# My dream sat provider - HDTV Only



## scriabinop23 (Oct 8, 2002)

Is there a possibility?

Whats to stop some company from launching a satellite to start a subscription service to ONLY broadcast HDTV cable offerings, with at most perhaps only one set of east and west coast main network feeds (thats LA and NY).

It would be great - HBO, showtime, ESPN, food network, comedy central, etc. The best of the best. None of the countless garbage channels on these mainstream satellite providers.

One normal sized dish, and perhaps a receiver that includes OTA local HDTV network decoding seamlessly integrated with the over satellite program guide (no device and tuner switching necessary).

How much does it cost to launch a satellite and maintain the FCC licenses for an entire satellite?

It may eventually (maybe not now, but in a few years) be practical because of a few things:

1) OTA local channel markets with HDTV by 2007 ideally will be running at full power. Digital local stations have a significantly better range at the same broadcast power, and can potentially offer the best signal barnone once up to max spec. If you have a good HDTV sat. receiver designed to integrate local channels into the interface as if they were provided by the sat company, unlike current offerings, people would not demand local channels as much from their satellite provider.

Once OTA HDTV is running full power in a few years, most people in local markets will not care for HDTV via satellite.

2) E* and D* offer 90% garbage content and are sacrificing better quality offerings at the interest of the average non-discerning customer. Would they honestly trash garbage channels and locals to the middle of nowhere in favor more HDTV offerings?



Oh I can fantasize...


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

> It would be great - HBO, showtime, ESPN, food network, comedy central, etc. The best of the best. None of the countless garbage channels on these mainstream satellite providers.


Main problem is there is no ESPN, Food Net or CC HD channels. ESPN will be launching an HD channel next year though. Besides local channels, E* and D*, combined, have all the HD content that's out there, HBO, Showtime, HD Net and Discovery Theater. Besides ESPN, Mark Cuban will be launching 3 new HD Net channels sometime later this year or early next.


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## mnassour (Apr 23, 2002)

It was already tried, perhaps before its time. Do a Google search for:

"unity motion"


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

There was a company called Unity Motion that ran a HD Only BDS service. At the time there were hardly any HD owners so the company did not make it too long.

There use to be a website called http://www.unitymotionorphans.com that told the Unity Motion Story very well (I am not sure if the website is still up)


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## mjz (Jul 27, 2002)

Personally, I would be happy with a 480p widescreen service at this point. I hear that it compresses better then interlaced video, so I think that would a be a good start.


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