1 December, 2016, it was held a presentation of new teleport by “Ukrkosmos”, the modernization of which was featured by the Mediasat. The company purchased the advance equipment from the world’s leader Harmonic Inc. (USA), it is based on the recent solutions. In this case, it is not just about technology for technology or for a status, the new teleport will allow Ukrainian TV channels to save considerably on signal delivery without any loss of quality, offering more reliable backups and other pleasant things. Speaking further on, this approach offers opportunities to build new business models and cooperation between TV channels. It is important to mention that this equipment is fully adapted to the parameters of the future Ukrainian communications satellite “Lybid”.
Alex Radinov, CIS Presale Manager at Harmonic Inc., spoke on the technical capabilities of the new teleport:
“This is the first equipment for teleport of such a kind in Ukraine. There are already a lot of uplinks made by Harmonic: STB, Sattelecom. We worked with “Zeonbud”, and Viasat is a DTH platform equipped by us. Our recent project is OTT by “Kyivstar”, which is also made on the basis of our coders, which allow operating both in a broadcast mode, and the IPTV and OTT ones.
The vast majority of systems in the post-Soviet countries are equipped with products of the Harmonic Company. In Russia these are RTRS, NTV, Tricolor, Gazcom, all the uplinks of Yamal satellites use similar systems, but their coders are not so advanced, and they lack such density and flexibility. We have recently installed a similar system in Kazakhstan. “Kazteleradio” started replacing hardware equipment with the software one, because the world is moving in this direction. In Kazakhstan, we do almost everything like Kazteleradio, terrestrial broadcasting, cable TV, as well as we completed the project with the first DTH platform CASPIO HD. By the way, Germany is currently transiting from DVB-T to DVB-T2, and by means of HEVC we cover HD channels by using the same coders.
The large Georgian operator MagtiCom applies our compression system. Once I asked them, why they did not have any video monitoring system, and they replied: “And why do we need it? This equipment is quite enough”. After all, our system monitors everything: the way of video signal encoding, if the signal disappears, it determines causes sending relevant notifications. The system allows connecting multiple client interfaces, including the remote ones.
The teleport by “Ukrkosmos” represents our latest development. It is based on coders with the N+1 backup scheme, and each coder permits 20 channels through. There are applied ultra-modern compression algorithms. A global trend is to move from hardware solutions to the software ones. The advantages of software coders are that the hardware coders are hard to replace anything. Even to replace a capacitor you have to make changes in production. The software coders are easy to add new technologies, which are developing rapidly. The servers, we supplied to “Ukrkosmos”, already contain installed software. Our technologies provide for installation on virtual machines, in the cloud. For example, we have high-profile clients in the USA, which make thousands of channel coding on a single site; this is done on blade servers and virtual machines. “Ukrkosmos” acquired a coder that allows operating with different standards like MPEG-2, MPEG-4, HD, HVC … It is applied the latest design of multiplexers that enable the integration of any conditional access system. The control is exercised by means of NMX system, which controls equipment, generates error messages, makes automatic backups. Error messages can come to e-mail or in SMS messages, at your convenience. The “hardware” coders do not allow doing the same things. It provides a variety of graphic applications, banners, tickers, and ad insertions when required. So, the system is very flexible and easy to expand by adding new channels. The teleport’s built-in capacity permits up to 60 channels through, and this is a tremendous density for such a station.
Harmonic Inc. is one of the world’s leading suppliers of DTH systems; we have a unique algorithm for statistical multiplexing, which allows saving up to 40% of resource. Having a variable bitrate, we can provide a constant quality. Analyzing the complexity of the picture, we give a higher bitrate to the channel that requires it. The coder is easy to upgrade. Given the eyesight characteristics, we direct greater compression precisely to the points people are looking at.
