Munich18-Apr-2017

NAB 2017: shaping FCC repack successfully with liquid-cooled, high-efficiency transmitters from Rohde & Schwarz

Moving within the UHF band or from UHF to the VHF band will present challenges and opportunities to TV broadcasters who must comply with the FCC repack mandate. It is a good time for broadcasters to begin thinking about their RF infrastructure. The R&S THU9evo high-power transmitters from Rohde & Schwarz give them an easy, scalable upgrade path to ATSC 3.0 and significantly reduce their cost of ownerhsip (TCO). The company has already supported many countries in transitioning to digital standards. In March 2017, Rohde & Schwarz was the major transmitter supplier in the successful, large-scale DVB-T2 rollout in Germany. Thanks to the transmitters and the service support for one of the largest switchover procedures in German broadcast history, the rollout ran smoothly and took only one night. The company will showcase its solutions in booth SL1205 at NAB 2017 in Las Vegas from April 22 to April 27.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates that about 1200 TV stations will move to new frequencies in the next three to four years. The FCC repack is likely to be a complicated and expensive transition for those broadcasters required to modify their transmission facilities. Choosing the ideal new transmitter, antenna and related equipment will make the transition easier and reduce TCO. Reduced power consumption, saving rack space, easy installation and quick deployment will be top priorities on broadcasters’ transmitter wish lists at NAB this year.

Rohde & Schwarz continues improving the core design of its R&S THU9 family of liquid-cooled, high-power transmitters with each successive generation. The latest one, the R&S THU9evo, delivers maximum energy savings even during channel changes and output power adjustment. The new R&S Efficiency Optimization feature in the R&S THU9evo minimizes energy costs for all operating scenarios.

“This feature is particularly valuable when adjusting output power or during channel changes,” said Erik Balladares, Director of Broadcast & Media, Rohde & Schwarz USA. “An intelligent algorithm – deployed at the press of a button – optimizes amplifier parameters so that the transmitter always achieves maximum energy efficiency.”

As the first company to implement the full potential of several technology innovations, including the Doherty principle, Rohde & Schwarz has taken the lead in high-power, high-efficiency transmitter design. Rohde & Schwarz developed its proprietary two-way Doherty solution, starting with its amplifiers. The R&S THU9 liquid-cooled, high-power transmitter delivers a power efficiency (AC to RF) that reaches 43 % in ATSC (UHF) and 50 % in VHF band III, including cooling.

Transmitters with up to 106 kW ATSC UHF have been designed in a very compact form factor, and the platform can scale from 1 kW to 100+ kW. And there is one more thing: an easy upgrade enables every R&S THU9 and R&S THU9evo transmitter to operate in line with the new ATSC 3.0 standard. Further information about the world’s first ATSC 3.0 network is available here.

The FCC repack will present broadcasters with many challenges – and opportunities. To guide them through the process, Rohde & Schwarz is providing the survival guide “Guide 2 Repack”, which is available here: www.rohde-schwarz.com/tx9. Company experts, antenna manufacturers, RF consultants and industry leaders have contributed to help broadcasters plan the repack, keep their transition on track and turn a long-term investment in RF equipment into new revenue streams.

Rohde & Schwarz

The Rohde & Schwarz technology group is among the trailblazers when it comes to paving the way for a safer and connected world with its leading solutions in test & measurement, technology systems, and networks & cybersecurity. Founded more than 85 years ago, the group is a reliable partner for industry and government customers around the globe. On June 30, 2022, Rohde & Schwarz had around 13,000 employees worldwide. The independent group achieved a net revenue of EUR 2.53 billion in the 2021/2022 fiscal year (July to June). The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany.

R&S® is a registered trademark of Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG.
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