Bev Testing MPEG4

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I agree with another poster: it's an insurance issue, not Telesat nor Bell ExpressVu. What DOES impact Bell is the inability to use those 8 faulty (out of 32) transponders and spend three years moving semi-retired space junk / used satellites into position to share an orbit for pack-up. That has meant Bell lost a lead it might have had had Nimiq 2 actually worked out of the gate.

But Bell did find an alternative and the point is HD grew much faster than their business plan and hence the current dilemma: tight satellite space and not a single customer with an MPEG-4 receiver.
 
I am not certain, but it's my understanding that -- except for TMN/MC -- as national TV providers -- both Star Choice and Bell ExpressVu are obligated to deliver "locals and French services" equally and nationally. I don't think they are allowed to provide Dawson Creek in Western Canada and Riviere-du-loup in Eastern Canada as a "trade off". But I could be wrong.
 
From another site on the matter:


This seems a little low to me, but I suppose it's possible if they didn't know what they were doing.

It's MY understanding that 8PSK yields a 50% gain while MPEG4 yield a 100% gain and both would yield 300%.

Any other guru's or those in the biz care to comment?


In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice...but in practice...
 
Not exactly. MPEG2 channels can be flagged as MPEG4. Dish Network is already doing this. They don't have many (if any) true MPEG4 channels but flag some MPEG2 channels as MPEG4 to make people upgrade receivers to get those channels. I think they charge $200 for the upgrade. They also won't activate any MPEG2 only receivers, essentially turning them into doorstops (or EV refurbs.) I wonder if EV will start doing the same once MPEG4 receivers are available. They can then refurb the old 9200s with new MPEG4 motherboards and rent them out. :eek:
 
Bev can come up with the capacity if they need to. Maybe they can ditch one of the 31-32 PPV that they have wasting space (my personal opinion after being with BEV for 4 years and never once ordering a PPV movie). Or how about the Red Carpet Vu channels.

It all comes down to a basic business decision. If scaling back PPV capacity in exchange for new MPEG4 HD channels is expected to further the business compared to doing nothing, I would fully expect they do something along those lines. But then again, it wouldn't be the first time that a major corp did something completely stupid.

Regardless of how stupid some may think Bev is, they have plans for growing the service based on the expected available capacity. I wouldn't expect thtem to tip their hand to the public (and their competitors) as to what the future plans are.

A lot of people here would like some reassurances as to what they're doing in the future to service their customers. But as has been mentioned before, the people on this forum are a very small fraction of their subscriber base. Most of their subs are completely unaware of the different technologies, nor do they care. Therefore, Bev is likely only to let their plans be known once things will start affecting a significant number of subs.
 
I think exactly the opposite. If 8PSK is going to be available early next year to a Commercial unit, it stands to reason they must be transmitting 8PSK.!!!!

Otherwise why even mention it.?

There will be 3 different models of Commercial Receiver, all capable of 8PSK Decryption.

DEV666, I was commenting on the fact that it appears 8PSK was going to be transmitted by Express Vu early next year and asking if it was compatible with MPEG2 so I see no reason for the "In Context" reference.
 
This is correct. Although with it being unencrypted, someone with a FTA card can look at with with TSREADER and see that its a h.264 (Mpeg 4 signal) and since its not encoded they can also see the color bars that they are sending. For what its worth if its a psuedo MPEG2 channel with its headers changed so that only mpeg4 receivers can see it, TSREADER can still tell you if its MPEG2 or h.264 MPEG4Not really, they just pop a MPEG4 encoder in the rack and they are good to go. In fact the MPEG4 encoders look like MPEG2 encoders. I am told besides this step there is nothing more sat casters need to do to broadcast in MPEG4. (Its not like it needs a special transponder, uplink equipment or anything else) when its sent out to the satellite its just data bouncing off of it, it hads no idea what its bouncing] Not really, other places can slowly convert over when MPEG4 public broadcasts begin. Here in the states we went through this already with Dish Network and are now going through it with DirecTV. He if you want the new MPEG4 channels you can upgrade, if you dont want them then keep using the hardware you already have. No really they can keep all the MPEG2 channels in MPEG2 and launch new channels in MPEG4 they have the room for it. Then in the future they can start moving a few channels over to MPEG4. Here is the states Dish Network is doing that on August 15th as they will be converting the VOOM HD channels from MPEG2 to MPEG4. Rome was not built in a day my friend. :) You need to start somewhere.At the moment they are only testing, and when its time to turn on MPEG4 the mpeg2 is not just going to stop working overnight. Again look at what Dish Network and DirecTV are doing here in the states. This is the roadmap that ExpressVu will be following.Not really "Show stoppers" at all.
 
