MVDS Solution from ELVA-1: Digital TV Broadcasting and Ground-based Video Distribution System

Look at the window and you'll see a growing number of antenna dishes all around. There is no doubt in the trend - the market for direct-to-home/office (DTH/O) delivery of broadcast television and direct wide bandwidth Internet has seen considerable grow over the past several years. More over, the monopoly of satellite-based networks comes under tight pressure from ground-based broadcast systems like MVDS and mesh networks. As is often the case, the cost of the MVDS equipment is one of the principal points for network integrators and communication service providers when planning a new project or an expansion of already running services. In general, the total cost of building transmitters and the number of client sites covered is determined by a cell layout. So, the cheaper are a base station and client stations, the more competitive will be the MVDS project.

Fig.1 90-degree sphere Base station (mm-wave transmitter)

Since March 2002, ELVA-1 Millimeter Wave Division announces availability of low-cost out-door unit (ODU) equipment (antennas and RF-transmitter/receiver electronics) for ground-based Microwave Video Distribution System (MVDS). Instead of traditional satellite-based TV+Internet broadcasting, new ELVA's base station and client station transmitters are intended for the market of ground-based solutions of direct-to-home/office (DTH/O) delivery of broadcast television and direct wide bandwidth Internet. Our stations are compatible with any standard DVB-S transceiver/receiver stations for digital TV distribution and Internet through satellite systems, so network integrators and communication service providers can use ELVA's microwave ODUs instead of satellite ODUs to eliminate expensive satellite channel when building broadcast solutions at their areas.

Fig.2 Client station (mm-wave receiver) prototype

The broadcasting frequency is atmosphere-transparent 40.5-42.5GHz and compliances with MPT 1560 standard. Services for proposed technology could include high-speed Internet access, real-time multimedia file transfer, remote access to corporate local area networks, interactive video, video-on-demand, video conferencing, and telephony among other potential applications. Ground-based MVDSs are cellular of their nature because they send very high frequency signals over short line-of-sight distances. These cells are typically spaced up to 4-5 kilometers (2.5 - 3.1 miles) apart.

Base station transmitter provides up-conversion of intermediate frequency to 40.5-42.5GHz and further beaming of RF signal through antenna with required directional pattern to client stations. The standard base station antenna directional pattern is 90 degree with optional 360 degree or other customized degree. Client station receiver ODU provides boosting/down-conversion of mm-wave signal to intermediate frequency for further use at client-side TV-tuner and LAN card.

Fig.3 Block diagram of typical MVDS equipment. Promoted ELVA's units are shown in red color.

We ship client stations of two levels: one-way stations for home users and two-way* ones for small businesses and other demanding users. One-way stations are less expensive but require return link for low-bandwidth applications like user authentication, web site registering etc. Max data speed on the 'transmitter - client receiver link is up to 45Mbps, but it doesn't mean that all clients within one cell have to share this bandwidth as the system is an easy scalable. This scalability is based on MPT 1560 standard allowing 40.5 - 42.5GHz carrier to send up to 48 channels in each polarization (96 channels in total). So for very populated cells a network provider could install additional transmitters to increase an average link speed for these cells.

Please send your requests on this product to sales@elva-1.spb.ru

*Two-way client stations are now on the stage of the development of prototype

Specs

Additional information in PDF format:

1. 40.5-43.5 GHz DVB-S Broadcasting City1 System (PDF 150K)
2. City1 TestKit (PDF 210K)
    

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