Satellite dish removal

People will probably have questions about the coming removal of the satellite system in N. America. Here are mine:

Our stake currently views satellite broadcasts in four languages. Everyone sits together, and they get audio for non-English languages via headsets. Now, the satellite dishes are being removed. Does anyone have reliable information on the following?

1. Will the new system include some way to broadcast multiple language streams together with the video stream?

2. If the answer to question 1 is "no," should we just stream the different languages separately? We could use the English video stream and stream the other languages audio-only to save bandwidth. However, would the multiple streams be synced? Would we be better off streaming different languages in different locations?

3. What kind of streaming devices will be provided to the buildings that need them? Roku?

4. What is the recommended bandwidth for watching conference broadcasts?

Unless some information changed since I had a discussion with the powers that be:

ulupoi wrote:1. Will the new system include some way to broadcast multiple language streams together with the video stream?

No.

ulupoi wrote:However, would the multiple streams be synced?

The same way you'd sync two VCRs or DVD players - press pause on the one ahead until the other catches up.

ulupoi wrote:Would we be better off streaming different languages in different locations?

Until more experience is gained with separate streams - probably.

ulupoi wrote:3. What kind of streaming devices will be provided to the buildings that need them? Roku?

Undetermined. But there's a good chance it will be a Android TV device that can run the Meetinghouse Webcast app.

ulupoi wrote:4. What is the recommended bandwidth for watching conference broadcasts?

A link was provided in the email to guide you through the steps in determining what you needed. (Number of languages, rooms, etc.)

russellhltn wrote:Unless some information changed since I had a discussion with the powers that be:

ulupoi wrote:1. Will the new system include some way to broadcast multiple language streams together with the video stream?

No.

ulupoi wrote:However, would the multiple streams be synced?

The same way you'd sync two VCRs or DVD players - press pause on the one ahead until the other catches up.

ulupoi wrote:Would we be better off streaming different languages in different locations?

Until more experience is gained with separate streams - probably.

ulupoi wrote:3. What kind of streaming devices will be provided to the buildings that need them? Roku?

Undetermined. But there's a good chance it will be a Android TV device that can run the Meetinghouse Webcast app.

ulupoi wrote:4. What is the recommended bandwidth for watching conference broadcasts?

A link was provided in the email to guide you through the steps in determining what you needed. (Number of languages, rooms, etc.)

There are some exceptions where satellite reception will be continue to be used. Your situation would certainly be considered. Did you complete the survey yet? And, would you provide me with the property number or the unit ID for ward that meets in this building? Thanks

Great questions. If the information provided in the evaluation guide is insufficient, please complete the "Request for Assistance" form. Someone from the team will reach out to work through your specific needs. As mentioned by ClawsonDL, some locations may be granted approval to continue with Ku-band satellite services. That said the intent is to remove as many systems as possible.

Streaming multiple languages in different rooms is definitely easier but may not be preferred by the stake president. The first step in this process for any stake should be to understand ongoing needs and requirements the stake president has and then follow the evaluation guide provided. Synching two languages isn't too difficult, but synching more can become challenging. The evaluation guide does direct anyone with 3+ languages delivered to a single room to request assistance.

bartj wrote:some locations may be granted approval to continue with Ku-band satellite services. That said the intent is to remove as many systems as possible.

Thank you for your reply. I think that I am not understanding the situation. If our satellite dishes are being removed because the satellite spectrum used by the Church in the US and Canada is being reallocated, how is anyone able to continue to use satellite service?

ulupoi wrote:Thank you for your reply. I think that I am not understanding the situation. If our satellite dishes are being removed because the satellite spectrum used by the Church in the US and Canada is being reallocated, how is anyone able to continue to use satellite service?

The current satellite system is C-band. Bart mentioned Ku band, which would require professional installers to come out and mount a new dish. But given that most units have good internet access, that would be an unnecessary expense.

If we have a newer building with a smaller dish, are we running Ku-band already?
And if so, can we keep it?

lajackson wrote:If we have a newer building with a smaller dish, are we running Ku-band already?

Probably.

lajackson wrote:And if so, can we keep it?

Good question

I have a nagging suspicion that our huge satellite dish will remain in place for several years after we have lost the ability to use it for anything. Oh well. Not my problem.

Even after reading the email and contacting our FM contact, I'm still confused. Maybe I'm just being dense. Is it saying that our existing satellite receivers might be capable of being connected to the network and function as streaming media receivers? Or are we going to need to request streaming media devices to replace all of our satellite receivers?

Thanks!
Dave

superdave98 wrote:Is it saying that our existing satellite receivers might be capable of being connected to the network and function as streaming media receivers?

No. The network connection is just for status/control. They're wanting the receivers connected so they can monitor the progress of the removal. I know that seems backwards, but they have their reasons.

superdave98 wrote:Or are we going to need to request streaming media devices to replace all of our satellite receivers?

