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News on the Fly! |
News Update
For August 6th, 2004 - Summertime Edition! |
Latest News: |
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Fine Living TV Launching Soon! |
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NFL Sunday Ticket Coming this month to ExpressVu! |
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- Welcome back everyone. Time to catch
up on the news for Canadian DTH Service providers. New Channels,
New Packages, New Prices and more. So stay tuned for more in
this month's update! And have a great visit!
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- The Olympic channels are back on ExpressVu!
And ExpressVu is taking advantage of their interactive services
to offer more info, and more viewing for those with the 3100
or 5100 receivers.
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- Fine Living TV Canada is planned to
be launched sometime this fall. ExpressVu will most likely pick
this channel up and add it to their Lifestyle package. So stay
tuned for more info on this channel.
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- Just a reminder that all of the ExpressVu
PPV Channels have moved from channel block 700-730 to 350-380.
(ed. Quite an inconvenience for me since I now have a huge
block of PPV Channels inbetween my local networks and sports
channels, and a remote that keeps getting stuck!)
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- Also note that for the next few weeks in August, ExpressVu
will be changing the transponder locations of many channels
to give the subscriber the highest quality possible. The info
channel 250 (NIMIQ INFO) stated that the channels will be relocated
to different transponders, but it did not completely explain
what they're plans are, which are that ExpressVu will be infact
splitting the load of NIMIQ1 in half, using only 16 transponders
at double strength (Boost Mode up to 240 watts up from 120 watts)
for half of the channels, by combining the other 16 transponders
strength and transferring the other half of the channels to DirecTV's
satellite DirecTV 3, which is currently moving into place at
91 degrees, which will be renamed "Nimiq 2i" to take
the other half of the load and double up 16 transponders to
double the strength and increase the quality for the second
half of the channels as well. The Telsat, which controls Canadian
space, has recently approved the use of this American satellite
in Canadian space, as long as DTV can take back possession in
case of an emergency. (Act of terror on DTV's main satellite?).
Hopefully we'll see an improvement in picture quality and signal
strength. This is kind of an interesting arrangement, hopefully
in the future DTV will be permitted to send over some US channels
with their satellite.) ;)
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News Update
For Friday, January 10th, 2004 - New Years Edition! |
Upcoming PPV Events: |
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August, 2004 |
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September, 2004 |
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October, 2004 |
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- Hey folks, first off, I'd just like
to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and
Happy Holidays... Well, now that it's over; Back to work!
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- It's been pretty quiet lately at ExpressVu.
A few channels have been added though since the last update,
so check out the New Channels Section below on what's new.
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- During the Fall, ExpressVu removed the
western feeds of Prime and Comedy due to lack of space on their
main satellite NIMIQ1, and have moved them temporarily to NIMIQ2
at 82 degrees. There are still many people not yet configured
to receive TV from both satellites, such as myself, so I hope
that they'll return as promised sometime this month.
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- Also on ExpressVu, the guide has changed
almost entirely. Check out the Channel List Section
LIST1, LIST2 and LIST3
for the latest on the channel modifications.
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News Update
For Friday, July 4th, 2003 - Independence Day Edition... |
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- Welcome to this update of the Source.
ExpressVu finally worked out their technical problem with adding
new channels to the guide, and have added the new Galaxie Music
channels that we were all waiting for, well, most of them, atleast.
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- I'm not a fan of fee increases for something
that we've been expecting as a part of the basic package. 5
out of the 15 new Galaxie channels are being withheld until
the fall so that ExpressVu can create a new package for them
and place them on the secondary satellite. Check the details
below on "New Channels" or
visit the Channel List section to find
out more. (but they're also planning on charging viewers for
the new small town locals in the future, which doesn't surprise
me...)
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- If you'll not the main page features
of the site have all returned, including Mystic's Corner, and
the Rumours Section with all new stories to take a look at.
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- The Programming dupes from N1 and N2
are going to remain until the end of the month to give everyone
a chance for last minute repoints, and installation without
missing out on any programming. This includes HDTV Networks,
TRN, Ethnics, and DirecPC.
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- For those of you visitors from south
of the border, Have a great Independence Day, and as always,
Be Safe!
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News Update
For Monday, June 30th, 2003 - Canada Day Edition... |
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- Welcome back to Mystic's ExpressVu Information
Source / DTH Canada Information Source. It's been quite a while
since the last update. I've taken the time to update the channel
list to begin with, you can check that out under the LIST
item on the menu at the top of the page, or just click on the
LIST word in this text, it's taken a
good couple of hours to do it, but it's online and ready to
be viewed.
