MPEG4 Transition - What does it mean for BEV subscribers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter I_Want_My_HDTV
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I dunno. By the time MPEG-4 programming is available, anyone who has a 3 or 4 year old 6000 HD receiver, and wants to stay with Bell, should be tempted by a Star Choice inspired type offer: $100 net for a shiny new Bell ExpressVu receiver and keep the old one for the rec room.



Bell, and Bell management, are in limbo during this period of shopping the company. Bell management tried to put closure on the deal: April to August -- but the reality is Bell has no control whatsoever on the process, who buys it, and under what terms. It is a public entitity, owned by thousands of shareholders, and no single individual or group has a final voice. To say nothing of the risk of federal government tinkering. Harper and his crew, and the CRTC and their crew, not to mention Dion/Layton/Duceppe and their crew, all have vested interests in "weighing in" on a decision on whether, and how, Bell is "sold".

Right now, there must be many talented folks at Bell, and Bell ExpressVu, thinking greener pastures exist at other satellite, telco or cable companies; or even in the US or Europe. This uncertainty will be ricocheting up and down management, senior and junior, and out in the field with critical vendors -- perhaps to Dish/EchoStar as well.

And how long before, whatever decision is made, can the company properly focus on its goals with a unified vision? Every week of this takeover nonsense rips at the heart of the company and it devalues its assets: personnel, ongoing projects, momentum. No one is suggesting that by June 15th the company buyout issues will be solved, settled, signed, sealed and delivered. I predict Bell will not "get its groove back" until at least 2009. And that's my generous, optimistic view on May 31, 2007.
 
EV has all transponders allocated at 91 and 82. (Note: EV does not have rights to all transponders at 82.) They may be able to squeeze in a channel or two by swapping channels between transponders. They could also get some extra space by going to 8PSK for HD but that would obsolete most of the 6000s in use (a very small number may have 8PSK modules.) They may even be able to get access to the currently unavailable transponders on 82 by paying to move the services to another slot (unlikely.) Renting some unused space at 72.5 and moving the French services to that location may be an option (*C did something similar.) That would require upgrading/repointing all customers with French services and would make those services difficult to receive on the west coast. None of these are very good options in themselves and some would be costly with only short term relief.

OTOH, *C/Shaw have survived until now with far fewer HD services than EV or Rogers. Even *C now realizes that they must deliver more HD to retain market share. I doubt that EV will be happy being relegated to the customer subscription level of *C. Now that EV has jacked up my programming costs by 20% in just one year, they need to jack up the level of service to match.
 
ditto to you murderotica
where are you pulling your info from?
if bell is capable, with current technology, to have 65 HD fulltime channels, why are they not broadcasting more HD?
 
I know so much about it because I was commisioned to write reports and direct video's on the subject matter for use by other TV distributors, Industry Canada, the CRTC, and programming providers to shed light an a very serious issue.

I take my responsibilities very seriously and am very good at what I do, so you can well imagine that in order to gain that type of first hand information one must.......have a clear understanding of the techniques and technologies employed.

Needless to say, the receivers of this material were rather flabbergasted to learn that when Bell said, "oh, it's just a few pirates stealing a few PPV's" and saw for themselves firsthand, that price pressures and lawsuits started in earnest.

Since I was closely associated at the time with a major TV distributor, in spite of mounting industry losses, I can't help but find a perverse pleasure for all those watching TV while millions pay for it knowing they could at the time have closed the door, now I sincerely doubt the door will ever be closed except by Bev closing their doors, and thats always a possibility.
 
This is just EV corporate policy, i.e. Treat your your employees like $#!^ and your customers like mushrooms... Do you think the people who run the company care about anything but the bottom line?

It is now fairly certain, due to a leak of an internal document, that little or no new HD will be available until 2009. It's not even worth waiting for the new MPEG4 receivers because they will be useless until 2009. Maybe EV can park a couple of old E* satellites at 72.5 to add HD or go to 8PSK. Going to 8PSK might help a bit but it still won't let them keep up with cable. I guess I will trade my 9200 for a cable PVR or sell it on eBay. IMHO, EV has just priced their failing technology out of the market.
 
the "truth" isn't bad...the way the original article was posted was bad, hence why BEV wanted it pulled...if 20,000 customers hold of adding HD to their packages, in hopes of an "MPEG4" receiver in a few months, that is millions of lost revenue for the company...that is a needless loss, as MPEG4 isn't slated until 2009, and the hardware, while perhaps talked about a summer release, isn't actually going to be launched until sometime in Q4...what BEV doesn't want is people needlessly waiting for a service they can easily obtain right now.


the article clearly mentions new receivers are due out in Q4, and BEV has always been committed to being a leader in HD (the amount of HD coverage BEV offers, combined with its business units is proof of that, like TSNHD)...to say that there will be "little HD added until 2009" is false, as you don't know what channels are in the works for launch...if you do, please provide a link.


not sure why they would have a hard time retaining those customers...AIO customers will get their hardware swapped out at no cost when MPEG4 comes to fruition...also, considering there are numerous SD AIO customers now, in a couple of years, many of these customers will be able to take HD hardware, but keep their SD rental pricing (as part of the FutureTech Ready program that is included in AIO service)...again, nothing but opinion on that statement there.


not sure why you are mad about buying your hardware...you haven't had to pay rental fees on it over the years, and it was your choice to buy it anyway (you could always rent the hardware if you choose)...have you priced what $80/month gets with Rogers??...trust me, it doesn't go very far.
 
ya, why start at any point then? last year they launched 6100/9200, and they have loads in stock that they need to get through. the summer is a good time that they expect to get the new models in stock and prepared for shipping out. they are a business above all else. theyre not going to let tons of stock go to waste to start pushing out what may be mpeg4 capable receivers when most of the public doesnt understand the point of mpeg4 anyway
i think bells management is clueless half the time anyway
 
If only they were as zealous in the signal integrity department as they were to corporate leaks.

