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Canadian channels in the Canadian lineup -- Will it be this way for us Americans?

C

Cybelesown2

Tonight in web-surfing to find out what streams Sirius is going to add (one tidbit: Iceberg appears to be one of the streams us Americans will get, and I personally feel that stream will be worth a try, at least), I came upon Sirius Canada's "starting lineup." (See http://www.sirius-canada.ca/Channels-et.htm)

The music lineup, anyway, looks similar to what us Americans get, except that there's a separate Canadian category apparently scattered amongst some formerly vacant channels.

The new Canadian category looks like this:

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE STREAMS:

94 - CBC Radio Three - Emerging Canadian artists
95 - Iceberg Radio - Canadian rock music
137 - CBC Radio One - News and information
186 - Hardcore Sports Radio
187 - RCI - Radio Canada International - "Multilingual Radio" (okay, so that's a "ringer" in terms of English-language programming, as it includes other languages. But never mind.)

FRENCH-LANGUAGE STREAMS

93 - (stream name blurry and hard-to-read, IMHO, on the site I'm looking at) - "Emerging Francophone Artists"
138 - Premiere Plus - News & information
187 - Infoplus - All news radio
192 - Rock Velours - Canadian soft rock
193 - Energie 2 - "Pop, rock and urban music"

So, here's the big question: which of the above will us Americans be able to hear? I seem to recall reading some days ago that five of the above would be available. Or will all 10 be available?

I'm hopeful about that earlier Sirius Backstage report that Sirius won't be axing any channels in order to bring us Americans the new Canadian streams. XM evidently axed its world music and African music streams to make way for its new Canadian content,and I notice on the XM board that some posters are lambasting the new XM offering Canada 360. (One or two more reason(s) I'm happy I have Sirius and not XM.)

Another tidbit I noticed from Sirius Canada's website is that the Canadians will get NPR Now but not NPR Talk.
 
> Tonight in web-surfing to find out what streams Sirius is
> going to add (one tidbit: Iceberg appears to be one of the
> streams us Americans will get, and I personally feel that
> stream will be worth a try, at least), I came upon Sirius
> Canada's "starting lineup." (See
> http://www.sirius-canada.ca/Channels-et.htm)
>
> The music lineup, anyway, looks similar to what us Americans
> get, except that there's a separate Canadian category
> apparently scattered amongst some formerly vacant channels.
>
> The new Canadian category looks like this:
>
> ENGLISH-LANGUAGE STREAMS:
>
> 94 - CBC Radio Three - Emerging Canadian artists
> 95 - Iceberg Radio - Canadian rock music
> 137 - CBC Radio One - News and information
> 186 - Hardcore Sports Radio
> 187 - RCI - Radio Canada International - "Multilingual
> Radio" (okay, so that's a "ringer" in terms of
> English-language programming, as it includes other
> languages. But never mind.)
>
> FRENCH-LANGUAGE STREAMS
>
> 93 - (stream name blurry and hard-to-read, IMHO, on the site
> I'm looking at) - "Emerging Francophone Artists"

It says bandeapart

> 138 - Premiere Plus - News & information
> 187 - Infoplus - All news radio
> 192 - Rock Velours - Canadian soft rock
> 193 - Energie 2 - "Pop, rock and urban music"
>
> So, here's the big question: which of the above will us
> Americans be able to hear? I seem to recall reading some
> days ago that five of the above would be available. Or will
> all 10 be available?

I've read here that 5 will be available early next month and the rest early next year. I don't understand why they could just put all 10 early next month. I hope I'm wrong but I've also read that to get the rest of them you have to buy a new receiver will all the radios be able to handle it?
 
> I've read here that 5 will be available early next month and
> the rest early next year. I don't understand why they could
> just put all 10 early next month. I hope I'm wrong but I've
> also read that to get the rest of them you have to buy a new
> receiver will all the radios be able to handle it?

My guess is that the five english language streams will come first, since there isn't as much demand for french programming in the States.

As for why five now and five later, I would assume there's a new compression technique at play with the Canadian programming to fit more data in the same bandwidth. On the TV side, I know DirecTV is in the process of moving their HD programming to MPEG4 over the next couple years, and you'll need one of the new generation of receivers to get the new MPEG4 channels, for example.

