Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DiViT who wrote (28333)	1/21/1998 4:30:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Respond to of 50808

More Cube encoders............................................. directmagazine.com TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1998 *News Flash! DIRECTV Expanding Channel Capacity This morning (Jan. 20, 1998), DIRECTV announced that it will expand channel capacity within the next several months by using PanAmSat's Galaxy 3-R (G3) satellite. DIRECTV has an agreement in principle with PanAmSat to initially lease four Ku-band (not high-power DBS) transponders on G3. G3, which is located at the 95 degrees west orbit slot, is only six degrees to the east of the current DSS satellites (DBS1, 2, 3) positioned at 101 degrees west. Since the four satellites are relatively close, they can be received with a single dish. HNS (Hughes Network Systems) will make a dish similar to DirecDuo that will be capable of simultaneously receiving channels from both G3 and the current DSS birds. Initially, G3 will be used to deliver six ethnic services from EABC (Ethnic-American Broadcasting Company): WMNB-TV (Russian), Network Asia (from Indian subcontinent), UBN (Ukrainian Broadcasting Network), Ciao TV (Italian Superchannel), ESC (Egyptian Satellite Channel) and Nile TV (Arabic). The agreement with DIRECTV provides EABC with sufficient capacity to distribute as many as 20 leading ethnic channels from around the world. In addition, DIRECTV and its sister service Galaxy Latin America are developing Spanish-language programming for the U.S. DIRECTV will have the ability to expand transponder capacity on G3 to ultimately offer up to 120 channels dedicated for special interest programming such as more ethnic services, niche programs, future business-to-business communications and HDTV (high definition TV) transmissions later this year. "This new platform [the G3 satellite] provides DIRECTV with a powerful capability to provide a broad array of diverse programming services to currently underserved consumer segments," says Larry Chapman, executive vice president of DIRECTV. "Using the new HNS equipment, these subscribers will not only have access to unique and previously unavailable programming, but also will receive all of the DIRECTV programming available at our 101 degree location." Current DSS owners will not be able to receive channels from G3 with their existing 18-inch dish. A new 21-inch by 35-inch elliptical satellite dish with a new feedhorn (the thing that sticks out from the dish) will be needed. "We are excited to be the first DSS manufacturer to develop a DSS model to receive these new programming services," says Paul Gaske, HNS's senior vice president. "Like our award-winning DirecDuo dish, the new HNS DSS antenna will be able to receive signals from two separate orbital locations." At the time of this post, the cost of the new "dual" DSS dish, the cost of EABC's programming, the specific name for the ethnic package and exact launch date had not been announced. It's likely the new channels will begin in mid-1998. Stay tuned to "Dishing It Out" for daily updates and Satellite DIRECT magazine for in-depth coverage.