Anywave Communications Technologies (“Anywave”) has announced the availability of its new and unique offering, which provides a complete broadcast signal chain, from the encoder through to the exciter, and a wide variety of transmitters (or translators), all supplied and supported by Anywave.
The key items in the package consist of two major products – each contained in a 1 RU rackmount chassis:
The Encoder+, a high quality encoder that is configurable for ATSC 3.0 (HEVC and AC-4 encoding) or 1.0 (MPEG-2/MPEG-4 and AC-3 encoding). The Encoder+ also contains the signaling server needed for ATSC 3.0 implementations.
Both the Exciter+ and Encoder+ work for ATSC 3.0 and 1.0 with no hardware changes. All modes can be enabled with simple license keys. So a station can buy the hardware for current 1.0 service, and be ready to convert to 3.0 with no additional hardware.
Beyond offering a simplified end to end system to enable an easy transition to ATSC 3.0, this signal chain offers several key features that have significant benefits to the user:
- Stream Sync Technology – performs rate adaptation on the stream coming to the exciter, which eliminates the need to synchronize the gateway and exciter to GPS or NTP (for non-SFN applications).
- Broadcast gateway function for ATSC 3.0 – built into the same hardware platform as the exciter – perfect for LPTV and other stations that have no studio, or have a studio collocated with the transmitter site. For full service stations and others with a separate studio, the Exciter+ can be configured as a standalone gateway to reside at the studio.
- Translator operation – The Exciter+ incorporates a built-in tuner/demod that is 3.0 and 1.0 compatible, and along with the gateway functionality for 3.0 onboard, it can operate as a translator in either 3.0 or 1.0 service. In both cases, the signaling information (PSIP in ATSC 1.0) can easily be edited to incorporate the translator’s call letters, major/minor channel identification, etc.
As some broadcasters have dealt with issues in working with multiple vendors and incompatibility between their separate products, especially in the ATSC 3.0 transition, Anywave’s new end to end signal chain offers the broadcaster a single point of responsibility, and a system engineered and tested to work together. And that extends to the transmitter as well, as Anywave offers a complete and exceptional line of transmitters at all power levels, air and liquid cooled, VHF band I and III, and UHF.
Anywave’s Signal Chain has undergone extensive testing with several major public TV station groups, with excellent results.
For additional details about the Anywave complete signal chain, please click on the link below: