NTA FCC Media Bureau (202)

The Digital Translator/LPTV Transition is Underway! Roads to digital conversion Station construction Up and running

The DTV Transition 1987 Broadcast industry petitions for advanced TV service 1997/98 DTV channel allotments service rules, first licensed station 2006 Original transition end date (if at least 85% DTV penetration) 2/17/09 Modified transition end date; analog TV shut-off

1566 DTV Stations On Air (3/06)

DTV Stations on Air Source: FCC Video Div. March 2006 * * Total includes single-channel DTV operations

DTV Regulatory Developments Our FCC Home Receivers with ATSC tuners Analog allotment table All digital allotment table DTV channel election Distributed transmission systems DTV, digital Class A & digital LPTV added to emergency alert system (December 31, 2006) > 99% of stations have tentative channel designation

Distributed Transmission System Single Frequency Network Digital Service Contour SOURCE Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MB Docket No DTS for translators, LPTV & Class A TV ? On-channel DTV boosters?

Roads to Digital Conversion Translator operators heading to the digital frontier

Flash Cut Companion Channel Detour - D/A Converter Box To Digital Transition’s End Roads to Digital Transition’s End

F L A S HC U T 45 Analog

F L A S HC U T 45 Digital

On-channel Digital Conversion (“Flash-cut”) Minor change application (No filing fee) –Ordinarily, may file at any time, BUT –May not file until after conclusion of digital companion channel window (6:00 pm June 30, 2006) –Electronically file FCC Form 346 (February 2005 version) May make other facilities changes if analog and digital contours overlap Digital station protected contour Analog station protected contour May file for replacement channel (displacement) and digital conversion in same application

Flash Cut Companion Channel Detour - D/A Converter Box To Digital Transition’s End

45 Companion Channel Analog

Companion Channel Analog Digital

Digital Companion Channel Filing Window June 19-30, 2006 Digital companion channel paired with station’s analog channel –Must eventually give back one of the paired channels per future FCC determination Nationwide window (U.S. & its territories) Eligibility restricted to permittees & licensees of TV translator, LPTV and Class A stations Stations with digital licenses, permits or pending applications related to flash-cutting are not eligible for a companion channel

Digital Companion Channel Filing Window June 19-30, 2006 File electronically as minor change – no filing fee File FCC Form technical data from –Form 346 (LPTV & translator applicants) or –Form 301-CA (Class A applicants filing for an LPTV digital channel) May operate paired analog and digital facilities at different locations provided some overlap of analog and digital protected contours Digital station protected contour Analog station protected contour

Flash Cut Companion Channel Detour - D/A Converter Box To Digital Transition’s End

D/A Converter Box 45 Digital in Analog out Digital signal input to analog signal output

Digital Transition’s End Where digital’s the only game in town ! HDTV Digital

Digital Conversion of TV Translator, LPTV & Class A Stations (per the FCC’s Digital LPTV Report & Order) Based on Section 309(j)(14) and 336(f)(4) of Communications Act (as of September 2004) –stations must ultimately cease analog transmissions –FCC may set more distant analog shutoff date than that for full- service stations A later date would be less disruptive to communities served by translator, LPTV and Class A stations Goal of “achieving transition end-date at, or soon after, the end-date of the full-service transition” (then 12/31/06) Analog shutoff date will be considered in FCC’s next DTV periodic review, unless preempted by Congressional action

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005) Section 3002 Analog Spectrum Recovery (b)Termination of Analog Licenses and Broadcasting – The Federal Communications Commission shall take such actions as are necessary -- (1) to terminate all licenses for full-power television stations in the analog TV service, and to require the cessation of broadcasting by full-power stations in the analog television service by February 18, 2009; and

Section 3002 (Continued) (2) to require by February 18, 2009, that all broadcasting by Class A stations, whether in the analog television service or digital television service, occur only on channels between channels 2 and 36, inclusive, or 38 and 51, inclusive…

Section 336(f)(4) of Comm Act (4) ISSUANCE OF LICENSES FOR ADVANCED TELEVISION SERVICES TO TELEVISION TRANSLATOR STATIONS AND QUALIFYING LOW- POWER TELEVISION STATIONS… Such new license or the original license of the applicant shall be forfeited after the end of the digital television transition period, as determined by the Commission. A licensee of a low power television station or television translator station may, at the option of the licensee, elect to convert to the provision of advanced television services on its analog channel, but shall not be required to convert to digital until the end such transition period. Such new license or the original license of the applicant shall be forfeited after the end of the digital television transition period, as determined by the Commission. A licensee of a low power television station or television translator station may, at the option of the licensee, elect to convert to the provision of advanced television services on its analog channel, but shall not be required to convert to digital until the end such transition period.

Digital Translator & LPTV Transition 9/04 Digital rules for LPTV service 1997/98 DTV rules & allotments, first stations 2/09 Full power transition end date “Flash cut” filing starts 10/05 Digital Companion Filing Window 6/06 Transition end date for LPTV and Class A services ?

So, what do you do? The flash-cut approach? –Financial and technical resources to convert to digital? –Viewers who can receive digital signals? –Existing channels to spare for digital?

