Rohde & Schwarz To Deliver TV Broadcast Platform

Arabsat has selected Rohde & Schwarz to build an IP-based TV broadcast platform for Tunisian broadcaster, Office National de Télédiffusion (ONT). Working together, the companies have created a DTH platform that meets ONT's TV and radio broadcast needs, as well as future-proofing the broadcaster's business expansion strategy.

The news follows an announcement earlier this year of an agreement between Arabsat and ONT to launch a Tunisian broadcast platform on Arabsat Badr-4 at 26°E. Now, Rohde & Schwarz has been selected to design, install and commission the TV broadcast platform, which became fully operational in October. Working with Arabsat, Rohde & Schwarz has installed its R&S AVHE100 encoding and multiplexing solution ten standard definition (SD), two High Definition (HD) television channels and 24 radio stations.

All design, installation, commissioning and training requirements were provided by Rohde & Schwarz's locally based team of specialist engineers. In addition, Turkey-based SVS has supplied the platform's Satellite Earth Station.

This new DTH platform operation enables Tunisian and regional broadcasters to have a direct access from Tunis to the growing 26°E neighbourhood with a coverage encompassing MENA and Western Europe. Founded in 1976, Arabsat carries over 500 TV channels, 200 radio stations, pay-tv networks and a variety of HD channels.

The R&S AVHE100 encoding and multiplexing solution is fully IP-based. Its IP basis enables straightforward system function and capacity extensions to cater for future growth and new service provision as required by ONT and Arabsat. The solution can also encode in MPEG2 and MPEG4 today and a future transition to HEVC and UHD-TV is possible with the addition of new software systems and minimal extra hardware.

Image: At the Cabsat booth in Dubai Hannes Strobel (right), Vice President Headend & Monitoring, and Wael Al Buti, COO of Arabsat, are proud of their IP-based DTH platform.

www.rohde-schwarz.com

(JP/MH)