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Satellite TV Terms
A-PID
Audio Program Identification
Only applicable for digital transmission
Audio (either TV sound, or Radio) information.
It defines the data substream that contains the
AC-3
Dolby Digital Surround Sound System. A digitally compressed audio format
characterized by its ability to offer as many as six separate digital audio channels. AC-3
is used for DVD-Video titles in the NTSC format. PAL titles use MPEG-2 audio
compression standard.
Aspect Ratio
"It means the ratio of the width and height for the video. Standard NTSC, PAL, ATSC
(standard definition) and DVB (standard definition) use a 4:3 ratio, ATSC and DVB
high definition formats use a 16:9 format. "
Analog
Information used by the display device to create the picture is sent is by varying the
amplitude (height) and frequency (width) of the signal with time.
ATSC
"Advanced Television Standard Committee." It’s established by the FCC to define new
standards for publicly regulated broadcast television in the U.S.
ATVEF
It’s the abbreviation of Advanced Television Enhancement Forum - A standard for
combining IP data with television video.
Bandwidth
It’s the amount of data that can be transferred or processed per unit of time. Bandwidth
is like the pipe size - the larger the pipe, the more it can carry.
Bitrate
The data rate of the DVD title, expressed in Mbs (megabits per second). DVD bitrate is
usually between 2 and 10 Mbs. The higher the bitrate, the more CPU required to
playback the disc.
B frame
An MPEG-2 compressed video frame derived by extrapolation between previous and
future frames.
Coverage
Some satellites beam their program fair to Earth using a transmission antenna which is
pointed to the whole Earth. That is the part which is "visible" from that satellite. Such
transmission antennas are called "global". It most cases it makes more sense for a
satellite operator to concentrate signals to a certain area on Earth, mainly that part of
Earth where the intended recipients of TV, radio or data channels are at home. Ex. If the
target audience is not at home on ships, it makes more sense to point a transmission
antenna to land masses of Earth, than to oceans. Frequencies are connected to which
transmission antenna in order to know at what parts of Earth signals can be received.
For most of the satellites, SatcoDX has drawn the coverage areas towards where those
antennas are beaming at. In center of those coverage areas reception is possible with
smaller antennas than at edges of coverage areas. Outside coverage areas, reception is
probably still possible, using more advanced equipment. All coverage areas have been
given a "Coverage Code" in 8-letter-format. The first three letters indicate satellite
operator, the following three letters indicate type or version of satellite itself, and last
two letters make a definition of individual antenna coverage area. This 8-letter-format
Coverage Code, or just parts of it, like only the satellite operator, or satellite type, are
being displayed with receivers using automatic programming function of SatcoDX.
Satellite's Antenna Coverage Beam.
Crypt
Encrypted Channels are deliberately scrambled, so that a special decryption device is
needed to watch - or listen - to programming. In analogue technology, encrypting a
Encryption Mode
television channel is mostly done by putting the video lines into a different order.
Digital transmissions can be encrypted in a wide choice of ways. Usually, a special card
(similar to a credit card) has to be inserted into satellite receiver. This card contains the
code to de-crypt signal. Those cards are only available from the programmer, in most
cases at a price (pay-tv), in some cases at no costs to certain citizens only.
enc. = encrypted, or encoded
Here is a list of abbreviations for the encryption methods:
4:2:2 - 422_
Betacrypt - BCRT
CLI - CLI_
Coatec - CTEC
Conax - CONX
Cryptoworks - CRYW
Cryptoworks & Viaccess - CWVA
DMV - DMV_
Eurocrypt M - EURM
Eurocrypt M/S2 - EMS2
Eurocrypt S2 - EUS2
IRDETO - IRDT
IRDETO & Mediaguard - IRMG
IRDETO & Nagravision - IRNV
IRDETO & Videoguard - IRVG
Leitch - LEIT
Matsushita - MATS
MDE-2 - MDE2
MDS - MDS_
Mediaguard - MGRD
Mediaguard & Viaccess - MGVA
Mediaguard&Cryptoworks - MGCW
Nagravision - NAGV
NDC - NDC_
*** - ***_
NTL - NTL_
NTL 2000 - NTL2PowerVU - POVUPowerU & Nagravision - PVNVSiS -
SIS_Starcrypt - STARSyster - SYSTTV/COM - TVCMVC2+ - VC2+Viaccess -
VICSViaccess & Conax - VCONViaccess & Mediaguard - VIMGVideocrypt -
VICRVideocrypt 1 - VCR1Videoguard - VGRD.
