Bell ExpressVu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bell ExpressVu is the division of Bell Canada that provides satellite television service across Canada. It launched on September 10, 1997 and as of 2004 has been providing IPTV service via VDSL to select multidwelling units (condominiums and apartments) in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. Bell ExpressVu provides over 300 digital video and audio channels to, as of March 2006, over 1.7 million subscribers. Its major competitors include satellite service StarChoice, as well as various cable and communications companies across Canada.

ExpressVu was conceived in 1994, at the time of American DSS systems launch, as a consortium of Ontario-based Tee-Comm Electronics, Canadian Satellite Communications (Cancom), Vancouver-based Western International Communications (WIC) and Bell Canada (BCE), with a projected startup date of late 1995. High technology development costs and delays placed Tee-Comm in a severe financial position, prompting the remaining partners to pull out in 1996. Instead, U.S. satellite-TV provider Echostar Dish Network was chosen to provide the receivers and uplink equipment. The Hughes DirecTV system had already been optioned to Power Broadcasting, in Canada; it has since been withdrawn. Tee-Comm on its own managed to launch the first DBS service in Canada, AlphaStar, in early 1997 however in a matter of months the company went bankrupt and the service was discontinued, leaving thousands of consumers with useless receivers. ExpressVu launched service in September 1997, as "ExpressVu Dish Network", using the Echostar logo. In 2000 Bell took over full ownership of ExpressVu.

Contents 1 Satellites 2 Satellite TV Equipment 3 Service Policies 4 Pay-per-view Access 5 Installation Standards 6 Interactive Services 7 VDSL Service 8 Channels Provided by Bell ExpressVu 9 Bell TV Magazine 10 Trivia 11 External links

[edit] Satellites

ExpressVu broadcasts from four geosynchronous satellites: Nimiq 1, 2, 3 and 4i. All follow an equatorial path, giving coverage to most of Canada. Nimiq is an Inuktitut word for "that which unifies" and was chosen from a nationwide naming contest in 1998. The three satellites are owned and operated by Telesat Canada (a BCE corporation). ExpressVu's uplink site is located in North York which is in the Toronto area.

Nimiq 1 was launched on May 20, 1999 and contains 32 Ku-band transponders at 91° W. Nimiq 2, launched in December 29, 2002, also includes 2 K-band transponders. Nimiq 2, launched in December 2002, provides HDTV, international programming, and all newly released channels. It occupies the 82° W slot. Nimiq 3 went online on August 23, 2004. Originally called DirecTV3, it is an old DirecTV satellite moved to a new orbital slot near Nimiq 1 to offload some of the transmitting work from the original satellite. In February 2006, Nimiq 3 was moved behind Nimiq 2 to support it, while another satellite, Nimiq 4i (formerly DirecTV2), took Nimiq 3's spot behind Nimiq 1. Nimiq 4i is temporary and will be replaced by a newly launched satellite in 2008 which will take the name Nimiq 4. Both Nimiq 3 and Nimiq 4i feature 16 Ku-band transponders. From the time of service launch in 1997 to the switch to Nimiq in 1999, ExpressVu used the already crowded Anik E2.

Each satellite typically has 32 divisions of signal, ie. transponders. A transponder usually has enough bandwidth to broadcast approximately 10 channels. Because HDTV requires more bandwidth, some transponders on Nimiq 2 will typically broadcast only 4-5 channels. LyngSat provides a listing of channels on Nimiq 1 and Nimiq 2 broken down by transponder.

[edit] Satellite TV Equipment

ExpressVu currently provides 20 inch dishes to its customers. Canadians living in the territories and certain parts of British Columbia & Newfoundland require larger dishes between 60 and 120 cm; these are used to compensate for the weaker satellite signal available to these regions. The 20" dish supports two LNBs. The size of the dish was increased from 18 to 20 inches in late 2001 to accommodate a second LNB to acquire signal from Nimiq 2 (BEV 82) satellite. At the end of the dish's arm, a Y-adapter is found which holds both LNBs. The BEV 91 LNB is in the center of the dish while the BEV 82 LNB is offset to the left. Rotating the dish (ie. modifying the skew angle) changes the position of the 82 LNB while maintaining position for BEV 91. A switchbox, typically an SW21 or SW44, is used to merge both satellite signals into receivers.

