Alright so here is the deal Our site needs a banner ad and we are looking for someone to make one, thats when one of your site admins suggested a contest, BRILLIANT!!

So here are the rules very simple to follow really:

Make a banner ad that will be used for advertisement on this site, the best one will be the winner.

Judges will be us along with site admins using a ranking system 1-10 after we add up all the scores the highest scorer will be the winner.

We are looking for how well it functions, and how eye catching it is.
Our site is closed as we continue to add inventory but i have added the URL for the purpose of the banner ad.
wxx.ftaemporium.com replace xx with ww
Prize: Viewsat ultra Lite

Good luck and let the games begin

September 29th, 2008

Court Protects Privacy of Satellite Receiver Owners


Last month, EFF filed an amicus brief in Echostar v. Freetech, where Echostar sought the identities of every consumer who purchased a Freetech "CoolSat" free-to-air (FTA) satellite receiver during the past five years. EFF argued that this demand, issued in discovery in a lawsuit between Echostar and Freetech, represented an unwarranted intrusion into the privacy of individual consumers. Today, the court agreed, issuing an order blocking Echostar's subpoenas.

The ruling potentially sets an important precedent, as it represents the first time a federal court has explicitly rejected a third-party subpoena on the basis of the privacy interests of nonparty consumers.

Echostar is the company behind the DISH satellite TV service. Freetech makes receivers for unencrypted, free-to-air satellite transmissions (there are many free, unencrypted satellite channels). In December 2007, Echostar sued Freetech, alleging that the Freetech CoolSat receiver was specifically designed for after-market modification to enable unauthorized reception of DISH programming. According to Echostar, Freetech "sold thousands of these FTA Receivers to consumer pirates for the sole purpose of circumventing [Echostar]'s Security System."

In the course of discovery, Echostar sent subpoenas to the distributors of CoolSat receivers, demanding that they hand over their customer lists, including the name, address, email address, and purchase details for every person to have purchased a CoolSat receiver over the past 5 years.

As EFF explained in its amicus brief, these subpoenas represent a serious intrusion into the privacy of legitimate purchasers of these FTA receivers. Not only would it be an intrusion to be contacted by Echostar about a device you purchased months or years ago, but other satellite TV companies have used customer lists to launch mass litigation campaigns against consumers. After DirecTV obtained similar customer lists in litigation in 2001, it sent more than 170,000 letters to individuals demanding "settlements" of $3,500.

In refusing to allow Echostar to obtain the CoolSat customer lists, the court specifically weighed Echostar's need for the information against the privacy interests of the customers whose information would be disclosed. The court expressed concern that "both those who purchase the FTA receivers for proper and improper purposes will be swept up in the process." The court went on to conclude that "the requests for customer lists, therefore, could lead to the perceived harassment of legitimate users and a concomitant chilling effect on the purchase and lawful use of Freetech's FTA receivers."

Kudos to the court for keeping the privacy interests of nonparties in mind as commercial litigants dispatch third-party subpoenas that would otherwise carelessly intrude into the lives of individual consumers

Quote:
The news, and potential and anticipated dragnet has expanded. The court order now includes Pansat/Panarex, and Coolsat, also know in some circles as FreeTech.

The above listed manufacturers have been ordered, effective October 1, 2008 to also furnish the chip and data, as listed in the court order, in the above docket.

Don't lose hope.

Many of the necessary repairs are simple in nature, like the J-tagging procedure many have already performed.
Some are a bit more involved, but are easily doable with a soldering iron, and some hardware, such as capacitors, transistors and power supplies.

It is possible some of our site sponsors will be able to provide safe, in-house repairs. We will advise on that feasibility ASAP.

It is very possible that much of the technical information needed to perform these relatively easy procudures, will be found here on the forum, courtesy of your fellow members.

As always, be discreet.

Updates will be forthcoming as necessary.

Reports of 5-5-08 files working for SV, PS3500 - 407 & try the 080929 files for VS(some issues with pro). That means try some older files for your IRDs. Cheers

Well starting to become a weekly thing now. Every monday football season in full swing and so is DN. Will post files soon as they are released.

Try out New Toolbar
Always updated with fresh content from your number one spot! FTATeam.

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Four people have been arrested for the attempted theft of satellite television signals and radiocommunication services following a nine-month investigation by Quebec Detachment of the RCMP's Federal Investigation Section.

The Mounties seized decoders and computers in five Quebec cities, which they claim were being used to develop access codes to steal satellite signals. According to police, those arrested advertised the decoders on the Internet, and sold the equipment to clients in Montreal, Granby, Shawinigan, Sorel and St. Thérèse for $300.

Although none of the four have yet been charged with any criminal offence, police are considering fraud and theft charges.

I would like to welcome and congratulate T Challenger as our newest member of the FTA Team staff. Good luck in your new posistion, I'm sure you will do a great job. And for those that don't know, T Challenger is a she so don't call her Bro. (gizz) LOL

Warning to Viewsat Owners!!!

It seems that Echostar is playing hardball with Viewsat now and going after end users. If you have a defective Viewsat, DO NOT send it back to Viewsat. They may be trying to get personal information. We will post more updates as we get them.


Quote:

On September 17, 2008, the Court convened a Settlement Conference in the above entitled action. Appearing were Mark Hamer, Esq., Chad Hagan, Esq., JJ Gee and Rob Frankel, client representatives on behalf of plaintiffs; David R. Clark, Esq., Manny Delacerra, Esq., Jung Kwak and Rob Rhine, client representatives on behalf of defendants.

The Court and counsel followed up on the settlement process discussed at the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference. There was also discussion about the preservation of evidence allegedly supporting the plaintiff’s claims and defendant’s defenses. While counsel work on a formal permanent
preservation plan, the Court imposes the following interim plan:

1. Starting September 22, 2008, defendant will preserve the chip from all of the units returned to defendant for repair or warranty work which are accompanied by a check in the approximate amount of $50.00. Defendant will assign a tracking number to each of these chips and record the unit’s serial number and the date of receipt for later transmission to plaintiffs. Defendant will also record the information associated with the person(s) or other entity that has returned the unit for the subject work.

The production of that information will be dealt with by the Court at some future date;

2. By October 6, 2008, defendants will provide a report to plaintiff’s counsel regarding the
chips collected and plaintiff may proceed to purchase any or all of those at $23.00 per
unit for forensic testing; and

3. The Court and counsel will review of the progress of this interim plan, and counsel’s
efforts to come up with a permanent preservation plan, at a telephonic Case Management
Conference set for October 24, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. Plaintiff’s counsel will initiate the
call.

In the interim, counsel have leave to take a Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of defendant’s representative
with regard to repair and warranty return protocols. No later than Monday, September 22, 2008,
plaintiff’s counsel will provide defendants with the Rule30(b)(6) deposition notice describing the
specific areas of inquiry involved. As this deposition is limited in scope and relates to the issue of
preservation of evidence, it is excluded from the limit of ten depositions aside under the Federal Rules.
Counsel are also required to conduct their Rule 26(f) conference and submit their joint discovery
plan by October 24, 2008. At the next conference, the Court will confirm a date for initial disclosures,
and set further dates and deadlines as appropriate.

IT IS SO ORDERED.
Be careful, people!!!