Astro : Technology and Information

In line with its commitment to deliver broadcasting services of the highest quality and sophistication, Astro has invested in state-of-the-art technology in all areas of its operations. Astro's decision to use digital technology is key in ensuring superior broadcast quality and wide ranging services and features.

Digital Ku-band Satellite Technology
Employing the high-powered Ku-band payload of the MEASAT (Malaysia East Asia Satellite) system, Astro is pioneering Direct-to-U (DtU) digital satellite broadcasting services in Malaysia and the South and East Asian region, a service once considered impractical in heavy rainfall areas.

Until the advent of Astro, the introduction of DtU services was hampered by signal attenuation due to heavy rainfall. As a result, only the less powerful C-band services were available off satellites - a service which requires the use of cumbersome two to four metre satellite dishes.
Astro was uniquely designed to meet the special needs of Ku-band transmission in high rainfall regions. By boosting the power of the payload, Astro is able to deliver satellite services direct to the user using a satellite dish as small as 60 cm in diameter with a 99.7 per cent service availability rate.
Using switchable Ku-band spot beams, Astro can also target specific markets in the region.
With a high payload capacity, Astro has the ability to reduce incidence of "outage". "Outage" is a term used to describe signal interference or loss in reception due particularly to rainfade. Solar outage may also occur twice a year when the sun blocks the satellite's path. However, solar outages are predictable and will only last for a few minutes each time.
At the ABC, the transmission power of the 13.2 metre uplink satellite dishes can be boosted to 2.2kW -its full capacity -during a thunderstorm, in order to overcome potential rainfade. The power required on a clear day is only 35W or just over 1.6% of the available capacity.

MEASAT System
Owner and Operator:	Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd
Control Centre:	MEASAT Satellite Control Centre (MSCC)
	Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia
MEASAT 1
Launch Date:	13 January 1996
Model:	Boeing 376 HP
Built By:	Boeing Satellite Systems, Inc.
Life Span:	Approximately 12 years
Payload:	36 MHz C-band - 12 transponders
	54 Mhz Ku-band - 5 transponders
Orbital Slot:	91.5oE
Ku-band Footprint:	Malaysia, Brunei and India

The DtU Process
Astro's services are transmitted from the ABC, its all-digital broadcast and production complex. The programmes are acquired from a variety of sources including commercial satellites, local and international production facilities as well as Astro's own production resources.
A number of processes are carried out at the ABC prior to broadcasting. Incoming satellite feeds and tapes are reviewed for content and quality. Selected programmes are subtitled or dubbed. Subsequently, the programmes undergo digitising, bit rate reduction, error correction, digital modulation and encryption.
The processed signals are uplinked to the MEASAT system and then downlinked direct to the user.
A satellite dish, installed at the subscriber's home or office, receives the downlinked signals and transmits them to a Digital Multimedia Terminal (DMT) which is connected to a television set. The DMT extracts, decompresses and decodes the audio, video and data signals relayed by the satellite dish.
When an Astro Smart Card is inserted into the DMT, the encrypted signals are unscrambled, providing conditional access to Astro's programmes only for authorised subscribers.
Digital Technology
Astro's services are delivered utilising new and highly advanced digital technology which offers optimum channel utilisation, high quality broadcasts and a range of value-added features.
Superior Reception
Digital technology preserves the high quality of the original signals, offering Astro subscribers exceptional viewing and listening experience. Astro delivers laser disc-quality picture and compact disc-quality sound.
Multichannel Capacity
Digital compression enables optimum use of the Ku-bandwidth and provides each transponder with a multichannel capacity of up to 14 video or more than 200 audio channels. While satellite transponders are ordinarily limited to a single channel capacity, digital compression utilises signal compression and multiplexing techniques that are able to combine three data, fourteen television and sixteen radio channels on a single transponder.
Conditional Access
Astro's signals are encrypted or scrambled prior to transmission, allowing access only to subscribers with an authorised Astro smartcard.
Digital Server Technology
The broadcast facilities include digital video and audio server technology which is used to delay incoming satellite feeds for the purpose of programme editing and commercial replacement.
International Standards And System Solutions
All video and audio signals are compressed using the worldwide MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Experts Group) standards while Astro's broadcast system complies with the internationally accepted DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) Standard.
MPEG-2 was developed by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) for digital video coding, digital audio coding and systems used in satellite, cable and terrestrial transmissions. The DVB system provides a complete solution for digital broadcasting services across a range of delivery mediums.

http://www.astro.com.my/portal/technology-innovation