AlphaStar
Encyclopedia
AlphaStar Digital Television was a direct-to-home satellite broadcasting service for the United States market developed by Canadian firm Tee-Comm Electronics
. It was the first direct-to-home satellite broadcasting service in the United States to use the internationally-accepted DVB-S
broadcasting standard and used 39" satellite dish receivers. AlphaStar service launched in July of 1996 but was discontinued completely by September 1997 with 40,000 subscribers as the company went through bankruptcy proceedings. The American assets of AlphaStar continue to be used under the auspices of the Champion Telecom Platform
which also continues to own the AlphaStar brand. AlphaStar would also have alleviated a shortage of Canadian satellite capacity by using foreign (US) satellite capacity to fill Canadian needs--indeed this was a requirement for the Canadian company to obtain its license from Canada to commence broadcasting. Tee-Comm, the parent company of AlphaStar had originally co-founded the partnership that created Bell TV as technology supplier but later divested all interest in Bell TV.
for a capacity of 110 video and 20 audio channels.
On 1 July 1996 AlphaStar service launches using 12 transponders on satellite Telstar 402R at 89°W in the Ku-band.
In 1996 AlphaStar obtained $102 million in a debt offering, but analysts claim it could have claimed double that sum.
In late 1996 AlphaStar's corporate parent Tee-Comm, owned by Alvin Bahnman, divested itself from the partnership it co-founded that created the Canadian Bell TV DBS service, then known as ExpressVu. As a result, Bell TV obtained equipment and technology from EchoStar.
In 1997 AlphaStar was in the process of transitioning to the newly-launched Telstar 5 satellite with the capacity for 200 video channels and 40 audio channels.
On 3 March 1997, AlphaStar announced AlphaStar Canada service with 75 channels of service (in reality only 35 were full-time video). The Canadian service never launched as the company went bankrupt and ceased broadcasting operations by September of that same year.
In 27 May 1997 the company initiated bankruptcy proceedings.
In August 1997 the operator of the Telstar 5
satellite, then named Loral Skynet, terminated its contract with AlphaStar after asking to be released from the contract earlier that year.
At 3:00 AM on 7 August 1997 the company ceased broadcasting operations, stranding 40,000 subscribers. Competitors quickly offered trade-in deals.
In 1998 an Egyptian tycoon named Mahmoud Wahba was reported by the Investor's Business Daily
to have bought the assets of the failed AlphaStar for $4.65 million.
Champion Telecom Platform company was launched using the facilities of AlphaStar, providing uplink facilities as well as direct-to-home satellite internet broadband services.
On 19 September 2003 the Telstar 402R satellite, renamed Telstar 4, experienced a circuit failure in its primary power bus and was declared a total loss.
in the Ku-band, AlphaStar was in the process of transitioning to the newly-launched Telstar 5
satellite and 120 channel service when the company initiated bankruptcy proceedings.
A satellite uplink facility in Oxford, Connecticut
was used to uplink the AlphaStar service. This facility was one of the assets of the company now owned by Champion Telecom Platform. The communications teleport was originally built for the United States government for the Strategic Defense Initiative
, according to Champion, and can allegedly withstand nuclear attack. Another uplink facility was in Milton, Ontario
, Canada
.
Dish receiving equipment for AlphaStar were large, 36-39" elliptical reflectors designed to receive medium-powered, linear-polarized Ku-band signals in the Fixed Service Satellite
band in the area of 11.7 GHz from Telstar 402 and, eventually Telstar 5 (now named Galaxy 25
). By comparison, direct competitors DirecTV
and DISH Network
offered 18" dishes. The AlphaStar dishes were originally sold by Canadian firm Tee-Comm, an electronics outfit and builder of satellite dishes that was the parent company of AlphaStar.
Set-top boxes for AlphaStar were manufactured by Samsung
and Hyundai
. The service used DVB-S
signalling and MPEG-2
video compression called Compression NetWORKS
developed by a firm named TV/COM International
. This system was the first United States direct-to-home broadcaster to use what became known as DVB-S. While pricey and inconvenient to use these receivers can be used to receive unencrypted satellite transmissions known as FTA
.
As AlphaStar liquidated its inventory the expensive AlphaStar dishes were resold to customers who wished to receive ethnic programming. An Egyptian broadcasting service which formerly broadcast several channels on AlphaStar offered assistance in refitting AlphaStar systems to receive their channels from another satellite, Intelsat Americas 5, which, ironically, was the new name of the very same Telstar 5 satellite that AlphaStar was in the process of migrating to. Though exceedingly rare, refitted AlphaStar dishes can still be found on rooftops in larger urban ethnic communities and their large size offers great signal quality.
