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NTA 2006

NTA 2006. KEITH.LARSON@fcc.gov FCC Media Bureau (202) 418-2607. GREETINGS TRANSLATOR OPERATORS !. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1. 1 1 0 0 1 0 1.

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NTA 2006

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  1. NTA 2006 KEITH.LARSON@fcc.gov FCC Media Bureau (202) 418-2607

  2. GREETINGS TRANSLATOR OPERATORS !

  3. 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 1100101 The Digital Translator/LPTV Transition is Underway! Roads to digital conversion Station construction Up and running

  4. 1987 1997/98 2006 2/17/09 Original transition end date (if at least 85% DTV penetration) DTV channel allotments service rules, first licensed station Broadcast industry petitions for advanced TV service Modified transition end date; analog TV shut-off The DTV Transition

  5. 1566 DTV Stations On Air (3/06) 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2006 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

  6. DTV Stations on AirSource: FCC Video Div. March 2006 * * Total includes single-channel DTV operations

  7. DTV channel election Receivers with ATSC tuners Analog allotment table All digital allotment table Our FCC Home > 99% of stations have tentative channel designation DTV, digital Class A & digital LPTV added to emergency alert system (December 31, 2006) Distributed transmission systems DTV Regulatory Developments

  8. SOURCE Digital Service Contour Distributed Transmission System Single Frequency Network Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MB Docket No. 05-312 DTS for translators, LPTV & Class A TV ? On-channel DTV boosters?

  9. WWW.DTV.GOV

  10. Translators heading to the digital frontier Roads to Digital Conversion Translator operators heading to the digital frontier

  11. To Digital Transition’s End Flash Cut Companion Channel Detour - D/A Converter Box Roads to Digital Transition’s End

  12. S L U F A H C T Analog 45

  13. 45 S L U F A H C T Digital

  14. Digital station protected contour May file for replacement channel (displacement) and digital conversion in same application Analog station protected contour On-channel Digital Conversion (“Flash-cut”) • Minor change application (No filing fee) • Ordinarily, may file at any time, BUT • May not file until after conclusion of digital companion channel window (6:00 pm June 30, 2006) • Electronically file FCC Form 346 (February 2005 version) • May make other facilities changes if analog and digital contours overlap

  15. To Digital Transition’s End Flash Cut Companion Channel Detour - D/A Converter Box

  16. Companion Channel Analog 45

  17. Digital 27 Companion Channel 45 Analog

  18. Digital companion channel paired with station’s analog channel Must eventually give back one of the paired channels per future FCC determination Nationwide window (U.S. & its territories) Eligibility restricted to permittees & licensees of TV translator, LPTV and Class A stations Stations with digital licenses, permits or pending applications related to flash-cutting are not eligible for a companion channel Digital Companion Channel Filing Window June 19-30, 2006

  19. Digital station protected contour Analog station protected contour Digital Companion Channel Filing Window June 19-30, 2006 • File electronically as minor change – no filing fee • File FCC Form 175 + technical data from • Form 346 (LPTV & translator applicants) or • Form 301-CA (Class A applicants filing for an LPTV digital channel) • May operate paired analog and digital facilities at different locations provided some overlap of analog and digital protected contours

  20. To Digital Transition’s End Flash Cut Companion Channel Detour - D/A Converter Box

  21. Digital signal input to analog signal output Digital in Analog out D/A Converter Box 45

  22. HDTV Digital Transition’s End Digital Where digital’s the only game in town !

  23. Digital Conversion of TV Translator, LPTV & Class A Stations (per the FCC’s Digital LPTV Report & Order) • Based on Section 309(j)(14) and 336(f)(4) of Communications Act (as of September 2004) • stations must ultimately cease analog transmissions • FCC may set more distant analog shutoff date than that for full-service stations • A later date would be less disruptive to communities served by translator, LPTV and Class A stations • Goal of “achieving transition end-date at, or soon after, the end-date of the full-service transition” (then 12/31/06) • Analog shutoff date will be considered in FCC’s next DTV periodic review, unless preempted by Congressional action

  24. Deficit Reduction Act of 2005(Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005) • Section 3002 Analog Spectrum Recovery • Termination of Analog Licenses and Broadcasting – The Federal Communications Commission shall take such actions as are necessary -- (1) to terminate all licenses for full-power television stations in the analog TV service, and to require the cessation of broadcasting by full-power stations in the analog television service by February 18, 2009; and

  25. Section 3002 (Continued) (2) to require by February 18, 2009, that all broadcasting by Class A stations, whether in the analog television service or digital television service, occur only on channels between channels 2 and 36, inclusive, or 38 and 51, inclusive…

  26. Section 336(f)(4) of Comm Act • ISSUANCE OF LICENSES FOR ADVANCED TELEVISION SERVICES TO TELEVISION TRANSLATOR STATIONS AND QUALIFYING LOW-POWER TELEVISION STATIONS… Such new license or the original license of the applicant shall be forfeited after the end of the digital television transition period, as determined by the Commission. A licensee of a low power television station or television translator station may, at the option of the licensee, elect to convert to the provision of advanced television services on its analog channel, but shall not be required to convert to digital until the end such transition period.