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- I've also gone around to each television
stations' web site, and added a hyper link to each channel on
the guide, so now you can visit each network's home page. I'll
be doing some more odds and ends in the coming days and weeks
to get this entire page back up to snuff. As well as get my
Channel Guide with Network Logos updates. Currently it's online,
but some images, and some channels aren't updated yet, but I'll
be getting to that shortly.
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- Other sections of the site that are
back online are the Links, and New Diginets section. Soon I'll
create a list of the new channels ExpressVu plans on launching
in the fall, and later on this summer.
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- Also to to catch up on the news. Nimiq
2 has launched, and unfortunately failed, less than a week after
it was brought online. This caused a few hours of no signal,
and about a week with limited service while they brought Nimiq
1 back into place. Nimiq 2 was patched up and now services the
HDTV networks and other foreign and business channels as well
as DirecPC, ExpressVu's High Speed Internet Service, and beginning
at Midnight tonight these services will be uniquely broadcast
on Nimiq 2 at 81 degrees.
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- While checking out the Channel List
you'll note that there's a small (N2) next to the channels that
are only available if you have an ExpressVu multidirectional
satellite pointing at both 91 and 82 degrees.
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- This multidirectional satellite repoint
was a free upgrade to all those that subscribed to a package
or channel that will be taken off of Nimiq 1. Those now that
subscribe will be required to pay a small fee for an installation
kit, or professional installation.
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- Galaxie has recently launched 15 new
digital music channels, which are now available for distributors
to add to their lineup. ExpressVu is planning on adding these
channels to the basic package shortly after the HDTV and other
channels are taken off of Nimiq 1 at the end of June. And that's
it for today's update!
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- Have a great Canada Day, and to everyone,
Be Safe!
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Mystic's Corner
Update For August 6th, 2004 - Summertime Edition! |
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What's Happening to all
the Free Service Providers on the Internet? (Part 2)
- Part two of this multi-part discussion
involved Image hosting services. They've been around for many
years. And most were free until just recently. I suppose a lot
has to do with abuse, and lack of sponsor funding, but it's
really sad that it has come to this. Sure a couple bucks a month
for a service that you might need. But a lot of people like
myself just can't afford to put a few bucks here, a few bucks
there. As long as there are free service providers on the internet,
this site will continue. In one form or another; and the server
that currently hosts this site is very stable, and pretty fast
at that, with no real set limits for size or bandwidth. They
don't offer image linking, because there are some people out
there that will sign up for this service, upload huge files,
and offer them on other sites; so the bandwidth for this site
will be used by someone else on another site somewhere else.
I totally a agree with these restrictions, since it's people
that abuse this service that forced these companies to impose
them. However, hopefully, image hosting providers will still
be around in the future, since more and more sites lock out
image linking, and many free image hosts have either gone out
of business, or turned into a pay service, with a very restrictive
free option. (ex. 10 images, 1mb, etc...) So what does
the future hold? Well, unless online advertising turns for the
better, then more and more sites will go offline or become pay
sites...
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Mystic's Corner
Update For January 10th, 2004 - New Years Edition! |
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What's Happening to all
the Free Service Providers on the Internet? (Part 1)
- Here in this multi part message I want
to discuss the future of free service providers on the internet,
and I'll start with a personal example I just recently encountered.
My source for stats on the internet has decided after over 6
years of providing statistics and viewer counts for free they've
unfortunately decided to join many others and charge for their
service. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, however, the pay
service that they are offering as of January 1st is almost identical
to what they had offered for free during the last 6 years. And
on top of that, they're going to charge over $1.00 a day for
this statistical service. That's for the basic service. Other
plans are for $200.00 per month and up! ... Well, I decided
to think of my options and decided to go with a simple, very
little stat, free page hit counter. But how long will that be
around for? Nowadays, who knows...
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Mystic's Corner
Update For July 4th, 2003 - Independence Day Edition... |
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Who decides what channel
goes into what Program Package?
& What happened to the All-Inclusive Packages?
- ExpressVu has been adding channels to
the Program guide that aren't available to anyone, except a
few people that have certain equipment and requested specifically
for a certain channel. For example, CH Montreal is a Montreal
channel in the area where I live, so I should theoretically
be receiving this channel, since it's in my area, but instead
it's part of the ethnic package, on Nimiq 2. As many have stated,
what do The Simpsons, US Network Primetime, and The Price is
Right have to do with ethnic programming and ethnic pride? The
same goes for the new Channel M from Vancouver which carries
very similar programming. Both of these channels are available
on on Nimiq 2, and upon request. These new channels will appear
on your bill, but with $0.00 cost, which leads me and others
to believe ExpressVu's brewing up something, which you can check
out in the Rumours section just below.