I would assume the new receivers being sold in Canada have the new firmware or chips to handle the new compression, but the ones already out in the States don't support it yet.
<P ID="signature">______________
The Pab Sungenis Project - http://www.lowbudgetradio.com</P>
 
> > I've read here that 5 will be available early next month
> and
> > the rest early next year. I don't understand why they
> could
> > just put all 10 early next month. I hope I'm wrong but
> I've
> > also read that to get the rest of them you have to buy a
> new
> > receiver will all the radios be able to handle it?
>
> My guess is that the five english language streams will come
> first, since there isn't as much demand for french
> programming in the States.
>
> As for why five now and five later, I would assume there's a
> new compression technique at play with the Canadian
> programming to fit more data in the same bandwidth. On the
> TV side, I know DirecTV is in the process of moving their HD
> programming to MPEG4 over the next couple years, and you'll
> need one of the new generation of receivers to get the new
> MPEG4 channels, for example.
>
> I would assume the new receivers being sold in Canada have
> the new firmware or chips to handle the new compression, but
> the ones already out in the States don't support it yet.
>
I dont think you will need a new receiver. Can you imagine all the people that would go IRATE MAD, if they just spent 200 bucks on a new reciever, only to find out, they need to upgrade to get the Canadian streams. All of these new models that they just came out with, within the last few months would all be obsolete. Im sure they would have Thought Ahead on such an idea, and started making equiped radios by now. The only channel I am interested in, is Energy2 anyway, and Im not too sure that I would Like tha channel even, so its not really going to matter that much to me if I cant get the Canadian Content. I would just listen to BBC radio one, Sirius Hits One, and the Dance and Urban stations.
 
> 94 - CBC Radio Three - Emerging Canadian artists

Radio 3 is a youth oriented network that doesn't get much broadcast distribution, at least until the digital radio broadcast services really get moving.

> 95 - Iceberg Radio - Canadian rock music

This one is likely a Sirius exclusive.

> 137 - CBC Radio One - News and information

This is the venerable CBC domestic news/info/culture network. It's the best Canadian radio out there for news and information programming.

> 186 - Hardcore Sports Radio

Hockey?

> 187 - RCI - Radio Canada International - "Multilingual
> Radio" (okay, so that's a "ringer" in terms of
> English-language programming, as it includes other
> languages. But never mind.)

RCI is the international shortwave radio service. It broadcasts in several languages for a global audience. Its glory days were in years past when a suitable budget permitted RCI to have virtually all of its programming produced in-house at the RCI studios in Montreal (evidently in a deal to keep the French-speaking Quebec community happy RCI has been located in the Francophone capital of Canada instead of Ottawa or Toronto for decades.) These days, a lot of RCI's programming is from CBC domestic radio. Benefit to being in Montreal? Different broadcasters union, so the recent CBC strike didn't affect RCI employees.

> FRENCH-LANGUAGE STREAMS
>
> 93 - (stream name blurry and hard-to-read, IMHO, on the site
> I'm looking at) - "Emerging Francophone Artists"

Sounds like a Sirius exclusive

> 138 - Premiere Plus - News & information

This is odd in that it's not a straight relay of Radio Canada's French primary network.

> 187 - Infoplus - All news radio

A commercial endeavor instead of the CBC I assume?

> So, here's the big question: which of the above will us
> Americans be able to hear? I seem to recall reading some
> days ago that five of the above would be available. Or will
> all 10 be available?

The programming should be available to all North American audiences.

> I'm hopeful about that earlier Sirius Backstage report that
> Sirius won't be axing any channels in order to bring us
> Americans the new Canadian streams. XM evidently axed its
> world music and African music streams to make way for its
> new Canadian content,and I notice on the XM board that some
> posters are lambasting the new XM offering Canada 360. (One
> or two more reason(s) I'm happy I have Sirius and not XM.)

XM has launched Canadian content like it was a public access channel on your cable dial - the bare minimum. The spoken word programming is so bad, it shares channel space and the audio codec used for the local traffic channels. It's barely understandable, and the features are not at all compelling. It says, "do the minimum it takes to keep the CRTC regulatory body off our backs."

Most Canadians probably don't care about the Canadian content - they want the music and sports channels. Most Americans certainly won't care about the Canadian content.

Sirius definitely has the upper hand in quality Canadian content, but XM still has a stronger and more varied output of music channels (especially niche formats).

I personally have both, but prefer XM. Sirius is definitely being more innovative than XM these days though.
 
>
> > So, here's the big question: which of the above will us
> > Americans be able to hear? I seem to recall reading some
> > days ago that five of the above would be available. Or
> will
> > all 10 be available?
>
> The programming should be available to all North American
> audiences.

Sirius' VP of communications had said that only 5 would be offered to US listeners to beging with, but since all channels have their own unique ID (see http://www.sirius-canada.ca/Channels-et.htm) there should be no obvious reason we won't get them all.


>
> > I'm hopeful about that earlier Sirius Backstage report
> that
> > Sirius won't be axing any channels in order to bring us
> > Americans the new Canadian streams. XM evidently axed its
> > world music and African music streams to make way for its
> > new Canadian content,and I notice on the XM board that
> some
> > posters are lambasting the new XM offering Canada 360.

