Satellite TV on your Computer?

[Carcano]

I've seen a lot of ads on the net about software that will enable you to watch several thousand satellite TV channels on your PC - provided you have a broadband connection.

Has anyone used this software? How does it work? The ads for these things (which range in price from $15-$50) don't give much detail.

[domesticated om]

Can you post a link?

The closest I've come to something like this is to buy a TV capture card (with an RCA input) and get any ol set-top box.

My capture card is the ATI TV wonder VE remote control edition. It does have it's own TV tuner built into it, but it's an analogTV tuner, and can only potentilly receive 121 analog cable channels. Unfortunately, I subscribe to digital cable, so I use the set-top digital cable tuner from the cable company, and run it to the RCA "line in" jack on the TV card.

I wonder how much bandwidth the IP satelite TV thingy would use? That would be the only thing that would make me want to avoid it. I watch TV while surfing the net or downloading stuff all the time.

[Carcano]

Can you post a link?

Ok, Heres just one of these software downloads I was looking at last night.
http://www.satellitetvtopc.com/o/?hop=toma1234

[domesticated om]

Welp.... here is what google result 1 says about it:



Free satellite tv -- the biggest myth on the internet.
Posted by Brent W Truitt on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 01:37 pm: [ Submit News ] [ Reply ]

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Free satellite tv -- the biggest myth on the internet.

Free satellite tv is one of the biggest myths on the internet and I've dedicated this short piece regarding this oxy-moron. There is likely a few reasons you have found this page. You may have seen sites offering free satellite tv, or you may be trying to find information on pirating DirecTV signals. I will explain the latter and I will explain what these sites mean by "free".

When you see the offer "free satellite tv", they are talking about a free setup and free equipment offer that DirecTV and Dish network provide. After your system is installed for free there is a monthly fee you must pay for a minimum programming package. At the time of this writing DirecTV and Dish Network offer 3-5 rooms of free setup and free equipment.

The other way you may have found this page is if you were searching for information on the free satellite tv the pirates offer. What they do is program Dtv or Dishnet cards that enable people to get all channels. (hence the name "free satellite tv") Now......they charge you to re-program your card every time you get hit, and you have to pay for the equipment and setup all yourself. You will be hit 1-3 times a week. Only once if you are lucky.

So as you can see, no matter how you slice it, there is no such thing as free satellite tv. Regarding the theft of satellite signals - there is a considerable effort underway by the police force in my city to put a stop it. They just recently raided over a dozen companies providing the equipment used to pirate DirecTV and Dish Network. This just means that the cost and hassle of stealing will increase.

Free satellite tv -- an oxy moron to be sure.

Free satellite tv is an oxy moron to say the least. There is no such thing as free satellite tv. Period. For all those who disagree, let me explain. When speaking of free satellite tv, there are two different situations this is used to describe. One is when pirates are stealing satellite signal. Two is when DirecTV and Dish Network advertise free satellite tv.

When DirecTV and Dish Network advertise free satellite tv, they are speaking in terms of the initial setup and equipment. You still have to pay for your monthly programming costs which start at just under 30 dollars a month. As you add on more channels and use pay-per-view the monthly cost grows. Don't get me wrong, it's still much better than cable.

When pirates are speaking of free satellite tv, they are talking about using special equipment to get all the channels free. Highly illegal. The problem is that this is not free! They have to buy the receiver, the dish, the LNB, the card, etc etc. Then they have to find a "free satellite tv guy" to re-program their access card(s) every time the satellite signal is hashed. And they "go down" a lot!

What DirecTV does is "hash" the pirate cards with their satellite signal on a regular basis. Usually they hit the pirate cards every Friday night and here is where the "free satellite tv" theory goes out the window. These " free satellite tv guys" charge a fee to have your card fixed. It can range between 25 dollars and fifty dollars a month. Now add on the gas mileage and your time to run over to the illegal "free satellite tv guy" with your card once a week. Now here is the real kicker. DirecTV will hash the pirates sometimes 3-4 times a week. So now you can end up taking a daily trip to see the "free satellite guy".

