TV TEM in Brazil expands OTA DTV network with GatesAir

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Gates-AirGatesAir, a global leader in over-the-air broadcast solutions for television and radio, is expanding TV TEM’s ISDB-Tb digital television network to cover an additional 139 cities in the state of São Paulo.  The current installation marks the third phase of an aggressive single-frequency network (SFN) rollout that will bring exceptional HDTV coverage to all 318 cities across São Paulo state.


TV TEM, an affiliate of REDE Globo, has relied exclusively on GatesAir over-the-air solutions for its DTV transition since 2009.  Following a successful phase two covering medium- and high-power sites, the current rollout focuses on low-power sites using high-efficiency GatesAir Maxiva UAX air-cooled and ULXT liquid-cooled transmitters ranging from 100 W to 7.5 kW.  Collectively, the GatesAir SFN architecture brings together cutting-edge signal processing, transport and over-the-air delivery systems that minimize costs associated with network distribution and long-term operation.

TV TEM currently operates four regional programs from the cities of Sorocaba, Bauru, São Jose do Rio Preto and Itapetininga.  The unique GatesAir SFN architecture lowers traditionally bandwidth-heavy ISDB-Tb transport costs by converting compressed distributed signals back to broadcast transport streams (BTS) at each of the four headends.  The SFN architecture then delivers these signals to every transmitter on the network via satellite.

“GatesAir is the only vendor with the proven technology to efficiently accommodate the challenging distribution architecture of our network, which constitutes a hybrid of transmitters and satellite technologies for over-the-air ISDB-Tb TV transport and delivery,” said Ewerton Maciel, engineering manager, TV TEM.  “GatesAir’s single-frequency network solutions bring together the low processing delay and optimal modulation error ratio required for high performance across our network, ensuring the highest quality product for viewers across the state of São Paulo.”

Beyond transport and delivery, the complete GatesAir solution for TV TEM incorporates headend and content management solutions from Imagine Communications.  This ensures that TV TEM can work with a single vendor for the large majority of its broadcast and production requirements, with assured interoperability across its entire workflow and infrastructure.

“GatesAir has enjoyed a close and long-term business relationship with TV TEM since its inception in 2003, and phase three of its DTV rollout marks a significant milestone for both TV TEM and its viewers across 139 cities,” said Joseph Mack, vice president of sales, Americas for GatesAir.  “Our post-sales and support services will continue that close relationship throughout the commissioning process as TV TEM works toward completion of this substantial DTV transition.”