KAXT-CA San Jose now has 12 digital signals

RBR.com
08/10/2009

KAXT-CA, a low-power community TV station based in San Jose, CA has deployed a new DTV television service capable of broadcasting up to 20 video and audio channels. KAXT is currently airing 12 video channels and four audio channels. Instead of broadcasting with “packets,” this new system uses “statistical multiplexing.”

The station is currently leasing out four of the channels to (including) a Cambodian group; a Vietnamese group and a Chinese group.

Using advanced video processing solutions from Harmonic, transmission equipment from Linear Industries, and PSIP generation from Triveni Digital, KAXT is currently broadcasting 12 video channels and four audio channels and planning to add more audio services later.

The large channel capacity provides KAXT with multiple sub-channels, giving viewers more content choices and bringing several new revenue opportunities to the station. KAXT is the first station in the US to be successful in offering such a large range of programming in a 19.39-Mbps spectrum.

“This new service is a technological feat and establishes a new business model for KAXT,” said Warren Trumbly, president of KAXT. “The solutions from Harmonic, Linear, and Triveni Digital make it possible to deliver more channels with excellent video quality when compared with the previous analog service we ran for years — without breaking our budget. We have been able to add a variety of programs and offer more multicultural content for the diverse population of the Bay Area, an exciting opportunity for us to better serve viewers and grow our revenues.”

Since 1989, KAXT has provided educational, community service, and spiritual programming to Spanish-speaking communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Harmonic’s DiviCom Electra 5000 encoders, DiviTrackIP statistical multiplexing and NMX Digital Service Manager are used to compress and manage the video and audio services efficiently. Triveni Digital’s industry-leading GuideBuilder PSIP generator manages the large number of virtual channels and EPG metadata files and feeds the carousel to the Harmonic ProStream 1000 remultiplexer over IP. The GuideBuilder PSIP generator also provides a future-proof path to mobile DTV. The Linear Industries AT71K0-1 1000-watt digital UHF transmitter and AT7001™ exciter complete the groundbreaking system with advanced linear and nonlinear pre-correction to provide the most pristine signal possible.