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Reprint of DVB News Itl.
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From: Gary Torrens <71165.2032@compuserve.com>
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Date: 13 Jul 96 00:16:00 EDT
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From owner-sat-na@tags1.dn.net Sat Jul 13 00: 17:43 1996
Satellite News from America
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This news is co-sponsored by TELE-satellit and Satellite Journal Itl.
The following is a reprint of of the latest issue of DVB News Itl.
DVB News International
Volume One
Issue Seven
July 1996
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UKFORUM Section 7 Satellites
CEVIDEO Section 5 DBS/DTH
News by Region:
World News Page 3
North America Page 4
Europe Page 7
Miscellaneous Page 8
Transponder Charts Page 9
International .......
Olympic coverage on PanAmSat
PanAmSat already has service agreements for more than
9,000 hours of full-time Olympic transmissions, plus more
than 500 hours of occasional broadcasts. "This summer,
PanAmSat is demonstrating its unparalleled ability to
deliver live coverage of sporting events for broadcasters
around the world," said Michael Antonovich, PanAmSat's vice
president and general manager, broadcast services. "While
June was a tremendous month for PanAmSat's broadcast
services department, the 1996 Summer Olympic Games look to
be the biggest single event in our 12-year history."
PanAmSat has agreements in place to provide more than a
dozen full-time satellite transmission paths of Olympic
coverage, including the multilateral "world feed" for OTI
members in Spain and Latin America. PanAmSat will provide
occasional services of Olympic coverage for broadcasters
around the world as well. On July 7, PanAmSat will open its
24-hour Olympics broadcast operations facility in Atlanta
that will provide rooftop camera positions, playback and
editing services and dedicated fibre optic links to
PanAmSat's teleport facility in Ellenwood, Georgia. The
Ellenwood facility provides direct transmissions access to
the PAS-1 and PAS-3 satellites. In addition, Ellenwood is
linked to PanAmSat's teleport in Sylmar, California, which
accesses the PAS-2 satellite.
PanAmSat's expanded satellite services for Uruguay
PanAmSat announced it has signed an agreement with
Montevideo Teleport International (MTI) to provide
international satellite transmission services for Zona
Franca De Montevideo, one of Latin America's largest free
trade zones. With the new agreement, MTI has tripled its
satellite capacity on PanAmSat's PAS-1 Atlantic Ocean Region
satellite for the transmission of telephone traffic, video
conferencing and data communications from MTI's teleport
facility in Montevideo, Uruguay.
"The MTI teleport is a vital communications link to one
of South America's largest and most productive free trade
zones," said Alvaro Gazzolo, PanAmSat's regional vice
president, Latin America. "This expanded PAS-1 service
enables companies conducting business in the region to
access state-of-the-art telecommunications services and, in
doing so, enhance their business capabilities and
productivity."
PanAmSat has provided MTI with PAS-1 satellite capacity
since 1993. The expanded PAS-1 service began July 1. The
MTI facility is located inside the Montevideo free trade
zone, which serves as a base of operations to many regional
and multinational companies. Through the expanded PAS-1
service, these companies are able to transmit a variety of
international signals over a wide geographic area, including
much of Latin America. In addition, transmissions from MTI
can be relayed through PanAmSat's teleport facility in
Homestead, Florida, which allows access to PanAmSat's global
satellite system.
APSTAR IA successfully launched from China
APSTAR IA, a U.S.-built satellite designed to carry
general communications traffic throughout much of Southeast
Asia, was successfully launched from the space centre at
Xichang, Sichuan Province, in south-western China. The HS
376 model satellite was built by Hughes Space and
Communications Company (HSC) of Los Angeles for APT
Satellite Company Ltd. of Hong Kong.
The rocket lifted off at 6:47 p.m. Beijing time (3:47
a.m. PDT, 10:47 a.m. GMT) and carried the satellite for
about 20 minutes to a parking orbit. Satellite controllers
have contacted APSTAR IA, and indications are that it is
operating normally.
Over the next few days, the spacecraft's own propulsion
system will be used to position it 22,300 miles (36,000 km)
above the equator. There it will undergo several weeks of
on-orbit testing before being put into service.
APSTAR IA will carry general communications traffic
such as voice, data and television signals across China,
Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and India.
