DURING A pilot phase lasting several months, testing was carried out using several different format options. In the end, DVB-T2 was selected, and Zeonbud became one of the first European operators to create a complete infrastructure for the terrestrial transmission using that format. The network went live in September last year, with 150 transmitters being fully commissioned by the following month. The complete roll out of sites has now been completed. “The analogue service in the
Ukraine is scheduled to be switched off in 2015, and our licence called for 95% of the population to be covered by the digital terrestrial network,” explains Vladimir Prokopenko, head of Zeonbud’s network operations centre. “This network comprises 167 transmitter sites, each carrying four DVB-T2 multiplexes. These four multiplexes carry 28 nationwide channels and four local channels. Up to eight of those 28 national channels can broadcast in HD format. The power of the transmitters ranges from 2kW to 50W.” In all, 664 transmitters were
provided at the sites by the German operation of Rohde & Schwarz. Signals from Zeonbud’s headend will be delivered to the sites using capacity on SES Astra’s 31.5° East orbital position satellite.
Versatile headend
Harris has equipped the headend, which is located in Kiev. “We provided the complete solution for the Zeonbud facility,” says
Zeonbud’s licence called for 95% of the population to be covered by DTT
In December 2010, Kiev-based Zeonbud was selected by the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine to be the country’s nationwide provider for digital multiplexes. It was also decided that the digital network must be ready for Euro 2012. Philip Stevens investigates
Zeonbud’s master control room for the Ukraine’s new DTT network
Marcel Tölkemeier, solution architect (video headend) at Harris. “The core component is the Harris Selenio convergence platform supplied with powerful universal encoder modules used for H.264 encoding.” This convergence platform has the flexibility to install internally one of 14 application modules. Located inside each Selenio frame at the Zeonbud facility are nine encoders and two multiplexers. Each encoder provides a high quality compression of the incoming video signal, while the
“The short term development of one of the largest TV networks in Europe wouldn’t be possible without clear state strategy”
Vladimir Prokopenko, Zeonbud
multiplexers have a powerful engine to combine all the elements needed for DVB-T2 transmission. The whole system is built to be fully redundant to prevent operational problems. “We also provided the Platinum
SDI router matrix with integrated HView SX multiviewers, the
Harris Navigator for monitoring and control purposes and the MSA-300 as a multi format analysis tool. This tool provides the means to detect possible errors on all parallel channels,” confirms Tölkemeier. He adds, “This is one of the largest TV networks in Europe
where the special challenge was to verify that all new standards are given by Harris products. In addition, the change from analogue to digital transmission is always a big challenge, but this has been successfully completed.” German company Kathrein supplied transmitting antennas,