DSS-Newbies http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums Discussion about satellite systems and their encryption technologies en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:48:08 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/morbid_banana/misc/rss.jpg DSS-Newbies http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums Satellite Provider Gearing Up to Launch Slingbox-Based Set-Top http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92959&goto=newpost Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:42:52 GMT Dish Network has filed for trademark protection on "TV Everywhere," which the satellite operator apparently is seeking to use for its forthcoming Slingbox-enabled set-top box.

Dish has established a "TV Everywhere" section of its Web site


Code:
http://www.dishnetwork.com/tveverywhere/


that references its remote DVR programming features and includes a link to Sling Media, the maker of the place-shifting Slingbox devices EchoStar bought for $380 million. The satellite company originally expected to offer the "SlingLoaded" ViP 922 receiver this spring, but now plans to debut it before the end of the year.

A Slingbox-based service, however, cuts out content owners by letting a subscriber rebroadcast live TV or DVR content over the Internet to a PC or mobile device. By contrast, the broader industry has used the TV Everywhere term to describe services offered via distributors in partnership with programmers to potentially increase advertising revenue.

As outlined by Time Warner Inc. CEO Jeff Bewkes, for example, "TV Everywhere" encompasses Web-based video services available only to pay-TV subscribers provided through cable, satellite or telco TV operators in cooperation with programmers. Dish representatives would not say whether the company is developing a service along those lines.

Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Verizon Communications and DirecTV each have TV Everywhere-style services in various stages of development with programming partners, and Canadian cable operator Rogers Communications plans to launch one later this month.

EchoStar, meanwhile, has been pitching cable companies on a Slingbox-based set-top box to offer "TV Everywhere" services to customers in the way the industry leases DVRs. Dish Network and EchoStar, which sells hardware and satellite services, became separate entities in January 2008, but the DBS operator remains EchoStar's single biggest customer.

Dish filed the "TV Everywhere" trademark application with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on Sept. 17. Among other things, the filing covers "television transmission services" as well as "providing access to electronic sites for remote access, recording, and viewing of television programming via personal computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and laptop computers."

The satellite operator's trademark application also refers to "peer-to-peer network computer services, namely, electronic transmission of audio, video and other data and documents among computers" and "rental of set-top boxes and digital video recorders for use with televisions."

According to the USPTO's trademark-search database, as of Monday Dish's application had not yet been assigned to an examining attorney.
]]> DSS-Newbies News and Announcements Warlord http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92959 Sub Growth Slows, While Other Metrics Grow http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92958&goto=newpost Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:40:32 GMT DirecTV's growth train showed some signs of slowing down in the third quarter, as net new subscriber additions clocked in at 136,000 in the period, slightly behind analyst estimates.

But the satellite giant well outpaced consensus estimates for revenue growth, up 9.7% to $5.5 billion. But the DBS leader missed targets for cash flow growth, ahead 7.7% to $1.34 billion. Analysts had estimated that revenue growth would be about 8.7% and operating cash flow would rise 10.7% in the period. Churn for the period was also slightly higher -- 1.72% vs. consensus of 1.63% estimate.

Analysts had expected the satellite giant to add about 156,000 new customers in the period.

"It sounds like the lower adds and higher churn are voluntary and part of DirecTV's initiative to focus on profitability and high quality subs," wrote Wells Fargo media analyst Marci Ryvicker in a note to clients. She added that with average monthly revenue per unit (ARPU) rebounding in the quarter -- it was up 2.1% to $85.32, beating consensus of 1.7% growth -- there could be some upside to 2010 estimates.

Sanford Bernstein cable and satellite analyst Craig Moffett was most impressed with the ARPU growth, adding that the other metrics highlighted the stability of the business.

"The stability in ARPU trends should reassure investors who worried that the combination of aggressive promotional activity and package downsizing from stretched consumers might rob DirecTV of an important growth engine," Moffett wrote.

On a conference call with analysts, interim CEO Larry Hunter said that slower basic subscriber growth was in part attributed to tighter credit controls at the company and fewer promotional offers. He added that subscriber growth through its relationship with AT&T was strong and gross additions rose 8% to 1.1 million in the period.

Hunter added that the planned merger with Liberty Entertainment (which houses Liberty Media's 57% interest in DirecTV) is on track to be completed shortly after its scheduled Nov. 19 shareholder meeting. ]]> DSS-Newbies News and Announcements Warlord http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92958 Dish Net Chairman Dislikes Discounts, Dividends http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92957&goto=newpost Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:38:09 GMT Dish Network chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen said the satellite giant is trying to wean itself from heavy discounting, despite the fact that it may have been a major factor in the second-largest satellite TV service provider's third-quarter subscriber gains.

