THE BEST and WORST of TVRO 1995 (by the rec.video.satellite.tvro readers) -=-=-= Robert Smathers (roberts@nmia.com): BEST: - Ariane and Atlas enjoying perfect launch records for 1995. - G3R, T402R launches successful - the Cancom services on Anik E1 C-band going ITC so I could watch them and grab airchecks before they went into video compression - C-band remained strong with analog video and backhauls -- not many services I enjoy or watched went video compressed - OJ TV -- was pretty good at major times in the trial - not losing too many SCPC signals that I liked -- in fact, I lost one of my favorite ones but it came back towards the end of the year - the best thing is the fact that BUD is the thing to have during big news stories -- my big time favorite ones of the year are the OJ verdict, record hurricane season, Oklahoma City bombing - my favorite DBS event was the launch of Echostar-1 and the upcoming Echostar system -- it brings competition to the arena and I think only the strong will survive the race of the many DBS systems (Echostar, DSS, Alphastar, Expressvu, etc). WORST: - T302, T303, GSTAR-2 added to the ranks of inclined orbit satellites - Galaxy 3 going end of life -- it was a great satellite for occ video in the last few months of it's life - Pro sports more and more using fiber for backhauls (or encrypting backhauls) -- I guess I'm starting to like college sports more and more because of this trend to my favorite Pro sports (baseball, basketball, football). - Digitization of Canadian services (hits me more for losing my audio services than for the video being lost) -=-=-= >From robert@softy.softwords.bc.ca Thu Dec 28 21:12:36 MST 1995 in keeping with traditions of years past here are my personal thoughts on the best and worst of '95 with an eye towards 1996... Best of TVRO 1995 * NTV * The arrival of new powerful C and Ku birds * Gary B and RobertS and Mike and all the other 'dish heads' who keep this place alive! * the arrival of a DBS only group whichg makes the r.v.s.tvro group more readable! Worst of 1995 * the increasing use of digital encryption on Anik and.. * the loss to us in the west of TVO/TFO your thoughts are most welcome robert@softwords.bc.ca -=-=-=- >From mrdraves@nexusprime.org Don't forget to add the wonderful NBA blackouts that TNT and the NBA are so proud of to the worst of 1995. -=-=- From: clifvid@sashimi.wwa.com (David J. Pelling) How about the NHL more or less ordering broadcast outlets to use fiber optics for their backhauls. -=-=- From: michaelr@michaelr.com (Mike Reynolds) Both Best and Worst Judge Ito turning off microphones to media pool Court TV at Camp OJ turning off microphones between live shots Court TV turning itself off The building watch from Oklahoma City Bite me Connie Chung from Oklahoma City Goodbye Connie Chung from New York City The Amanpour "log hut" from Tuzla The FCC telling John Malone at TCI that he can't have a free DBS sat. license The TV networks being sold. CNBC being sold to Bill Gates. Sister Spring disappearing into windy outer space Ernest Zundel also disappearing into windy outer space. Laser disk video quality ala DSS T402 going into multi-piece orbit Apstar non-orbit blame game Congressional bill pending to "deregulate" monopoly cable prices Netlink starts turning off C band network subscribers while DSS network subscribers remain unchallenged Tech Talk Network goes silent Now some predictions: The CNN Tuzla log hut will become a refugee shelter The Clinton promised "swift and certain" OKC bombing trial drags into 1997. Consumer digicipher receiver production canceled Amwaystar/Expressvue receiver production canceled EchoStar receiver production scaled back Dr. Gene Scott sued for palomony Tech Talk Network finally returns Satellite Watch News office raided Best receiver flame reignites in Homesat Howard Stern/Kathy Lee Gifford PPV special Brad the Impaler returns to Homesat after completing the FM-10's he contracted to build Gary Bourgois receives a Buddist seasonal greeting card from Blair Gary Bourgois receives a lifetime subscription to Monitoring Times from Bob Grove Summer temperature hits 80 in Marquette . Gary Bourgois says I'm moving North. Robert Smathers gets married and sells only dish to buy wife a DSS