I smell another potentional PR nightmare for them over this one.
Seems they may have lost their footing and are faultering a bit more than usual lately.
 
No MPEG4, no new satellite until 2009 and the current transponders are full. Just how is EV going to add more HD? The fact that MMore HD, National Geographic HD and Showcase HD are MIA months after launch is one clue. EV has not typically been this slow to add new HD channels.


That option was not available to existing customers when the 9200 was released. ALL hardware was sold with no option to rent when I subscribed. My 6000 cost $800 when I subscribed and I had to pay for the hardware N2 upgrade out of my own pocket. I have over $2000 "invested" in EV equipment that will be obsolete in 2 years (or sooner in the case of the 6000.) That money was spent with the expectation that EV would remain the low cost leader in HD that it was then.


I was referring to the rumoured receiver upgrades for existing HD customers. It's amazing how EV will allow (or leak) rumours that will retain customers but forcefully quash any rumours that might keep them from unloading a few (soon to be obsolete) receivers. I don't doubt that top management was planning to obsolete the 9200 even as they initially went on sale almost two years ago. I guess a $million or two in the way of bonuses is more important than the millions they have cost customers with their actions.

Like I said, good luck retaining AIO customers. All they are looking at after two years is more receiver rental bills while other providers have enticing deals. Customers who own equipment are still looking to get more return out of their receivers after two years.
 
It was proposed to *C as well.

Actually they asked who made the little devils, Arcos, so who knows who's first if at all.
 
Could it be possible that when Nimiq 4 is launched and takes its position, at 82 degrees, I am assuming, this it will begin broadcasting MPEG4 signals.? This would give Bell the capability of using it for a "mirror" to its 2 current birds at 82 Degrees, Nimiq 2 & 4i, thus beginning the transition to MPEG4.

With Nimiq 4 in position and the gradual change over to MPEG4 we would then see the 2 older birds move on to new duties. Nimiq 2 to eventually replace Nimiq 1 @ 91 degrees and 4i could go back to a "Parking" orbit.

I believe that Nimiq 5 is to occupy 72.8 degrees when it is launched, which will complicate things even more...... This would then, I guess mean yet more complicated Dish's for reception of all 3 orbital locations. I think its the Dishnetwork, Dish 1000 that is used in the States.

I firmly believe that if Bell are launching new MPEG 4 receivers, which I know they are, then they must have something in the Datastream right now for there own "testing" purposes.... Well it makes sense to me anyway.

I will have to see if there is anything on Lyngsat........

Anyway, just my 2 cents......

Nimiq 1
 
For me, as a long term subscriber, I'll be very disappointed if i don't get a free reciever replacement, because they go to Mpeg 4.

My oldest rx is a 1000, still working. the basement has a 2700, still working.
I expect my 9200 to last 8 yrs as well.

But if i can no longer get the HD package i pay for, I might as well throw the 532.00 rx in the garbage and go with a different provider.

I expect there to be some interuptions for upgrades as the transition. But they better not cut me off!!

As for what will the transition to Mpeg 4 mean to the subscribers?, In the long run, we'll have more HD channels. Mpeg 4 takes up less than 1/2 the space for similar quality.
 
By reading you, it are not easy to be positive or negative in front of this situation (lack of space).

On are French site, Bell announces the next arrival of TVA and TQS HD (french station), RDS HD will be available in October, and EV has only 4 of the 7 french Astral HD station. Bell misses National Geographic HD and Showcase HD and need to add some English contents in HD for his customers in Canada.

With all the channels which will be available in HD in the next months, I cannot believe that Bell is going to remain crossed arms doing nothing.

Star Choice migrates to the technology 8PSK to add some contents HD.

In Quebec, Videotron is finalized the modernization of its network to offer some more of contents to his customers. Rogers offers a big selection of channels in HD.

Bell CANNOT wait in 2009 or 2010 to be able to offer more contents in HD.
 
Bell may have a harder time finding a sucker to buy the used mpeg2 HD boxes
Dishnet was lucky, dumping them off to their illiterate cousins to the north, for a tidy sum
I prefer Bell to Rogers, but recent events, have me (and I'm sure others) wondering if a switch may be in order, once the contract is up...
 
I wouldn't be surprised to see EV switch to 8PSK in the short term. It has the potential to supply up to 50% more HD channels. The big question is, what will they do with (or to :eek: ) the customers who own 6000s. There probably aren't a huge number of legit 6000s in service and replacing them with 6100s would not be a huge cost, especially considering all the refurbed 6100s EV will have after disgruntled AIO customers start returning them at end of contract. The 6000 is almost at end of life as a usable unit anyway. A lot of people are reporting reception glitches. This was a rock solid receiver a couple of years ago.

If any "insiders" know any better, let's hear about it. :rolleyes:
 
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