"I hate giving away programming. I hate the discounting we do today; in part it does cause you problems on the back end." Ergen said on a conference call with analysts to discuss third-quarter results.

Ergen added that heavy discounters have to brace themselves for heavy churn rates when those discounts roll off. And he said Dish Network will probably be no different.

Dish added 241,000 net new subscribers in the third quarter, a big surprise for analysts who were expecting anything from a loss of 42,000 customers in the period to a gain of about 50,000 subscribers. And the quarter appeared to reverse a troubling trend of quarterly subscriber losses at the No. 2 satellite service provider - it was the second straight quarter of subscriber gains after three straight periods of losses.
But Dish has also been a heavy discounter - it introduced a $9.99 per month package for 100 channels earlier in the year - and has touted itself as the low-cost provider.

Ergen believes that because Dish is priced about $15 per month lower than its competition for essentially the same product, there is room to drive growth and average monthly revenue per customer.
"When that programming discount goes away, your churn is going to go up," Ergen said on the call. "Our focus will be to not get in at all, but when we are involved in it to be at the low end of the scale in discounting. I would be very scared to be higher than we are today."
Ergen didn't seem too impressed with his decision to issue a $2 per share cash one-time special dividend to shareholders, adding that it wasn't his top choice and was driven mainly by the expiration of more favorable tax policies.
"For a lot of our investors, this is the lowest tax they might pay for a dividend for a long, long time," Ergen said. But later he added that while he would have preferred to spend the money internally to grow the business, a number of factors - the tax issue, the overhang on the stock from its ongoing TiVo litigation and its second-place finish to Liberty Media in the Sirius XM Satellite Radio deal - forced his hand.
"If we can't find ways to use our money, then I think dividends are always on the table for us," Ergen said.
Ergen said the company is currently testing uses of the wireless spectrum it purchased in 2008, including mobile video.
But he said that any product offering - including mobile video - would depend on what direction the Federal Communications Commission takes.
"We're going to come up with two or three good uses for the spectrum and then see where Washington indicates they're going to go with long-term spectrum policy," Ergen said. "From an investment perspective, you shouldn't expect a large capital commitment in the near term until we have a better idea of where Washington will be with it." ]]> DSS-Newbies News and Announcements Warlord http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92957 Welcome Back, Eddy http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92956&goto=newpost Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:53:47 GMT Well, sort of .... Eddy Hartenstein, the guy who essentially created DIRECTV and ran it until its late 2003 take-over by News Corp, is stepping up his visibility in the satellite industry. This time, he's taking on the troubled waters of SIRIUS XM as non-executive chairman, replacing Gary Parsons. Prior to the satellite radio merger, Hartenstein was board member of XM; he became a director of SIRIUS XM in the summer of 2008.

Never one to decline a challenge, Hartenstein is currently Publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Times. Fortunately, SIRIUS XM is in slightly better shape than the newspaper industry. The company lost $149.2 million, or 4 cents a share, on revenue of $618.7 million in the latest quarter but it also added 102,295 subscribers. That's first uptick in sat radio subs since last December. Earlier this year Liberty Media took a 40% stake in the company, saving it from a possible bankruptcy filing. ]]> DSS-Newbies News and Announcements Warlord http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92956 Just Wondering http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92954&goto=newpost Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:45:14 GMT How long was it down when N2 came out? Is this unusually long or par for the course? How long was it down when N2 came out? Is this unusually long or par for the course? ]]> Atmega 128 Discussion drey http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92954 Monthly Lease Fee http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92822&goto=newpost Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:12:04 GMT If I picked up some receivers from a garage sale and wanted to add them to my sub package, would I still have to pay the monthly lease fee to d**h ? If I picked up some receivers from a garage sale and wanted to add them to my sub package, would I still have to pay the
monthly lease fee to d**h ? ]]> Dish Network General Discussion mikeraider http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92822 We Be Back http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92752&goto=newpost Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:48:44 GMT Unfortunately the problem....DB tripped over the cord...all fixed now as he saw thru the smoke and plugged it back in...... Unfortunately the problem....DB tripped over the cord...all fixed now as he saw thru the smoke and plugged it back in...... ]]> DSS-Newbies News and Announcements 97tubby http://www.dss-newbies.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92752