Questions from a potential user about SS, IR, and digital satellite

[Thermopyle]

Hello all. I've spent that last hour becoming familiar with these discussion boards, and I'd like to congratulate the Snapstream personnel for taking such an active interest in their users. So many times I see companies that don't understand the importance of what you do.

As far as my questions go: I'm considering buying a second receiver for my Dish Network dual LNB satellite dish exclusively for my PC. After perusing the web site I have a general idea of how this works, but I have some specific questions. Here they are:

1. How does this software handle pay-per-view movies?

2. I understand that EPGs for broadcast and cable is in the works, what about for digital satellite?

3. Can SS stream a show real-time? In other words, can I stream a show as it is being broadcast to another PC on my home LAN?

Thanks in advance.


Dustin Wyatt

[rakeshagrawal]

1- pay per view movies -- tell me the process by which you subscribe to a pay per view movie at the moment. we do not have any specific provisions in SnapStream PVS but we would be open to developing such provisions if it was possible.

2- guide support for broadcast, cable and digital satellite all go together. so digital satellite guide support is also in the works.

3- not at the moment though we are developing this technology right now.

[Thermopyle]

Procedure for buying a pay-per-view on my Dish Network 27xx receiver is as follows:

1. Select PPV movie you wish off of the Dish Network's EPG. (Alternatively, if you know the channel #, you can enter it in manually instead of using the EPG)

2. A dialog pops up making sure you want it, and you select 'Yes'.

3. Movie play commences.

I'm planning on using the Alcitel IR Tuner to interface w/ my Dish Network receiver.

[rakeshagrawal]

Hmm. Haven't really given paper view movies that much thought. What would you like for the software to do for you with PPV shows?

[rakeshagrawal]

on a separate note, does your dishplayer receiver have a serial port or low speed data port on it? we would like to look into adding serial port control for these receivers.

We've found that the module z0rak has coded up for us (http://www.snapstream.com/products/irblaster/sonydss.htm) works on Sony and RCA hardware. Perhaps it also works with your Dishplayer box. If you are able to try it out, please let us know what kind of results you get.

[This message has been edited by rakeshagrawal (edited 03-09-2001).]

[Thermopyle]

Ultimately, I would like to be able to select a ppv movie from an EPG and have your software record it for me by sending the appropriate commands to my receiver to purchase the program. Until the EPG is implemented, I'd be satisfied telling your software the time of the movie and than having an option of telling it that this movie is a PPV event, so that it knows to send the appropriate commands to the receiver when the record time comes around.

After a little conversation at www.avsforums.com I've found out that there isn't a Dish Receiver available that has any sort of data or serial port controlability. So I will have to use an IR blaster device.

[This message has been edited by Thermopyle (edited 03-09-2001).]

[Radical_fish]

Originally posted by rakeshagrawal:
on a separate note, does your dishplayer receiver have a serial port or low speed data port on it? we would like to look into adding serial port control for these receivers.

We've found that the module z0rak has coded up for us (http://www.snapstream.com/products/irblaster/sonydss.htm) works on Sony and RCA hardware. Perhaps it also works with your Dishplayer box. If you are able to try it out, please let us know what kind of results you get.

[This message has been edited by rakeshagrawal (edited 03-09-2001).]

to my understanding the dish network products do not have any kind of low speed data port.

you have to do it by IR
But i could be wrong



[This message has been edited by Radical_fish (edited 03-09-2001).]

[zootie]

The DishPlayer doesn't have a serial port. However, it has a "expansion" connector, that looks like a DC power conector. I don't think there are any expansions available.

It also has a Parallel port for a printer (for WebTV use). I don't know if it is bi-directional and if it could be possible to send commands through it.

It looks like we DP users are stuck with the IR200L.

What about UltimateTV? Anyone knows if it has a expansion port.