CBR
It’s the abbreviation of Constant Bitrate. This type of compressed video signal uses the
same amount of data to describe video signal regardless of complexity.
Compression
It means convert data into a more compact form for storage or transmission.
CA, Conditional Access
It’s a cryptographic technique for controlling which receivers are able to access a
particular signal.
CI
Common Interface
COFDM
Coded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
selected by the DVB committee for digital terrestrial broadcast television. See
modulation
FIt’s the modulation scheme
Compression or compressed
A mathematical method for reducing the amount of digital information needed to
re-create a television picture or frame.
CP
Content protection
Cryptographic and design techniques used to limit how data flows within a receiving
device and between devices. Generally this is used to restrict copying of copyright
protected material.
DiSEqC
Digital Satellite Equipment Lnb Control
Data rate
The speed of a data transfer process, usually expressed in kilobytes (thousands of bytes)
per second.
Decode
Decompressing a video clip and then converting its color.
Decompress
Converting video and audio data from a compressed format back into its original form.
Datacasting
Refers to the use of digital television signals to send data or digital information
Demodulation
A method for extracting digital information stored in a specific pattern on an RF signal.
Digital
Information sent as a series of high (1) and low (0) signals separated by a fixed period
of time.
DLP, Digital Light Projection
A technique developed by Texas Instruments that creates a video image on a piece of
silicon and uses mirrors and light to project the image onto a viewable screen.
Downlink Freq. GHz
Actual frequency the satellite beams TV, radio and data down to Earth, therefore
"Down"- link frequency, as opposed to the frequency used to "Up"-link those signals up
to satellite in first place. There are two main frequency bands in use
Downlink Frequency in GHz (Giga Hertz)
C-Band
It’s with downlink frequencies in the 3 and 4 GHz range.
Ku-Band
1 GHz = 1000 MHz = 1000000 kHz = 1000000000 Hz. Hz = Hertz.
Example: 3.456 GHz = 3456 MHz
With downlink frequencies in the 10, 11 and 12 GHz range.
DSS
"Digital Satellite Service, the MPEG-2 based digital transmission format followed by
DirecTV." (DTV)
"Digital Television generally refers to lower resolution or 480i."
DVB
"Digital Video Broadcast, MEPG-2 based digital television standard that defines
formats for cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcast."
DVI
"Digital Visual Interface, a digital connection between a video source and a monitor,
replaces VGA."
Encode
Converting the color space of a video clip from a full-bandwidth source to a compressed
MPEG-2 file.
Encryption
A mathematical technique for scrambling information such that only those with a key
piece of information can unscramble the information to recreate the original message.
Enhanced
TV Any of several techniques for providing a viewer with additional information
associated with a television program or advertisement.
FEC
Only applicable for digital transmissions: it indicates how many Bytes are used for
actual signal, and how many for correction of errors. A FEC of 1/2 means: 1 Byte out of
2 is used for correcting any errors during transmission, while a ratio of 7/8 means 7
Forward Error Correction
Bytes are used for the actual signal, and only one for error correcting. A FEC of 1/2
gives a perfect as possible reception, since every Byte containing actual signal is
controlled by another Byte checking it.When a programmers chooses a FEC of 7/8 it
means he is not waisting any bandwidth, at the cost of delivering a signal which needs a
more sophisticated equipment at the receiving end (like: very stable LNB, higher
reserves with the dish) compared to the same transmission using a FEC of 1/2.
Field
One half of a video frame, consisting of every other scan line, in interlaced video
content.
Frame
[/LEFT]One video picture in a series.
Frame rate
The number of frames per second at which a video clip is displayed.
Full motion video
Content that shows 30 (interlaced) or 24 (film content) frames per second.
