Canadian Satellite: Bell or Starchoice - Your experiences

[HillJack]

We've bought ourselves a condo and take posession July 15th. We can get satellite at the place, and I'd like to get feedback from anyone who has/has had either Starchoice or Bell ExpressVu here in Canada.

Good, bad, quality, customer service, reception problems... Who provides the better service in your view?

I know Starchoice is owned by Shaw and I'd like to cut all possible ties with Shaw if possible (it's a long storey), but if Starchoice provides superior service...

Bell claims their picture is "always sharp and clear"... is it? How are the normal channels (TLC, Space, Locals, etc) for quality?

Bell wants me to sign a 2-year contract for their service, while Starchoice does not.

Bell is $129 for 2-TV's installed on a 2-year contract, Starchoice is $49 for 1-TV installed, and an additional receiver is $150 (or so) with no contract.

Content-wise, this is Canada so they both offer identical programming, just mixed up packaging (we need some competition up here).

This is a new area for me, and I'd like to feedback from those who've been there so I can make a semi-informed decision

Thanks!

[Cholerabob]

Reception depends on the weather and where you are. If you are a cable user and are new to Sat TV the first to know is that when the wheater is bad so is your reception, i.e. the quality of your picture. On a normal day, picture on BEV is great and as you say packages are the same. As for competition well, our beautiful Supreme Court took care of that 2 years ago , when it past a legislation saying that it was illegal to receive satellite signals from outside Canada . Meaning bye bye DirectTV and Dish, wich are now illegal to own or use in Canada....

I can't comment on StarChoice don't have it.

Good Luck

[BJ_M]

hilljack -- why does your sig try to make a outbound connection and run a exe ? your sig url :


http://hilljack.vampirez.com:2001/cgi/nph-jpeg.exe?-aw+192+-ah+144+-single+-device+0+-video+0

i'm sure it is a web cam -- but i dont want someones sig installing things

thanks ..

[Ziffelpig]

Since Starchoice put their new satellite up(supposedly the most powerful in the world) I have never had an interruption in service due to weather, actually we have never had an interrruption in service for any reason and we are very happy with the service. I definitely can say I would never go back to cable, digital or otherwise as the digital cable quality sucks compared to satellite.
My father subscribes to BEV so I have compared them and in my opinion SC is better.

[HillJack]

hilljack -- why does your sig try to make a outbound connection and run a exe ? your sig url :

http://hilljack.vampirez.com:2001/cgi/nph-jpeg.exe?-aw+192+-ah+144+-single+-device+0+-video+0

i'm sure it is a web cam -- but i dont want someones sig installing things

thanks ..

The exe is run on my server, not your system (cgi-bin stuff is just renamed exe's, the same thing; it's how counters work). It's software running my webcam, the exe is a program that takes a snapshot of what the webcam is seeing, that's all. I figured something different for a sig rather than boring static pics (no offense to anyone with static pics). I'll see if I can change it to .cgi or something to not scare people.

Since Starchoice put their new satellite up(supposedly the most powerful in the world) I have never had an interruption in service due to weather, actually we have never had an interrruption in service for any reason and we are very happy with the service. I definitely can say I would never go back to cable, digital or otherwise as the digital cable quality sucks compared to satellite.
My father subscribes to BEV so I have compared them and in my opinion SC is better.

Thanks for the input. I was afraid people were going to like Starchoice more We have Shaw digital cable right now, and for the actual digital channels, it's alright (not great), but the service is still 90% analog and it's complete crap (nooooooooooisey!). My favorite commercial of all time is Bell's commercial where the cable guy comes to install "digital cable" and the customer ends up chasing him around the truck "what, did you think I wouldn't notice?" I almost died when I first saw it That's why I'm leaning towards Bell, just for that commercial (like Molson and their I Am Canadian commercials).

What receiver do you have? they have 2 non-hd models. If I went with them, I'd grab the cheapy for the bedroom and the other non-hd for the main room.

Reception depends on the weather and where you are. If you are a cable user and are new to Sat TV the first to know is that when the wheater is bad so is your reception, i.e. the quality of your picture. On a normal day, picture on BEV is great and as you say packages are the same. As for competition well, our beautiful Supreme Court took care of that 2 years ago , when it past a legislation saying that it was illegal to receive satellite signals from outside Canada . Meaning bye bye DirectTV and Dish, wich are now illegal to own or use in Canada....

Thanks for the comments. I would have figured by now, the problems with weather would have been overcome? Don't scare me like that, I've been drooling over satellite for years, now I have the chance to get it

[Topher5000]

If you want Dolby Digital sound with Bell, you have to get the PVR or HD model. The two cheaper models, 2700 & 3100, don't have it. The PVR is $500, but I think new subs get a cheap lease.
Check the guide on the 2700. It's slow & blanks out the audio & video, but it's livable.
Also, Bell doesn't do letterbox, even on the PPVs. I have a large SD-RPTV & widescreen looks so much more like a movie.

[Sam Ontario]

We've bought ourselves a condo and take posession July 15th. We can get satellite at the place, and I'd like to get feedback from anyone who has/has had either Starchoice or Bell ExpressVu here in Canada.