ExpressVu's satellite receivers are manufactured by Echostar in the USA. A multitude of receivers are currently provided, all with internal smartcards:

• The 4100 is ExpressVu's current basic receiver. It is half the size of all previous basic receivers and provides a coaxial and RCA output. New to the basic model is an optical output for 5.1 surround sound purposes.
• The 5900 is a single tuner PVR with the capacity to record up to 80 hours of programming. It offers a coaxial output, two sets of RCAs, S-Video, and an optical output. It can respond to both IR and UHF signals. The hard drive has a one hour buffer intended for rewinding and pausing purposes, meaning that you can rewind a channel back up to an hour or keep an event paused for that same duration before it goes back to PLAY mode. Pressing VIEW on the remote will always bring the receiver back into LIVE mode, ie. the user will see what is currently being broadcasted.
• The 6100 is a single tuner HDTV receiver. It offers both a DVI and component connectors for HDTV purposes. Although defeating the purpose of the receiver, the 6100 also provides two sets of RCA outputs. It also features two sets of RCA inputs that allow users to plug in devices like a VCR or DVD player; from the guide they may select channel 000 which corresponds to those back panel RCA inputs. The 6100 comes with a UHF Pro remote yet can also respond to IR signals from other IR-compatible remotes.
• The 9200 is ExpressVu's latest and most powerful receiver. It is a dual tuner PVR receiver with HDTV capabilities on output #1 and can record either 180 hours of standard definition or 25 hours of HDTV. The second output provides standard definition channels and is used in the same fashion as the 5200. Output #1 does not provide any other means of connection beyond HDMI and component so it must be used with a HD television. Clients having TVs with a DVI input may use the HDMI to DVI converter included with the 9200. Current software problems that mostly involve HDCP compatibility are causing intermittent video and audio problems on the 9200. HDCP is an encryption protocol used by HDMI. The video signal coming from the HDMI output is encrypted and once received by the customer's HD television, it must decrypt the signal. Such a system was implemented by HDMI developers to prevent piracy and distribution of television content. The 9200 is also ExpressVu's first receiver equipped with a USB port, however it is non-functional for the time being and is intended to be used strictly with Pocket Dish devices.

Current HDTV receivers support resolutions of 480i, 480p, 1080i, and 720p. Many clients end up purchasing HDTV receivers without being properly informed and usually also lack a HD television. Although not supported by ExpressVu, a component connection to a non-HD television set at 480i will actually give picture, but only 1080i and 720p will actually yield HD quality. Additionally, ExpressVu may have 43 HD channels, however the quality of the channels depends on the broadcast from providers. Most shows are still recorded in standard definition with a 4:3 aspect ratio, so even though you may technically be on a HD channel (in the 800s), you may see a standard 4:3 image. The star (*) and PAGE UP buttons of the remote allow the client to change the aspect ratio of their screen enabling them to manipulate the image with a zoom, partial zoom, stretch, and with the use of grey bars. Grey bars seem to be used on 4:3 images to prevent burn-in.

Clients may also purchase used receivers from third parties. Most used receivers that require smartcards are usually sold without smartcards; reason being that they usually were pirated systems. Ever since ExpressVu switched over to Nagravision 2 encryption, many people have sold their pirated receivers. Clients still wishing to operate these used receivers lacking cards may purchase a smartcard for $69. However, there is no guarantee that it will work and the $69 is non-refundable. The used receiver in question must also have a 500-series software version in order to be compatible with the smartcard. Smartcards are found on older receivers like the 1000, 2700, 3500, 3700, 4500, 4700, 3100, 5100, 5800, 5900, and 6000. Smartcards using Nagravision 1 encryption technology were replaced in 2005 with Nagravision 2 cards to reduce piracy. All receivers since the 3200 now have integrated smartcards.