Tee-Comm Electronics
Tee-Comm Electronics was a Canadian satellite television equipment manufacturer that founded the AlphaStar as well as co-founded the Bell TV satellite direct-to-home television services....
. It was the first direct-to-home satellite broadcasting service in the United States to use the internationally-accepted DVB-S
DVB-S
DVB-S is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Satellite; it is the original Digital Video Broadcasting forward error coding and demodulation standard for satellite television and dates from 1994, in its first release, while development lasted from 1993 to 1997...
broadcasting standard and used 39" satellite dish receivers. AlphaStar service launched in July of 1996 but was discontinued completely by September 1997 with 40,000 subscribers as the company went through bankruptcy proceedings. The American assets of AlphaStar continue to be used under the auspices of the Champion Telecom Platform
Champion Telecom Platform
The Champion Telecom Platform operates a satellite teleport facility in Connecticut that was acquired from the failed AlphaStar satellite direct-to-home television service.Champion Teleport Platform has:...
which also continues to own the AlphaStar brand. AlphaStar would also have alleviated a shortage of Canadian satellite capacity by using foreign (US) satellite capacity to fill Canadian needs--indeed this was a requirement for the Canadian company to obtain its license from Canada to commence broadcasting. Tee-Comm, the parent company of AlphaStar had originally co-founded the partnership that created Bell TV as technology supplier but later divested all interest in Bell TV.
History
In March 1995 AlphaStar leases 12 transponders on satellite Telstar 402RTelstar
Telstar is the name of various communications satellites, including the first such satellite to relay television signals.The first two Telstar satellites were experimental and nearly identical. Telstar 1 was launched on top of a Thor-Delta rocket on July 10, 1962...
for a capacity of 110 video and 20 audio channels.
On 1 July 1996 AlphaStar service launches using 12 transponders on satellite Telstar 402R at 89°W in the Ku-band.
In 1996 AlphaStar obtained $102 million in a debt offering, but analysts claim it could have claimed double that sum.
In late 1996 AlphaStar's corporate parent Tee-Comm, owned by Alvin Bahnman, divested itself from the partnership it co-founded that created the Canadian Bell TV DBS service, then known as ExpressVu. As a result, Bell TV obtained equipment and technology from EchoStar.
In 1997 AlphaStar was in the process of transitioning to the newly-launched Telstar 5 satellite with the capacity for 200 video channels and 40 audio channels.
On 3 March 1997, AlphaStar announced AlphaStar Canada service with 75 channels of service (in reality only 35 were full-time video). The Canadian service never launched as the company went bankrupt and ceased broadcasting operations by September of that same year.
In 27 May 1997 the company initiated bankruptcy proceedings.
In August 1997 the operator of the Telstar 5
Galaxy 25
Galaxy 25 launched in 1997, formerly known as Intelsat Americas 5 until February 15, 2007 when it was renamed as result of the merger between owner Intelsat and PanAmSat or Telstar 5) is a medium-powered communications satellite formerly in a geostationary orbit at , above a point in the Pacific...
satellite, then named Loral Skynet, terminated its contract with AlphaStar after asking to be released from the contract earlier that year.
At 3:00 AM on 7 August 1997 the company ceased broadcasting operations, stranding 40,000 subscribers. Competitors quickly offered trade-in deals.
In 1998 an Egyptian tycoon named Mahmoud Wahba was reported by the Investor's Business Daily
Investor's Business Daily
Investor's Business Daily is a national newspaper in the United States, published Monday through Friday, that covers international business, finance, and the global economy...
to have bought the assets of the failed AlphaStar for $4.65 million.
Champion Telecom Platform company was launched using the facilities of AlphaStar, providing uplink facilities as well as direct-to-home satellite internet broadband services.
On 19 September 2003 the Telstar 402R satellite, renamed Telstar 4, experienced a circuit failure in its primary power bus and was declared a total loss.
Technology
Originally broadcasting on Telstar 402RTelstar
Telstar is the name of various communications satellites, including the first such satellite to relay television signals.The first two Telstar satellites were experimental and nearly identical. Telstar 1 was launched on top of a Thor-Delta rocket on July 10, 1962...
in the Ku-band, AlphaStar was in the process of transitioning to the newly-launched Telstar 5
Galaxy 25
Galaxy 25 launched in 1997, formerly known as Intelsat Americas 5 until February 15, 2007 when it was renamed as result of the merger between owner Intelsat and PanAmSat or Telstar 5) is a medium-powered communications satellite formerly in a geostationary orbit at , above a point in the Pacific...
satellite and 120 channel service when the company initiated bankruptcy proceedings.
