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XCC (89) 6
TVRO Dishes
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Since the early
early 1970s, TVRO dishes, which cannot transmit and therefore cannot cause interference to any service carried by the relaying satellite, have become available at a less prohibitive cost (the lowest price for a TVRO dish suitable for local use is about $30,000). At the same time, an increasing number of satellite television signals are being distributed for general reception. As a result, TVRO
TVRO dishes have become an increasingly popular means of receiving television signals particularly in North
in North America and Europe (where a
a dish suitable for reception of the
reception of the stronger signal available in those regions can
as little as $3,000).
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It is generally accepted that short of strict legal provisions to prevent the private ownership of TVRO satellite dishes altogether and a disproportionate scale of vigorous policing, there is no way to prevent unauthorised reception of particular satellite signals. The UK solution to this is to license TVRO satellite receiving equipment under the condition that it be used only to receive signals intended for general reception. No attempt is made to police this condition.
The UK authorities take the view that if private individuals are allowed to own TVRO dishes, the only effective measure to counter unauthorized reception of satellite signals is for the originating party to scramble them, since scrambling has become. straight forward and relatively inexpensive with present day technology.
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In Hong Kong, no enforcement action has been taken to prevent individuals from setting up TVRO dishes for private use to receive signals intended for general reception. A number of TVRO dishes are in use at present both by individuals and organisations (including the Hong Kong Polytechnic, the New China News Agency building in Happy Valley and the US Consulate General). CWHK has taken no action to enforce its exclusive rights in such cases. A table giving details of satellite signals currently receivable in Hong Kong is at the
television
Annex.
Deregulation of TVRO Dishes
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TV
point s of view of
The feasibility of deregulating satellite reception has been examined from the telecommunications and broadcasting policies.
(A)
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Telecommunications Policy
The reception of satellite television signals can be divided into two categories as follows