RFD in True FTA?

[truthserum]

First off, I am paying for cable channels, and not trying to find anything illegal. However, I have been trying to track down access to RFD-TV for their horse training programming, and can't find it on any normal Canadian services.

From doing some searches, I found some references on another forum that stated it was FTA on AMC-1, 3915 H, symbol rate 4410, and also in HD on 121W (G23). The poster mentioned he was pulling in the HD signal in C Band from a 4 foot dish, with a low but stable signal.

RFD-TV's own site listed those as well, and also 105W (AMC-18).

So, being new to all of this, I have a few questions:
-is RFD-TV true (legal) FTA?
-if so, what type of equipment would I need to pull it in?
-would a smaller dish be possible in Calgary, Alberta?
-by how much should a satellite be visible above a roofline?

Hopefully the smaller dish would work. I tried Dishpointer's AR app on the iPhone, and from the back yard the arc is probably about 6 - 8" above the roofline. Out front I have a clear sky up the street, but no place to put a large dish. Something 4 feet, or ideally less, could perhaps be mounted to the front of the house.

I called one of the local satellite stores, but they suggested that nobody is doing much in C Band anymore, and I should be looking at small Ku dishes. I haven't found any references to RFD-TV on Ku, hence my questions above.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[tdti1]

Try to find a real satellite dealer and speak with them, you would be best off with a 10' motorized c/ku-band dish, tons of free stuff, if you really only want that one channel I personally would not put a up a whole system for one channel as you never know if or when it mite encrypt but to each is own, you can probably pull it in with a 6' or so with no problem.

[truthserum]

Thanks for the quick reply. If I could verify RFD-TV is really there as FTA, I would be willing to try a new system, and could always explore a little more later if it encrypted.

The 6' or 10' would definitely be a back yard only option, and I'm not sure about the roofline --on the iPhone the satellites looked pretty close to the roof.

[WillDekkard]

103.0W: H-3915 1235 2/3 RFD-TV
as for RFD-TV HD on 121.0W it may be only intermittent?

Sorry, I can not confirm if it is receivable via a Mini-BUD, yet(perhaps later this year). I have heard that 121.0W C-Band has a strong signal. Don't know if you can get 103.0W C-Band with a Mini-BUD ? Remember you will need a 1.2m(4 foot) dish, C-Band LNBF, conical scalar ring, and C-Band LNB holder.

[Cham]

You would likely need a 6' dish to pick it up consistantly.
Coordinates are:
RFD TV SD; AMC-1 @ 103w
3916MHz 4410sr Horizontal linear polarity
VPID=308 APID=256 PID=308

RFD TV HD; G12/18 @ 121w
4096MHz 8681sr, Horizontal linear polarity, QPSK
VPID=308 APID=257 PID=308

Pick them up well on a 10' dish. Both transponders are running 100% of the time as far as I know, they are always on. Great rural programming!
-C.

[bigredneck]

Just in case you're still wondering, yes, it is legal to view on c-band. Not encrypted at this point. Lyngsat gives info on encrypted or non-encrypted, in case you haven't tire it yet.

[truthserum]

Big thanks to you all for confirming the current location, availability, and legality.

Any thoughts on how much roof line clearance would be needed? We back onto a schoolyard, so if it had to be a big dish I would prefer to keep it ground level.

Using the iphone Dishpointer app the satellites were pretty close to the roof, but visible (although perhaps not after a heavy winter snow accumulation, but that would be removeable). Anyone have any experience with how accurate the Dishpointer app is for determining location?

And, if I haven't imposed too much already, any recommendations on brands/models for the receiver and LNBF?

[gretzky]

Just in case you're still wondering, yes, it is legal to view on c-band. Not encrypted at this point. Lyngsat gives info on encrypted or non-encrypted, in case you haven't tire it yet.

are you saying that it's illegal to sub on a C-BAND in canada ?

[mr weather]

My understanding is it's kind of a gray area. If a channel is encrypted and not authorized to broadcast in Canada then technically it's illegal to subscribe to it.

[gretzky]

My understanding is it's kind of a gray area. If a channel is encrypted and not authorized to broadcast in Canada then technically it's illegal to subscribe to it.

so is there a text in the law that says that the only legal providers in canada are bell and Shaw direct if so sheila copps basically killed the C band market

[truthserum]

When I checked the Industry Canada site, programming that was unencrypted was free, defeating or bypassing the scrambling was piracy/black market, and using a US subscription and equipment in Canada was listed as grey market.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst...h_sf05562.html

[gretzky]

When I checked the Industry Canada site, programming that was unencrypted was free, defeating or bypassing the scrambling was piracy/black market, and using a US subscription and equipment in Canada was listed as grey market.

i aint talking here about using a fake U.S adress to sub on whatever dish network or direct tv
there are a few C band subscribtion providers in canada
is it legal to sub to them regardless the programming they offer
I guess that's an 100 $ question
and if the answer is no is this really mean that blocked the C band subscription market in canada because it still exist in the U.S

[Krydor]

I was under the impression that C-band was grandfathered for early adopters. I never had a problem getting a subscription and my provider advertised in the local phone book. I have no idea about that now, because I never bothered with 4DTV.

[gretzky]

I was under the impression that C-band was grandfathered for early adopters. I never had a problem getting a subscription and my provider advertised in the local phone book. I have no idea about that now, because I never bothered with 4DTV

I guess it ain't clear legally if the only legal providers are the ones on KU band (Bell/Shaw Direct) or if a canadian C band provider can provide sub too