Many types of remotes have been released over the years. Models 1000 and 2700 came out with very basic infrared (IR) remotes that could be used only to control the receivers themselves and would operate on all 16 remote addresses. Replacement remotes then came with universal functions allowing users to control the power and volume of their televisions along with VCRs and sound system receivers; these remotes can only operate on a single address at a time. Models equipped with a UHF antenna can respond to UHF remotes; these remotes use radio frequencies rather than IR signals to control the receivers. UHF signals can reach up to 30 meters, depending on the restrictions of building materials. All UHF-compatible receivers can simultaneously respond to IR signals except for model 4500. Remote #2 of the 3200, 5200, 9200, and the remote for model 6100 are based on "UHF Pro". "UHF Pro" remotes are strictly compatible with the receivers they are provided with and do not function on regular UHF-compatible receivers. Additionally, "UHF Pro" remotes can only communicate with UHF frequencies and cannot control receivers via IR. To prevent interference with other UHF remotes in proximity, clients should change their remote addresses. All secondary remotes for dual tuners may also be converted to remote #1 by flipping the plastic bottom of the remote. This also switches its transmission mode from UHF Pro to regular UHF and IR; similar to how a 5900 remote operates.

[edit] Service Policies

Residential accounts are limited to a maximum of six (6) receivers per account. To respect CRTC regulations, all receivers registered to an account must be located in the same residence. Having receivers on one account located in different residences is considered illegal. Clients wishing to have service in two locations (ex: at home and at a cottage) have the option of either opening up a second account or to temporarily disable receivers in one home while using receivers at the second residence. This is why ExpressVu's service contract requires clients to have all receivers connected to phone lines. With a phone connection, ExpressVu can verify if all receivers are connected to the same phone line and thus verify if the policy is being respected. Most clients and even ExpressVu employees have the misconception that the phone line is used for software downloads and programming changes. The phone line connection is used strictly for sending information and is solely used for ordering Pay-per-view and to verify the client's location. Clients who do have multiple receivers and who do not connect them to phone lines can expect the shutdown of all their receivers except for one by the Multiple Receiver Verification Process department (MRVP). The MRVP department will call clients with multiple receivers and ask for the location ID number contained within the receiver's system information; the location ID number changes on a regular basis. If the client is unable to confirm the location ID of all receivers, the MRVP department will engage the shutdown.

Previously, the Nimiq 1 signal was available to most of North America. However the launch of Nimiq 3 cut off access to most transponders below the Canadian border. ExpressVu made this modification to (1) boost signal on most transponders of Nimiq 1 to combat rain fade and (2) prevent American residents and mostly snowbirds in Florida from using its service. The usage of ExpressVu's service outside of Canada is considered illegal, with the exception of Canadian embassies.

Bell ExpressVu provides technical support 24/7, however it will only support its products. ExpressVu can give general guidelines for connections to televisions and VCRs, yet under no circumstances does it support TV, VCR, DVD, and PC-related problems. Any type of picture troubleshooting must be done with a direct connection from the receiver to the television.

Unlike equipment, labour for installations is only under warranty for three (3) months, regardless if the client is even renting the equipment. As the equipment is not physically linked to ExpressVu's network (other than via microwave transmission) and that most of the equipment is outside and subject to weather, installers can not warrant anything more than three months. Out of warranty service calls cost $75 for the first hour, $15 every additional 15 minutes. The installation of additional receivers can cost $50 per receiver.