Read your condo acts before you purchase any dish if you have not done so. Many condo will not allow or restrict the use of any dishes. They can tear it down and charge you for the cost if you violate them.

[HillJack]

Read your condo acts before you purchase any dish if you have not done so. Many condo will not allow any dishes. They can tear it down and charge you for the cost if you violate them.

Already did that, and they do allow them (South-facing balcony, specifically for satellite, was one of the conditions of buying the condo for me). There are a couple units already with their dishes installed, I want to join them

If you want Dolby Digital sound with Bell, you have to get the PVR or HD model. The two cheaper models, 2700 & 3100, don't have it. The PVR is $500, but I think new subs get a cheap lease.
Check the guide on the 2700. It's slow & blanks out the audio & video, but it's livable.
Also, Bell doesn't do letterbox, even on the PPVs. I have a large SD-RPTV & widescreen looks so much more like a movie.

You know, I can't find any reference to the specs on Bell's systems. The only two models I see are the 3120 and 3130. Starchoice does do widescreen on PPV then? How about station logo's in the corner of PPV's? I hate that!

Starchoice, their cheapy model, the Navigo 305 for $50 installed, says Dolby Surround. Whereas the other model, the Navigo 405, which is an extra $150 (I can't find any deals on it) claims Dolby 5.1. If I were to do Starchoice, I'd get a 305 for the bedroom and a 405 for the living room. My home theatre only does Dolby Surround, not 5.1 so no worries, but the extra outputs on the back should prove handy.

Hmm...

[Lucifers_Ghost]

I have had BEV for a few years and other than the really nasty snow or thunderstorms, I never lose signal.

The picture is always clear.

Mind you, I have never owned nor viewed starchoice.

Another thing to keep in mind. BEV receivers are very easy to mod if you are going to "borrow" some extra channels. I dont know about Starchoice.

Just my thoughts ......

LG

[richdvd]

BEV receivers are very easy to mod if you are going to "borrow" some extra channels.

What does the modding do...does it increase the picture/sound quality?
Can you convert the reciever to 5.1 DD with a mod?

[Lucifers_Ghost]

No, you can get illegal cards that will give you all the channels, top to bottom.

There are problems when BEV shocks your receiver, but there are ways to get around that as well.

Im not 100% sure on the logistics of it all. I know people who do it.

If you want more information, check out: www.sattech.ca (or.net .. I forget which).

LG

[BJ_M]

no mod discusions ... i.e. getting extra channel or carding...

it is not legal in canada or usa .....

[Lucifers_Ghost]

Its only illegal if you get caught

Besides, thats why I gave him the address of the site. To veer off the topic.

[Topher5000]

3120 is the number of the system (model 3100 ird & dish), & I think 3130 is the dish, 3100 ird & 2700 ird. Neither have the optical DD output. Interestingly, they used to have other models, a 3700 or 4700 I think, that did have DD out. I don't know why they stopped selling them. Perhaps Dishnet stopped using them.
The 3100 is identical to the dishnet 310.
The PPVs don't have the logo in the corner. Could you imagine the outrage if people were paying $4 & had to look at the Bell logo!
I was told by the Bell rep that if you don't require installation, you're only required to sign a 1 year contract.
The reason Starchoice doesn't require a contract is because it hasn't been hacked.

[SatStorm]

In canada it is illegal to receive channels transmitting from outside the country?

Does that also count for the Free To Air (FTA) channels?
Or it is only for the subscription services?

[Topher5000]

I think it's illegal to decode encrypted signals or own equipment used to decode the signals.
I asked Canada Customs about bringing a Dishnet ird back & I was told that they didn't care, but the police might. I took this to mean that it's legal to import them, but illegal to own them.

[Cholerabob]

What is illegal is to receive and pay for Dish or DirectTV signals. you can get, if you're not looking for HDTV, a kit with 1 3100 and one slower 2700 refurb in one box. For HDTV u need to go in the PVR zone, i.e. 5100-5800 and up. All receivers are exactly the same for Dish and Bev. Free to air is not illegal, but if you modify your reciver to get others it is.... You don't need to buy the Dish antenna too. You could buy a multiswitch to split the original signal in 4,8 or 16. But you would need to ask the peeps that already have antennas up to plug it in. That way you only have one Dish antena on the wall but the signal is split into a number of signals. Perfectly legal Bev technician can even do it and they do for multi-housing service.

[Vanderlow]

>>I asked Canada Customs about bringing a Dishnet ird back & I was told that they didn't care, but the police might. I took this to mean that it's legal to import them, but illegal to own them.>>>

I don't know Canadian laws, but I take this as Customs just scaring you. I have a hard time believe its illegal to own a dishhet ird in Canada. Remember a dishnet ird in itself can't decode scrambled channels. I also haven't heard of DTV sueing any canadian private users of priated cards.

[satviewer2000]

Amazing as it may sound to those living outside of Canada, it is completely ILLEGAL in Canada to watch, decode, or record any satellite signal which originates outside of Canada ... this law courtesy of the Liberal (read Communist) party and current gov't of Canada, recently re-elected by the morons of the East.

