Dish Channels

April 2012

sky digital

EL-222 FTA

satellite TV

digital satellite

XDSR 400 HD PLUS

systems why

satellite?

PLATINIUM 1

Pakistan UAE

100.00 10.00

Rs

KSA

Dh

Oman

10.00 01.00

R

Qatar

R

India

12.00 R 125.00 Rs

Bahrain Kuwait

01.00 01.00

D

Lebanon

D

Nigeria

5000 350

LL

S-Africa

N

Namibia

45.00 50.00

R

Singapore 09.50 SGD

R

Australia

11.00

$ incl GST

Indonesia Thailand

25.000,-Rp 200 Baht

Bangladesh 95.00 Taka Egypt

10.00

EP

PRO HD 9618

Z500

SB 7800X PVR

IVISIO 9500

TWIN PRO HD 9818

MINI S200 MX PVR

SB 9600X PVR HDMI

Z300

SuperBox

General Trading L.L.C.

IVISIO DIGITAL TV TUNER 4580

IVISIO DIGITAL TV TUNER 4560

Sheikh Mustafa, Bin Mohammed Al Ustad Building, Shop No. 5, Nakheel Road, Street No. 21, Deira, Dubai-U.A.E. Tel : +971 4 238 5872 Fax : +971 4 238 5871 Email : rashad@super-box.tv Web : www.super-box.tv

International Monthly Magazine

VOLUME: 19 - No: 04

Editor-in-Chief HABIB HADI hadi@tracksat.com Managing Editors SUROOSH IZNA Editor SUMERA HADI Associate Editor SHOUKAT IQBAL KHATTAK Technical Editor HAIDER ALI dishtech@tracksat.com Advertising Manager NAVEED JAMEEL uzair_nomi80@hotmail.com Layout Designer NAVEED AHMED KHAN Accounts Manager S.ASHRAF-UL-HAQ Legal Advisor QAZI MUNAWAR ALAM Editorial Address: Dawood Centre, 101-1st Floor, 124,R, Block-2, Main Tariq Road, P.E.C.H.S., Karachi-Pakistan.

Tel. : + 92-21- 34531122, 34531133 : + 92-21- 34316529, 34316530 Fax: : + 92-21- 34528822 E-mail: channels@cyber.net.pk hadi@tracksat.com Distributors UAE Emirates Printing Publishing & Distribution Co. Tel.: (04) 2660337 Ext. 204 SAUDI ARABIA Al-Adabiya Pub & Distributors Tel.: 671 5788 KUWAIT United Company for Distribution of Newspapers & Publications Tel.: (965) 245 6198-(965) 241 2820 BAHRAIN Al Ayam Publishing Est. B.S.C. (C) Tel. : 725111 PAKISTAN Paradise Books & Distributors Tel: + 92-21-4314981-83 Fax: + 92-21-4385075 EGYPT Al-Ahram Tel.: 5796997 QATAR Naz Book Distribution Tel.: +974 4324235, +974 5562809 TURKEY Ukrainian Distribution Tel.: +38 044 261 5876 JORDAN Jordan Distribution Agency Tel.: 962 6 533 7733 IRAQ Al-Khalil Distribution NETHERLANDS Van Gelderen UNITED KINGDOM Golden Publication Ltd. KENYA National Group Ltd. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Future Empire Network Corp.

Publisher HABIB HADI Dish Channels is printed on the 1st of every month by Dish Channels Karachi.

Dish Channels is Non-Political & NonPatrisian Publication. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we cannot bear responsibility for losses resulting from errors.

Printed By: PRINTING IMPRESSION, KARACHI

APRIL – 2012

LETTER FROM EDITOR Dear Readers, The United Arab Emirates is the undoubted leader in terms of offering the most technologicallyadvanced satellite systems in the Middle East.

Dubai alone has more than 300 companies engaged in the installation of satellite systems, and around 150 companies involved in direct selling of satellite products. As a result, Dubai offers a wide range of products and services geared to provide excellent television reception.

For African customers this translates into the convenience of finding a comprehensive range of products at competitive prices.

Dubai has become a major of supplier of dish antennas, LNBs, satellite receivers and other related equipment for East Africa. Satellite television is still a relatively new concept in the East African region and there is a great demand for quality satellite systems which is being sourced from Dubai. As more and more countries in Africa join the bandwagon of satellite television, the demand for satellite receiving equipment is bound to grow in the future. Prices of dish antennas and LNBs in countries like Uganda, Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania are almost double of what they are in Dubai. As a result, a large number of African traders are buying these goods from Dubai in large quantities and selling them in their countries at a high premium. The satellite market in Dubai - a beehive of activity because of its re-export business - has been registering an increase in the number of visitors from Africa.

e By

S AT MART

Contents

230th LEGEND ISSUE OF PUBLICATIONS

Letter from Editor

9

Triax

46

Global Flash News

10

How to Switch to Satellite

49

Digital TV Why Make...

16

Pakistani Channels

50

C Band Satellite...

18

Pakistani Channels

51

Sat Mart

20

HDTV take-up in Europe

53

Test Report

24

Satellite Signal Technol...

57

Celebrating Intelsat’s

26

The HD Revolution on...

59

Test Report

28

Around the Satellite World

60

Defining Free to...

30

Trouble Shooter

64

Test Report

32

Search Satellite

67

Economic Satellite TV...

34

Digital Satellites...

75

Cabsat

36

Satellite Broadcasting...

76

Cabsat

38

Satellite Broadcasting...

77

Cabsat

39

Directional Chart

78

Master code

40

Directional Chart

79

Master code

41

Why Satellite

81

Sky Digital Satellite TV

42

Digital Chart

83

Fast- growing Middle East

44

Digital Chart

98

TEST REPORTS

STAR TRACK PLATINUM 1 HD

ECHOLINK EL-222 FTA

XCRUISER XDSR 400 HD PLUS

ARTICLES VIEW 18

ECONOMIC SATELLITE TV SERVICE PROVISION

34

53

HDTV TAKE-UP IN EUROPE

75

Digital Satellite Broadcasts to Revolutionizee Television

76

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

GLOBAL FLASH NEWS

AUGUST 3 LAUNCH FOR ESPN

ESPN has given details of its new premium channel for the UK market, the centrepiece of which will be the Disney-owned broadcaster’s recently acquired rights to the English Premier League. Launching on August 3, and known simply as ESPN, the channel will be available in both standard and high definition. In addition to the Premier League, ESPN will also carry international sports, and premium US events that were previously carried on ESPN America, which will be integrated into the new channel. “We feel this works for sports fans as time differences of the sport we will show means we will have a truly 24/7 Live sports channel,” a spokesman for ESPN told Broadband TV News. He added that ESPN America would continue to air in over 40 countries in continental Europe and another 19 across the Middle East. ESPN also runs its broadband TV service ESPN360, which carries a number of live and as live American sports.

KAZAKHSTAN'S FIRST SATELLITE RETURN TO ITS ORBIT Italy’s growing enthusiasm for pay-TV has led to Sky Italia becoming the most profitable commercial broadcaster in the country. According to data released in the Annual Report of the communications regulator Agcom, Sky Italia’s €2.640 billion profit was second only to the Italian public broadcaster RAI on €2.723 billion. Mediaset (RTI), controlled by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, was third with €2.531 billion.

Although Mediaset experienced a 0.3% decline in advertising revenues, it has been able to bolster its income through the growth in its DTT pay platform Mediaset Premium. The venture netted €199 million in 2008 compared to €125 million in 2008.

The report notes that for the first time the number of digital households in Italy is greater than those on the old analogue system. As in other markets the shift to digital broadcasting has been marked by a fall in audiences to the incumbent analogue channels, which have lost 9% of their audience since 2000.

APRIL

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

EUROPEAN ROCKET HOISTS BIGGEST-EVER TELECOMS SATELLITE A European rocket has placed the world's biggest commercial telecommunications satellite into geostationary orbit, launch operator Arianespace said. The 6.9-tonne TerreStar-1, operated by US telecoms services firm Terre Star Networks Inc., was launched by Ariane-5 heavy rocket from the European space base in Kourou, French Guiana, after four delays caused by stormy weather. It is the 189th launch since the European Space Agency (ESA) introduced Ariane in 1979. Arianespace chief executive Jean-Yves Le Gall also told reporters the company's first launch from Kourou using a Soyuz rocket would probably take place "in the first week" of 2012. The firm is to use the Soviet-era workhorse under a commercial arrangement with Russia so that it can launch medium-sized payloads. The version will be a Soyuz 2, able to take three tonnes into geostationary orbit, compared to 1.7 tonnes that can be launched from Baikonur, the main Russian space base.