It includes coverage for India that was not available on
APSTAR I. Another Hughes satellite built for ChinaSat, which
is part of China's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications,
is scheduled for launch on a Chinese Long March rocket in
August.
North America .......
Primestar To Support The American Red Cross
PRIMESTAR is on air with national broadcast television
and syndicated radio advertising supporting the Red Cross;
print advertising is appearing in national magazines such as
People, TV Guide and Sports Illustrated that highlights real
American heroes who have performed extraordinary feats as a
result of Red Cross training; and, PRIMESTAR is supporting
local Red Cross initiatives in dozens of markets across the
country through marketing promotions, radio and print
advertising and public relations support.
In each of the markets, PRIMESTAR and the Red Cross
will be teaming up to educate Americans about the importance
of Red Cross initiatives. For example, many cities are
staging outdoor health and sports events geared toward
family involvement. Other events include blood drives,
water safety education, CPR and disaster preparedness
classes.
AlphaStar Announces DTH Service To Start On July 1
AlphaStar Digital Television announced that it will
commence its consumer digital direct-to-home satellite
television service July 1, 1996.
"This is a tremendously exciting day for all of us at
AlphaStar," said Murray Klippenstein, President and CEO. "In
the 15 months since we announced our intentions to provide a
digital direct-to-home service, we have accomplished a
number of milestones that have considerably condensed the
time normally required to bring a digital service to
market."
AlphaStar will enter the burgeoning digital direct-to-
home business with up to 100 channels of audio and video
delivered from AT&T's 402R satellite, including an
introductory package of 90 channels for $29.99 per month.
TCI Plans Spin-Off Of DBS Satellite Business
TCI announced a tax-free spin-off of the company's
direct broadcast satellite subsidiary, TCI Satellite
Entertainment, Inc., to the holders of the company's TCI
Group common stock. The spin-off is anticipated to be
completed in the fourth quarter of this year.
At the time of the Distribution, TCI Satellite
Entertainment's assets and operations will include TCI's
20.86% interest in PRIMESTAR Partners, L.P., and PRIMESTAR
By TCI. Tempo Satellite, Inc., which holds TCI's high power
satellite interests, will also be owned by TCI Satellite
Entertainment. Netlink USA, a division of TCI's Liberty
Media Group that distributes television programming to C-
Band customers will not be included in the spin-off.
VLSI Technology to Provide Key Component to Hughes Network
Systems DSS
VLSI Technology, Inc. is collaborating with Hughes
Network Systems on the development and production of a key
component for the Hughes-brand DSS set-top box.
The Hughes Network Systems' Insight brand DSS home
receive equipment is the most recent entry into the fast
growing direct-to-home (DTH) satellite market. VLSI's key
component in this DSS set-top box performs the demodulation
and forward error correction functions.
"We're happy to be a part of Hughes' entry to bring
high-quality digital satellite television to the mass
market. This relationship underscores VLSI's position as a
leading supplier of silicon components, notably in
demodulation and forward error correction, to digital set-
top boxes serving the exploding consumer digital video
marketplace," said Paul Vroomen, vice president and general
manager of VLSI's consumer digital entertainment group.
"Reflecting on world-wide digital broadcast satellite
growth, we forecast the digital satellite set-top market
will continue to grow to five-million units in 1996 and add
10-million more units in 1997." Vroomen added.
EchoStar Communications adds Liberty Satellite Sports
EchoStar Communications Corp. announced they have
signed an agreement which will add all of the Liberty
Satellite Sports regional sports service to the DISH Network
programming lineup. The LSS regional sports networks feature
regional games from the NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball.
The LSS regional sports networks include Empire Sports
Network, Home Team Sports (HTS), Madison Square Garden
Network (MSG), Midwest Sports Channel (MSC), New England
Sports Network (NESN), Pro Am Sports System (PASS), Prime
Sports_Intermountain West, Prime Sports - KBL, Prime Sports
- Midwest, Prime Sports - Northwest, Prime Sports - Rocky
Mountain, Prime Sports - Southwest, Prime Sports - West,
SportsSouth, and Sunshine Network.
A two tiered launch of the LSS regional networks is
being evaluated with a fall launch of MSG, HTS, Sunshine,
SportSouth, PS-Southwest, PS-West, PS-KBL, and PS-Rocky
Mountain. The remaining seven networks will be added on
DISH Network upon launch of EchoStar II, slated for this
autumn. Pricing and packaging of Liberty Satellite Sports
Networks will be announced at a later date.