FCC
"Federal Communications Commission, U.S. government body responsible for setting
and enforcing regulations of transmissions over publicly accessible airwaves"
Interlacing
Drawing a frame by alternately drawing the rows of each field. For example, an NTSC
broadcast is expressed as 30 frames per second, but is actually made up of 60 half
-frames displayed one afterthe other .The alternative is de-interlacing, where only
complete frames are drawn on the screen.
LNB (Low Noise Block)
It’s used to low down the frequency that satellite beams so that the tuner of DTV cards
could receive. And there are 3 major kinds of LNB, they are divided by the frequency of
LOF(Local Oscillator frequency)
Normal
– LOF = 5150MHz & 5750MHz
Universal
– LOF = 9750MHz & 10600MHz (It’s usually "Universal" in Europe.
Custom
You could always find the value on the tag of your LNB, so that you could tell which
type of your LNB is.
– LOF = It varies depends on the location, satellite etc.
LOF (Local Oscillator Frequency)
Local oscillator is how LNB could low down the frequency that satellite beams.
Mode
Mode: Transmission Mode
Commonly used name of the transmission mode/standard. Analogue transmission
technologies define color mode, as PAL, SECAM, NTSC, or sound mode, as Wegener.
Digital transmission technologies define the norm, as MPEG-2, or Digicipher etc.
Analogue technologies are less critical, and color mode mainly refers to the television
monitor connected to receiver. Digital technologies require a satellite receiver exactly
capable of receiving that particular mode.
MPEG
Motion Picture Expert Group. MPEG-1 is used on video CD and CD-I as a video
distribution medium. MPEG-2 and DVD offer better-than-laserdisc quality and twice
the runtime per disc.
MPEG Audio
Compressed audio for using on DVD projects. PCM or MPEG stereo audio is required
for PAL countries for DVD, but MPEG-2 audio is optional worldwide.
NTSC
"National Television Systems Committee." A committee of the Electronic Industries
Association that prepared the standards for commercial television broadcasting in the
United States, Canada, Japan,and parts of Central and South America. NTSC format has
525 scan lines (rows) of resolution atthirty frames per second (30 Hz).
Pol (Pol: Polarization)
One frequency can be used two times by using two opposing polarizations, so that the
two signals on the two identical frequencies are not affecting each other. This helps to
virtually double the actual number of channels which can be transmitted. One way of
transmitting a signal is in linear polarization, the other way by rotating polarization. For
the latter, imagine the signal to be transmitted like a screw. Therefore, there are two
polarization modes:
"H" = Horizontal, and "V" = Vertical, for linear polarized signals
"R" = Righthand, and "L" = Lefthand, for rotating/turning signals
Note: In US sometimes the expression "reversed polarity" is in use. Often rotating
signals are used in C-Band, and linear signals in Ku-Band, but there are no rules to this.
Mostly - but not always - nominally equal frequencies on different polarizations are a
little bit off-set to each other to minimize any remaining influencies.
PCR/4DTV (PCR / 4DTV PCR / 4DTV)
Only applicable for digital transmissions: some transmissions require the receiver to
match (synchronize) Video and Audio signals. 4DTV is a propietary channel indicator.
PAL
Phase Alteration Line. This standard is used for commercial broadcasting in most of
Europe, Australia, and parts of Central and South America. PAL format displays at 625
scan lines (rows) of resolution at 25 frames per second (25 Hz).
Pixel
Picture cell. This is the smallest independent unit of a digital image.
Pixel depth
The number of bits of color information per pixel.
Resolution
The number of pixels in the width and height of the video window.
SCPC
Single Channel per Carrier.
Subtitle
Subtitles are the graphics displayed on top of video content. An example of a subtitle
would be the menu choices displayed over the background graphic for many interactive
games. When a subtitle is active, it is called a highlight. Subtitles are also the actual text
of the content, displayed on the bottom of the screen. These subtitles are often used for
language translations.
V-Pid (Video Program Identification)
Only applicable for digital transmissions: It defines the data substream containing video
signal.
Some transmission modes, like "PoverVu", have fixed numbers correlating with channel
(Frequency) number.