A two year contract entitles clients to free installation. All rented receivers require professional installation and must be returned to ExpressVu after the committed term; currently ExpressVu has no program to sell receivers after the rental period has expired. Monthly rental prices include 4100 ($3), 5900 ($10), 5200 ($20), 9200 ($25), and 6100 ($10). While paying rental fees, receivers are always under warranty. Purchased equipment comes with a default warranty of one year with the option of taking an extended warranty. The extended warranty ("Dish Care Maintenance Plan") costs $5 per month and must be kept for a full year. It entitles customers to two (2) claims (in-warranty replacements) per year on any equipment, excluding the dish itself (LNBs are covered) and cabling.

[edit] Pay-per-view Access

Pay-per-view events may be ordered either via a remote (requiring a phone line connection), via Bell's website, or via an automated phone system. Ordering via remote is the most effective method. With initial use, the phone line technically does not need to be connected; the receiver's smartcard actually has the ability to unlock permissions to a few Pay-per-view events before it actually has to dial-out. Regular movies cost $4.99, adult movies vary between $6.99 and $9.99, adult packaged events are $24.99, while sporting events can vary up to about $50.00. ExpressVu carries all popular movies that have recently been released on DVD along with major sporting events including boxing and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Red Carpet Vu is a Pay-per-view movie service broadcasted in a group of six to ten different channels where a daily featured movie starts every fifteen minutes.

[edit] Installation Standards

An ExpressVu receiver can only be activated with a minimum of 75% signal. On a clear day in most of the country, a receiver should be able to acquire close to 100% on transponders 11 and 13, two of the strongest transponders from Nimiq 1. Transponder 13 provides software downloads. Receivers should only be activated with proper signal and correct software. An initial software download or update takes a maximum of 7 minutes. Some clients unfortunately point their dish to other satellites, typically Echostar 110. This ends up writing Dish Network software to the receiver which makes it completely useless. Older receivers like the 2700 are said to have the ability to overwrite software simply by pointing back to BEV 91. Newly activated receivers generally also come with outdated smartcard revisions (the smartcard software). Leaving the receiver on for 2 hours max and then resetting the power of the receiver generally updates the smartcard software. In 2006, ExpressVu took measures to improve the Nagravision 2 security system and are constantly updating revisions. Outdated smartcard revisions will leave the client with black screens upon changing channels.

For an installation with one or two receivers, a direct connection from the receiver to the dish's LNB should be made with a maximum amount of 125ft of RG-6 coaxial cabling. An LNB has two outputs and each receiver should have it's separate connection. Any splitters used will cause signal problems on both receivers. Beyond 125ft of RG-6 will require a repeater (an in-line digital amplifier). Many installers will unfortunately try to cut corners and use existing coaxial cabling; this cabling is typical RG-59 and experiences significant attenuation on even transponders that require 18 volts. RG-59 is generally made to only handle 13 volts which is what odd (01, 03, 05, etc...) transponders require. The usage of RG-59 cabling will typically cause 0% signal on even transponders which will lead to a loss of half the client's channels.

Three to four receivers will require the installation of a 2x4 multiplexer (MUX). It takes the two lines from the LNB and provides four outputs. Some MUX models also require a power inserter; this provides additional current to the MUX to send proper signal to all receivers. A power inserter is typically connected to output #1 of the MUX. Clients requiring service on both BEV 91 and 82 will require a 4x4 switch instead of a MUX. Both lines from the 91 LNB and both from the 82 LNB come into the switch. The switch then merges both signals and provides four outputs; a power inserter is mandatory on all 4x4 switches.

The installation of more than four receivers is a bit more complicated unless you have a MUX or switch that supports more than four outputs. ExpressVu does not officially provide any MUX or switch to customers with more than four outputs, so typical digital splitters in the range of 2.5 GHz are required to split the LNB lines; this provides additional inputs into a second MUX or switch. It can somewhat complicate the installation, but is still deemed as official and compliant to ExpressVu's standards. The easier (and cheaper) way to install something like six receivers would be to simply install a second dish which costs only $99 vs. installing a second MUX or switch and having to hassle with complex wiring.