system. Videocipher hack forecast to hit dealer inventory in just two more weeks michael r. may all your new years be rockin'! and remember - it's only television -=-=-=-=-= From: roblaura@erinet.com (roblaura@erinet.com) My vote for one of the best things about TVRO in 1995 is the arrival of The Idependent Film Channel! Wonderful films and shorts that can't be seen anywhere else.....and at a VERY low subscription rate! -- [roblaura@erinet.com] -=-=-= From: stevenk@access.mountain.net The Best of 95 Successful launch of two new birds NTV on Anik E2 TTN here in Cyberspace 2 more weeks going into 12 more months Worst of 95 Anik E1 going dark as channels go digital Telstar 402R Court TV Predictions for 96 GI announces that it will be the first quarter of '97 before Digicipher II is released. Gary B. has a severe case of stress from all the Canadian channels going digital and now sits around watching nothing but CABLE TVEEE ! The 2 week wait for a plus break turns into a 2 more months wait. The Satellite Watch News goes "LEGIT" ! Dan Morgan begins selling Satellite Programming Michael R. is audited by the IRS and goes down for Tax Evasion ! FNL returns to Satellite on Anik E1. then two weeks later... Anik E1 spins out of control and is lost forever. Netlink says Happy New Year by sending it's entire database to every network so you can be challenged for watching ABC, CBS & NBC. Expressvu is a failure Direct Tv is hacked to the point where they turn off the signal to the 18" dish. Happy New Year ! -=-=-=-=- From: no6b@no6b.jpl.nasa.gov (Robert Dengler) Not exactly sat. related but tech. related: Windows '95 doesn't catch on (if ever) until it's already obsolete ('96) ..and this prediction's easy: Basil basset bingo bids bye bye. Bob -=-=-=-=- From: kucharsk@netcom.com (William Kucharski) Best of 1995 ============ * Telstar 402R successfully brought on-line * Galaxy IIIR successfully launched * OJ Backhauls (what "nothing on KU?") * Watching OKC bombing coverage deteriorate massively once the networks showed up * NTV * KJAZ goes non-compressed * BFBS's Tuzla humor ("Turn down the blue helmets, guys.") * Half-hearted attempt to promote C band via the Thanksgiving Free View Preview * TTN Cybergeek gateway opens ("This MUST sound better, it's digital") * Watching the Chinese blow up another one ("We have malfunction, goodnight!") * Christianne live from the "log hut" (Watch the cameraman panic if it even looks like he might get a shot of her with a cigarette) * Watching Digicipher fall flat on many of its promises Worst of 1995 ============= * Telstar 402 goes boom (or was that 1994?) * Transponder shortage, prompting: * Most Canadian broadcasters announce they're going digital * NTV announces THEY TOO are going digital in 1996 * Court TV goes digital * KJAZ dies * TTN disappears temporarily * Half-hearted attempt to promote C band via the Thanksgiving Free View Preview * Watching Digicipher fall flat on many of its promises (at least if GI were best, there would be ONE digital video standard rather than at least four). Most Entertaining News of 1995 ============================== * Doc Scott's divorce * Doc Scott's harem (I'm waiting for "Talk to the ladies. 1-900-DOC-SCOTT, $3.95/minute. Git on the telephone!) * Court TV goes digital. Nope, they're back. They're gone. They're back... * DSS folks asking for more channels, better service, etc. * DSS infomercial, where they compare analog video to rotary phones * TCI getting their DBS license yanked * Super Ice down to $50 (for a "15" degree LNB; of course Cal Amp now has a legit 17 degree...) * The gold panning business must be REALLY good, as the Outdoor Channel finds a home on Telstar 402 -- | William Kucharski | Opinions expressed herein | Internet: kucharsk@netcom.com | are MINE alone, NOT those of | Ham: N0OKQ | of NETCOM. | President, "Just the Ten of Us" Fan Club | "Dittos from Louisville, CO" -=-=-= end of file -=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Robert Smathers "Keeper of THE `bible'" (roberts@nmia.com) Albuquerque, NM Robert's Satellite TV/Baseball page: http://www.nmia.com/~roberts/ Sky-Scanner Extraordinaire! Proud owner, 2 of (by far!) TODYWEN! Satellite Services Guide Manager & Co-Monitor, SATELLITE TIMES magazine