Shaw Direct in Florida

[Canuck_Travelle]

Have not been on here in a bit, we are New Brunswickers with a home in Sebring Florida, wondering if there is still some channels from Shaw Direct available in Florida.
I don't know if Shaw Direct channel numbers are the same across Canada but our ones here in the Maritimes are 101 to 112 we also pay for 257 and 262. That's all we watch down there ie the news and a few news bits from Bloomberg.
As we have been gone since March 19th, 2020 and still can't get back but maybe the US border will open in or around Sept 20th if so we will be going probably in October late.
I know the F1 & F2 channels were in jeopardy when we were there so not surprised if their gone.....hope not.
So if anyone knows appreciate any information, thanks!

BTW also posted on the Digitalhome.ca in the "Shaw Direct in areas south of Canada"

[campinghut]

I have been wondering the same thing but on the other side of the country Arizona. It looks like, to have enough cell data, I will be going with a VPN and starlink. I am still looking for options though.

[joebedford]

Yes, F2 is 17 years into its 15 year life forecast. It was expected to last until 2025 but it's using fuel faster than expected and will probably only last until the end of this year.

Once F2 is gone the only sat. Shaw Direct will have is G1 which is aimed at Canada - no Shaw Direct channels will be available in southern USA. (unless Shaw can scrounge another sat. that covers USA) but I seriously doubt that they're even going to attempt that.

Most recent development is that they're transferring channels to G1 but using a new compression algorithm to make all the channels fit. Unfortunately the 6XX series of receivers will not handle the new compression algorithm. I managed to swap one of my (owned) 630 PVRs for a rent free 830 PVR. It will handle the new compression but when F2 is gone, Shaw Direct is gone down south.

I dunno what we're going to do for TV after that. Maybe VPN? Maybe stop travelling? There's no good solution for snowbirds.

[campinghut]

So by digital home ca we might be loosing the rest of the channels by the end of December. I am wondering what other snowbirds are doing as I will be keeping shaw direct while in Canada anyways. I just hate to loose my Traveler on the RV as I use it in Canada.

[joebedford]

Check out digitalhome.ca

There is a Shaw Direct forum there and it addresses (among many other things) getting Shaw in the southern states.

You can find a complete list of channels you can expect to get in the 'southern provinces'.

[Canuck_Travelle]

ae5573t
Have not got back to Sebring, Florida yet as we were delayed but going in a couple of weeks, will definitely let you know how we make out.
Take care....Ernie

[Canuck_Travelle]

ae5573t wrote:
I'd appreciate knowing how it works out for you. If successful I'd get myself a Canadian Roku stick and do the same thing.

Also internet speeds keep improving. I'd be surprised after a year and a half you don't have noticeably faster internet speeds in Florida, and maybe even cheaper.

ae5573t...
Will let you know, our house is in a gated community in Sebring, Florida the problem is all Power and Telecommunications is direct buried, difficult to reinforce, the Century Link facilities is twisted pair copper probably 24 or 26 gauge, no single mode fibre so max is probably 10 Meg from the Module which is several streets away, one option is to take internet with the cable company which I believe is Comcast if Century Link is not fast enough but I think they will be.
Anyway I will let you know when we get settled in and I have time to fiddle with it, thanks greatly for your kind help!

[ae5573t]

I'd appreciate knowing how it works out for you. If successful I'd get myself a Canadian Roku stick and do the same thing.

Also internet speeds keep improving. I'd be surprised after a year and a half you don't have noticeably faster internet speeds in Florida, and maybe even cheaper.

[Canuck_Travelle]

ae5573t wrote:
Just remember you will have to connect via a VPN (virtual private network) service while in Florida. You must use the VPN because it will fool the Canadian streaming stick to think it is still in Canada when actually in the US so you can get the same Canadian content you get in Canada.

Thanks for your help ae5573t, will let you know how it works after we get down there, get our house in order,...been a year and a half!

[ae5573t]

Just remember you will have to connect via a VPN (virtual private network) service while in Florida. You must use the VPN because it will fool the Canadian streaming stick to think it is still in Canada when actually in the US so you can get the same Canadian content you get in Canada.

[Canuck_Travelle]

Thanks ae5573t, great information, now that the border will be open we will be going so may try your suggestion, only "fly in the ointment" is our internet speeds in Florida, we have from Century Link 10 Meg download and 3 Meg upload, hoping this is fast enough, we have had Netflix before and it worked great over these speeds so assuming that as you suggested the ROKU Streaming Stick Stick should work but we know what assuming does.....LOL.

[ae5573t]

I don't think we are subscribed to 101 to 112. Since we buy our Shaw Direct service from a US provider our service comes out of Saskatchewan. Here on the Alabama Gulf Coast we get our CBC, CTV, etc. out of Toronto and points west. And we do get Bloomberg and Fox on 257 and 262. Hope this helps.

Also if you have a Canadian wifi/internet streaming stick i.e. Roku, Firestick, etc., with the Canadian content you want. It will work over any internet high speed connection, but you will have to connect via a VPN (virtual private network) service. You use the VPN because it will fool the streaming stick to think it is still in Canada when actually in the US so you can get the Canadian content you get in Canada. High speed internet is getting more and more available and cheaper. Plus I don't know exactly, but the VPN is not that expensive or difficult to set up. Ask your grand kid for help. By the way on my US Roku stick, I do get CBC at no charge, probably CTV as well if I looked hard enough. And obviously I get Bloomberg and Fox. For $40 US you might be a lot cheaper to buy a US streaming stick when you get to Florida, depending on the your cost for high speed internet.

[ae5573t]

I bought a RUKO stick a while back and there are a few Canadian providers available for subscription fee of a few dollars a month. I suspect similar devices would also provide Canadian content. I understand you can't buy a stick in one country and get it to work in another, but these devices don't cost much and you could cancel subscriptions and start new subscriptions in a different country with a stick purchased in that country. Instead of trying to get Dish, DirecTV, Shaw Diect, or even Bell Express Vu to work, the challenge would become trying to get high speed internet access to work, which might be a problem simpler to overcome. I'm sure I'm not breaking new ground here, someone who has more experience in this area could please advise.

[Fisherman]

I had Shaw for about 5 years, basic program of what they called 25 different channels. In reality it was 13 with the other 12 being the same program just shown at different hours. When I spoke to them about that, they retorted that there were about 40 radio channels. I don't turn on the TV to listen to radio. Subscription terminated.
As far as I know Rogers has bought Shaw anyway.

[Canuck_Travelle]

agesilaus wrote:
Florida resident and have never heard of it

Canadians or at least for us when traveling like to simulate their TV from back home, Shaw Direct is now the only way they can do it.
Used to be able back 10 years ago to use Bell Canada but the footprint through their satellites moved and only about 100 miles south of the CANADA/USA border is it able to be picked up.
Shaw Direct's satellites was the only source after that however their satellites are aging and Shaw is moving channels off unto satellites that like Bell Canada do not reach down into Florida or Mexico so it's sort of a mugs game as to whether the channels are still available and which ones. Eventually all Shaw Direct's channels will be gone.
Hope that sorta explains it.