A satellite uplink facility in Oxford, Connecticut
Oxford, Connecticut
Oxford is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,272 at the 2010 Census. There are several areas in Oxford: Quaker Farms, Riverside and Oxford Center. Oxford belongs to the Naugatuck Valley Economic Development Region and the Central...
was used to uplink the AlphaStar service. This facility was one of the assets of the company now owned by Champion Telecom Platform. The communications teleport was originally built for the United States government for the Strategic Defense Initiative
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic...
, according to Champion, and can allegedly withstand nuclear attack. Another uplink facility was in Milton, Ontario
Milton, Ontario
Milton is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Milton received a tremendous amount of awareness following the release of the results of the 2006 Census, which indicated that Milton is the fastest growing municipality in the Greater Golden...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Dish receiving equipment for AlphaStar were large, 36-39" elliptical reflectors designed to receive medium-powered, linear-polarized Ku-band signals in the Fixed Service Satellite
Fixed Service Satellite
Fixed Service Satellite , is the official classification for geostationary communications satellites used for broadcast feeds for television stations and radio stations and broadcast networks, as well as for telephony, telecommunications and data communications.FSS satellites have also been used...
band in the area of 11.7 GHz from Telstar 402 and, eventually Telstar 5 (now named Galaxy 25
Galaxy 25
Galaxy 25 launched in 1997, formerly known as Intelsat Americas 5 until February 15, 2007 when it was renamed as result of the merger between owner Intelsat and PanAmSat or Telstar 5) is a medium-powered communications satellite formerly in a geostationary orbit at , above a point in the Pacific...
). By comparison, direct competitors DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
and DISH Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
offered 18" dishes. The AlphaStar dishes were originally sold by Canadian firm Tee-Comm, an electronics outfit and builder of satellite dishes that was the parent company of AlphaStar.
Set-top boxes for AlphaStar were manufactured by Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and Hyundai
Hyundai
Hyundai ) is a global conglomerate company, part of the Korean chaebol, that was founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung...
. The service used DVB-S
DVB-S
DVB-S is an abbreviation for Digital Video Broadcasting — Satellite; it is the original Digital Video Broadcasting forward error coding and demodulation standard for satellite television and dates from 1994, in its first release, while development lasted from 1993 to 1997...
signalling and MPEG-2
MPEG-2
MPEG-2 is a standard for "the generic coding of moving pictures and associated audio information". It describes a combination of lossy video compression and lossy audio data compression methods which permit storage and transmission of movies using currently available storage media and transmission...
video compression called Compression NetWORKS
Compression Networks (broadcasting)
Compression Networks is a digital content delivery system developed by TV/COM International that evolved into the current DVB-S standard for satellite broadcasting. The system provided MPEG2 video, audio, signalling, enhanced program guide, and conditional access for pay-television services like...
developed by a firm named TV/COM International
TV/COM International
TV/COM International is a company that developed the Compression NetWORKS digital broadcasting system that evolved into the current DVB-S standard for digital satellite broadcasting. It was used by the short-lived AlphaStar satellite platform for content delivery and conditional access...
. This system was the first United States direct-to-home broadcaster to use what became known as DVB-S. While pricey and inconvenient to use these receivers can be used to receive unencrypted satellite transmissions known as FTA
FTA
FTA may stand for:* The Faery Tale Adventure, a computer game* Freight Transport Association* Failure to appear, a legal term* Fault tree analysis, a systems engineering term* Federación de Trabajadores Arubanos, the Aruban Workers' Federation...
.
As AlphaStar liquidated its inventory the expensive AlphaStar dishes were resold to customers who wished to receive ethnic programming. An Egyptian broadcasting service which formerly broadcast several channels on AlphaStar offered assistance in refitting AlphaStar systems to receive their channels from another satellite, Intelsat Americas 5, which, ironically, was the new name of the very same Telstar 5 satellite that AlphaStar was in the process of migrating to. Though exceedingly rare, refitted AlphaStar dishes can still be found on rooftops in larger urban ethnic communities and their large size offers great signal quality.
See also
- Bell TV is a Canadian satellite broadcaster that was co-founded by Tee-Comm as ExpressVu.
- Galaxy 25Galaxy 25Galaxy 25 launched in 1997, formerly known as Intelsat Americas 5 until February 15, 2007 when it was renamed as result of the merger between owner Intelsat and PanAmSat or Telstar 5) is a medium-powered communications satellite formerly in a geostationary orbit at , above a point in the Pacific...
, a satellite formerly known as Telstar 5 and Intelsat Americas 5, broadcasts some remnants of AlphaStar's ethnic channel offerings. - Loral Skynet operated the Telstar 402R satellite and the then-named Telstar 5 satellite services.