WFSU - Public Broadcasting Tallahassee/Panama City

	Television

Contact: Rick Potrikus. 850/487.3170 x345, rick_potrikus@wfsu.org.

THE FLORIDA TRANSPONDER
The State of Florida leases its own satellite transponder - Transponder 18 on AMC-3(KU). AMC-3 is located near the middle of the satellite constellation, at 87 degrees West longitude. Using this transponder, programming reaches anywhere in the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico, parts of the Caribbean Basin, and parts of Alaska. The Florida Transponder can be accessed by educational institutions, as well as government agencies and commercial enterprises.

The Florida Transponder is a completely digital platform, with separate channels for educational, governmental, and commercial programming. Digital compression on the Florida Transponder allows the state to increase the number of potential users, since a digital feed utilizes less bandwidth than an analog feed. Digital compression also allows the state to pass on more savings to state users through lower rates.

WFSU-TV SATELLITE SUPPORT SERVICES
WFSU-TV manages The Florida Transponder for the state. It is our goal to assist you in securing satellite services and work with you to fill your needs for teleconferences, classes or other video feeds. We are also here to provide your school or agency with the information you will need to convert any existing satellite downlink system or network to receive digital feeds from the Florida Transponder, or to purchase and install a new downlink.

TRANSITION TO DVB-S2
This summer, the Florida Department of Education, with WFSU-TV's assistance, is making plans to replace the current Digi-Cipher II (DC-II) system that Tallahassee uses for satellite distribution of the Knowledge Network and the Florida Channel to downlink sites across the state. Our new equipment will utilize a DVB standard, which is a more common digital encoding system used by broadcast networks and other satellite users.

Looking to the future, the Florida Department of Education has decided to replace its Digi-Cipher II format for the Florida Transponder with the new DVB-S2 format. "Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite - Second Generation (DVB-S2)" is an enhanced DVB specification. DVB-S2 is based on the DVB-S standard which is now being used for satellite broadcasting, and the DVB-DSNG standard, which is used for satellite news gathering. The system allows transmission of one or more MPEG-2 audio/video streams, using QPSK or 8PSK or MAPSK modulation with concatenated encoding.

DVB-S2 Integrated Receivers/Decoders (IRDs)
We can suggest two IRDs for use at downlinks who want to receive the Florida Knowledge Network and the Florida Channel. The first is the Scopus IRD2961, a professional-grade, broadcast quality IRD. The second is a less expensive, "Pro-sumer" set top model, the Coship CDVB5112.

Of course, these are likely not the only two DVB-S2 IRDs available. Downlink sites are free to research other models that might better suit their needs or budget. But, they should be sure that any other IRD that might be suggested is capable of DVB-S2 reception. Standard DVB-S IRDs - including those they may already have in-house -- may not be compatible with this newer DVB format.

PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION
The most important thing that downlinks can do to prepare for the transition to DVB is to make sure their dishes are properly aimed and peaked for receiving signals from AMC-3, which is the home satellite for the Florida Transponder. This basic maintenance is very important to ensure your site is receiving the strongest possible signal from the Transponder. Over the years, we have found that many reported reception problems could be traced back to dishes that were not checked periodically for peak performance.

As long as your antenna system -- including dish, LNBs, feed assemblies and other related equipment - meets the specifications the FL DOE established for satellite equipment for its educational sites in Florida, a DVB-S2 IRD should be the only new piece of equipment needed if you are already receiving the Knowledge Network or the Florida Channel. FL DOE feels these are the minimum system specifications required for quality reception of signals from the Florida Transponder.

TRANSITION TIMELINE
As of today, this is our timeline for the change from Digi-Cipher II to DVB-S2. All these dates are tentative and could be changed as we move closer to the transition:

On Monday, July 28, 2008, the transition begins at 0600 (6am) EDT. On the first day, DC-II service will be provided across four channels of the transponder. The Knowledge Network will be seen on Channel 801 AND Channel 803. The Florida Channel will be seen on Channel 802 AND Channel 804. Downlink sites should tune their DC-II receivers to either 803 or 804, depending upon the service they use, on this first day and keep those IRDs tuned to these channels until they are ready to switch to the new DVB-S2 service.

On July 29 at approx 0600, DC-II service on Channels 801 and 802 WILL END. By that time, sites should have changed channels on their DC-II IRDs.

On or about Monday, August 4, 2008, once DVB-S2 testing is complete and new frequencies have been established, the Tallahassee SOC will begin transmitting the Knowledge Network and the Florida Channel in DVB-S2 on the Florida Transponder.

From August 4, program services will be simulcast for four weeks. DVB-S2 service will be seen on the newly designated 18-1 (Knowledge Network) and 18-2 (Florida Channel); DC-II service will continue to be seen on Channels 803 and 804.

On Monday, September 1, 2008, at midnight, all downlink sites should have upgraded to DVB-S2 IRDs. DC-II operations on Channels 803 and 804 will end and your programming will only be available in DVB-S2, on 18-1 (Knowledge Network) and 18-2 (the Florida Channel).

When the transition to DVB-S2 transmission from Tallahassee is complete, sites will no longer be able to use Digi-Cipher II IRDs to acquire programming and will need a new DVB-S2 IRD / receiver.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you need more information on how you can utilize this communications resource, or have any questions about the move to DVB-S2; the equipment necessary for sending or receiving digital feeds; or any other questions related to the Florida Transponder, call Rick Potrikus at (850) 487-3170, x345.

Television