To begin, if you remember primestar, then you should know it was owned by Cox cable, TWC, and one other who all sold out. Now they are definately biting themselves in the ass. GM is not getting rid of DTV, they are only selling 49% of it[should the deal be completed], GM would retain 51%.
As far as the locals go, DTV is going ahead with local service in 7 new markets in june, they already put up a new bird. The only monopoly that exist is where the cable companies offer locals but the sat companies cant get rebroadcast rights at this time.
Charter cable is trying to get into the sat business with their "Charter Anywhere" service which uses antiquiated 1st & 2nd generation primestar dishes, lnb's etc. These things are a pain in the arse to install, unreliable, and huge dishes; but one does what they can to make money.
Needless to say though, all this sat/cable bashing is senseless because there will always be cable and satellite work for everyone. [At least for a few years]
Inre to the inclometer, Suunto makes an excellent one that gives both your azimuth and elevation readings.....cost is about $170, but you have to know how to use it. Make sure you are standing near the AC unit, this will help you get the best reading...
As far as the FCC making a ruling that the merged companies cant broadcast locals, you are full of it. check the "SHIVA" act[which incidently is an act of congress]. Even when merged, the satellite companies would not be a monopoly, their competition is the cable companies. The FCC has already made that ruling. The big deal is the fact that the combined companies will be able to offer such an amount of programming and periphials that the cable companies would take years to catch up.
In summation, the future is Satellites. It is like comparing a video tape[cable] to a DVD[Sat], they both exist and both have a market, but the DVD's blow away tapes in all aspects.
PS. A little hint, don't try putting a regular splitter on a satellite line, you will be there all night. I love the sub's who try this. They pay me $60 to come out to 'fix' their dish.
