Triveni Digital and Larcan Partner to Provide a Complete LPTV DTV System

Converting an analog LPTV station to digital can be complicated.

While the transmitter may look the same, the exciter needs an ATSC data stream. This requires an MPEG-2 encoder for the video and audio and a PSIP generator to provide the service information receivers need to decode the digital signal. The PSIP data and one or more MPEG-2 encoders need to be combined into a fixed 19.39 Mbps output rate before being sent to the transmitter.

Now Larcan and Triveni Digital have joined forces to create a cost-effective and easy-to-use digital transmission solution for LPTV stations.

Their package includes Triveni's Guidebuilder PSIP generator and Larcan's new Octane MPEG Encoder-Multiplexer, the new Pulse Digital LPTV exciter and a Larcan digital transmitter series.

"This is a tough time for low-power television," said Ralph Bachofen, senior director of product management and marketing at Triveni Digital. "These stations play a critical role by providing a wide range of educational, community service, and spiritual programming; yet, many lack the means to invest in the expensive equipment required for digital transmissions. As a result, they're feeling strong pressure from the upcoming U.S. mandate for digital conversion."

Bachofen explained that the while low-power stations are exempt from the 2009 FCC mandate, their analog signals will be blocked by many of the converter boxes purchased by viewers to view DTV programming on older television receivers. This could effectively block LPTV stations from competing with signals from digital broadcasters.

Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.