The "free satellite guy" may get out of their illegal business as soon as the heat gets to be much and you are stuck. The interruptions in viewing are endless and annoying. You may enjoy free satellite tv for the odd two week period but most of the time you are running back and forth to the "free satellite tv guy".

Now for the punch line regarding free satellite tv. Eventually DirecTV will change their data stream and your DirecTV card is now a useless piece of plastic. Maybe you can use it to open an old door. Now the "free satellite guy" has a deal for you. You can get a new DirecTV card from him for whatever price he decides you need to pay. Sound like fun! Oh yes........free satellite tv is an oxy moron to be sure!
source:
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/103099.html

[wesmorris]

You can get a tv tuner card that is basically a cable box too. I'll try to link one in a bit.

[domesticated om]

http://www.ati.com/products/tvwonderve/

[Carcano]

That long critique is interesting, but I don't think it applies to the software I referenced, which requires no equipment, no monthly fee...and is not free.

[domesticated om]

Everything about this site screams SCAM..... this is about as blatent as it gets.

1. It doesn't tell you how it works.
2. No screenshots
3. No info about it anywhere on the internet other than the homepage......and it claims to have 1 million users (???)....
4. No description of minimum/suggested system spec
5. No description of required hardware --it says ANYTHING can run it------ um, that's absolute bullshit.
6. No support page *anywhere*
7. No listing of specific channel line up


.......I mean, what's it supposed to be doing? Is it just a program for connecting to a streaming video server?




I wouldn't trust this site with a 10 foot pole, buuuuuuuut if you really wanted to have fun, you may be able to (still requires buying a video capture card and a little bit of hardware) get a Satellite dish, and watch 'free to air satelite stations'. That would require a one time fee (you would just pay for the hardware), set it up, and you're good to go. You geek status should also increase by 100 points.

[Absane]

Not that I recommend it, but pirating the DirectTV signal is free. Me and my dad did it a few years ago. It was nice having all the pay-per-view channels unlocked and all the porno channels. lol.

[Carcano]

.......I mean, what's it supposed to be doing? Is it just a program for connecting to a streaming video server?
Yup, my question as well, which is why I posted the topic. The thing is there are many of these sites floating around and none of them so far have given any more detail than the one I referenced.

However, if it was a scam, you'd think it would be identified as such all over the net.

[Stryder]

One someone I know got hold of was tvolution, It's interesting some of the things on there, for instance it seems a bunch of people got together at a Starwars Convention and decided to make their own Starwars movie thats currently playing there. The whole thing is feature length (although budget) including all the sorts of effects you'd expect in a star wars film.

[Carcano]

Ok, Heres just one of these software downloads I was looking at last night.
http://www.satellitetvtopc.com/o/?hop=toma1234
I finally found a good commentary on the site and its pretty much all negative:
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/514377.html

[Carcano]

I've been playing around with this site for the past hour, but can't seem to get much other than music videos from around the world:
http://mediahopper.com/portal.htm

[dsdsds]

Not that I recommend it, but pirating the DirectTV signal is free. Me and my dad did it a few years ago. It was nice having all the pay-per-view channels unlocked and all the porno channels. lol.

why don't you recommend it? And I would argue that it is not illegal (or at least shouldn't be illegal). If you OWN your own dish and receiver, you can do whatever you like with your property. If they want you to pay for signals, then the burden is 100% on them to encrypt (better) or prevent the signals from reaching your property. This is not at all like pirating software or downloading music and movies. I agree, though, that selling or profitting from hacked equipment is illegal. But if I want to hack or "test" electronics that I rightfully own, why shouldn't I?

