussed in our chat room a few weeks ago.
> 
> Rob


I'll be glad when DISH goes to Nagra 2 and you crooks will have to find something else to steal.

Do you steal your gas and electricity too?


----------



## Cheyenne (Apr 23, 2002)

Sorry, but analog satellite is quickly becoming history. This is just the start.
No longer a feasable business plan. I work for a major movie sub service and we also will be dropping analog uplink soon. There are just too few subs to make it profitable.
Most BUD customers will simply go DBS.


----------



## dishrich (Apr 23, 2002)

FYI - TLC has ads in this week's B&C & Multichannel News that their analog feeds are going away, too...


----------