It is in fact illegal in Canada to receive FTA satellite transmissions, even if these signals cannot be viewed in any other way in Canada. In other words, if none of the Communist party approved satellite providers in Canada include the "foreign" programming in their lineup, well, you still CANNOT legally watch these satellite programs!

Reminds me of those Communist countries which used to jam foreign radio transmissions. Hmmm, isn't Canada one of only 2 countries in the world now to have 100% socialized healthcare? (the other being North Korea).

[Cholerabob]

I find the term "communist" a little harsh. the law was passed to protect Canadian broadcasters from the flooding of American tv. If it's founded or not that's the question. It probably isn't since it was pushed by Bell,... As for the elections i would say that's it's more Ontario than eastern Canada that tiped the scale....

[SatStorm]

Communists or whatever, it is a stupid law against my civil rights about information. Satellite reception of foreign programs is known that officially exist only on China and other isolated countries...
It's like banning the Internet if you ask me, or the AM Radio transmissions.

So, here is the question: I'm Greek, living in Canada and wish to receive ERT SAT through satellite (ERT SAT: International version of our national TV broadcaster for the the greeks of diaspora), I can't do it because it is illegal?
ERT SAT broadcasts FTA from Sitcom A3 (34.5 east) and I know that it is receivable in Canada. So some other Greek channels.

[Cholerabob]

As far as i know FTA is legal, what is illegal is to PAY for the service. That's how i understand this law anyways, i maybe rong

[satviewer2000]

You are wrong.

In Canada, it is illegal to view any satellite signal that originates outside of Canada which has not been approved by the CRTC and which is not being carried by one of the major programming vendors, whether it is free or not.

It does NOT matter that you cannot receive the programming in any other way, and that neither Bell nor Starchoice carry the signal, you still CANNOT watch the signal legally.

Now this is of course not to say that you cannot watch the signal, which you can of course, but you would theoretically be breaking the law. I don't believe such a case has ever been tried as of yet, so I cannot say what a court of law would decide on as just punishment for viewing "Communist party unapproved programming" ... but the very fact that such a law exists in what is supposed to be a free and democratic country is hyposcrisy.

That's why I refer to the gov't as being Communist. Stupid Ontarians.

[HillJack]

Starchoice, their cheapy model, the Navigo 305 for $50 installed, says Dolby Surround. Whereas the other model, the Navigo 405, which is an extra $150 (I can't find any deals on it) claims Dolby 5.1. If I were to do Starchoice, I'd get a 305 for the bedroom and a 405 for the living room. My home theatre only does Dolby Surround, not 5.1 so no worries, but the extra outputs on the back should prove handy.

Hmm...

Well, I buckled and we got Starchoice installed yesterday. Bought the 405 model (w/Dolby 5.1) for $99 a few weeks back. It includes 10 free PPV's ($50 credit basically) and 2 year free dish maintenance. Their customer service so far has been really friendly and helpful. The installer was a cool guy and did the job really fast.

So far, I like it. Bell's customer service on the other hand was a bunch of f**kups who couldn't give me a straight answer if they tried. The first time I called, I got nothing (literally). Then I called back, and their computer operator (press 1 to do this, press 2 to do this...) I SNIFFED and I ended up on the French menu for whatever reason. When I finally managed to talk to someone, he kept reassuring me the PVR model was $300 and not $400 like they advertise. Let alone their website advertised it as $400 and the checkout wanted to charge me $500. Half the time I goto their website it doesn't work, or links all over take me to 404 pages. I dismissed Expressvu because of their technical ineptness.

So, Starchoice it is. Yes, they're a subsidiary of Shaw, but oh well. We're talking identical service/selection for similar prices. Who the hell cares

The only complaint I have so far is with the 405 receiver and my TV... my TV has 3 AV inputs; 2 on the back (which are in use by my Xbox and my DVD player atm) and 1 on the front. Plus the good old Coax on the back. Ideally I'd like to use the Coax on the back for the satellite receiver, but I have been told (and I've tested it) that the 405 receiver won't even output STEREO through Coax, so I've been left with using the 3rd input on the front of the TV for the receiver... atleast I get my surround sound That, and the plan was to use the existing wiring (Coax) running the TV signal to all rooms, but since the stupid 405 receiver will only do MONO over Coax, that's not gonna work. So, I've ordered a 75ft S-Video/RCA-Audio cable ($147!!) and it'll be here mid-next week. Hopefully that works out.

Now to start making use of my AIW 9000

[Seritoga]

I have Starchoice and I can honestly say it is the worse service I have ever had. At one time I did have Bell and that Satellite service was far better. With Starchoice it does not matter the weather. Even on a sunny afternoon or a clear evening the signal on most channels are broken up and in a Half hour show you will maybe have 3 minutes of the show you are seeing. But most time the signal is broken and you are left with a blank screen.

Because this Particular satellite service is part of my rental agreement, these day I have resorted to watching tv on line.
My best advice, go with your cable company or Bell. Starchoice is not worth the good money paid.

[Clockwork]

[redwudz]

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