Any PANSAT TV users here?

[FormFactor]

I am posting this here because satellite is a form of communications, feel free to move it if you feel it doesn't belong here.

Anywhoo...

I co-worker of mine just mentioned a free satelite service called PANSAT wich is an acronym for Petite Amateur Navy Satellite.

From my understanding you can get 1000s of channels and not pay a monthly fee at all.

Currently I pay about 85$ a month for dish network, with whom my contract expires next month. In my search for alternative, less expensive solutions, this is looking pretty good.

It appears that you even get PPV channels free.

Has anyone in the SM community dabbled in this service? Any thoughts?

[FormFactor]

Guess not :scratch: bummer.

Well heres my understanding of how it works. You buy a reciever, and a dish (dish network, and directv dishes work too) and point it at the PANSAT satellite, which broadcasts all the channels. You flash the reciever with different bios' depending on which channels you want to recieve. No subscribtions, just recieving a freely available signal.

I think there are periodic bios updates, and i was just wondering if anyone here had tried it.

http://www.sp.nps.navy.mil/pansat/ is the website. Not much about the TV broadcasting there though.

[entropy]

Sounds illegal, dude. Pretty great idea, and if it's real, then awesome. It being from the navy is interesting, though...

Just remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There's gotta be a catch somewhere.

[FormFactor]

Honestly I don't think it is illeagle. I think the biggest drawback is that its not a set it once and forget it solution. I think you may have to flash the bios quite frequently, and use different bios' for different channels.


Here is a site that lists all the channels http://lyngsat.com .

I am suprised I have not heard of this sooner.

Here is a forum of people using the service.http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/2/93933.html

And here is a forum dedicated to the service.
http://www.dsscommunity.com/

So it looks to me like it is real. Maybe someone on this forum will get the ballz to try it. (not me though til I hear more about how it works) All you have to is buy a dish and a PANSAT2500a reciever.

[muddocktor]

I know someone that used to be big into doing Dave's cards back when that was possible. I'll ask him next time I see him if he knows anything about this. :)

[Omatic810]

As a matter of fact, my dad just recently got one. We are newbies here as well. I'll share what i find with you though, if ya'd like.

[TheSmJ]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Could be intresting.

[mondi]

There is a fairly major problem.

In the next few months, the main providers will be switching from the nagra1 system, to nagra2. What this means is that essentially any systems dependant on free reception through nagra1 will (barring an unexpected decoding breakthrough which falls under point 1 below) become obsolete, or if not obsolete, unusable without the use of special decoders, and/or larger C-Band satellite dishes (7-10 feet).

The system in place is not implicitly illegal, but there are a couple of caveats:

1 - It is not illegal to own and operate the receivers, however it is illegal to modify them in order to receive certain channels ... ie, anything other than FTA (Free to Air channels, which are limited).. hence, getting free channels that you are not supposed to (subscription based or PPV channels) is illegal. You will notice that it is nearly impossible to get pre-flashed receivers, and in the cases that you can, it's probably best not to.

2 - C-Band satellite dishes for home use are against federal law in many cases (as far as my research shows), unless you live in Alaska, or there are special provisions in your state.

This thread unfortunately, is on the borderline of discussion of illegal activities, and while its not my jurisdiction, the staff will be reviewing it, and acting as necessary. In the meantime, please PM me if you need more info in the current standards.

M