  27. Digital Companion Filing Window 1997/98 9/04 10/05 6/06 2/09 ? Transition end date for LPTV and Class A services “Flash cut” filing starts Digital rules for LPTV service DTV rules & allotments, first stations Full power transition end date Digital Translator & LPTV Transition

  28. So, what do you do? • The flash-cut approach? • Financial and technical resources to convert to digital? • Viewers who can receive digital signals? • Existing channels to spare for digital?

  29. What to do? • The companion channel approach? • Available channels? • Resources to construct and begin operating the companion digital stations? • Sufficient time with dual analog & digital operation for DTV receiver penetration levels to build in the community (e.g., as people replace old TV sets with those with digital tuners or acquire sets more quickly to watch your digital channels)?

  30. What to do? • Digital-to-analog conversion at the translator? • Ensures continuity of TV service until the majority of your viewers are equipped to receive digital signals, up until when you may be required to flash-cut • After 2009, you might be able to find channels to enable dual analog & digital DTV rebroadcasts for some period of time, if permitted by the Commission

  31. You Must Choose the Road to Your Digital Conversion

  32. Time to construct Translator modes of operation Transmitter requirements Modification of existing analog equipment for digital operation Digital Station Construction

  33. Digital Station Construction • Three years to build station from issuance of construction permit • Extension of time may be granted when delay is justified (for example, due to equipment, work crews or zoning delays or demonstrated financial inability) • Media Bureau may grant two six months extensions; further extensions require action by the full Commission

  34. Regenerative Signal Processor Heterodyne Signal Processor Digital Translator Modes Translator Output DTV Input Both types are permitted – regenerative is preferred

  35. Digital Power Limits

  36. F(50,90) = 51 dBu 13 mi X Signal Coverage UHF digital translator: 1000’ above average terrain 25 watts

  37. Transmitter Requirements New digital translator and LPTV transmitters must be FCC certificated

  38. Transmitter Performance Criteria for Certification • Output signal that can be satisfactorily viewed on receivers designed for FCC 8-VSB DTV transmission standard • Heterodyne translator output power must not vary by more than 1 dB for input signal strength variations up to 30 dB • Digital average output power must not exceed maximum rated value under any condition • Digital power metering

  39. Transmitter Performance Criteria for Certification • Out-of-channel emissions at output terminals (including all output filtering) meet at least the attenuation requirements of the “simple” mask • Local oscillator frequency of RF upconverter must be maintained within 10 kHz • Temperature range between 0 and 40ºCentigrade • Main power supply voltage variations between 85 and 115 percent

  40. GPS Protection From 2nd and 3rd Harmonic Emissions • GPS frequency bands: 1164-1215 MHz, 1215-1240 MHz and 1559-1610 MHz • Affects only TV channels 22-24, 32-36, 38 and 65-69 • For FCC certification, transmitter must employ filtering that attenuates harmonic emissions in the GPS bands by at least 85 dB

  41. Modification of Transmission Systems • Permit modification of existing analog equipment for digital transmissions (e.g., final RF amplifiers) • FCC certificated manufacturer field modification kits, including installation and testing procedures and new FCC transmitter identifier label • Custom modifications also permitted

  42. Modification of Transmission Systems • Heterodyne output power limits must not be exceeded • Digital output power may not exceed 25% of previous peak sync NTSC output power unless power amplifier has been replaced or retrofitted for higher power operation • Transmitter must be performance-tested and demonstrated to comply with transmitter certification requirements

  43. Modification of Transmission Systems • Station licensee must notify FCC upon completion of modifications (and certify that any custom modifications comply with technical requirements) • Licensee must maintain records of the nature of the modifications, test procedures and results for period of two years

  44. GPS Protection From 2nd and 3rd Harmonic Emissions • On channels where protection is required, an external filter with at least 85 dB attenuation in the GPS bands may be field-installed on an existing transmitter • Field measurements of the second or third harmonic output of transmitters so equipped are not required

  45. 6 dB Equivalent Mask Compliance for Digital Conversion of Analog Transmitter Total Average In-Channel Power 46 dB down is required For example: a 6 dB shortfall at shelves of simple mask 6 MHz Channel

  46. Analog ERP Equivalent nominal digital ERP – 6 db below analog ERP 200 w Equivalent digital ERP for mask compliance 50 w Equivalent Mask Compliance for Digital Conversion of Analog Transmitter 800 w

  47. 110010011001001111100110111101001010110010101011 Up & Running 1111010010101100101010111110 1111010010101100101010111110 11001001 10010011111001101111010010101100 10101011

  48. Digital Station Operation Unattended operation No minimum hours of operation No required station identification at present

  49. Operations on Channels 52-69 • Must cease use of channels 60-69 per public safety coordinated use agreement, but can now operate after the end of the full-power station transition if no public safety or commercial wireless issues • Existing or future wireless licensee may serve digital translator or LPTV licensee a notice of potential conflict within 120 days before commencing new or modified operation

  50. Channels 52-59 • Digital translator or LPTV station must cease operating within 120 days of receiving notice unless • start of wireless service is delayed • agreement is reached with wireless licensee or • FCC request for stay is granted • Station licensee may seek replacement channel on a priority basis

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