How does a satellite account get verified?

[jmcgsd]

Not exactly keeping me awake at night, but I am curious about how a satellite provider (DISH, Sirius, etc.) validates that a legal device is connecting and determines what services are available to that device? I presume that even though there is no large transmitting antenna for the device, it somehow transmits a signal to the satellite, but would like a more detailed explanation.

Thanks.

[Dutch_12078]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The information you get from that option if very limited. Better than nothing suppose but it's just the expected highs/lows and clear/rain/snow. It's just a static display in a small box.

Yep... The more detailed current conditions and forecasts for multiple locations entered in the Weather Channel and Weather Nation apps require an Internet connection. Just as the Netflix and other interactive apps do. We don't use the "Games" app, so I don't know about that one. 😉

[Bill_Satellite]

The information you get from that option if very limited. Better than nothing suppose but it's just the expected highs/lows and clear/rain/snow. It's just a static display in a small box.

[CT_WANDERER]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

GordonThree wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:

GordonThree wrote:
There's no way the set top box is broadcasting to the satellites. Not that it's technologically impossible but it would add a lot of costs for little benefit to the company. Take a look at the weird LNB used by satellite Internet setups.

I've never had a red button receiver, but my guess is there's an amount of side-band info like weather, news headlines, etc being downloaded alongside the video and the button toggles a display filtered by details from your account information.

VOD and apps like the weather, etc., use an Internet connection when available to download the requested data or program. The weather app for instance lets you enter specific ZIP codes that you want the info for. There's no practical way the weather data specific to all 43,000 or so ZIP codes could be kept updated on a sideband sat signal just in case you happen to select a given ZIP or ZIP's. An easy test to prove that would be to just turn off the available Internet source and then try to access updated app data.

I'll agree to disagree. The device only stores information relevant to its programmed location. If you changed zip codes it will make you wait until the next update is broadcast.

I just added a seventh ZIP code to my Hopper's Weather Channel app, all in different parts of the country. Explain to me how it almost instantly updated with the weather for the new location? And why it buffers for a few seconds when changing locations if all the data is already in memory? And why it doesn't work if I turn off my Internet connection?

If I am following this post right, when I am traveling around the country in the MH, I will put in the zip code into the Weather Channel for where we are stopped and get the weather for that area. Without internet service. That is one thing I like about the sat TV. Sometime we are in places without our cell phone service so we can not get the weather information from it. So the sat TV will give us that information.

[GordonThree]

Aridon wrote:

One issue satellite has is account stacking. Which is when someone gives out their boxes to other people and you all split the bill. So long as the boxes aren't hooked up to the internet or phone directv has no way to really tell where anything is.

That's a neat idea!

[Dutch_12078]

GordonThree wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:

GordonThree wrote:
There's no way the set top box is broadcasting to the satellites. Not that it's technologically impossible but it would add a lot of costs for little benefit to the company. Take a look at the weird LNB used by satellite Internet setups.

I've never had a red button receiver, but my guess is there's an amount of side-band info like weather, news headlines, etc being downloaded alongside the video and the button toggles a display filtered by details from your account information.

VOD and apps like the weather, etc., use an Internet connection when available to download the requested data or program. The weather app for instance lets you enter specific ZIP codes that you want the info for. There's no practical way the weather data specific to all 43,000 or so ZIP codes could be kept updated on a sideband sat signal just in case you happen to select a given ZIP or ZIP's. An easy test to prove that would be to just turn off the available Internet source and then try to access updated app data.

I'll agree to disagree. The device only stores information relevant to its programmed location. If you changed zip codes it will make you wait until the next update is broadcast.

I just added a seventh ZIP code to my Hopper's Weather Channel app, all in different parts of the country. Explain to me how it almost instantly updated with the weather for the new location? And why it buffers for a few seconds when changing locations if all the data is already in memory? And why it doesn't work if I turn off my Internet connection?

[Aridon]

If you don't connect it to the Internet or phone line there is no way for them to track or know where the box is. I can take a box up to Canada and if the dish up there is pointed right it will work just like it would in FL with the exception of locals (outside of NY / LA) because those are on spot beams.

