From: Laura Bashlor <lauralou@gatecoms.gatecom.com>
Subject: Re: LFM broadcast solutions
Date: Sun, 22 Sep 1996 12:09:08 -0400
Rowan, Chris wrote: > I just found out this week that TCI Cablevision installed a FREE > satellite dish and receiver on our campus, which is wonderful, but we > cannot receive NASA TV. We do get the Discovery and Learning Channels. > I don't remember whether either of these stations will be carrying the > live broadcasts or not. Anyone know? > > Aside from NASA TV and PBS stations, are there any other stations > carrying the broadcasts? > Chris, Here is the scoop as far as I have been able to find out: TCI Cablevision can get NASA-TV via an available dish at their facility that they position to the transponders and then can beam it in on the school channel on regular cablevision. Problem is that they rarely have a spare dish available. Some PBS stations (those that get funding from education) will carry the LFM broadcasts. Other PBS stations may be open to a little arm-twisting. Here in the Detroit PBS Market there is some possibility involving the PBS "Cable" station, whatever THAT is. I am now looking at picking the broadcasts up from Toledo, Ohio PBS for our school, but that doesn't help the other Michigan schools. Some NASA Live feed is picked up by CNN. It is usually the departures and landings of shuttles and other selected newsworthy items. Some County Educational Resource centers have Microwave transmitters. Ours will position their regular satellite dish to receive the LFM broadcasts and re-transmit to either a Microwave dish on the school (which we do not have) or to the microwave dish our TCI is getting. TCI will then re-re-transmit over the school channel. This might suffer some loss of quality. We are going to make a "dry run" around the middle of October with this method. We also have a small portable dish available that TCI volunteered to set up last year for LFS, but didn't get working. We may take another look at that. You might have TCI reposition one of yours for the LFM broadcasts. The transponder numbers are available. Just tell them that TCI in Woodhaven, Michigan sent two of their technicians to do it for Shumate Middle School. Those men worked 2 days on our system at TCI expense plus the time it took to repair our converter in the TCI shop. Hope some of my experience can help someone out there. Laura (MI)