What to do? The companion channel approach? –Available channels? –Resources to construct and begin operating the companion digital stations? –Sufficient time with dual analog & digital operation for DTV receiver penetration levels to build in the community (e.g., as people replace old TV sets with those with digital tuners or acquire sets more quickly to watch your digital channels)?

What to do? Digital-to-analog conversion at the translator? –Ensures continuity of TV service until the majority of your viewers are equipped to receive digital signals, up until when you may be required to flash-cut –After 2009, you might be able to find channels to enable dual analog & digital DTV rebroadcasts for some period of time, if permitted by the Commission

You Must Choose the Road to Your Digital Conversion

Digital Station Construction Time to construct Translator modes of operation Transmitter requirements Modification of existing analog equipment for digital operation

Digital Station Construction Three years to build station from issuance of construction permit Extension of time may be granted when delay is justified (for example, due to equipment, work crews or zoning delays or demonstrated financial inability) Media Bureau may grant two six months extensions; further extensions require action by the full Commission

Digital Translator Modes Both types are permitted – regenerative is preferred Regenerative Signal Processor Heterodyne Signal Processor DTV Input Translator Output

Digital Power Limits Channels Heterodyne Output Power Effective Radiated Power watts 300 watts watts 300 watts watts 15,000 watts

Signal Coverage UHF digital translator: 1000’ above average terrain X 13 mi 51 dBu F(50,90) = 25 watts

Transmitter Requirements New digital translator and LPTV transmitters must be FCC certificated

Transmitter Performance Criteria for Certification Output signal that can be satisfactorily viewed on receivers designed for FCC 8-VSB DTV transmission standard Heterodyne translator output power must not vary by more than 1 dB for input signal strength variations up to 30 dB Digital average output power must not exceed maximum rated value under any condition Digital power metering

Transmitter Performance Criteria for Certification Out-of-channel emissions at output terminals (including all output filtering) meet at least the attenuation requirements of the “simple” mask Local oscillator frequency of RF upconverter must be maintained within 10 kHz –Temperature range between 0 and 40 º Centigrade –Main power supply voltage variations between 85 and 115 percent

GPS Protection From 2 nd and 3 rd Harmonic Emissions GPS frequency bands: MHz, MHz and MHz Affects only TV channels 22-24, 32-36, 38 and For FCC certification, transmitter must employ filtering that attenuates harmonic emissions in the GPS bands by at least 85 dB

Modification of Transmission Systems Permit modification of existing analog equipment for digital transmissions (e.g., final RF amplifiers) –FCC certificated manufacturer field modification kits, including installation and testing procedures and new FCC transmitter identifier label –Custom modifications also permitted

Modification of Transmission Systems Heterodyne output power limits must not be exceeded Digital output power may not exceed 25% of previous peak sync NTSC output power unless power amplifier has been replaced or retrofitted for higher power operation Transmitter must be performance-tested and demonstrated to comply with transmitter certification requirements

Modification of Transmission Systems Station licensee must notify FCC upon completion of modifications (and certify that any custom modifications comply with technical requirements) Licensee must maintain records of the nature of the modifications, test procedures and results for period of two years

GPS Protection From 2 nd and 3 rd Harmonic Emissions On channels where protection is required, an external filter with at least 85 dB attenuation in the GPS bands may be field-installed on an existing transmitter Field measurements of the second or third harmonic output of transmitters so equipped are not required

Equivalent Mask Compliance for Digital Conversion of Analog Transmitter Total Average In-Channel Power 6 MHz Channel 46 dB down is required 6 dB For example: a 6 dB shortfall at shelves of simple mask

Equivalent Mask Compliance for Digital Conversion of Analog Transmitter 800 w Analog ERP 200 w Equivalent nominal digital ERP – 6 db below analog ERP 50 w Equivalent digital ERP for mask compliance

Up & Running

Digital Station Operation Unattended operation No minimum hours of operation No required station identification at present

Operations on Channels Must cease use of channels per public safety coordinated use agreement, but can now operate after the end of the full-power station transition if no public safety or commercial wireless issues Existing or future wireless licensee may serve digital translator or LPTV licensee a notice of potential conflict within 120 days before commencing new or modified operation

Channels Digital translator or LPTV station must cease operating within 120 days of receiving notice unless –start of wireless service is delayed –agreement is reached with wireless licensee or –FCC request for stay is granted Station licensee may seek replacement channel on a priority basis

Permitted Digital Translator Signal Alterations Limited local insertions –Emergency warning messages –Public service announcements & messages related to funding translator operations; not to exceed 30 seconds per hour Necessary adjustment of PSIP information Multiplexing of two or more DTV stations on single output channel per agreements with all affected stations

Hybrid Translator Rebroadcasts & Program Origination Are Permissible Digital station must be licensed as an LPTV Should be closely coordinated with your primary DTV station to match video formats Use portion of the bit stream for rebroadcast and remaining bits for a locally inserted program stream(s) –As examples: local weather updates, school announcements and events, adult education classes

HDTV Wonders

My very best wishes as you bring digital TV to your communities

NTA FCC Media Bureau (202)