Many multidwelling units (MDU) do not allow the installation of more than one dish for an entire building. As a result, an MDU multiplexer system must be installed. These typically involve the installation of larger if not cascaded MUXs. The problem with this is that if anything happens to the dish, the entire building loses service.

Installers are responsible for the activation of all professionally installed receivers. A receiver typically takes a couple of minutes to respond to an activation signal, yet queued satellite signals (hits) can sometimes take up to two hours to process. Additionally, installers are supposed to coach the client on how to use the system.

[edit] Interactive Services

Any receiver manufactured after model 6000 now supports interactive services (iTV). iTV offers information services like weather, lottery results, and horoscopes. A multitude of games are also available. Most recently, the NFL Sunday Ticket package now offers an iTV service that allows clients to keep track of multiple simultaneous football games. Even if the client is concentrating on one single game, he will be notified if there are any other score changes for other games with the option of switching over to that channel.

[edit] VDSL Service

VDSL uses Internet Protocol (IP) technology to deliver television service via telephone lines. The network infrastructure can support very large amounts of bandwidth, up to 26 Mbps, and is generally only available in populated areas like Toronto and Montreal. VDSL clients use "NextLevel Communications" (Motorola) set-top boxes that receive television broadcasts in IP form (multicasts) from the customer's DSL modem. The modem can communicate with set-top boxes all over the house either via standard Cat-5 network cabling (RJ-45), coaxial cabling (RG-59), wireless (802.11g), or via the electrical network within the client's house. As of November 2005, ExpressVu has 18,000 VDSL subscribers. In 2004, ExpressVu promised the launch of Motorola PVR and HDTV receivers. As of September 2006, there are currently no updates on the launch of these receivers.

If ExpressVu chooses to expand on its VDSL service, it should cause customers less technical difficulties. No more signal losses due to snow on dishes or misaligned dishes. Additionally, the amount of piracy should be reduced to almost nil as the channel permissions would be dictated by what's defined on ExpressVu's side, not by a smartcard on the customer's end.

[edit] Channels Provided by Bell ExpressVu

ExpressVu's programming changes constantly. For a list of available channels, please consult with http://www.bell.ca/web/tv/en/all_regions/pdfs/channels/english_menu.pdf. Important channels carried include:

• The Movie Network (TMN)/Movie Central, carrying HBO feeds like "The Sopranos"
• Super Écran, French version of TMN/Movie Central
• (43) High Definition Channels
• NFL Sunday Ticket
• NHL Centre Ice
• NASCAR In Car
• HPItv Horse Racing
• (50) English Pay-per-view channels
• (22) French Pay-per-view channels
• (10) Adult Pay-per-view channels
• 24/7 Adult channel ($20/month)
• 24/7 Gay/Lesbian channel ($20/month)
• Playboy TV
• Rai International, an Italian-based channel, features many Serie A Italian soccer games
• Indian, German, Chinese, Polish, Russian, and Greek channels
• (45) Galaxie radio stations
• (28) regular Canadian radio stations
• (38) descriptive video channels

[edit] Bell TV Magazine

Bell TV is a monthly publication mailed to Bell ExpressVu subscribers. Similar to the United Kingdom's Sky TV magazine, it mixes feature articles on celebrities, television shows, movies and sports with daily listings that highlight programming from the satellite channels. Due to Bell providing only 48 hours of guide information, the Bell TV Magazine was designed so PVR customers would be able to look up programs of future date, and manually set up the PVR to record on a specific date and time

[edit] Trivia

ExpressVu generally relies on fiber connections with local stations and networks to provide programming to its customers. But in the event the fiber link is not available (mainly due to technical difficulties), ExpressVu relies on its backup fiber or satellite relay.

Bell Canada constructed the name ExpressVu for its universal recognition by both English and French speakers. Anglophones often pronounce the name as "express view", while francophones understand "vu" as the past participle of the word "voir", "to see".

[edit] External links

• Official Site
• NextLevel Communications (now part of Motorola Broadband)
• Numerical Channel Listing
• Alpha Channel listing