Canadian satellite TV - Montana Owners Club

Montana_2194 · 02-12-2006, 05:04 AM

I have Bell expressvue TV at home, and want to take a receiver and dish on a trip to Arizona. Research tells me that the Nimiq 91 satellite is not readable from the mid U.S. and further south. Bell is apparently very reluctant to provide service outside of Canada. I don't want to spend a ton of money on a TV system that I will use only for weeks in a year.

Does anyone have an idea that would work for a Canadian traveller (sp. in the U.S. lol)? Thanks.

lawrenceb42106 · 02-12-2006, 06:37 AM

Met a couple from Canada that had Bell Expressvue and it worked in North Alabama. Don't know about Az.

Montana_2194 · 02-12-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by lawrenceb42106

Met a couple from Canada that had Bell Expressvue and it worked in North Alabama. Don't know about Az.

OOps, I never remember to do these replies correctly. I believe the reception line rin from Oregon to Alabama, and north. Thanks for your reply. Is there an American solution that doesn't involve long contracts (ie: pay as you use)?

Jack

richfaa · 02-12-2006, 08:58 AM

Don't know of any "pay as you go" services other than a cable hookup at the campground.I know a lot of Canadians have ditecttv or dish.Don't know how they pull that off as the Canadian Government frowns upon that. We are across the Lake in Northen Ohio and have been far up into Ontario a got the satellite,had to tilt the antenna a degree or two. They use "spot beams" but we are told the direct tv is liberal with that, much to the chagrin of the Canadian Government.

OntMont · 02-12-2006, 04:18 PM

We can get ExpressVu in the Rio Grande Valley of deep south Texas. I don't know for sure, but I don't think you will have any problem in AZ. Bell won't be any help, but if you go on the Telesat Canada website, I think you can find the footprint for Nimiq 1. There is also a utility there that lets you input lat. and long. and returns the elevation and azimuth settings for anywhere. (These are true compass readings, you have to correct for magnetic variation). (We seem to be on the very edge of the signal in southern Texas, some transponders don't work).

OntMont · 02-12-2006, 04:36 PM

Here is a link to Nimiq footprint. AZ should be OK. You can see how S TX is on the fringe.
http://www.geo-orbit.org/westhemipgs/fnimiqp.html

smc · 02-12-2006, 10:42 PM

Here in Az. lots of Bell expessvu. Just don't tell them that you are in the States as they will cut you off. We are thinking about getting Dish or Direct to take back to Alberta. Has anyone got either of those to work in Albeta or BC? Don't know why they couldn't do North American TV and internet, it would sure make more sense.

Bill and Ann · 02-13-2006, 02:12 AM

For info. No problem with Star Choice. The staff are real helpful if you have problems. They don't care if you are in the U.S. or home in Can.

richfaa · 02-13-2006, 02:20 AM

Theoretically as long as you can "see" the satellite it should work anywhere in North America. There is a lot of info on the net , do some googling,Of course Canada would like to keep the business with Canadian companies and Directv/Dish would love to have the business.Direct tv is liberal with their Spot beam coverage and it is said that over 300,000 Canadians have direct tv. The biggest problem would be a Billing address.Example if you purchased a direct tv system here in my zip code 44039(Northern ,Ohio then took it to Canada I know it will work in most if not all of Ontario, Provence.It is less than 50 miles across the Lake. But where would Directtv send the bill.

mobilrvn · 02-13-2006, 10:05 AM

Trade your equipment for Star Choice. We use a 90 cm dish and have enjoyed Star Choice everywhere in Mexico and Belize. We have to use a broker in Canada, but it is worth it. For more info go to: www.global-cm.net

Montana_2194 · 02-21-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by OntMont

We can get ExpressVu in the Rio Grande Valley of deep south Texas. I don't know for sure, but I don't think you will have any problem in AZ. Bell won't be any help, but if you go on the Telesat Canada website, I think you can find the footprint for Nimiq 1. There is also a utility there that lets you input lat. and long. and returns the elevation and azimuth settings for anywhere. (These are true compass readings, you have to correct for magnetic variation). (We seem to be on the very edge of the signal in southern Texas, some transponders don't work).

Thanks John and Donna,
do you use an 18" dish? I think we'll be alright if you can get it with your unit. One website said they changed the Nimiq and offloaded some channels to another satellite, making reception limited in the deep south. I don't understand the mechanics well.

Jack

Montana_2194 · 02-21-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Bill and Ann

For info. No problem with Star Choice. The staff are real helpful if you have problems. They don't care if you are in the U.S. or home in Can.

Thanks Bill and Ann,

We might do that (change to Star Choice). I did contact them and they were vague about using it in the US, but maybe I spoke to the wrong person. By the way, we're neighbours. We're in Carrying Place, south of Trenton, (40 Km west of Napanee).

Jack and Penny

Bill and Ann · 02-22-2006, 02:28 AM

Jack and Penny: We quite frequently lose the signal due to the power being off when travelling. I just phone them up, using the 1-800 number. They send me the signal. I tell them I am travelling and they tell me what signal strength I should expect to get in that area. We are just north of the Flying J at Napanee. Talk about a small world.

JH Sechelt · 02-22-2006, 08:41 AM

Bill and Ann

We also use to loose the singal when travelling ( with Star Choice ).
After calling them three or four times,( over a couple of months), the person at star choice said the receiver has a battery back up system in it and it should go 2 to 3 weeks not hooked up, without loosing the signal. He figured the little battery was not any good any more and sent us a new receiver.
( No Charge)
The new receicer seems to work much better.

Take Care
J & D

Montana_2194 · 02-22-2006, 09:54 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Bill and Ann

Jack and Penny: We quite frequently lose the signal due to the power being off when travelling. I just phone them up, using the 1-800 number. They send me the signal. I tell them I am travelling and they tell me what signal strength I should expect to get in that area. We are just north of the Flying J at Napanee. Talk about a small world.

Bill and Ann,

I guess I'm stupid! What signal do you lose. If the dish is packed away during travel, of course you have no signal.. Once it's up and aimed, then don't you pick up the signal once you're on the satellite?

How do they "send you a signal".

I'm clearly missing something. Thanks

Jack

JH Sechelt · 02-22-2006, 11:52 AM

Jack,

When you first buy a Star Choice system and it is set up in your home, Star choice has to send a Boot or Hit your new unit with a Code once they know it is a legitimate system ( not pirated ).
Once that code is in your receiver it memorizes it with the help of a backup battery ( in case of a power outage).
In our case the battery would not hold the code for any more then a day or two or sometimes a few hours.
When we tried to set up the system when out Rving we would have to get Star Choice to reboot our receiver every time
because it would not hold the security code. This was a little bit of a pain.

The biggest problem was you didn't know it didn't work until you could not get any stronger of a signal then 19 or so.
I used to think I just could not find the satellite. As stated our new receiver works just fine.

Take Care
J & D

OntMont · 02-22-2006, 02:49 PM

I'm not sure how ExpressVu handles this situation, but we have never had any problem getting our system to connect. We sometimes leave it unplugged for weeks at a time, but it always starts right up again. While Bell won't give you any support for use in the U.S., they do not seem to take any active steps to prevent you using the system. I don't really see how they could know where your reciever is as long you don't plug it in to a telephone, and at least in Canada, they can't insist that customers (who may be in the far north) have telephone service.

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