The satellite role in the interactive broadcasting era. Application to SMATV (DIGISAT project)

The broadcasting world has evolved very quickly towards the digital technology supported by a digital video broadcasting (DVB) European consensus for the harmonisation of technical specifications for satellite digital TV distribution, as well as for SMATV, cable, terrestrial and microwave based systems. This paper describes the DVB interaction channel solution for satellite master antenna television (SMATV ) systems based on the concatenation of coaxial and satellite sections, which are being discussed at the DVB-RC. The satellite section is based on inexpensive low power Ku band satellite terminals known as interactive TVRO terminals. The coaxial section can be implemented following the DVB-RC-CATV system, but selecting an adequate subset of options with the aim of getting nearly consumer type SMATV headend equipment. The DIGISAT ACTS project has developed system specifications as well as prototypes in order to demonstrate the technical and commercial feasibility of the interaction channel for SMATV based on satellite interactive terminals and the corresponding coaxial section