The Three Tenors live on U.S. Satellite Broadcasting PPV
USSB will present Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and
Luciano Pavarotti to DSS owners in their only live
television performance this year as a trio. The Three Tenors
will air live on U.S. Satellite Broadcasting pay per view,
Saturday, July 20.
Carreras, Domingo and Pavorotti will perform a unique
program of popular songs and grand opera arias, accompanied
by members of the highly-acclaimed Metropolitan Orchestra.
This rare concert will not be recorded for compact disc or
home video release. James Levine, who has worked
extensively with The Three Tenors over the last 25 years,
will conduct.
In this appearance, The Three Tenors will perform at
Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The preshow
will begin at 8 p.m. EDT July 20. The live event is
scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. EDT, weather permitting. The
show will last 2 " to 3 hours. U.S. Satellite Broadcasting
is offering the live performance and all encore
presentations of The Three Tenors on channel 910 for $29.95
to DSS owners who order using the DSS remote control and for
$34.95 for customers who order via phone.
Telquest Signs Formal Agreement With Telesat
TelQuest Ventures has signed a formal agreement with
Telesat Canada to manage the procurement, construction and
launch of two direct broadcast satellites (DBS) to be
launched into the 91 degrees W.L. orbital slot. TelQuest
will own and use transponders on those satellites to provide
subscription television service to U.S. consumers. The
satellites are scheduled for launch in early 1998. The
agreement solidifies the relationship between the two
companies, which began negotiations last year.
The DBS satellites operating at 91 degrees W.L. will
allow TelQuest to retransmit digitised and compressed
national programming to independent U.S. wireless and
wireline cable providers, who can then integrate local
programming, including news, weather, sports, educational
programs and independent stations. This combination levels
the playing field for local providers to compete with the
entrenched cable and direct-to-home satellite companies.
TelQuest will also provide satellite service directly to
consumers' homes, where conventional service is unavailable.
TelQuest's provision of subscription television service
is subject to FCC approval of its uplink application to
provide DBS service using the 91 degrees orbital slot.
Europe .......
Scientific-Atlanta VSAT for Czech Republic And Slovak
Telecommunications
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., has been selected by VSAT
Communications Services s.r.o. to supply the satellite
telecommunications network for expanding data and telephony
services in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The
versatility of the company's Skylinx.DDST Digital DAMA
(Demand Assigned Multiple Access) system enables it to
support both voice and data applications required by VSAT
Communications Services. In addition, the powerful retail
data communications capabilities of the SkyRelay
interactive data VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) network
will be used to support multiple gasoline retail locations
across both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
VSAT Communications Services, a satellite services
provider based in Brno, Czech Republic, provides VSAT
services to government and business customers in the Czech
Republic and Slovakia. Using both single and multiple
channel per carrier (SCPC/MCPC) Scientific-Atlanta
Skylinx.DDS network equipment, VSAT Communications Services
will provide both data and telephone communications to
support financial, warehouse, and inventory management, as
well as other administrative business applications to
support banking, retail, and logistics companies.
The Skylinx.DDS system uses DAMA technology to
establish phone and data connections as they are needed.
Since voice calls can vary in length, DAMA enables VSAT
Communications Services to assign bandwidth to calls as they
are established and then re-allocate the bandwidth as calls
are completed and new calls are set up. By using bandwidth
more efficiently, the Scientific-Atlanta DAMA system will
greatly enhance the types of services available and lower
satellite transponder space segment requirements and their
associated costs.
The SkyRelay VSAT system will support numerous gasoline
retail locations for OMV in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The network will include both 1.2-meter and 1.8-meter
antennas at the remote locations for transmitting and
receiving a wide range of data required for credit card
processing, credit validation, e-mail, and inventory
management. The retail locations will be connected to credit
card service providers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia as
well as to OMV corporate headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
The MCPC data communications network is already in
service using a 4.5-meter central earth station and 2.4-
meter antennas at remote sites. The network supplies vital
data communications services to CEPRO a.s., a gasoline
storage and distribution company in the Czech Republic. The
mesh SCPC/DAMA telephone network includes a 6-meter earth
station with DAMA master controller and an initial
implementation of 2.4-meter remote earth stations throughout
the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The SkyRelay VSAT network
will also use the 6-meter antenna for its hub requirements.
