NTA 2006

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NTA 2006

KEITH.LARSON_at_fcc.gov FCC Media Bureau
[phone]
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GREETINGS TRANSLATOR OPERATORS !
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The Digital Translator/LPTV Transition is
Underway!
Roads to digital conversion
Station construction
Up and running
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The DTV Transition
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DTV Stations on Air Source FCC Video
Div. March 2006

Total includes single-channel DTV operations
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DTV Regulatory Developments

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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?
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WWW.DTV.GOV
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Roads to Digital Conversion
Translator operators heading to the digital
frontier
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Roads to Digital Transitions End
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S
L
U
F
A
H
C
T
Analog
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Digital
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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 (600 pm June 30, 2006)
• Electronically file FCC Form 346 (February 2005
  version)
• May make other facilities changes if analog and
  digital contours overlap

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Companion Channel
Analog
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Digital Companion Channel Filing Window June
19-30, 2006

• Digital companion channel paired with stations
  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

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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

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(No Transcript)
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Digital signal input to analog signal output
Digital in Analog out
D/A Converter Box
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HDTV
Digital Transitions End
Digital
Where digitals the only game in town !
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Digital Conversion of TV Translator, LPTV Class
A Stations (per the FCCs 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 FCCs
  next DTV periodic review, unless preempted by
  Congressional action

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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

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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

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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.

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Digital Translator LPTV Transition
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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?

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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)?

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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

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You Must Choose the Road to Your Digital
Conversion
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Digital Station Construction

• Time to construct
• Translator modes of operation
• Transmitter requirements
• Modification of existing analog equipment for
  digital operation

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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

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Digital Translator Modes
Translator Output
DTV Input
Both types are permitted regenerative is
preferred
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Digital Power Limits
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Signal Coverage
UHF digital translator 1000 above average
terrain
25 watts
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Transmitter Requirements
New digital translator and LPTV transmitters must
be FCC certificated
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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

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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 40º Centigrade
• Main power supply voltage variations between 85
  and 115 percent

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
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Equivalent Mask Compliance for Digital Conversion
of Analog Transmitter
800 w
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11001001 10010011 11100110 11110100 10101100
10101011

Up Running
11110100 10101100 10101011 1110
11110100 10101100 10101011 1110
11001001 10010011 11100110 11110100 10101100
10101011
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Digital Station Operation

• Unattended operation

No minimum hours of operation
No required station identification at present
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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

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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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Permitted Digital Translator Signal Alterations

• Limited local insertions
• Emergency warning messages
• Public service announcements messages related
  to funding translator operations not to exceed
  30 seconds per hour
• Necessary adjustment of PSIP information
• Multiplexing of two or more DTV stations on
  single output channel per agreements with all
  affected stations

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Hybrid Translator Rebroadcasts Program
Origination Are Permissible

• Digital station must be licensed as an LPTV
• Should be closely coordinated with your primary
  DTV station to match video formats
• Use portion of the bit stream for rebroadcast and
  remaining bits for a locally inserted program
  stream(s)
• As examples local weather updates, school
  announcements and events, adult education classes

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HDTV Wonders
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Translator-delivered HTDV is coming to your
community
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My very best wishes as you bring digital TV to
your communities
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NTA 2006

KEITH.LARSON_at_fcc.gov FCC Media Bureau
[phone]