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Sat-UK #121 07.10.97: INTELSAT 803 - TPS

Sat-UK Report #121:
- Intelsat 803 takes over from 601
- U.K. cable ops chase after BSkyB's PPV potential
- France's TPS launches interactive arts channel
- CMT has encryption problems
tuesday 7th october 1997
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Email: dominic@bigrp.demon.co.uk
Sat-UK Web: http://www.sat-net.com/sat-uk/
UK Satellite Control: http://www.sat-net.com/uk-satellite/
And now the news:


---------- Intelsat 803 takes over from 601

Intelsat 803 has reached 27,5 degrees west and is beginning to take over
from Intelsat 601. Already, MCE - Music Choice Europe, has moved to the
new satellite since yesterday, and chances are that more channels have
today. There is little way for those of us in the UK to tell if channels
have moved - persumably, the only way is to see if the smaller dishes
can pick up the signals better. Intelsat 601 will procede to move to
34,5 degrees east.


---------- U.K. cable ops chase after BSkyB's PPV potential
(source: UK Satellite Control. News information copyright (c) 1996-1997
UK SATELLITE. Neil Anthony Powell. All rights reserved.)

Four U.K. cable companies are expected to partner with Time Warner's
Warner Bros. unit to launch pay-per-view channels that will compete with
British Sky Broadcasting, the Financial Times reported Saturday. Talks
between Telewest, NTL, General Cable, Diamond and Warner Bros. were said
to be at an advanced stage, according to the paper. Talks with other
Hollywood  studios are also taking place, Financial Times reported.
BSkyB, which does not allow cable companies to offer its channels on an
individual basis, said it was aware of the deal. The News
Corp.-backed service added it will launch its own pay-per-view movie
channels next month. The four operators in discussions with Warner Bros.
together represent more than half of cable subscribers in the United
Kingdom.


---------- France's TPS launches interactive arts channel
(source: UK Satellite Control. News information copyright (c) 1996-1997
UK SATELLITE. Neil Anthony Powell. All rights reserved.)

French digital satellite television service Television par Satellite
announced Monday it was launching the first interactive arts and culture
TV service in the country. The service, called "L'Oeil du Hibou" (The
Eye of the Owl), will give subscribers access art information, cinema
and theatre via the television set. "Subscribers will be able to pay a
virtual visit to the current Paris Grand Palais museum exhibition of
canvases by French painter Georges de la Tour, seeing a different
painting daily, zooming in on details and clicking to get information
about it. They will be able to use the service to buy products related
to the exhibition," TPS said. TPS, operated by France's biggest private
television station, TF1 , is competing for subscribers with two other
digital satellite TV services, Canal Plus's CanalSatellite and ABSat.


---------- CMT has encryption problems

Shortly after MTV's encryption problems on Astra, CMT exprienced similar
faults, although it was laid completely open and unencrypted to the
whole of Europe. Recently, CMT Europe on Intelsat 601 (which is usually
encrypted in some strange unidentifiable method) has also been in the
clear. It is not currently known what the problem is, although it is
thought to be the same as MTV's. Similar encryption problems have stuck
Via Digital on Hispasat 1A/1B, which is now completely in the clear.


All contents (C) 1997 Dominic Sedghi, except where indicated. All rights
reserved. The above may not be reproduced without written consent.
Information is subject to change and/or may be incorrect.
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