Arianespace is also bringing in a new rocket, Vega, for light payloads of up to 1.5 tonnes.

RUSSIA SIGNS DEAL TO LAUNCH ANGOLA SATELLITE

GLOBAL FLASH NEWS between the former Cold War allies. In one of the six agreements, signed between ministers of both governments in Luanda, Russia said it would help place in orbit Angola's first satellite, branded Angosat, to improve the southwestern African nation's telecommunications system.

OPTUS TO LAUNCH THIRD SATELLITE

OPTUS has pencilled in an August launch date for the latest addition to its interstellar satellite fleet. The D3 satellite will join Optus's three other D-series satellites in orbit and will be used to support the growth of digital and pay-TV transmission by providing an additional 30 per cent in capacity across the telco's fleet, Optus says.

Optus has invested over $600 million in its D series satellite fleet. "We are especially excited about Optus D3 because, for the first time in a decade, the new satellite will increase Optus' fleet capacity by more than 30 per cent, providing new business opportunities in broadcast television, directto-home market, new data services and services bundling,� Optus Satellite director Paul Sheridan said. But although D3 will bolster Optus's ability to transmit digital television signals into rural Australia, it's expected the new satellite will not feature in the government's plans for its $43bn national broadband network.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has said next-generation satellites will play an important role in the NBN to link premises in regional Australia where it is economically unfeasible to lay fibre.

Russia and Angola signed a series of agreements in areas ranging from aviation, to mining and the telecommunications sectors, which are expected to bolster ties

APRIL

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

INDIA TO LAUNCH INDIGENOUS OCEANSAT-2 SATELLITE India will launch its indigenous Oceansat-2 satellite, along with six European nano satellites, next month, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has said.

"Oceansat-2, weighing around 970 kg, is an in-orbit replacement to Oceansat-1, which has completed 10 years of service. It will carry an Ocean Color Monitor and a Kuband pencil beam Scatterometer. In addition, it will carry Radio Occultation Sounder for Atomospheric studies developed by the Italian Space Agency,” ISRO Spokesperson S. Satish told the media. Among the six satellites are Germany-made Rubin 9.1 and Rubin 9.2, and all would be launched from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota, he said. Apart from pinpointing fishing zones, Oceansat-2 will aid in coastal zone studies and in understanding surface temperature and winds. However, the date of the launch has not yet been fixed.

MEASAT-3A SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED Malaysia's newest satellite, the MEASAT-3a satellite blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome exactly on schedule at 5.50 am Malaysian time. Launched amid perfectly cool and windy conditions, the US$165 million communications satellite blasted off on its mission to enhance Measat Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd's satellite capacity significantly. The company now has four satellites in orbit. The time difference between Kazakhstan and Malaysia is two hours which means it was APRIL

GLOBAL FLASH NEWS launched in Baikonur at 3.50 am. To be operational in July, MEASAT-3a will replace MEASAT-1 which is scheduled to complete its service in 2015.

The MEASAT-3a satellite is being lifted into orbit by a Zenit-3SLB Launch vehicle on its way until its final location at 91.5 degrees East Longitude. The launching of the 2,417 kg MEASAT-3a satellite here and witnessed a group of Malaysians in the deserts of Kazakhstan a few kilometres away from the launch pad was telecast live over Awani, on Astro channel 501.

RUSSIA ORBITS THREE COSMOS-SERIES MILITARY SATELLITES A Rokot carrier rocket has orbited three Russian military satellites, a spokesman for Russia’s Space Forces said. The Rokot, carrying three Cosmos-series satellites, was launched by Russia’s Space Forces from the Plesetsk space center in northwest Russia early on Monday, Lt. Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said. Russia reportedly operates a network of about 60-70 military reconnaissance satellites. Some experts believe the new satellites could be part of Russia’s Oko (Eye) orbital missile early warning network. The Rokot launch vehicle is a modified version of the Russian RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) intercontinental ballistic missile. It uses the two original lower stages of the ICBM, in conjunction with a BreezeKM upper-stage for commercial payloads.

Russia has carried out 16 space launches since the beginning of 2009.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

SRT 2010 HD

SRT 2014 HD

SRT 2015 HD

SRT 3000 HD

SR 55X

SR 140 SR 150

ST 570 ST 560

www.startrackworld.com

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

ASIA BROADCAST SATELLITE TO ACQUIRE KOREASAT-2 KT Corporation and Asia Broadcast Satellite (ABS) announced that they have signed the sale and purchase of the Koreasat-2 satellite. The closing of the sale will occur upon the issuance of the necessary US governmental approvals. The Koreasat-2 satellite is a Lockheed Martin G3000 spacecraft launched in January 1996.

The satellite has a Ku-band payload with 16 x 36MHz FSS Ku-band transponders and 6 x 27MHz DBS Ku-band transponders. As a result of the transaction, the Koreasat-2 will be renamed as ABS-1A.ABS plans to relocate ABS-1A (Koreasat-2) to the 75 degrees East Longitude orbital location to be co-located with ABS-1 until the launch of its recently announced expansion satellite, ABS-2, which is scheduled for launch early 2012. The ABS-1A (Koreasat2) satellite has fuel for a minimum of 2 to 5 years of inclined orbit operations and will provide valuable high powered Ku-band capacity for satellite telecommunications and broadcast services to ABS’ customers in the Middle East region. ABS has contracted KT Corporation to provide the satellite operations and Telemetry, Tracking and Control (TT&C) services for the ABS-1A (Koreasat-2) satellite.

HBO EXPANDS ASIAN FOOTPRINT

HBO Asia, voted top cable television (TV) channel by pay TV operators in Asia*, has expanded its stronghold in Asia by signing new carriage deals in Mongolia and the Philippines, and has increased the distribution of HBO Asia’s multiplex channels - HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY and HBO HITS, in Cambodia,

APRIL

GLOBAL FLASH NEWS Indonesia, Palau and Papua New Guinea. In Malaysia, HBO is the first movie channel to offer dual subtitling in both Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. HBO Asia’s channel offerings in Cambodia will increase from two channels, HBO and MAX (a refresh of CINEMAX), to five. Through its distributor, Royal Group, all five HBO Asia multiplex channels, HBO, HBO SIGNATURE, HBO FAMILY, HBO HITS and MAX, will be available on various cable TV operators throughout Cambodia.

INDIAN DTH INDUSTRY TO GROW AT 30 PER CENT

The Indian direct-to-home (DTH) industry is expected to add 5,00,000 subscribers a month in 2012 and grow at a CAGR of 30 per cent through 2013, according to a study by research agency RNCOS. Fierce competition among multiple DTH operators will fuel this rapid growth even amid a global economic slowdown. DTH service providers are trying to lure viewers by cutting down prices as well as offering perks even though it translates into loss of Rs 1,600-2,000 on each subscriber acquired by them. They have started luring subscribers with a slew of value-added services, live recording of TV content and matrimonial match-making. “With over 130 million TV homes, India offers large room for growth in DTH services as the technology can be used to offer DTH services in remote location, where setting up of cable networks seems impossible or is highly expensive”, says a senior analyst at RNCOS.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

C BAND SATELLITE DISHES A C band satellite allows for TVRO satellite reception. In the electromagnetic spectrum, the C band is at the microwave frequency range. The C band is at the 4 to 8 GHz range. The C band is also historically significant to commercial broadcasting as it was the first frequency band that was made available for ground-to-satellite communications for commercial use. The usual downlink for a C-band satellite is at 3.7 to 4.2 GHz. For the uplink side, it is at 5.926 to 6.425 GHz. C-band satellite is usually for open satellite communications. Commonly, it is used for full-time satellite TV networks, subscription programs and raw satellite APRIL

feeds. C-band satellite communication is also famous in connection with TVRO satellite television system and the large Cband satellite specific reception dishes that it requires.

In order to get C-band satellite reception, it is necessary to install a C-band satellite reception dish in the area. The installation of the dish has its own requirements as well as C-band transmissions is prone to specific disturbances if it is improperly installed.

When assessing an area for suitability for a satellite dish, the most important thing to remember is that the satellite dish needs to have an unobstructed view of the entire Cband satellite positions.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

DIGITAL SATELLITE SYSTEMS

Technology nowadays is truly amazing.