There is no capability for the box to communicate with the satellite.

The box can communicate via internet or phone although it is limited to VOD and ondemand.

One issue satellite has is account stacking. Which is when someone gives out their boxes to other people and you all split the bill. So long as the boxes aren't hooked up to the internet or phone directv has no way to really tell where anything is.

[2oldman]

All I want them to do is fix the QuickTune, but I think that's a lost cause.

Thanks for the info. I too thought I was communicating with the satellite.

[GordonThree]

2oldman wrote:
Interesting. All the weather for all those zip codes is already in my TV?

Possibly, it's not that much information actually, only a few megabytes for every major city in the US.

More likely weather for the nearest major city is cached in your satellite receiver during the data update and the other cities are discarded.

[2oldman]

Interesting. All the weather for all those zip codes is already in my TV?

[GordonThree]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

GordonThree wrote:
There's no way the set top box is broadcasting to the satellites. Not that it's technologically impossible but it would add a lot of costs for little benefit to the company. Take a look at the weird LNB used by satellite Internet setups.

I've never had a red button receiver, but my guess is there's an amount of side-band info like weather, news headlines, etc being downloaded alongside the video and the button toggles a display filtered by details from your account information.

VOD and apps like the weather, etc., use an Internet connection when available to download the requested data or program. The weather app for instance lets you enter specific ZIP codes that you want the info for. There's no practical way the weather data specific to all 43,000 or so ZIP codes could be kept updated on a sideband sat signal just in case you happen to select a given ZIP or ZIP's. An easy test to prove that would be to just turn off the available Internet source and then try to access updated app data.

I'll agree to disagree. The device only stores information relevant to its programmed location. If you changed zip codes it will make you wait until the next update is broadcast.

[accsys]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The red button he is talking about is on the remote control and will activate certain features on certain channels like the local weather while watching the Weather channel or sports scores on ESPN, etc. This data is there at all times and is broadcast on a regular basis all day everyday. If you want to view it you push the button on the remote so you can see it. There is NO 2 way information being sent from the receiver to the satellite. That can only happen if the receiver is connected to the internet or a phone line.

Bill, Thanks for the answer, I thought that was probably the case but wanted an answer from the horse's mouth, so to speak!! :B It is kind of amazing - all the abilities built into these Genie receivers! I about wore my remote out during football season using Double-Play and Previous to watch four games at once. If they could just eliminate that one to two second delay when switching, life would be better than ever!:E

[strollin]

Satellite TV is basically one-way but, if you have satellite internet, then it's two-way.

I had satellite internet early on and the down link was via one-way satellite while the uplink was via 56K modem. Had to pay for the satellite internet provider as well as a local ISP to handle the uplink. It worked but it was a PITA.

GPS is another example of one-way satellite. Many people think the GPS receiver somehow communicates with the satellites but it is strictly a receiver, no transmitting.

[Bill_Satellite]

The red button he is talking about is on the remote control and will activate certain features on certain channels like the local weather while watching the Weather channel or sports scores on ESPN, etc. This data is there at all times and is broadcast on a regular basis all day everyday. If you want to view it you push the button on the remote so you can see it. There is NO 2 way information being sent from the receiver to the satellite. That can only happen if the receiver is connected to the internet or a phone line.

[Dutch_12078]

GordonThree wrote:
There's no way the set top box is broadcasting to the satellites. Not that it's technologically impossible but it would add a lot of costs for little benefit to the company. Take a look at the weird LNB used by satellite Internet setups.

I've never had a red button receiver, but my guess is there's an amount of side-band info like weather, news headlines, etc being downloaded alongside the video and the button toggles a display filtered by details from your account information.

VOD and apps like the weather, etc., use an Internet connection when available to download the requested data or program. The weather app for instance lets you enter specific ZIP codes that you want the info for. There's no practical way the weather data specific to all 43,000 or so ZIP codes could be kept updated on a sideband sat signal just in case you happen to select a given ZIP or ZIP's. An easy test to prove that would be to just turn off the available Internet source and then try to access updated app data.