Off Air HDTV, Fast and Easy
Welcome to Tech Talk, Pico Macom's series of technical notes, featuring useful information and equipment tips. This special edition installment of Tech Talk discusses the use of Pico Macom Digital Signal Channel Processor and accessories to provide local off-air channels to your system.
Its Easy To Get HDTV Crystal-Clear Pictures
The fantastic thing about digital signals is that the quality remains virtually as clear as when it was created. Another advantage is that the detail is greatly increased due to the additional scan lines, from 480 up to 1080. Local broadcast stations are now simulcasting digital signals over the air in all U.S. markets, and they are free for the taking.
If you are currently providing a lineup of analog channels to your customers, you can upgrade to digital with some simple cost-effective equipment without adding the cost of set-top boxes to every television. If your customers have an HDTV set, you will be able to transmit the signals they want.
Applications
Master Antenna Television (MATV) Distribution
This application enables digital channels to be provided to every customer:
- Point antenna toward transmitting tower.
- Connect the cable from the antenna into the input port of an MPA-HD (mounted on antenna mast).
- Connect the cable from the MPA-HD output into the output port of a PHC-12G (combiner used as splitter).
- Connect a cable from the PHC-12G input port to the input of the DSP-806.
- Connect the DSP-806 into the input of a second PHC-12G.
- Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for each off-air channel.
- Connect the output of the PHC-12G to the CA-30RK1000 input.
- Connect the output of the CA-30RK1000 to the distribution system.
Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV) Distribution
This application enables digital channels to be received and provided into a channel lineup:
- Point antenna toward transmitting tower.
- Connect the cable from the antenna into the input port of an MPA-HD (mounted on antenna mast).
- Connect the cable from the MPA-HD output into the output port of a PHC-12G (combiner used as splitter).
- Connect a cable from the PHC-12G input port to the input of the DSP-806.
- Connect the DSP-806 into the input of a PHC-24G.
- Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for each off-air channel.
- Connect the A/V output of a satellite receiver to the A/V inputs of an A860.
- Connect the output of the A860 to the input of the PHC-24G.
- Repeat Steps 7 and 8 for each satellite channel.
- Connect the output of the PHC-24G to the CA-30RK1000 input.
- Connect the output of the CA-30RK1000 to the distribution system.