One of these stunning new technologies that bring great impacts to our live styles is digital satellite TV systems. Satellite TV systems handle a number of tasks, including communicating with a satellite 22,000 miles above the earth’s surface, unscrambling and encrypted signals, converting the signal into analog or HDTV format as needed by the TV set and splitting out one channel at a time so that the viewer receives only that satellite television channel they are seeking. Digital satellite receivers open up a whole world of TV entertainment with amazing technology.

These devices offer features that parents and couch potatoes could only have dreamed of in years past.

From the user angle, there are lots of functions in Digital satellite systems that bring in big improvements to their lifestyles. For example, satellite TV systems (both Dish Network and DIRECTV) allow parents to lock out programming inappropriate for their children. These receivers also permit pausing live television and video recording.

Satellite TV systems will also keep track of pay-for-view programming. The receiver then communicates with computer equipment at the provider’s business to transmit billing information.

APRIL

Besides all these, another great features by Dish Network and DIRECTV is that these digital satellite systems are offered free!

Receivers are included in packages of equipment that are supplied to subscriber homes, absolutely free. These free satellite TV systems include free equipment, free shipping and free installation. These are amazing machines that worth more than $1,500, and they can be owned by you without paying a penny-- perhaps this explains why satellite TV systems became one of the fastest growing products in USA. Digital Satellite Service is the assumed initialism expansion of the DSS digital satellite television transmission system used

by DirecTV. Only when digital transmission was introduced did direct broadcast satellite (DBS) television become popular in North America, which has led to both DBS and DSS being used interchangeably to refer to all three commonplace digital transmission formats - DSS, DVB-S and 4DTV. Analogue DBS services however existed prior to DirecTV and are still operational in continental Europe as of 2006.

At the time of DirecTV's launch in 1994, the DVB-S digital satellite system in use in the majority of the world had not yet been standardised, the Thomson developed DSS system was used instead.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

SAT MART

PANSAT 9200 HD The Pansat 9200HD Hgh Definition FTA digital receiver is a new addition to the Pansat lineup for 2007. It is an Pansat HD Receiver that can output using HDMI. Using the HDMI output to your HDTV, it can output using 1080i, 720p, 576p, and 480p. This new model adds 8mb of flash RAM (faster channel changing over last years model), 10000 channel memory, universal remote, component video out, HDMI VIDEO/AUDIO OUTPUT, USB 2.0 Host to support USB Memory Stick , 128MB USB Drive, composite video output, dual satellite & terrestrial tuner input, and finally Standard Definition/High Definition contents (MPEG2 and support MPEG4 AVC/H.264). The receiver has the capacity to store 10000 TV and Radio Channels, Timer Function (Automatic Turn On/ Off by Setting Function), 5 Favourite List & Unlimited Programmes per each and supporting DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS Compatible.

APRIL

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

SAT MART

VIEWSAT MAXHD

SATELLITE SIGNAL FINDER

The Viewsat MaxHD is best selling Free To Air Receiver. The manufacturer have added a faster processor (200 MHz), double the memory of the Xtreme (32 Mb SD RAM), and a USB communications port for easy data updates. Now you can use your USB flash drive to update your receiver. The new universal remote that comes with this unit is awesome. If that's not enough, wait until you see the new colorful Graphic User Interface. This is by far the best FTA STB the market has ever seen. It is fully MPEG-2 & DVB-S2 Compliant, supports SCPC & MCPC from C/Ku-band, Tuner Symbol Rate: 1~45MS/s, Fast booting & auto scan, Quick channel changing, Max. 4000 channels (TV & radio) programmable, Master PIN Code Function & Parental Lock Function, Zoom Function and Multi Picture display function.

High quality very sensitive satellite signal finder with Audio tone and Light. It is the best tool in Satellite TV installation like DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, Bell Express Vu and other FTA systems. This satellite meter is very easy to use, you can tune and peak satellite signal in a few minutes even you have no any installation experience.

VIEWSAT 9000 HD The brand new Viewsat 9000 HD High definition with fan and DVR (digital video recorder) has a 266mhz RISC cpu ST40 that will allow you to capture MPEG2-MPEG4 High Def 1080 channels with the best picture provided by the viewsat 9000HD video tuner that is better then coolsat 8000hd video tuner able to give you the best picture and sound on all hd channels.

Viewsat 9000hd has a usb port for PVR features along with being able to update by bin files and key codes. This is a great free to air high definition receiver. This new box has HDTV, SDTV display support. Teletext close caption, user friendly OSD and operation, favourite channel selections, S/W upgrade through RS-232 and USB 2.0 and Parental Guide and rating control.

APRIL

AZBOX EVO XS This new satellite receiver has fastest power scan (blind search) with complete parameter control, 150 programmable satellites and 6,000 programmable channels, Timer function for Sleep / Wake Up / VCR Record, Fully MPEG 2 / DVB compliant, MCPC/SCPC, C/KU reception, 1 LNB input with IF loop through for 2nd receiver, Variable input symbol rate 2 ~ 45Msps, Manual PID scan function, DiSEqC 1.2 and USALS supported, Picture-In-Graphics function, Multi-Picture (4, 9 or 16 pictures) function, ZOOM In/Out, Electronic Programme Guide, Teletext supported by OSD and VBI, Multi language menu, 7 favourite channel group selection and parental lock and Data transfer: receiver-toreceiver or PC-to-receiver.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

CONAXSAT TRIO FTA RECEIVER

The newest receiver from Conaxsat is the Trio. The Trio has all the options and features of the previous Conaxsat release, the Duo. The Trio though, has the option of loading DivX movies right off your PC on to an external hard drive. The Conaxsat Trio can load DivX movies, record TV shows (PVR), and is still one of the lowest priced FTA Receivers on the market. Conaxsat receivers are getting more and more popular everyday with the Trio leading the way. This receiver is by far one of the nicest and most sophisticated around. It's completely affordable and very easy to use. Starting around rought $250, this high powered receiver is capabale of PVR and Divx movie replay. All you need to do is plug in a USB 2.0. This Personal Video Recorder (PVR) is ready via USB 2.0, Reserve Recording in EPG Mode, Recorded file play on PC, Upgrade Software & Update Channel Database through USB 2.0 Port and RS232, Two USB 2.0 Host for USB Storage Devices (e.g. External HDD, USB Memory, etc) and C/KU band control for each antenna.

COOLSAT 7100 RECEIVER Dubbed The "Time Machine" by R&D for its futuristic features, the latest in the Coolsat line up of STBs is unique. In Freetech's extensive research, insight and development of This STB, The Time machine offers up 1 GB of internal memory, enabling You to record instantly, right out of the box. The 1 GB of memory along with USB 2.0, outstanding video, time shift, a full 9 day EPG and up to 10,000 channels storage lets us know that that the Coolsat 7000 micRo PVR is another high quality STB by Freetech-Inc. The receiver has up to 40 min. Time machine, Recording & Play back using 1 GByte internal memory, 9 Day EPG, USB 2.0 Host support (MP3 Player & JPEG Viewer), MPEG-II Digital & fully DVB Compliant, Blind Scan, MultiLNB Controled by DiSEqc Control Version 1.0, 1.2, and USALS and Multi Satellite Search.

APRIL

SAT MART

TELE FRONTIER FLAT PANEL TYPE ANTENNA

High power flat antenna of panel type for satellite broadcasting is coming up to you.

The most powerful and elegant flat antenna of panel type for DBS satellite, more gain of flat antenna than ugly dish for satellite broadcasting signal is next to you. You will find many differences in TELE Frontier flat antenna that you have never experienced in other satellite flat antennas Wherever you are over the world, you can enjoy watching satellite broadcasting with TELE Frontier flat antenna.

SATELLITE RECEIVER IMPERIAL DB 1 CI Satellite Receiver Imperial is not too different from each other when it comes to reception technology. Almost any receiver will provide you with reason able video and audio quality. FTA receiver What sets settop boxes apart from each other is the way they interact with their users. Who hasn’t lost his temper when trying to set up new equipment for the first time?Who hasn’t spent ages looking for the right item in the menu, and who hasn’t despaired bringing some order into a channel list comprising hundreds of digital channels? If all that sounds familiar to you you’ll be happy to read that we discovered a box with easy installation, fast signal scan and comfortable channel zapping. And as an added bonus it only consumes 6 Watts in standby and 12 Watts when turned on, so it doesn’t only look after its users but also after the environment. Even when a motorised dish is operated by this receiver Imperial DB 1 CI , its energy consumptions increases by a mere 2 Watts. The receiver features both an optical (S/PDIF) and electrical (RCA) output for digital audio so that you can listen to your favourite stations with the best available audio quality.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

SAT MART

WIZ-299 HD FTA

DIAMOND LNB OF GT-SAT INTERNATIONAL

A few years ago, we were observing the improvement in noise performance of LNB’s. The older LNBs that had the noise figure of 0.8d B or even larger than 1dB have been replaced by LNBs with noise figures specifiedas0.6,0.3 or even 0.2 dB (typically). Another parameter that is quite important for systems with long coax cables is the output power provided by the LNB. Since a coax cable attenuates the signal, if we need to feed a receiver that is far away from an LNB, we need to insert an amplifier at the LNB output. Such amplifier means additional cost.It can also spoil the noise performance of the system. The alternative is to use an LNB that already provides a stronger signal. And the Diamond high gain line of GT-SAT International are just such products, which we took from the market: single, twin, quad and quattro LNB’s (GTLST40D, GT-T40D, GT-QD40D and GTQT40D). These products have high conversion gain, so when compared with a regular LNB they should create visible stronger signal at the output. These LNBs are the perfect choice for difficult receptionareas and allow for plenty of bad weather signal reduction.

