I'm submitting a bid to put a DSS head-end system in a motel.  The motel
owner has cable now, but will go with the DSS system if he can save money
in the long run.  He has another Motel nearing completion on an adjacent
lot, and another one will be starting construction next month on another lot
adjacent to the other two.  There are no public streets separating them, 
and conduits will link all three, which would make it easy to run a large
trunk-line between them.
        My original proposal was to install a large head-end (41-ch) in the
first motel, and feed the other two properties from there.  That would give
the owner  a $30,000 x 2 major savings in not having to duplicate the
electronics on the other two motels.  However, Direct TV has given me the
verdict:  only one property per head-end.  They cite legal, and FCC reasons,
but I'm not impressed.  Nothing is being broadcast, and no public right-of-
way is being crossed.  The owner is willing to pay the additional per-room
monthly costs for the other properties, of course.  Is this another example
of the cable company having an unfair regulatory advantage, or is Direct TV
being overly cautious in a new market.  
        Does anyone out there have any knowledge of properties sharing a DSS
head-end?  If I can convince Direct TV that it is acceptable, maybe I can
make a deal with this motel owner, since he would save about $40,000 over the
next 5 years.  BTW, the Dish Network system was about $15,000 more than the
Direct TV/USSB system; the receivers are twice the cost, and the programming
is a lot more per month. No competition there at all.
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