The transport only option provides ViP-TV customers with the entire ViP-TV program line-up as a content only delivery service.
click to enlarge
The transport only service allows network operators to receive all of the ViP-TV programming for distribution to subscribers through the customer’s own internet protocol television system (IPTVS). Our 300+ channels*
of MPEG-4 H.264 television and radio programming are delivered over our satellites to the customer’s receive-site-headend in constant bit rate format (CBR).
(Programming note: Network operators are required to have valid content distribution rights from the content providers.)
The receive headend system consists of two satellite antennas and one-and-a-half racks of receiving equipment. One antenna is aimed at EchoStar XVI at 850 West Longitude to capture ViP-TV national and
international programming channels. EchoStar provides an on-line antenna selection tool to help customers choose the appropriate size antenna for their region of the continental United States and an elevation
and azimuth finder to help get both antennas properly positioned. The second antenna is a small digital services broadcast (DBS) antenna aimed at orbital slots at 1100 and 1190 West Longitude. This antenna
will capture the local broadcast channels for the designated market area (DMA) where the network operator’s subscribers reside.
Network operators will take the 300+ channels of programming from the receive headend system (RHS) as individual internet protocol multicast addressed signals and insert them into their own IPTVS for
distribution. At this point the IP encapsulated MPEG-4 streams are in the clear; security encryption has been removed by a bulk decryptor resident in the RHS. All of the ancillary systems needed to control,
condition and route the IPTV programming will be provided by the network operator.
Details about the programming signal handling and required equipment are delineated below.
National and international programs included in the ViP-TV Line-up are encoded in Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG-4) four standard for standard definition (SD) and H.264 for high definition (HD), at
EchoStar’s Gilbert, Arizona broadcast uplink facility. The encoded programs are then encapsulated in internet protocol (IP) packets and encrypted for broadcast security before being modulated into radio
frequency (RF) signals in 8PSK- DBS-2 with 3/4 forward error correction (FEC). The programs as RF signals are up-converted by high powered amplifiers and transmitted at 14.00 -14.50 GHz to EchoStar-XVI, a
KU band satellite at 850 West Longitude.
The local channels that are available for distribution by IPTV network operators are received from EchoStar DBS direct to home (DTH) satellites at 1100 and 1190 orbital slots.
The federal communications commission (FCC) mandates which programs can be distributed in a given DMA. The DMAs are aggregations of zip-codes. Network operators will need to identify which
DMAs they will provide programming to and scale their RHS accordingly. EchoStar provides an online tool at www.echostarviptv.com to assist in DMA identification. The satellite signals of local channels
will be received in a variable bit rate (VBR) encoded format. Some network operators will require transcoding or trans-rating to convert the programs to CBR for distribution within their IPTVS.
|
A receive-site headend will require two antennas to receive the national programming and the local programs. For the signals coming down at 11.70-12.20 GHz from EchoStar XVI at 850 W.L. (ViP-TV-85),
EchoStar recommends a 1.2 meter -1.8 meter antenna. Due to weather conditions in various zones of the United States, Echostar has provided a tool to help choose the appropriate antenna size.
Some network operators may choose larger antennas for their particular installations.
Local programming will be received on the traditional small dish DTH antennas that are familiar to Dish subscribers everywhere. EchoStar will provide assistance to network operators to help ensure proper
placement and alignment of the antennas. Both elevation (antenna tilt) and azimuth (angle measurement) need to be accurate for high signal strength at the receivers. Proper antenna placement requires
care to avoid both physical obstructions and RF clutter (interference). The online tools available on the website www.echostarviptv.com help customers to locate antenna azimuth and elevation settings.
Antenna system purchasing, planning and installation can be supplied by EchoStar for customers who sign-up for ViP-TV Integration Services.
A receive-site headend will consist of several components. Each of the components can be ordered separately or as an integrated system. RHS planning, installation and integration can be supplied by EchoStar for
customers who sign-up for ViP-TV Integration Services.
RF signals received by the antennas are routed via RG-11 coaxial cable to the RHS located in a network operator’s facility. Signals are distributed to multiple RF receivers by an RF distribution amplifier or active splitters.
Receivers are International Data Casting (IDC) Super Flex model 3101F (SFX3101F). Each receiver handles one 36 MHz satellite transponder of IPTV data containing 60 mbps of programming. The receivers include
conditional access bulk decryption which allows IPTV signals to exit the receiver in the clear.
The IPTV signals are formatted as individual MPEG-4 program streams encapsulated as internet group management protocol (IGMP) into multi-cast addresses. The number of programs from each receiver
depends on the bit rate of the individual programs. All of the multicast streams are taken via Ethernet into a network switch/router. EchoStar supplies a multicast IGMP address list that correlates each television
or radio channel with an IGMP address. The program signals do not contain program service information (PSI) tables or other usual MPEG information tables that a television service provider uses to communicate
program information to set top boxes (STB). EchoStar supplies a multicast IGMP address list that correlates each television or radio channel with an IGMP address. Programming data is supplied by the network
operator through ancillary systems particular to their own IPTV system and operational choices.
Local channels differ from the ViP-TV-85 signals in that they arrive via a DBS antenna and are routed to an EchoStar receiver where they are trans-coded or trans-rated and IP encapsulated as IGMP multicast addresses
before being sent to a network switch/router.
The initial ViP-TV transport only system includes 19 transponders of ViP-TV-85 signals, which require one receiver, IDC SFX 3101F, per transponder up to three additional self switching redundant units.
Network operators may choose to add an Mpeg-4 decoder-monitor unit in one of the redundant receivers for manual selective monitoring of any program stream. Typically this system will fit in one 77 inch tall,
44 RU, 19 inch wide rack with addition blank slots for additional receivers as the number of ViP-TV channels increases. Ordering information for components or a completely integrated RHS can be found on the
ViP-TV website, www.echostarviptv.com. |