In addition to supplying the turnkey satellite
telecommunications system, Scientific-Atlanta will provide a
network management system and training.
Installation of the Skylinx.DDS equipment began in
April 1996 with network operation started in June 1996 using
EUTELSAT II Ku-band satellite. The SkyRelay VSAT network is
scheduled to go on line in September 1966.
Miscellaneous .......
News IN Brief
nkAmerican Sky Broadcasting and SkyMCI plan to build an
advanced satellite and data uplink facility and broadcast
operations centre at Gilbert, Ariz. in the Phoenix area.
nkFlextech has pulled out of talks with Rupert Murdoch's Fox
Television network over the sale of a minority stake in its
children's channel.
DTH Transponder Charts.......
Galaxy Latin America (Galaxy 3R)
Channel Service Language
AS General Spanish
CineLatino Spanish Films Spanish
KID Children Spanish
MultiCinema Intl. Films Sp. / Port.
ZAZ Family Spanish
Zeta Entertainment Spanish
Venevision Superstation Spanish
International
Televen International Superstation Spanish
Bravo Brazil Arts Portuguese
ESPN Brazil Sports Portuguese
MTV Brazil Music Portuguese
RBN News News Portuguese
DirecTv/USSB (Direct 1-3)
Channel Service Channel Service Channel Service
100- Pay Per View 271 Encore 331 Prime Spts
199 Movies West
202 CNN 272 Encore Love 332 Spts Ch
Pacific
203 Court TV 273 Encore 401 Spice
Western
204 Headline News 274 Encore 402 Playboy
Mystery
206 ESPN 275 Encore 500- Format Music
Action 529 (DMX)
208 ESPN 2 276 Encore True 960 TV Land
212 TNT 277 Encore WAM 963 All
NewsChannel
213 Home Shopping 282 CBS East 965 VH-1
Net
214 HGTV 283 CBS West 967 Lifetime
215 E! 284 NBC East 968 Nickelodeon
216 MuchMusic 285 NBC West 970 Flix
217 BET 286 PBS 973 Cinemax
220 Turner Classic 287 ABC East 974 Cinemax 2
Movies
222 History 288 ABC West 975 Cinemax West
Channel
223 Disney 289 FOX Net 977 The Movie
Channel
224 Disney 2 298 TV Asia 978 Movie Channel
West
225 Discovery 303 NewSport 980 HBO
226 TLC 304 Golf 981 HBO 2
Channel
227 Cartoon 305 Classic 982 HBO 3
Channel Sports
229 USA Network 306 Speedvision 983 HBO West
230 TRIO 307 Outdoor 984 HBO 2 West
Channel
232 Family Channel 309 Spts Ch New 985 Showtime
Eng.
233 WTBS 310 MSG 986 Showtime 2
235 Nashville 311 NESN 987 Showtime West
236 CMTV 312 Spts Ch NY 989 MTV
240 SCI-FI 313 Empire 990 Comedy
Sports Channel
242 CSPAN-1 314 Spts Ch 995 Sundance
Philly Channel
243 CSPAN-2 315 KBL 999 USSB Preview
245 Bloomberg 316 HTS
Direct
246 CNBC 317 SportsSouth
247 America's 318 Sunshine
Talking Network
248 Weather 320 PASS
Channel
250 Newsworld Itl. 321 Spts Ch
Ohio
252 CNNI / CNNfn 322 Spts Ch
Cinci
254 Travel Channel 323 Spts Ch
Chicago
258 Bravo 324 Mid West
Spts
266 Independent 325 Prime Spts
Film Ch SW
269 STARZ-E 326 Prime Spts
I-M W
270 STARZ-W 330 Prime Spts
NW
Hotbird (Eutelsat)
P
o
l
Channel Frequen a Audio
cy r
i
t
y
EBM 11.262 H 7.02 PAL
VH 1 Germany 11.242 V PAL
Rai Uno 11.363 V PAL
Rai Due 11.446 V PAL
Canal Horizons 11.408 V PAL
Eurosport 11.387 H Various PAL
Dubai TV 11.513 H PAL
TV5 Europe 11.323 V 6.60 PAL
MCM 11.304 H PAL
TV Polonia 11.471 H PAL
Polsat 11.428 H PAL
Sci Fi 11.283 V PAL