Radio signals, which by definition don't contain any video signal, carry the value 8191
(This means: empty) in the Video Pid. However, it is better to leave this column blank in
SatcoDX Chart, since receivers will anyhow shut down Video when there is none.
VSB
"Vestigial Sideband, The modulation scheme selected by the US ATSC committee for
digital terrestrial broadcast television. See modulation."
Video Standards
NTSC
NTSC stands for National Television System Committee, which devised the NTSC
television broadcast system in 1953. NTSC is also commonly used to refer to one type
of television signal that can be recorded on various tape formats such as VHS, 3/4"
U-matic and Betacam. The NTSC standard has a fixed vertical resolution of 525
horizontal lines stacked on top of eachother, with varying amounts of "lines" making up
the horizontal resolution, depending on theelectronics ad formats involved. There are
59.94 fields displayed per second. A field is a setof even lines, or odd lines. The odd and
even fields are displayed sequentially, thus interlacingthe full frame. One full frame,
therefore, is made of two interlaced fields, and is displayedabout every 1/30 of a
second.NTSC countries are: USA, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda,
Bolivia, Burma, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Greenland, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan,
South Korea, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines,
Puerto Rico, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Kitts, Sapiens, Samoa, Surinam, Taiwan,
Tobago, Trinidad, Venezuela, Virgin Islands. The following countries were listed as
Monochrome 625/50 in one resource: Angola, Burkina Faso , Burundi, Central African
Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia (or PAL or SECAM in other resources).The
above was gathered from various older sources, so discrepancies in spelling or
politicalchanges are unintentional
PAL
PAL stands for Phase Alternation by Line, and was adopted in 1967. It has 625
horizontal lines making up the vertical resolution. 50 fields are displayed and interlaced
per second, making for a 25 frame per second system. An advantage of this system is a
more stable and consistent hue (tint). PAL-M is used only in Brazil. It has 525 lines, at
30 frames per second.
PAL countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina (PAL-N), Australia, Austria,
Bahrain ,Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Cameroon, Canary Islands, China, Cyprus,
Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece (also SECAM), Hong Kong,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait,
Liberia, Luxembourg (also SECAM), Madeira, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Paraguay (PAL-N), Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (also SECAM), Sierra
Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania,
Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay (PAL-N),
Yemen (the former Yemen Arab Republic was PAL, and the former People's Democratic
Republic of Yemen was NTSC ), Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.The above was
gathered from various older sources, so discrepancies in spelling or politicalchanges are
unintentional
SECAM
SECAM stands for System Electronique Couleur Avec Memoire, which was adopted in
1967. It has 625 lines and 25 frames per second.
Countries include: Albania, Benin, Bulgaria, Congo, former Czechosolvakia, Djibouti,
Egypt, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Greece (also PAL), Guadeloupe, Haiti, Hungary,
Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg (also PAL), Madagascar,
Martinique, Mauritius, Monaco (also PAL), Mongolia, Morocco, New Caledonia, Niger,
Poland, Reunion, Romania, Saudi Arabia (also PAL), Senegal, Syria, Tahiti, Togo,
Tunisia, former USSR, Viet Nam, Zaire.The above was gathered from various older
sources, so discrepencies in spelling or political changes are unintentional.
Index Encryptions System
B - Betacrypt
C - Cryptovision
CC - Codicrypt
Co - Conax
Cr - Cryptoworks
D - Digicipher
D2 - Digicipher2
Dc - Dreamcrypt
DS - Digistar
E - Eurocrypt
IC - IceCrypt
I1 - Irdeto1
I2 - Irdeto2
KF - KeyFly
M - SECA/Mediaguard
M2 - Mediaguard2
N - Nagravision (Syster)
N2 - Nagravision2
N3 - Nagravision3
NSHL - Neotion SHL
NL - Nokia Lineshuffiling
Ok - Omnikrypt
PP - Ping Pong
PV - Power Vu
S - Simulcrypt
SC - SkyCrypt
SoftV- Soft Videocrypt
SP - Sky Pilot
V - Videocrypt
V2 - Videocrypt2
Vc - Viaccess1
Vc2 - Viaccess2
VG - Videoguard
W - Wegener
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