APRIL

DIGITAL SATELLITE FINDER METER SF3000S Digital satellite finder is a simple and convenient instrument for setting and aligning a satellite dish. According to parameters of satellite, you can set and align a satellite dish very accurately and conveniently. Features as follows: 1.

Graphic user interface is easy to use. 2. Easy to use for beginner of setting satellite dish.

It can calculate Azimuth, Elevation and Polarization automatically according to local longitude and latitude and show in a graphic way. 3. It can communicate with PC through serial port. Update new satellite parameters conveniently. 4.

Large memory capacity can prestore 80 of the satellites parameters and measurement records.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

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19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Humax Ready for '2nd Boom' in the Middle East - Participates in an exhibition held in the Middle East for the first time in six years… expecting 'a second Middle East boom' this year - Attempts to fortify its brand by launching new products, such ashybrid, smart box and PVR Set Top Box…

(February 28, 2012)…Humax is gearing up for 'a second Middle East boom.'

Humax, a premier set-top box manufacturer, said on a statement made on February 28, that it will participate in 'CABSAT,' the largest broadcast trade show in the Middle East and Africa, which will be held for three days starting from Feb. 28th, in a bid to boost its brand recognition by launching new products, such as a hybrid set-top box.

The company has decided to take part in the exhibition which will be held in the Middle East for the first time in six years. Due to the recent growth in the satellite broadcasting market and a surge in demand for HD (High Definition) broadcasting in the Middle East, the set-top box market is facing a new turning point there. The company successfully entered the Middle East market in 1999 and topped 100 billion KRW in sales in 2001, a major growth of its overall sales. Although sales were slow in the middle of 2000, the sales volume has started to grow again in the last two to three years. This year, Humax predicts to hit the sales rate it has enjoyed during the first boom and is ready to lead the Second Middle East Boom.

Against this backdrop, Humax has not only built its brand power through the last 13 years of experience in the retail market, securing as its clients such major Middle East broadcasters as OSN (Orbit Showtime Network), Etisalat and ADM (Abu Dhabi Media), but it also has a developed a wide range of products such as HD and Hybrid products.

Humax will launch products like the Hybrid set-top box, Smart Box and PVR (Personal Video Recorder) in this exhibition.

The Hybrid set-top box is a product that combines satellite TV functionality with IP (Internet Protocol) based services such as VOD (Video on Demand), YouTube and Twitter, integrating the IP service provided by a smart TV into a general set-top box.

This product boasts a variety of features including a home network service, which APRIL

enables sharing contents stored on the box with your smart phone, tablet and PC; a 'Smart Search,' which enables searching the Internet for the contents of a program you're watching on TV simply by pressing a button; and 'Smart Scheduling,' which enables scheduling a recording of a TV program using a smart phone or tablet from outside the home.

In addition, Humax is planning to demonstrate the 'Smart Box', which is scheduled to unveil in late 2012, an auxiliary device that offers smart TV services including VOD and Internet connection via IP without the need for satellite or cable networks; and is launching intensive marketing campaigns for its PVR as the company expects the demand for PVR to increase backed by a growing demand for high-value-added services due to the spread of HD broadcasting and the evolution of broadcasting markets.

"HD broadcasting showed signs of developing last year. Recently, broadcasters have been scrambling to increase the number of HD channels, creating new momentum. We will continue our efforts to consolidate our lead in the market by generating new demand for hybrid set-top boxes, smart boxes and PVRs along with sales increase due to the transition to HD." said Jeon Su-won, president of Humax Gulf.

Meanwhile, the 18th 'CABSAT,' the largest broadcast-related exhibition in the Middle East and Africa, will be held in the UAE for three days starting from Feb. 28th. Over 800 companies from 42 countries are expected to participate in the event this year. The exhibition booth for Humax is located at S1-B1 in Sheikh Saeed hall.

Terminologies (1) Smart Box Refers to a device that offers a wide range of Internet-based services including video services like TV shows and movies through open general-purpose websites like Hulu

26

and Netflix; also known in the industry as an OTT (Over-The-Top) set-top box, or more simply, OTT box in the sense that it doesn't go through the existing cable, satellite or TV networks. Offers services similar to the IP-based services provided on the smart TV. (2) PVR (Personal Video Recorder) Refers to a device with a hard disk built into the set-top box, which enables recording TV shows and movies, superseding existing VCR and DVD recorders. Popularized mostly in the developed world such as Europe and the US with lots of Pay-TV subscribers and advanced digital broadcast markets.

About Humax Humax Co., Ltd. (Humax), founded in 1989 in South Korea, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of digital set-top boxes, exporting its products to over 90 countries across the globe. The company has built a solid reputation as a leading supplier of high quality, feature-rich digital TV set-top boxes and digital video recorders (DVRs), for cable, satellite, terrestrial, IPTV, and IPHybrid broadcasting. Humax is positioned as a leading brand of set-top-boxes in retail markets in UK, Germany, and the Middle East. As a leading brand, Humax participated in the digital switchover projects, Freeview HD and Freesat digital TV service in the UK. Also in 2009, Humax launched the IP-Hybrid platform in Germany. In the Middle East, Humax continues to expand its reputation by leading the HD switchover movement. The company's headquarter and R&D facility are based in Korea, with 16 offices worldwide including UK, US, Germany, France, Dubai, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, India, Thailand, Brazil and Australia.

Humax exceeded KRW 1 trillion in revenue in 2010 and employs more than 750 people worldwide. For more information, please visit www.humaxdigital.com.

Media Contact Mr. Mohammad Fakhouri mfakhouri@humaxdigital.com

The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

DEFINING FREE TO ACCESS TELEVISION Right now, free to air also known as FTA is a big deal. Many independent shows on television are all thanks to FTA. You might be watching one of those shows on Sunday morning if you can’t quite get to church.

Many of the religious shows that we watch happen to be on those free TV channels.

What exactly are these free channels?

Many people know free to air as it helped many people steal satellite dish stations and bring them into many homes through these channels. For the sake of this article, many independently owned stations that vary from state to state and city to city.

Depending on the company you may never know what these free channels will show.

Many free TV channels use these to reach out to the community. I know our free television channels here in town use them for the community colleges to hold classes.

That’s FTA for you. That is the use of them here. Others use this for religious shows as paid channels wouldn’t allow them to air.

Other free channels use them as a do it yourself type of network. Many people have opportunities to show off their talent APRIL

to those in the community in which they are in. That’s what FTA does. It opens doors.

Many things that cannot air on television now have the chance to be shown to audiences who love this stuff through these free channels.

In a world where TV is the main delight of families all over, free TV channels have become quite popular and are the deal many people use to be heard and watched where as other big paid channels are choosier about what they show. They give them the boot. Free to air channels have cost some people some freedoms they have enjoyed such as television watching in the past. As free to air once helped bring satellite channels to people who didn’t pay for them.

Now though, they are connecting people.

That is the past for free to air television.

So, if you are watching your community channels just remember, you might be watching one of those free channels.

There’s your basic example of FT. So, enjoy. Many people have fought to be brought into your home and now, free TV channels have paved the way for them.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

ECONOMIC SATELLITE TV SERVICE PROVISION Today satellite TV service cannot be done without in many families around the world. Mornings, afternoons and evenings, programs are telecasted by these providers to capture the interest of viewers in music, politics, religion, tourism and culture, sports, education, science and technology etc. the programs have today become the life-wire of many folks around the world since they are fully reliant on their service providers for information dissemination.

The current trend in service provision whereby dishes, decoders, receivers, cables and other different gadgets are put together for either transmitting signals to the clients or receiving signals from the satellites are all good and better technology than the analogue system that is currently obsolete.