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- I've subscribed faithfully to ExpressVu's
highest package, "The Works" since it was created,
and before that the "All You Can Eat" package, and
lately I've seen that over the years, the Everything package
doesn't seem to include everything anymore. We all subscribe
to Locals, since it's the basic package. We all assume that
since it's supposed to include the locals, we expect them all.
But that's no so anymore. ExpressVu begins adding small market
stations, and more locals to cities we're already receiving
from, but they decide to include them into Ethnic packages,
such as OMNI2 and others, and part of a Nimiq 2 Locals package.
Do I think this is fair? No, but what can I do about it? Not
much. Money is what talks, and eventually everything we've taken
for granted will be given a price tag.
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Rumors For
August 6th, 2004 - Summertime Edition! |
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There has been talk of a card swap
in the very near future. Some people have said with the imminent launch
of NFL Sunday Ticket on Bell ExpressVu, many people that went along
for the joyride in the US on DirecTV will decide to come up north to
our provider ExpressVu. The only way to prevent this would be to upgrade
the security methods on ExpressVu and Dish Network, (which is ExpressVu's
sister in the states.) Nagravision 1 is the current technology, used
by Dish and ExpressVu, which was compromised a few years ago is now
the favourite for people to access, since DTV locked out all of the
free subscriptions last April, and DTV was the only provider in North
America to offer NFL Sunday Ticket, so it is expected that many people
in Canada and in the US will be trying to access this new service, in
any means possible. A new card, which was rumoured to be released shortly
before the start of the football season to all NFL subscribers, could
infact be very possible. Some satellite receivers, including my 4500
model have already been programmed to accept a new card with the new
security technology Nagravision 2. So it's only a matter of time before
the cards start being distributed. This is going to cause a lot of suffering
to those in the US who can't legally watch Canadian satellite TV, and
especially for people in Canada that want their freedom of choice to
watch American TV. Stay tuned for the next edition of Mystic's corner
where we will discuss this topic further. |
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Rumors For
July 4th, 2003 - Independence Day Edition... |
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With the recent launch of the new
Galaxie services on ExpressVu and the 5 missing channels, which are
now proposed as being available in the near future as a separate programming
package, on the secondary satellite, one has to wonder, where else will
ExpressVu try to get our money from? Well, today's rumour revolves around
a new item that was added to the bills of those that subscribe to the
N2 Locals. With the amount of $0.00 . Now if this turns out the same
as it did in the past, with the 2nd receiver fee with $0.00 next to
it, and now they charge for it, this will mean that the locals basic
package will not include all the locals. So eventually ExpressVu will
start placing an amount next to the Nimiq 2 locals, and I can imagine
this will make many people upset, since it's already assumed that when
you subscribe to locals, you'll get "ALL" the locals, but
this just isn't the case anymore. So eventually in the near future expect
to be paying $4.99 to get these new locals, or $5.99 to get this new
music package. It's one of these unavoidable costs of TV nowadays, I
guess we'll just have to get used to it, or miss out on it altogether,
until the new fees are forced onto us in our regular packages with fee
increases, but without the new channels. (Example, when the new Super
packages were created, I decided to stick with my current package, and
miss out on the new channels, but low and behold, a few weeks later,
the fees of my current, unupgraded package went up $3.00!) ... |
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New Channels
For August 6th, 2004 - Summertime Edition! |
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- NFL Sunday Ticket is coming to ExpressVu
at the start of the Football Season. Stay tuned for further
details, or call: 1-888-BELL-NFL. Also, those Olympic channels
have returned to ExpressVu. This time located in the 335-345
locations, since the 170-180 block has now been occupied since
the last olympics. ExpressVu has done this for many occasions,
including the Winter Olympics, the disaster in New York, the
baseball season last year, and the last Summer Olympics. ExpressVu
will group together all of the channels that will be broadcasting
Olympic coverage, and have them all conveniently located, with
a launch pad channel to watch 4 feeds on one channel. As well,
ExpressVu will be offering a completely interactive service
for the Olympics with info and stats, and possibly games (for
Tom :D ). As well, a new channel to launch shortly, probably
on ExpressVu will be Fine Living TV Canada; we'll give more
details when they become available. Have a great day!
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New Channels
For January 10th, 2004 - New Years Edition! |
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- Over the last couple of months ExpressVu
has added quite a few new channels to their service. However,
the new channels added were all placed on their secondary satellite
Nimiq 2 at 82 degrees. So those that don't yet have a multi-directional
have nothing new.
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