Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Whenever StarNet would run general educational shows outside of distance learning, they would use the intershow time to show a looping PowerPoint presentation with the planned program schedule for that week. From the use of stock PowerPoint themes to songs from the Network Music library, this really looks like something you'd find on a public access cable channel.
Again, I must mention StarNet utilized some kind of early internet based video delivery system to send the signal to Dish. That is why all those weird moving gray boxes are in the black borders, and the audio sounds so tinny.
The music here is from the Network Music set called "On The Town", and the songs played are most of "Daybreak" and all of "Night on the Town". StarNet couldn't be bothered to take out the two shorter variations of each song, I guess.
Oh, and the reason for the fuzzy video? Cheap dollar store VHS. Most of the ones I recorded on still play fine, but a few of them are degrading quite badly. Other than a few tracking errors, the audio is mostly intact here.
This is one of several recordings from my so-called “StarNet stash”. StarNet is a long defunct distance learning channel that broadcast on Dish Network channel 9406. It was one of many FCC-mandated “public interest” channels Dish had to carry during the 2000s. Content wise, it was mostly unexciting distance learning stuff like language classes and professional development courses for educators. But, they did broadcast some programs that would be found on public access TV or PBS stations, and I managed to record some of the most memorable ones. I don’t have much StarNet content, but I plan to eventually upload all the StarNet programs I managed to record, so there is still some proof this channel existed.
StarNet ended their Dish Network broadcasts sometime in Fall 2003, with the channel itself being folded into it’s parent organization, United Star Distance Learning Consortium in Summer 2005.
Whenever StarNet would run general educational shows outside of distance learning, they would use the intershow time to show a looping PowerPoint presentation with the planned program schedule for that week. From the use of stock PowerPoint themes to songs from the Network Music library, this really looks like something you'd find on a public access cable channel.
Again, I must mention StarNet utilized some kind of early internet based video delivery system to send the signal to Dish. That is why all those weird moving gray boxes are in the black borders, and the audio sounds so tinny.
The music here is from the Network Music set called "On The Town", and the songs played are most of "Daybreak" and all of "Night on the Town". StarNet couldn't be bothered to take out the two shorter variations of each song, I guess.
Oh, and the reason for the fuzzy video? Cheap dollar store VHS. Most of the ones I recorded on still play fine, but a few of them are degrading quite badly. Other than a few tracking errors, the audio is mostly intact here.
This is one of several recordings from my so-called “StarNet stash”. StarNet is a long defunct distance learning channel that broadcast on Dish Network channel 9406. It was one of many FCC-mandated “public interest” channels Dish had to carry during the 2000s. Content wise, it was mostly unexciting distance learning stuff like language classes and professional development courses for educators. But, they did broadcast some programs that would be found on public access TV or PBS stations, and I managed to record some of the most memorable ones. I don’t have much StarNet content, but I plan to eventually upload all the StarNet programs I managed to record, so there is still some proof this channel existed.
StarNet ended their Dish Network broadcasts sometime in Fall 2003, with the channel itself being folded into it’s parent organization, United Star Distance Learning Consortium in Summer 2005.