The teleport does not suspend its operation, even without NMX control system, and you will be just incapable of making changes. It monitors the operation and runs the backup (switches a standby coder or multiplex) in case of alarm. This is a security level N+1, implemented in the whole complex, the multiplexers operate in the hot backup mode, i.e., no loss of signal is virtually seen. NMX can be upgraded online in 10 minutes.
The system provides for a simultaneous connection of 70 CAS, while so many of them are not used in practice, but we have customers who at once use Irdeto, Viaccess, and others. There are BISS licenses, if you need to encode or make integration with any conditional access system, so it will take you half an hour. Furthermore, the system allows recording all the actions and integrating with external systems”.
Vyacheslav Lukyanenko, representing “Link Express” (engineering company, which provides “Ukrkosmos” with technical support): “The system is not connected to the Internet, so it is protected from breaches and viruses. For remote access, there are applied powerful multi-level security Firewalls. To get a control access, an engineer has to pass through several security walls: VPN, server authentication, authorization directly to the control software, etc. Thus, if unauthorized people are physically not admitted, so there will be no problems”.
Yuri Balychev, First Deputy Director General at “Ukrkosmos” spoke about the teleport’s applicable advantages to a client:
“We are not tied to any single satellite, and we are not a station, but namely teleport, so we can use capacities of different satellites in the interests of our customers. We sell a service package, we agree about everything, not just providing channel uplinks. This is our business model, which is ideal for small TV channels not incorporated into media groups, and which do not have any own teleport. The satellite broadcasting may become especially important for them, if the media groups encode signal in 2018, as announced.
I would like to point out that we are the best in delivering regional channels in Ukraine. The system is scalable, and there is an option to multiplex channels. I must admit, we have a dream to gather single channels on the transponder within one multiplex. This will ensure a maximum compression and will allow all the participants to save.
Today, we would like to show and prove that the satellite communications can compete with the IP-based technologies. With new equipment, we will be able to provide HD signal at the same price that you actually pay for SD. Usually, the main problem of satellite communications is the price, and we settled it. Another problem is backups: while running a channel via another satellite, there appear a number of reconfiguration problems. We addressed them as well.
Now we operate three satellites: AMOS, Azerspace and Galaxy-19, and we will have the fourth one Hotbird in the coming year.
Basically, we operate Amos-2, the service life of which expires. There is an agreement to replace it with another satellite (AsiaSat-8 – Ed.); to back up our entire satellite platform we use Azerspace-1. All interested are invited to get a free backup service for testing during two months. By the way, the operator Azercosmos also uses equipment by Harmonic”.
Mansur Seyidzade, representing Azercosmos, spoke about the Satellite Company and capabilities of the satellite Azerspace-1.
The core part of the presentation was a new equipment features demonstration. One screen broadcasted a TV channel in a standard quality of 3 Mbit, MPEG-2. And the other one broadcasted it in MPEG-4 at 1.5 Mbit. Indeed, after a double signal compression the quality did not go down. All those present had a chance to see it for themselves.
“In addition, new equipment by Harmonic is very good for MPEG-4. Special algorithms remove “snow” and image defragmentation”, as Alex Radinov added.
“Ukrkosmos” not only modernized its teleport, but also made a rebrandeding, trying to move away from the traditional image of the state-owned company, as well as launched its new website. Its capabilities and services were presented by Vladimir Kochevykh, Head of Commercial Department at “Ukrkosmos”. “Basic orange color of new logo and interface speaks of our attitude for active development on the market, and our motto “Broadcasting Together” refers to the invitation to all TV companies to engage in satellite broadcasting together”, as Mr. Kochevykh said.
“We can be a teleport in a broad sense, and following the demand of TV channels we are ready to consider the possibility of broadcasting signal via other satellites or to search for new business models for mutually beneficial cooperation”.
Let us recall that the Mediasat has repeatedly analyzed different business approaches in the satellite TV, which, unfortunately, have not been crowned with success in Ukraine yet. During the presentation, we also raised the issue of the fate of the Ukrainian DTH platforms and came to the conclusion again that the market was still waiting for “own” business model.