This digitized system makes imaging on the television sets to be superb hence making satellite transmission a lot more attractive.

In the current trend, people can spend as low as $100 to buy the dish and decoder from the favourite provider and pay an annual subscription as low as $200 ($16.67 per month) in the developing world. This cost of connection and subscription rate may be smaller in the advanced nations where more providers and competitiveness exists. Comparing the cost mentioned APRIL

above and the adduced gain of the satellite TV services, one can simply conclude that it is a good deal. Good deal indeed I think so but you need a better deal and even a best deal that allows your pocket more liquidity. These providers allow access to between 50 to 100 channels at the subscription rate of about $200 per annum.

When you initially subscribe, the services of a technician is required to fix the dish, connect the decoder, run the cables, position the dish to the receiving longitude and latitude etc at a cost of about $65. This is a one-time payment however, on the event of shift of the dish or other minor technical hitches on the operation, the services of a technician will still be needed again. You can see that the acclaimed economical satellite TV services may not necessarily be economical at the long run.

Today the trend is changed with the introduction of software that work with the internet facility to enable you to watch satellite TV programs on your personnel computers (PC) and laptops. This tested and proven software packages have the potentials of making your information reception via satellite TV channels in your house, office, anywhere you go without dish, decoder, cable etc. you only need an internet connection.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Sky Digital is a British company which broadcast a group of satellite TV channels. The vast majority of these channels are, of course, English language. They include Sky News, Sky Sports, BBC, Channels 4 and 5, ITV, FilmFour, QVC, and other Asian and radio channels.

Sky have been broadcasting since October 1998 from the Astra 2 constellation of satellites at 28.2 degrees east of south. The system is technically capable of carrying over 500 channels; something like 200 are currently available.

It is technically possible to pick up signals from these Astra 2 satellites within Germany including Munich. According to licensing restrictions, however, no-one is supposed to watch them. Many of the channels are available to subscribers only and to become a subscriber you should be resident in the UK. There are ways around this though. If you live in Germany and wish to watch Sky TV, you need to subscribe not to Sky direct, but via a third party reseller who will register a UK address on your behalf.

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To get set up with a complete Sky TV system there are two components you need to think about. First is the physical satellite dish which needs to be mounted on your roof or an outside wall. A satellite dish needs to be pointed directly at the satellite.

To do this correctly is a complicated business and requires expensive testing and alignment equipment. Theoretically it is possible to do yourself. But installation by a professional engineer is the option that most people choose if they want to save themselves a lot of time, effort, and frustration. In addition to the dish itself, you also need a 'digibox' (a receiver box which decodes the transmissions), a 'viewing card' (a piece of card which carries your subscription information), and a monthly subscription for the channels of your choice.

Sky Digital was officially launched on 1 October 1998, although small-scale tests were carried out before then. For the first time, BSkyB used the newly-launched Astra 2A satellite, which has since come to broadcast exclusively to the United Kingdom and Ireland. At this time the use of the Sky Digital brand made an important distinction between the new service and Sky's analogue services.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Fast-growing

Middle

EastTV Market

The Middle East TV industry, which is enjoying significant triple-digit growth and substantial global attention, is coming to a dramatic crossroads. The study, the first comprehensive review of its kind conducted in the Middle East, says the pay TV market has witnessed 40% annual growth in each of the past several years, while buoyancy in the free-to-air TV sector has seen the number of channels grow to more than 150.

However, the Middle East TV broadcast industry, is 'coming to a crossroads, with potentially drastic changes ahead,' according to Karim Sabbagh, Partner and Vice President with Booz Allen's communications, media, and technology practice based in Dubai and Riyadh. 'The combination of massive investments, oversupply of free-to-air channels, greater financial transparency and objectivity imposed by shareholders and capital market authorities post-IPO, and discontinuities in technology and regulations will most likely drive fundamental changes in the industry's landscape and economics,' Sabbagh said.

The world is well aware of the region's TV industry as reflected in Arabic-language news channel Al Jazeera joining the ranks of Apple, Google, IKEA and Starbucks in the top five of the Broadchannel Readers' APRIL

Choice December 2004 Interbrand Survey.

Local, regional, and international focus also is on the industry ahead of several highprofile initial public offerings being planned for Al Jazeera, music channel Rotana, and pay-TV network Showtime.

The Booz Allen study, which looks at the pan-Arab region and specifically the core markets of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE, finds that there were more than 1 million pay TV subscribers primarily with Showtime, Orbit, and ART. While pay TV has reached 5% of the overall market, this ranges from 3% in Egypt to 29% in the UAE. ‘The longer-term prospects for pay TV will be driven by attractive fundamentals that include strong socioeconomic growth, a young population coming to adulthood, and an increasingly discerning audience regarding content,' said Gabriel Chahine, Principal and member of the global communications, media, and technology group based in the UAE. He added that pay TV operators also enjoy strong growth potential from relatively untapped countries such as Saudi Arabia and middle to low socio-economic segments across the region, which typically form the heart of pay TV subscribers in developed markets.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

O

n April 12, 1989, Intelsat delivered the first digital HD transmission between the United States and Japan. Today, Intelsat delivers the brightest stars in news, entertainment and sports through its industry-leading HD neighborhoods. Our partners trust Intelsat to deliver HD content at the highest quality, because with HD, every bit counts.

Meanwhile, Intelsat engineers were hard at work, and on 12 April of that year, they performed the first international digital HD transmission between the United States and Japan. This marked the beginning of international digital HD technology. High Definition in analog form was already introduced and tested, but never considered viable, as it required far too much bandwidth to be commercially successful.

The trial was a cooperative effort between Intelsat, COMSAT, KDD and AT&T introducing a broad, new application for satellite technology in commercial television. This date is considered the 'birth' of international digital HDTV. Little did everyone know what an important technology digital HD would eventually become.

Throughout the 1990s, we watched with rapt attention every NAB, NCTA and CES

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shows wondering and waiting for the next evolution of HD. Today, nearly everyone we know has an HD television or has at least experienced HD television in some way. And everyone agrees: once you have it, you can’t go back! Can you imagine watching the Super Bowl in standard definition after seeing it in HD? Certainly every major programmer in the US has now launched an HD channel; soon it will become the industry standard worldwide.

Intelsat now boasts more than 115 HD channels on its fleet.

Intelsat is celebrating this technological milestone in 2009 with a campaign that was launched in April at this year’s NCTA. Intelsat's campaign celebrates many of its HD programmers and features a series of print ads in conjunction with a number of video-centric shows and conferences.

Intelsat will continue to celebrate the 'First 20 Years of HD' throughout the year, promoting our leadership in HD transmissions, in our media messaging, booth graphics and events.

Interestingly, HD has been around for 20 years on our system, and now it's available on Intelsat satellites in all regions of the world. Programmers are looking to use their satellite space segment resources in the most efficient ways possible.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Climate Cabinets

Part of a Megatrend

Today, we live in a society with increasing demands on modern infrastructure. For instance, every third wage earner can choose take a home office day which makes it easier to manage your work life with your personal life. Moreover, improvements of the infrastructure mean that the know-how and competitive power of the country will increase, and consequently network infrastructure has been proclaimed one of the megatrends of our time.

As part of the improvement of the infrastructure, the extension of the bandwidth has come into focus, and in Denmark it has been decided that by the year 2015 super broadband will be available all over the country. In Germany 50 billion Euro will be invested by 2014, and in the USA President Obama has chosen to allocate more than 7.2 billion dollars to the development of high-speed internet with the clear vision that the country is to rank among the top five internationally. Helge Sander (The Liberals), minister of science, has also chosen to increase the internet speed of the Danes and thus clear the way for new services and development opportunities by APRIL

the establishment of a Broadband Committee which is to put forward ideas and suggestions.

Since the beginning of the 80'ies till today, the demand for broadband has increased by 50% each year (Nielsen's Law of Internet Bandwidth), and with the increasing demand for i.a. IP-TV and You Tube, offered in HD (High Definition), we have seen during recent years that the fibre rollout has gained momentum. However, the fibre net is not the only way to get super broadband; the telecoms and cable companies have also been busy optimising their network in order to match the demands of the future.

The most common method to increase the bandwidth is by placing active equipment such as DSLAM or fibre optic splitters closer to the customer. The active eqquipment must be protected as it is sensitive to heavy temperature variations and moisture. To that end, Triax Cabinets has developed a module based cabinet series called "Orion" with full climate control which can be adapted to individual requirements. As the cabinet is often placed in residential areas, Triax Cabinets has focused on keeping the noise level below 40 dB(A), in order not to disturb anyone enjoying a nice summer day.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

How to

Switch to Satellite TV Sounds simple enough. Some might say to just pick up the phone and call. This, however, might not be the best approach.