I don't have FTA box or dish hooked up any more , since the channels I used to watch are not free anymore.The FTA box that I still have in my garage is about 8 years old and I can not use it to steal tv even if I wanted.You know as well as every body else that most of FTA receivers are used to pirate BEV or DN , and the real FTA almost does not exist.
 
This is looking more likely of a scenario with the new owners. Investing in the "last mile" infrastructure that supports IPTV also allows more penetration for other interactive services such as video phones, robust (powered from the CO) VoIP and other IP based services that one can think off that needs carrier grade availability.
 
I don't completely agree. I imagine that the money paid out from an insurance claim doesn't cover the incremental cost of the ground infrastructure and operations of an additional co-located satellite. Nor would it necessarily cover the total cost of buying a replacement/interim backup.

My point it basically that future satellites to replace the existing ones don't necessarily mean that BEV will see additonal operating costs. Unless I'm mistaken in my understanding of the relationship between BEV and Telesat in that Telesat owns the satellites and leases the capacity to BEV.

My assumption is based primarily on the fact that Telesat only lists the Aniks and the Nimiqs on their website. If the Nimiqs were owned by BEV and only operated by Telesat, I would expect to see the XM satellites, the MSATs, Wildblue 1 and DTV-1R all llisted on their website as well since these are all customer owned satellites that Telesat operates.
 
I'm saying that when I visit a place that has one of those new HD FTA units and I see MPEG4 720p and MPEG4 1080i on DN and the usual 720p & 1080i MPEG2 on BEV, these new testing signals show up as 720i, which totally is NOT part of ANY ATSC specification for HiDef?

That's why I'm very suspicious of Bev's testing.
 
Scott, I know who you are. It's just the fact that here at the Digital Home, we all know BEV's broken promises, lies, cover ups and unsavory business practices. I and many others have a hard time believing that MPEG4 will be ready within only 2-3 months when testing has only just stared. How long did it take Dish/DirecTV to get MPEG4 right? The fact that the encoder is displaying "720i" either means that HDlite is on its way or they do not know how to configure the encoder properly, but a lot can change in a few months.
I know you're an insider and have an excellent track record. Chances are MPEG4 will be rocky if released in the fall.
 
Wonder if they plan something in December, when the Free Preview of Showcase and Nat Geo HD stop...?
 
Mike,
Normally I'd hope you are correct.
Competition and choice always benefit the consumer.
But when this particular player has caused so much loss for the entire industry with the ineffective handling of piracy and disdain for their well paying customers, that I can't help but believe we'd all be better off without her.

Bev Fan: Go back and re-read my carefully crafted statement, I said WITH not FOR. Big difference.:eek:

And IF their employees and agents and installers are negative towards them, then it's probably for the same reason the growing ranks of customers are.
They have a serious systemic problem throughout.
 
No need for personal insults. I've not issued any. And will not.



I have not said they will; I have said that is among the few choices they have at this time. It is the path Star Choice took for 8PSK migration and there are very good reasons to applaud it. Efficiency, for one. If Bell takes that route they need to prepare for about 24 months -- mid-2009.



This is absolutely true and a path NOT open to Bell ExpressVu because the two satellites they have available are (essentially) maxed out. They don't have the luxury of dual MPEG-2/MPEG-4 delivery. So they must take the unilateral REMOVAL of existing services (like Premium Sports aka NFL Sunday Ticket or TMN/Movie Central HD channels or French channels) from MPEG-2 and converting to MPEG-4 whether the subscriber wants to move or not.



Yes, but Bell ExpressVu doesn't HAVE any MPEG-4 receivers yet (for sale to the public anyway) and NOT A SINGLE ExpressVu customer on July 22nd has an MPEG-4 receiver from Bell; the company isn't promising them till Q4; and my point was all of these "show-stoppers" leave 2009 the effective date of an HD MPEG-4 change-over. You disagree on the date, apparently, but not on the path to get there.



Exactly. And what will Teacher's and Providence have done with Bell ExpressVu 24 months from now (since Bell is still perhaps 6 months from starting to do anything)? Will it be Shaw ExpressVu by them? or CanWest ExpressVu?
 
Yea that might make sense, we can't really be sure though.... Because what about all the old customers with HD boxes that only support MPEG2 HD?
 
I doubt they will be broadcasting early next year. The receivers are not even available yet and all existing commercial HDTV models would need to be swapped out first.
 
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