[Absane]

why don't you recommend it? And I would argue that it is not illegal (or at least shouldn't be illegal). If you OWN your own dish and receiver, you can do whatever you like with your property. If they want you to pay for signals, then the burden is 100% on them to encrypt (better) or prevent the signals from reaching your property. This is not at all like pirating software or downloading music and movies. I agree, though, that selling or profitting from hacked equipment is illegal. But if I want to hack or "test" electronics that I rightfully own, why shouldn't I?

Well because it's the signal you pay to access. Your arguement is that if you a car, then you shouldn't have to pay for the gasoline.

I see nothing wrong with hacking the satellite equipment.. because you own it. There is a problem with hacking it to steal TV, which me and my dad did. It's wrong, but I do not feel bad about it.

[dsdsds]

Car and gasoline analogy is not relevant. You buy and own a car. You buy and own gasoline.
Here's a better analogies:
You own your computer or your stereo. you can modify or hack it it anyway you want.
You own a radio or you build your own radio to catch waves.
Here's one that may stirr up a debate:
You BUY software. You bring it home and hack or use it any way you want. You can even sell it on ebay. The only thing you are not allowed doing is make copies and distribute it.

Again, the burden is 100% on the satelite company or software maker to control or restrict content from you. Actually, it is the the satellite companies that secretly encouraged "piracy" so they can steal market share from the cable companies. I know of one case where a cable company is suing (for hundreds of millions) a satellite company for making it intentionally easy to hack their system.

[draqon]

people I have been watching tv online for years now...in google type: online tv

then the fourth or the fifth from the top is link to the site to all the free online channels for different countries. my russian online tv: www.webtelek.com
http://wwitv.com/
www.onlinetvplayer.com

all of those three work. third one is the best...but costs money.

[Stryder]

A radio or computer is slightly different. For instance a Radio will catch waves that are broadcast which pretty much means there is no control over where it roams or what level of quality it will be at. Originally in the UK you actually were suppose to have a license to listen to radio, however that got scrapped a decade or so ago. (Unlike the television one).

In the UK you still need a Television license whether you watch television on a TV or streamed through your computer and it matters not if you watch any of the "independant channels" and avoid the BBC. (Rumoured sneaky cross-shareholding going on to make the shiznit stick.)

Satelites are different, they don't broadcast. Admittedly they do have a footprint, but for the majority most major satelite firms have 8 or more satelites sharing close proximity space with overlapping footprints. Each satelite has a finite amount of possible "secure" connections, merged with their footprint broadcast radius.

What you pay for when you purchase isn't just the right to view the channel, but payment towards the programs broadcast (since they have to be purchased or made) and payment towards the replacement of the satelite technology as they near there lifes end(they don't last for ever, they cost a bundle to make, another to send into space and some more if they need maintenance while they are up there) and of course money towards paying those that invest, afterall Television is a business venture.

As for "Tuning into signals", we'll as mentioned decrypting government signals on certain frequencies is illegal unless of course your allowed to do it. There is then the point about broadcasting which has alsorts of restrictions and penalties. (In fact it was rumoured they were even going to start licensing people for "Pirate radio" on internet streaming.)

However all this said, "you can't get blood from a stone". If a person hasn't the money but they still want the service then it only leaves the illegal alternative, which there isn't much they can do about. Afterall if you don't have the money what can they do other than sieze stuff you don't have, or attempt to claim money through court (which adds more to the bill) which you can't afford anyway.

[draqon]

However all this said, "you can't get blood from a stone".

Yes you can.

Take a stone and strike with it person, and there will be blood from a stone.

Warning: the above post does not encourage violence. The sole purpose of above post is for reference only.

[dsdsds]

Still, you can't get blood FROM a stone. You described how you can get blood TO a stone. :)

[Absane]

I think you mean you blood cannot originate from stone. Or even better, a stone cannot produce blood. Wow off topic

[domesticated om]

How about "You can not make a stone bleed human blood by wounding it"


.... doesn't really sound as smooth as the original though.