Why is it that.....

[MurrayD99]

I am mystified.... :confused: In the Real World, I understand you can go buy a dish and a decoder (any brand you want) and then view any and all free channels that are available from nearby (?) satellites plus those you decide to subscribe to. There are satellite tv magazines... a million channels...

Downunder, you get Sky and you get your decoder from Sky. Well that is a whole lot better that terrestrial broadcast TV, but I want to access more... get the cricket in Toronto... Le Tour from Paris... whatever...

Could you buy a standard commercial decoder from offshore and set it up - watch whatever is occurring....?

Why don't we have the same choice? Is this a well-kept secret or is there a fundamental problem?

[silentC]

Yeah I think the dishes have trouble picking up a signal through the Earth's crust

I think we have one or two satellites down here that we share with parts of Asia? Not sure. Anyway, I guess we just don't have as much space junk up there as the yanks and Europeans do...

[attie]

"I am mystified.... :confused: In the Real World, I understand you can go buy a dish and a decoder (any brand you want) and then view any and all free channels that are available from nearby (?) satellites plus those you decide to subscribe to. There are satellite tv magazines... a million channels... "
I think that once was the case up to about 5 years ago, then the powers to be who own the satellites installed security and you need an unlocking code supplied by the people who use the satellite to gain access to the products. Yes, we do share one main satellite with Asia, note the direction that Austar dishes face.
You're right in saying "the real world", we're so far behind to rest that it's a disgrace. We have the slowest broadband, the worst mobile coverage and when you see the programs on offer by Austar and Foxtel, they're not worth watching, who wants to watch repeat after repeat

[bitingmidge]

You're right in saying "the real world", we're so far behind to rest that it's a disgrace. We have the slowest broadband, the worst mobile coverage and when you see the programs on offer by Austar and Foxtel, they're not worth watching, who wants to watch repeat after repeat

It's a bit sad when the state of advancement of a nation is measured by the number of television channels it can receive.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!

P

[MurrayD99]

It's a bit sad when the state of advancement of a nation is measured by the number of television channels it can receive.

WAKE UP PEOPLE!

P

Just an indicator Midge... we also count the number of empties....

[Flowboy]

Well, having lived in the U.S of A for nearly five years and having cable, the phrase
"67 channels and nothing on" really hits home.
Also, I can't believe the cost of cable over here and you may as well include phone charges and internet access as well.
AT&T give you unlimited downloads on dial up, no other contracts required for US$25.00/ month.
No line rentals ever (same in NZ)
Cable was $35.00 for 50 odd channels, including SciFi with all day StarTrek shows! Now that's civilization!!

[Iain]

There is a lot of free to air on satellite, you can buy a decoder, there are any number of shops that sell them, you may need a C band dish which is considerably larger than a K band, and it may receive K band too.
Unfortunately a lot of the material is foreign but the Italians love the South American satellites for 24 hour soccer.
Somewhere in Asia there are a lot of God botherers who pump out heaps of save your soul, if that is your thing.
Setting up can be tricky if you don't know what you are doing and you may need to move between satellites depending upon what you want to see.
A lot of channels are short term so what you may like today may not be there tomorrow.

[silentC]

when you see the programs on offer by Austar and Foxtel

They're nearly all American!!

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Maybe all the foilies are wreaking havoc on their xmissions?

[MurrayD99]

Maybe all the foilies are wreaking havoc on their xmissions?

Probably.... But listen.... why shoot the reindeer? What they do that gave you grief? Did the xmissions drive'm berserk and threaten the mission? Ahhhhhh Soddit! Merry Xams...

[bsrlee]

Reindeer burger, Reindeer steak, reindeer in Thai green curry............