TVE Int. 11.222 H 6.60 PAL
TM3 11.345 H PAL
CLT 11.492 V PAL
ART 5 11.534 V 6.60 PAL
Echostar (EchoStar 1)
102 USA Network 230 TBS DISH CD
104 Comedy Central 232 KTLA, Los Angeles 950 Young Country
106 TV Land 234 WPIX, New York 951 Country Gold
108 Lifetime 240 WGN, Chicago 952 Country Currents
110 TV Food Network 241 WNBC-TV, New York 953 Jukebox Gold
(NBC)
112 Home and Garden 243 WRAL-TV, Raleigh 954 70's Song Book
Network (CBS)
114 E! Entertainment 245 WJLA-TV, Washington 955 Foreground Music
Television (ABC)
118 Arts and 247 FOXNet 956 Adult Contemporary
Entertainment
120 History Channel 249 PBS 957 Album Adult
Alternative
122 Sci-Fi Channel 260 Trinity 958 HitLine
Broadcasting Net
132 Turner Classic 261 Eternal Word TV 959 Classic Rock
Movies Network
138 Turner Network 300 HBO East 960 Modern Rock
Television
140 ESPN 301 HBO 2 East 961 Hard rock
142 ESPN2 302 HBO 3 East 962 Hip Hop
160 M-TV 303 HBO West 963 Urban Beat
162 VH-1 304 HBO 2 West 964 Latin Styles
166 Country Music 310 Showtime 1 965 Fiesta Mexicana
Television
168 Nashville Network 311 Showtime 2 966 Eurostyle
170 Nickelodeon 312 Showtime 3 967 Mainstream Jazz
172 Disney Channel 320 Cinemax 1 968 Contemporary Jazz
Flavors
176 Cartoon Network 321 Cinemax 2 969 Expressions
178 Learning Channel 322 Cinemax 3 970 Contemporary
Instrumentals
180 Family Channel 500 PPV 1 971 Symphonic Classical
182 Discovery Channel 501 PPV 2 972 Light Classical
200 Cable News Network 502 PPV 3 973 Beautiful Music
202 Headline News 503 PPV 4 974 Mature Vocals
204 Court TV 504 PPV 5 975 Contemporary Christian
206 CNN International / 600 RAI (Italy) 976 Children's
CNNfn
208 CNBC 602 ART
210 CSpan 700 Preview Channel
214 Weather Channel 900 Business TV
220 Travel Channel 901 Business TV
226 QVC Shopping
Network
ExpressVu (Anik E1)
12 Transponders on Anik E1 111.1o W
AlphaStar (Telstar 402)
Channel Service Channel Service Channel Service
Alpha Preview HBO Showtime
Channel
Arts & HBO 2 Showtime 2
Entertainment
Cartoon HBO 3 Showtime West
Network
Comedy Central HBO West The Movie
Channel
Country Music HBO 2 West Movie Channel
TV West
Disney (E) Cinemax
Disney (W) Cinemax 2 Sundance
E! Cinemax Golf
Entertainment West
Family Channel Encore
Lifetime Encore +
MTV C-SPAN
CNBC ESPN
Nickelodeon CNN ESPN2
Sci-Fi CNNfn Liberty
Sports
The Nashville Court TV Classic
Network Sports
Turner Classic Discovery Regional
Movies Ch Sport Ch
TNT Headline
News
TV Land History
Channel
USA Network Learning
Channel
VH-1 NewsTalk
DVB News
International
Volume 1 Issue 7
DVB News International is a monthly news journal for
satellite enthusiasts and is produced in Burleson, Texas and
Brantford, Ontario Canada.
Comments or news items may be sent to:
Internet E-mail: 71165.2032@Compuserve.com
or
Compuserve: 71165,2032
or
Satellite Journal International / DVB News International
PO Box 2065 Burleson Texas 76097- 2065 USA
or
Merriam & Torrens Advertising Inc.
PO Box 23058 Brantford Ontario Canada N3T-6K4
519-751-1487 9am-5pm eastern time.
The electronic deadline for inclusion of news items is 20
days before the issue date.
Copyright 1996
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