Above all, with some research and patience, it may be possible to get a special deal, greater discounts, or given a greater number of channels.First, the research. It's a good idea to check with the various DirecTV and Dish Network authorized dealers and their websites for what their rates are. Note the prices, how many TVs it allows, the channel selection, as well as any premium channels offered. Next, compare the packages. Don't just buy whichever package looks best, but compare between the two satellite television services which packages from both of them look best. Both companies tend to offer a wide selection of channels at very low prices, but it's good to also note how many TVs each package supports, which may be harder to find.

Usually there are different prices for supporting 2 or 4 TVs. Overall, it seems Dish Network tends to run cheaper packages. Once determined which one is better, it's time to give the competition a APRIL

call. Finally, the negotiation. See if the competition won't one-up their competitor.

Dish Network and DirecTV are both highly competitive companies that don't want to lose a customer to their rival. Either one may be willing to sweeten the deal and give a special offer to a potential customer that they are about to lose to the competition.

This is where the research comes in handy.

Mention how the other guy is offering a better deal, getting into the specifics that are better, and if they are interested in obtaining a new customer, they will often pull out a special deal. This same principle can be applied to almost anything in life.

For example, a tip learned from ancestors passed, when needing plumbing done, calling out two different plumbers to the area and telling only one of them they will get the job, has helped cut bills tenfold. The same can apply to anything. Getting two or more seperate companies to come out and recognize someone as a potential customer that could be lost to their competitors always leads to a price war between the two that will benefit the consumer.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

Madni Channel

3740 V 2815 3/4

Urdu Islamic Channel

Fashion TV

3745 V 2625 3/4

Fashion Channel

Such TV

3906 V 2814 3/4

Urdu News Channel

Khyber News, AVT Khyber, K2 Music

3914 V 7300 3/4

Pashto News Channel

ARY Digital

3914 V 7300 3/4

Urdu Entertainment Ch.

ARY QTV, Zauq, Music, News

3914 V 7300 3/4

Islamic, Cooking, News

HBO Pakistan

3914 V 7300 3/4

English Movie (Irdeto-2)

DM Digital

4071 H 14240 3/4

Urdu Channel

PTV Home, PTV News

4091 V 13333 3/4

Urdu Channnel

ATV Pakistan

4091 V 13333 3/4

Urdu Channnel

Awaz TV

4096 H 2309 3/4

Sindhi Channnel

PTV Global USA

4102 V 2894 3/4

Urdu Channnel

PTV National

4114 V 7000 3/4

Pakistani Regional Ch.

Hum TV

4132 H 9200 3/4

Urdu Entertainment Ch.

Masala TV, Style 360

4132 H 9200 3/4

Urdu Cooking Channel

A Plus, A Lite

4154 H 5632 3/4

Urdu Entertainment Ch.

Aaj News

4161 H 3040 3/4

Urdu News Channel

Waseb TV, News One

4166 H 5700 3/4

Seraiki Ch., News Ch.

TV One Global

4166 H 5700 3/4

Urdu Channel

4180 V 26666 3/4

Urdu News Channel

AJK TV

3778 V 3333 3/4

Kashmiri Channel

Starlite, Silver Screen

3715 V 3600 3/4

Movie Channel

Apna News

4056 V 5000 3/4

Punjabi News Channel

Filmazia, Filmax

4056 V 5000 3/4

Movie Channel

Ten Sports Pakistan

3712 H 14454 3/4

Sports Ch. (Irdeto 2)

CNBC Pakistan

3810 H 3312 2/3

Urdu News Channel

Samaa TV

4119 H 3333 2/3

Urdu News Channel

Dawn News

4127 H 3255 3/4

Urdu News Channel

Hidayat TV, Hadi TV

4130 H 2251 3/4

Religious Channel

Rohi TV

4142 H 3306 3/4

Punjabi Channel

Dunya News

4150 H 6600 3/4

Urdu News Channel

Express News

4158 H 6510 3/4

Urdu News Channel

Geo News

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Asia Sat 5 100.5 E

Sabzbat Balochistan PTV Bolan Din News Apna News Kook TV 8XM Value TV KTN, KTN News Kashish TV Sun TV Filmazia Film World Filmax AKS TV Metro One N-Vibe Indus Vision Ravi Sindh TV News Sindh TV Sohni Dharti TV Oxygene Waqt News Samaa TV Aruj TV Business Plus Zaiqa Sharq TV G Kaboom City 42 News Royal News Haq TV Virtual University Kohenoor TV Hope TV Health TV Mehran TV Channel Five VSH News PTV Global ARY News UK ARY News USA Geo UK Aag TV QTV Pakistan Geo News ARY Madani Channel PTV Prime Madani Channel Indus Vision Aaj News Dawn News APRIL

Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E Paksat 1R 38.0 E

3819 V 2222 3/4 3856 V 2893 3/4 3872 H 2170 3/4 3879 V 7234 3/4 3879 V 7234 3/4 3879 V 7234 3/4 3970 H 2170 3/4 3973 V 6509 3/4 3973 V 6509 3/4 3987 V 2800 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4020 H 27700 3/4 4033 V 4340 3/4 4033 V 4340 3/4 4038 V 2800 3/4 4042 V 2850 3/4 4047 V 3255 3/4 4097 V 1600 3/4 4101 V 2800 3/4 4124 V 5000 3/4 4124 V 5000 3/4 4129 V 1700 3/4 4135 H 3255 3/4 4137 V 3255 3/4 4141 V 2800 3/4 4145 V 2170 3/4 4158 V 12000 3/4 4168 V 2800 3/4 4172 V 2800 3/4 4177 V 2800 3/4 4181 V 2170 3/4 3979 V 3255 3/4 3950 H 2170 3/4 11224 V 27500 2/3 11390 V 27500 2/3 11390 V 27500 2/3 11426 V 27500 2/3 11426 V 27500 2/3 11426 V 27500 2/3 11546 H 27500 2/3 11546 H 27500 2/3 12523 H 27500 2/3 12643 H 27500 2/3 10815 H 27500 3/4 10930 H 27500 3/4 10930 H 27500 3/4 12303 H 27500 3/4

Balochi Channel Balochi, Brohi Channel Urdu News Channel Punjabi News Channel Seraiki Channel General Channel Property Channel Sindhi Channel Sindhi Music Channel Urdu Channel Movie Channel Movie Channel Movie Channel Urdu Channel Urdu Channel Urdu Channel Urdu Channel Punjabi Channel Sindhi News Channel Sindhi Channel Punjabi Channel Music Channel Urdu News Channel Urdu News Channel Urdu Channel Urdu Business Channel Urdu Cooking Channel Pashto Channel Music Channel News Channel Urdu News Channel Islamic Channel Educational Channel Urdu Entertainment Ch. General Channel Health Channel Sindhi Channel Urdu News Channel Balochi Channel Urdu Channel Urdu News decoder Urdu News decoder Urdu News decoder Music Channel decoder Islamic Ch. decoder Urdu News decoder Urdu Ch. decoder Islamic Channel Urdu Channel Islamic Channel Urdu Ch. decoder Urdu Ch. decoder Urdu Ch. decoder

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Satellite TV is the biggest money maker for the overall satellite industry creating investment, subscriber base and wealth. It rests on the solid revenue footing from a food chain that ranges from the end user paying for subscriptions to networks that collect from advertisers and affiliates like TV stations and cable systems. However, we are witnessing a new business model that provides a free service to end users who only need to buy reception equipment consisting of a dish with a digital settopbox. This is not unlike C-Band backyard dishes of the US from the early 1980s, before HBO began to scramble their signal.

Today, Free to Air (FTA) satellite TV is the legitimate successor to the 3-meter backyard dish. It relies on the same digital TV platforms that made DIRECTV, DISH and BSkyB into mega-businesses, but allows viewers to watch the programming without paying programming charges.