Correct

I as an STS in Europe have just received an email request asking, amongst other things, what concerns I would have if the satellite receivers were to be removed from our Stake Centre. My response is that it would be fine, provided alternative means of receiving General Conference is provided, to cover the three languages English, Portuguese and Spanish we use. This is looking like the powers that be, are looking towards reducing the total amount of satellite receivers worldwide.

Biggles wrote:This is looking like the powers that be, are looking towards reducing the total amount of satellite receivers worldwide.

In North America, C-band satellite frequencies are being rearranged and many are being removed. The same thing may be happening in Europe, as well.

I just checked and Europe is using a Ku-band satellite.

Is the church going to pay for better internet connections when we lose the satellite receivers? Most of our buildings are on slow DSL right now, and I suspect all church buildings are on residential internet connections that give you no guarantee of anything, as opposed to business connections where you have better bandwidth guarantees (but cost more).

mevans wrote:Is the church going to pay for better internet connections when we lose the satellite receivers?

From the letter sent to STS:

Use this Streaming Evaluation Guide to determine suitability for receiving online broadcasts. If a building does not have suitable bandwidth for streaming broadcasts, please complete the Request for Assistance form so that we can help you find an alternative solution.

The links have been left out as they appear to be connected to the STS's stake and not "general". Look for an email from "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (not MHT) dated around Nov 13th.

I would take this as an opportunity to have your situation come to the attention of the higher-ups at the church.

Is the church ceasing broadcasts on both the C-band and Ku-band satellites (Galaxy 19 and Galaxy 28) or is it just the C-band? I'm inquiring mostly for personal usage. We like to do conference camping and grab the Ku feed off of Galaxy 28

Unsure. I'd image that Ku will continue, but not so sure about C band. However, if you can get BYU-TV, you can always get it that way.

We are being asked to use fast.com for the speed tests, but I am getting very strange readings when I use it. For example, on a 20M Down 1M Up service I am seeing 17M down (okay) and 250M up (say what?). Is the program having trouble with a decimal point (like before the 2)? Another test on the same service showed 24M Down and 4M Up. The first test was hardwired. The second test was using WiFi.

Other test sites give more expected readings, but dos not provide the loaded and unloaded latency numbers that have been requested.

lajackson wrote:We are being asked to use fast.com for the speed tests, but I am getting very strange readings when I use it. For example, on a 20M Down 1M Up service I am seeing 17M down (okay) and 250M up (say what?). Is the program having trouble with a decimal point (like before the 2)? Another test on the same service showed 24M Down and 4M Up. The first test was hardwired. The second test was using WiFi. Other test sites give more expected readings, but dos not provide the loaded and unloaded latency numbers that have been requested.

Who asked you to do that? Did you fill out the report and the church responded asking for more information?

We did a test with the First Presidency Christmas Devotional last Sunday. Two of us took laptops and tablets to the church and streamed the devotional over wifi to each device to try simulating running multiple languages. I don't know how scientific the test was, but we didn't see any buffering. Some of the streams had 30 seconds difference between them. I didn't do a lot of work trying to synchronize the streams. Now that you mention fast.com, I'm wondering if there are better tests that we should run.

Of course, what worked on one evening with a non-guaranteed bandwidth internet connection could completely fall apart on another day. With residential internet, your only guarantee is that you'll receive a monthly bill.

mevans wrote:

lajackson wrote:We are being asked to use fast.com for the speed tests, . . .

Who asked you to do that? Did you fill out the report and the church responded asking for more information?

The Request for Assistance form in the email calls out the requirement if you determine that you have insufficient bandwidth to receive Church webcasts.

At home, as I type this, I am using a Comcast 1.2Gig connection, yet since my WAN and LAN switches can only do 1Gig, I can't hit above 960Mbps. If I use fast.com it doesn't see or report anything above 100Mbps. Go to speedtest.net and I get more realistic reports, such as 933Mbps down, and upload failed due to firewall (correct ). You could even try something like http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest that shows averages, not just the peak speed measured.

Apparently the church decided our location would remain on satellite. I noticed at general conference that our 8 foot diameter dish had been replaced with a much smaller dish that looks like it's pointed at a different location. I think it was a fairly recent change (I don't go to the stake center that often, but remember seeing the big dish several weeks ago).

I don't know if that decision was due to multiple languages or slower internet; all I know is we have a smaller dish now.

mevans wrote: I noticed at general conference that our 8 foot diameter dish had been replaced with a much smaller dish that looks like it's pointed at a different location.

It sounds as if they switched you from C-band to Ku-band. They would not do that for us. They just bumped up the Internet speed.

mevans wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:00 am I don't know if that decision was due to multiple languages or slower internet; all I know is we have a smaller dish now.

Most likely it was the combination.