This looks to be the case -- the channel guide for Sirus USA still has the existing channel numbers, but there is no duplication nor replacement when looking at the Sirius Canada lineup.

Richard / Allentown
 
Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> Tonight in web-surfing to find out what streams Sirius is
> going to add (one tidbit: Iceberg appears to be one of the
> streams us Americans will get, and I personally feel that
> stream will be worth a try, at least), I came upon Sirius
> Canada's "starting lineup." (See
> http://www.sirius-canada.ca/Channels-et.htm)
>
>

I just got off the phone with Sirius' VP of Corporate Communications, Jim Collins.

There will be no big announcement regarding Canadian channel
availability in the US -- they'd rather let Sirius Canada stay in
their own spotlight for now.

Collins stated that he still wasn't sure what the rollout rate would
be for Canadian channels in the USA, but all 10 will eventually be
part of the US service.

He did confirm that we should see some of the changes on USA-subscribed receivers beginning tomorrow.

Richard / Allentown
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> He did confirm that we should see some of the changes on
> USA-subscribed receivers beginning tomorrow.

Thanks for the update! Do you have any idea which channels will be in the first rollout tomorrow?

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> Thanks for the update! Do you have any idea which channels
> will be in the first rollout tomorrow?
>

I can only guess - I believe we'll see CBC Radio One and Radio Three. Others I am less sure of -- probably will include Iceberg Radio.

Richard / Allentown
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> > Thanks for the update! Do you have any idea which
> channels
> > will be in the first rollout tomorrow?
> >
>
> I can only guess - I believe we'll see CBC Radio One and
> Radio Three. Others I am less sure of -- probably will
> include Iceberg Radio.
>
> Richard / Allentown
>

It is CBC Radio One, Radio Three, Premiere Plus, Bandepart, and Iceberg Radio
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

>
> I can only guess - I believe we'll see CBC Radio One and
> Radio Three. Others I am less sure of -- probably will
> include Iceberg Radio.
>

I guessed right.

New channels now available in the USA:

93 Bandeapart
94 CBC Radio 3
95 Iceberg Radio
137 CBC Radio One
138 Premiere Plus

The other higher-numbered channels arent' available on my receiver.

Richard
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

>
> It is CBC Radio One, Radio Three, Premiere Plus, Bandepart,
> and Iceberg Radio
>

Those with new radios with Sirius' new chipset might be able to receive all 10 channels, according to a friend who also tracks things... will pass along anything I find...

Richard
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> >
> > It is CBC Radio One, Radio Three, Premiere Plus,
> Bandepart,
> > and Iceberg Radio
> >
>
> Those with new radios with Sirius' new chipset might be able
> to receive all 10 channels, according to a friend who also
> tracks things... will pass along anything I find...
>
> Richard
>


What about those with existing radios? Like me.
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

>
> What about those with existing radios? Like me.
>

You will likely get those channels numbered 184 and lower. This includes the following:

93 Bandeapart
94 CBC Radio 3
95 Iceberg Radio
137 CBC Radio One
138 Premiere Plus

Richard / Allentown
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> You will likely get those channels numbered 184 and lower.
> This includes the following:
>
> 93 Bandeapart
> 94 CBC Radio 3
> 95 Iceberg Radio
> 137 CBC Radio One
> 138 Premiere Plus
>
> Richard / Allentown
>

I know that. You mean I won't be able to get channels higher than 184 when the rest of canadian channels come early next year?
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

>
> I know that. You mean I won't be able to get channels
> higher than 184 when the rest of canadian channels come
> early next year?
>

The rest of the channels are live already...for Canadians...

I don't know if we don't get access now due to chipset concerns, or simply Sirius' decision to release the additional channels gradually, or some other marketing motive.

Richard
 
Re: Some Canadian channels in the USA - beginning 12/1

> The rest of the channels are live already...for Canadians...

I knew that

>
>
> I don't know if we don't get access now due to chipset
> concerns, or simply Sirius' decision to release the
> additional channels gradually, or some other marketing
> motive.
>
> Richard
>

OK
 
They're LIVE!

> See the box marked "Northern Exposure"...

Thrilled...I'm absolutely thrilled.

And they did a very good job on figuring out which channels to offer. While I'd personally rather have the English-language Hardcore Sports in the U.S. lineup than two French-language channels, I can understand them offering one channel each of French-language music and news/talk. And who knows, maybe I'll polish my rusty French from HS! :D

The presence of 24/7 CBC Radio One anywhere in the U.S. is enough for me.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: They're LIVE!

I'm thrilled about the Can-Con also.

On Friday, I was driving to work and listening to CBC3. I was so into the programming that I missed the interstate off-ramp to my office and DIDN'T NOTICE until two miles later. No Sirius channel has succeeded in doing that in the twelve months I've had my receiver.
 
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