Markets appeared primarily in Asia, Central Europe, and the Middle East; but, the size and participation in the FTA segment has yet to be appraised in scope and monetary terms. The purpose of this article is to review the nature and appeal of FTA as a first step in rendering it a true business opportunity. Payment for satellite capacity APRIL

comes from the program or network provider, who leases bandwidth and arranges for the uplink. The source of their money depends on the region and content, which can be derived from advertisers, governments, religious groups or other organizations that wish to transmit a message. Nineteen years ago this month, the launch of AsiaSat 1 gave the start for STAR TV, the brainchild of Hong Kong billionaire, Richard Lee. The initial set of analog TV channels gave Asia its first regional broadcast and adopted the FTA model as the means to gain eyeballs. The service achieved quick popularity and, even though not financially rewarding in revenue terms, did make Richard Lee richer through the purchase by Rupert Murdock’s News Corporation in 1992. STAR then moved aggressively to expand and ultimately converted to digital by 1997. AsiaSat and other satellite providers established the vehicle for FTA in India and China, the biggest markets for satellite TV. The Indian model of Cable-Walla, wherein satellite dishes pull down FTA signals and distribute them within a community, has today facilitated over 200 channels of services to Indian households.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view HDTV take-up in Europe is growing steadily, driven by pay-TV operators such as BSkyB and CanalSat. But broadcasters are still finding their feet, reports Andy Fry. For the television business, the rollout of high-definition echoes the retail sector's obsession with organic food and premium packaging. In both cases, there is an attempt by sellers to grow the value of their businesses by offering better quality product and more attractive presentation.

From a platform perspective, there are two ways in which HD can - in theory - increase value: first by encouraging customers to pay more per head for content (signing up to HD channels via a premium subscription); and second by creating a point of differentiation from rival platforms, incentivising customers to stick with the service or switch from rivals.

From a channel provider's perspective, there are other theoretical advantages in going down the HD route - though these are, to a large extent, dependent on the success of the host platform's marketing.

For a start, better-quality images and sharper sound can mean improved audience share - which in turn can lead to stronger advertising yield. In a similar vein, HD quality images may entice advertisers to switch their spend into a network - on the basis that the editorial environment is superior to that of standard-definition TV. Not only that, providing an HD offering can keep platforms sweet - perhaps leading to improved carriage terms, incremental marketing support and a better place on the EPG. Conversely, failure to go HD can lead to the reverse - a lack of platform support.

The problem with HD, however, is that it

requires a lot of upfront investment.

Leaving aside the fact that many shows in the multichannel market are archive product (and therefore SD), new shows can still cost around 40% more to produce in HD than making them in SD format. Platform operators, which do the bulk of the HD marketing job, aren't going to subsidise that - which means channels are dependent on strong consumer interest to ensure payback.

The difficulty here, however, is that HD is still proving to be a difficult proposition to explain to consumers. Many viewers around the world still don't really understand what it means to have HD, even if they have a TV that is HD-ready. It's also tough to win the 'hearts and minds' of people who haven't experienced HD.

HDTV TAKE-UP IN EUROPE

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

we provide digital headends complete solution from Grundig Scupus Motorola Tandberg Scientific Atlanta Arris Harmonics Blankom Drake

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Satellite

Signal

O

riginal satellite broadcasts are converted into a highquality, uncompressed digital stream containing a lot of data, and sends it at a speed of 270 megabits per second (Mbps) for each channel. All of this data must be compressed however or the satellite would not be able to receive the information. The system of compression used in the U.S. is the MPEG-2 compressed video format. This is similar to the system used to make DVDs. The provider could now reduce the 270-Mbps stream to about 5 or 10 Mbps, enabling them to transmit about 200 channels, instead of the 30 they could transmit before compression. These signals are scrambled so that only paid subscribers can receive them.

Unlike their predecessors, today's satellite dishes are small, only 18" in diameter and are referred to as a 'mini-dish'. A typical satellite dish consists of two parts: the reflector and the feed horn. The reflector is the concave dish-shaped part of the antenna. This is the part of the antenna that captures and focuses the satellite signal onto

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the feed horn. The feed horn is the part of the antenna that is mounted on an arm that sticks out from the reflector dish. It takes the signal and feeds it through a cable to your satellite receiver (black box). Newer satellite dish designs feature multiple feed horns. This is so the dish can pick up signals from several satellites and clearly focus the captured signal on one of the several feed horns.

Something called a feed horn has a feature known as a low noise block down converter (LNB). This provides for clear signal. The LNB does two things: It amplifies the signal received from the satellite provider, and filters out 'signal noise,' radio signals that do not carry the satellite provider's television programming.

The satellite receiver is simply the black box that is connected to your television set.

It receives the signal from your mini-dish and then de-scrambles the signal into viewable pictures for your family to watch.

The receiver does three main things: It receives and de-scrambles the signal which contains the programming. It separates the programming into the individual channels you request by way of the channel selector button on either your TV or your remote control. It tracks your Pay Per View usage, and sends your billing information for this programming to your provider.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

2012

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

Most consumers are aware of the facts around high definition (HD) programming and satellite television services. These facts are that satellite provides the largest number of HD programs available, including national networks and local broadcasters in addition to premium programming and channels. Now, HD and satellite have gone even farther with the introduction of 1080p exclusivity in most movie broadcasts. This means that a majority of satellite customers will receive all of their movies in the 1080p format, which has just as high a resolution and clarity as the now famous Blu-Ray HD DVDs. All that is required is a subscription and an HD DVR receiver and most customers can enjoy the standard “movie quality” sound and picture that made satellite a preferred format for true “techies”, but now in the most optimal format possible. This includes any pay per view movies as well as regularly broadcast films. Even if the customer does not have a 1080p compatible television, the formatting will greatly enhance their viewing experience. Currently, the satellite providers are able to offer roughly seven thousand HD programs each and every week. This is a real bonus to those customers who are addicted to the modern home theater equipment. This is because it APRIL

provides them with shows, movies and programs that allow them to use their incredible gear to its fullest and greatest extent. With the use of the 1080p format, most home theaters will provide the same, if not better, quality as a modern movie theater. Of course, most customers don't want their HD connection and service simply to enjoy movies, and satellite providers step up to meet their needs here as well. From major sporting events and programs to regular local channels, satellite customers are enjoying HD options like never before. This also spills over into the special subscription packages as well.

Imagine the entire NFL season in the supersharp HD signal. How about the upcoming baseball season? There are packages for every kind of sports enthusiasts around, and all it takes is a few clicks of the remote to begin enjoying this personalized programming. Satellite providers are currently capable of offering more than 85% of homes their local channel lineups in HD. This means the local news broadcasts, area programming and favorite regular shows are also available in the crisp picture and flawless sound of the HD environment as well.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

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19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

AROUND THE SATELLITE WORLD

GLONASS TO GO GLOBAL BY 2012 The number of satellites in Russia's GLONASS system will reach 24 when another six satellites join the constellation this year, Anatoly Perminov, head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos), was quoted as saying. Six Glonass-M satellites will be launched this year to enlarge GLONASS constellation, so the system could provide global coverage and the last one is this series is planned for decomissioning in 2018.

GLONASS (Globalnaya Navigationnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System) is a Russian space-based navigation system comparable to the American GPS system t. The operational system contains 21 satellites in 3 orbital planes, with 3 on-orbit spares. The system provides 100 meters accuracy for civil use and 10-20 meter accuracy for military use.

DUBAISAT-1 REACHES LAUNCH PAD IN KAZAKHSTAN The first remote sensing satellite developed by a UAE entity - the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science & Technology (EIAST) has been shipped from its development base in South Korea to the

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launch pad in Baikonour in Kazakhstan.

DubaiSat-1 is a stepping stone in the UAE's attempt to create a sound infrastructure that enables the collection of space and earth observation data to power the comprehensive development of the nation.

The satellite highlights the commitment of EIAST to create a knowledge based economy by leveraging the advances in satellite technology. The launch of DubaiSat-1 consists of three segments; space, ground and actual launch. The ground segment comprises mission control station, image receiving and processing station, and antenna and RF subsystem.

TELESAT HOSTS ADVANCED HDTV TECHNOLOGY Telesat, the world's fourth-largest fixed satellite services operator has announced that it is working with the World Broadcasting Union and leading manufacturers to test advancements in highdefinition television and work towards global interoperability of MPEG-4 hardware standards. Telesat hosted 12 leading video codec manufacturers from around the globe at its research and development lab in Ottawa under a project sponsored by World Broadcasting Union's International Satellite Operations Group (WBU-ISOG). At the meeting, the participants conducted realtime testing involving high-definition MPEG-4 formats at bit rates between 38 and 10.3 megabits per second. "The improvements in picture quality we've seen over the years are reshaping the video industry, and Telesat is proud to help make these types of improvements possible," said Paul Bush, Telesat's Vice President, North American Sales. "Telesat's satellite fleet serves broadcasters and cable networks globally, and we understand the importance of assuring interoperability and high-quality distribution of programming for viewers around the world.�

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

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19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

AROUND THE SATELLITE WORLD

DISH TV TARGETS RS 1250 CRORE Dish TV is targeting a revenue of Rs 1,250 Crores for the fiscal ended 31 March 2012, a rise of 70% from the same period last year."We are looking at a subscription revenue of Rs 9.6 billion. Including carriage fee, rental and other revenue streams, we should end up FY'10 with a turnover of Rs 12.5 billion," Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor told the press.

