December 2016
 | DISH DOCTOR |
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TEMPORARY DIGITAL SIGNAL?
Q: I am a LCO & receive my digital signal from a MSO located 10 Kms away. I have given STBs to my consumers. My MSO provides me with both - an analog & digital signal.
However, if the fiber from the MSO breaks, my cable network goes blank and I receive a lot of complaints from my subscribers, even though my cable TV network is working well.
How can I provide a temporary digital cable TV signal, to my subscribers while the MSO link is being repaired? These could be for a few channels only, and digital FTA, using my existing C band dish antennas? Please suggest a low-cost solution.
Thank You.
A. Chandrasekhar Rao, By E-mail.
ANS: The price of a digital headend has fallen drastically, and a basic digital headend can be purchased for between Rs. 10 to 20 Lakhs. Such a low cost Headend can be used, theoretically, to provide a second / temporary digital signal to your subscribers. However there are some concerns: a. A digital Headend is technically difficult to maintain, and needs qualified personnel.
b. The law requires that all channels - even FTA channels like Doordarshan must be encrypted on any Digital cable TV network. Hence you will have to use the same encryption as that currently used by your MSO, so that the same STBs can decode the digital signals from your local headend.
It would be an easier matter for you to inform all your customers that if and when the digital signals are not received, they should bypass the STB and receive analog signals that are transmitted from your old and existing analog cable TV headend. Ofcourse, this analog alternate is legal only upto 31 December 2016.
EXTRA COST FOR DIGITAL FEED?
Q: I am from a small village in Karnataka. I have 300 subscribers. I receive an analog link signal from another network in my district. He has also offered me a DEN Digital signal but wants me to pay Rs. 30 extra every month, for each STB.
1. I would like to take my digital signal directly from a Digital MSO. What can I do? Can I use a BSNL land line?
2. I also want to add my 8 local digital channels. How is this to be done? What is the cost involved? What are the rules and permissions required?
Please advice.
Shankar Gouda, By E-mail.
ANS: 1. To receive a signal directly from a digital MSO, you will need to contact your nearest Digital Headend and explore if they will directly provide you a feed. They may not agree if the number of digital subscribers (STBs) on your network are very low. You could also consider receiving your Digital DAS signals via satellite from a HITS platform, such as NXT digital. Receiving signals via satellite to a remote location is far more reliable.
A digital cable TV channel requires fairly large bandwidth. It is not possible to carry more than 1 digital TV channel on a regular dial up BSNL land line. You will need to take a leased fibre, or a high bandwidth leased line, which will be very expensive.
I believe an extra Rs. 30 per subscriber per month for a digital cable TV feed is a good rate. You should consider it.
2. As per current law, no separate license or permission is required for any cable TV network to start their local channel(s). However, the content carried on a local channel is the responsibility of tthe licensed headend.
Hence if the local channel carries pirated movies, or news that leads to local unrest, the licensed headend owner can be arrested and the headend impounded. Hence if you are inserting digital local channels, you will need the permission and support of your Digital Headend. they will also need to create blank slots in the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) and provide you the digital parameters for your local channels to be received by the STBs.
This month we have carried a detailed technical article on How To Add Local Digital Cable TV Channels.
TERRESTRIAL MSO OR HITS?
Q: I am a small cable operator in a rural punchayat area, under DAS-4.
Now with compulsory DAS, I will have to shut down my Cable TV network and take a feed from DEN network.
I also have an option to join NXT Digital HITS platform. Which is the better option for me? I want to sign up with a company that will not raise its prices soon after DAS-4 is completed and after we LCOs use that company's STBs.
Most of my customers want only a few channels, mostly Doordarshan.
Please advice if I should sign up with DEN or NXT Digital.
Name Withheld on request. Uttar Pradesh.
ANS: Selection of your business partner, is your commercial decision. There can never be any guarantee that a MSO will not increase rates in future! infact, over the past 20 years, broadcasters have continuously increased their pay channel subscription prices. this has forced MSOs to increase their price to LCOs and for LCOs to increase their prices to consumers. However, the TRAI has issued a consultation paper on a completely new price structure on what broadcasters can charge MSOs and what Cable TV networks can charge consumers (refer our Nov 2016 issue). The TRAI's final decision is expected within the next 30 days. We will certainly keep all readers informed of the new law. However, if past is an indicator, broadcasters will almost certainly go to court to challenge / delay any TRAI rule that is not in their favour.
OPTIMISING FOR DIGITAL
Q: I am a of your magazine. Please explain how an LCO can balance his RF network containing optical nodes & amplifiers for digital transmission using a digital or analogue dB meter. Thank you.
Aslam Mujawar, By E-Mail.
Q: I am a LCO. Please inform me how much laser signal is required for an optical node to give 100 dBU RF output?
Kesava Reddy, By E-mail.
ANS: First of all, use Coaxial cable with good quality shielding. Also use Couplers and splitters, and good quality RF connectors. Never join coaxial cables by just directly twisting them together. Use a Coupler, or splitter or a cable jointer, as required.
For a good quality RF output, an optical node must typically receive an input optical signal of atleast 0 dBm.
The RF level output for analog signals, the node should be adjusted to provide a 100 dBU RF output, using the Gain Control. This should best be adjusted so that the signal level is 100 dB for the analog channel with the largest signal. Other analog channels will of course be of lower output from the node, due to the 'slope'. This setting will ensure best picture quality from the node.
If the system carries a large number of digital channels, it is best to reduce the maximum RF output level to 90 dBU.
Some optical nodes are designed to provide good performance with even lower optical input signals. These nodes may provide you good performance for optical input signals of even minus 3 dBm or minus 5 dBm. These low level optical nodes typically utilise a PIN diode for good reception of low level optical signals. The manufacturer will clearly indicate the minimum optical level for the particular node. If nothing is indicated, it is best to assume a requirement of Zero dBm optical signal.
By restricting that the RF output of each optical node to 90 dBU for digital channels or 100 dBU for analog channels at any frequency, you will ensure very low amplifier / node distortion, resulting in excellent signal quality. While it would be ideal that you provide your customers signals directly from each optical mode, you can easily cascade 1 or 2 RF amplifiers after the node to deliver signals to your customers. If you need more that 3 RF amplifiers after any node, it would be best that you extend your Optical fibre deeper into your network, and use additional optical nodes.
Dish Doctor
Ask us any questions or problems faced by you in the course of your business. Our DISH DOCTOR will try and answer them in the best way possible, in the simplest terms, avoiding the unnecessary use of technical terms where possible. The service is available free to our readers and subscribers. Send Your Queries at scatmag@scatmag.com
Ask us any questions or problems faced by you in the course of your business. Our DISH DOCTOR will try and answer them in the best way possible, in the simplest terms, avoiding the unnecessary use of technical terms where possible. The service is available free to our readers and subscribers. Send Your Queries at scatmag@scatmag.com
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