It also plans to mop up 2.5 million subscribers during the course of the year, taking its customer base to 7.5 million. Dish TV's ARPUs are at Rs 145 and the churn rate is under 1%. "20% of our subscriber base is from the southern states. We expect our ARPUs to go up this fiscal," adds Kapoor. Dish TV posted a growth of 78% to close FY'09 with a turnover of Rs 7.4 billion.Net loss for the Essel Group Company is expected to stand at Rs 4.75 billion. Dish TV is yet to announce its fourth-quarter results for the fiscal ended 31 March 2012.

technology. Kenwood Corp. is developing car-based receivers. The Open Mobile Video Coalition chose Washington as a test market because the city is full of tech-savvy viewers who pay attention to local news, and continuously monitor political developments.

FREE TV TO PRIVATE INDIAN JETS Rockwell Collins' Tailwind 500 and Tailwind 550 multi-region Direct Broadcast Satellite TV (DBS TV) systems will offer aircrafts, regional free-to-air TV access for India and Russia. Rockwell Collins' Tailwind 500 system is a multi-regional tail mount airborne TV system, developed and targeted specifically for the super-mid to large business aircraft. Tailwind 550 is a fuselage mount TV system designed for larger VIP business aircraft such as the BBJ and ACJ. Both systems allow the aircraft to receive DBS television signals that provide passengers with more than 475 channels of satellite video and audio programming in multiple geographic regions, including the United States, Europe, the Middle East and now India and Russia.

SET ON AFRICAN DTH

FREE MOBILE TV IN US CAPITAL Washington will be the first US city to get free digital TV broadcasts for mobile devices like cell phones, laptop computers and in-car entertainment systems.

Broadcasts are expected to begin in late summer from 5 stations: local affiliates of CBS, NBC, PBS and Ion and one independent station owned by Fox. The initial broadcasts will be identical to those beamed to TV sets, including the advertising. Dell Inc. unveiled a small laptop with a built-in mobile DTV receiver at the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) trade show in Las Vegas, in May. The computer maker joins cell phone makers LG Electronics Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. in supporting the APRIL

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has extended its agreement with Multi Choice to widen reach of its general entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television (SET) in Africa. The GEC will be available across Sub-Saharan Africa through Multi Choice's digital satellite platform DStv. Under the terms of the agreement, the channel will be available on DStv's compact and premium bouquets. The Multi Choice DTH platform claims a reach across 40 countries including Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya. Additionally, SET, which broadcasts in South Africa since November 2007, is now available on DStv's compact and premium bouquets.

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The Highly Circulated Satellite Magazine

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19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

SATELLITE TROUBLE SHOOTER

SATELLITE

TROUBLE SHOOTER

KU BAND LNB want to buy a Ku Band LNB and dish for watching Free-to-Air channels, particularly any French TV? (Sajid Hussain, Balochistan) A. There is only one French channel available on Ku-Band. It is TV 5 on NSS-6 at 95 Degree East, at 11.038 GHz frequency in vertical polarization. This is available on Dish TV. This channel is also available on Asiasat 3s at 105.5 Degree, as a free to air channel on C-Band. For this you require a large C-Band dish and LNB. A digital receiver can receive Ku as well C Band signals.

CAS IN INDIAN METRO STBs are being used for Q:2Which CAS in Indian Metro Cities?

(Parkash Lal, Mumbai)

A. There are all types of Digital STBs being used in the CAS notified areas of the metros.

Kindly specify your question. Do you wish to know the brands of STBs or the CAS being used in them by different MSOs? CAS systems being used in India are Conax, NDS, Irdeto, Nagravision, Viaccess, Enigma and Latens. All DTH platform use CAS but only specified areas of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and whole of Chennai are using CAS on cable.

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19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

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www.tracksat.com

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Inside view

Digital Satellite Broadcasts to Revolutionize Television The era of digital, multi channel broadcasting is just around the corner.

Japan Satellite Systems succeeded in launching Japan's first digital telecommunications satellite at the end of August, and it will begin broadcasting commercially from the satellite in autumn 1996. The start of digital satellite broadcasts is expected to intensify the competition for television audiences among regular broadcasters, analog satellite broadcasters, and cable television companies. By shifting from an analog transmission format to a digital one, visual, audio, and other data can more easily be transmitted in compressed form, enabling repeaters to handle three to six times the number of channels as hitherto possible.

Multichannel digital satellite broadcasts began in the United States in 1994, and countries in Asia, Europe, and Latin America are now planning to launch such broadcasts. The JCSAT-3 satellite that was launched carries eight repeaters. When they are fully used, approximately 50 channels may be broadcast simultaneously from the satellite. This will significantly broaden the range of programming viewers may select from, since there are only 11 analog satellite channels at present. Data processing becomes much easier with the digital format, moreover, and this will open APRIL

the door to two-way communication, allowing viewers to choose what movies to see when and to pay for only those programs that they actually watch. They will even be able to play video game on television. Experimental broadcasts from the JCSAT-3 satellite will begin in April 1996, and commercial service is expected to start in September. The popularity of the broadcasts will depend largely on the kind of programming offered on its many channels; should the new medium turn out to be a hit, it could revolutionize television broadcasting in Japan. According to an official with Space Communication Corp, the success of multi-channel digital broadcasting in Japan could be hampered by the lack of quality programming material in Japanese. However, DMC's Cyuriki said, "We don't expect language to be a problem, as for example, CNN is already very popular in Japan though only 10-20% of its broadcasts in Japan are in Japanese. There are also a variety of foreign language programs on the analog satellite television channels available through NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corp.)." Furthermore, there are a large number of foreign nationals in Japan, including Koreans, Chinese, and South Americans of Japanese decent, who desire foreign language broadcasts, said Cyuriki.

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PARAS HD ELECTRONICS

Hakeem Arcade Hussain Agahi Road, Multan. Ph: 061-4577999 Mobile: 0345-7230430, 0300-9637231

Phone: 061-6772740 Mobile: 0300-9637414 PARAS DEALER:

MUHAMMAD IMTIAZ

19 YEARS OF GENEROUS PUBLICATIONS

Inside view

WHY

SATELLITE?

Satellite means communications without limits. It means maximum bandwidth without the restraints on reach. Whatever your communication needs, satellite will reach more people everywhere.

Satellite connections transcend physical barriers and cover distances better than ground-based networks. They can be established almost immediately, virtually anywhere. Satellite links are also cost effective, as users only pay for the capacity they need, rather than building costly infrastructure that could be underused or prove inadequate. Satellite's unique ability to transmit the same signal to all points within an area makes it ideal for broadcasting television and radio signals, and for multicasting data for applications as diverse as corporate networks, government programmes and internet surfing. ASTRA can provide satellite connectivity to suit any application for media organisations, enterprises and ISPs. Whether it is for television and radio broadcasting or contribution, corporate VSAT networks or internet trunking, our fleet of highperformance satellites can take multimedia content and information where and when business demands. ASTRA's Ka-band contribution service is an inherently reliable and fully-managed contribution solution supporting a growing range of point-topoint applications. These include the APRIL

permanent delivery of live and recorded TV and radio signals to our DTH uplink locations from almost anywhere in Europe.

Signals are MPEG compressed and transmitted in DVB-S2 for turnaround uplink to our DTH satellites, without the need for additional processing. The small antenna size (typically 1.8m compared to a minimum of 2.4m in Ku) removes the need for planning permission where such regulations exist. Ka-band contribution can also be used as a back-up for DTH uplink services at the SES teleport, when space or budgetary restrictions prevent the deployment of a second DTH uplink antenna (typically 9m) at customer locations. The industry standard CENELEC prEN50494 allows multiple users to receive transmissions over a single coaxial cable.

This helps eliminate the numerous cables that were previously required to connect PVRs and other set top boxes to the dish.

Single-cable distribution reduces installation complexity, and saves labour and material costs. Several manufacturers already offer LNBs, multiswitches and digital receivers that are compatible with the new standard. These components allow consumers to upgrade and extend existing installations; for example, when adding a new receiver in a different room or replacing a standard receiver with a dualtuner PVR.

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