The German BK network: An overview in pictures. Munich, June 2005

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The German BK network:

An overview in pictures

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Seite 1

The main elements of a typical German CATV network

Most of the network elements are located in the network level 3

master head-end

(“BKVtSt”)

head-end

(“üBK”)

hub

(“bBK”)

street amplifier

(“VrP”)

home connect.

point (“HÜP”)

In-house

network

1 / city

Local channels are added

Amplifies and distributes

signal to hubs

Amplifies signal

approx. every

320m

Amplifier

Network level 2

(Regional distribution network)

Coax- or fibre

network

(Vk-Netz)

Up-link

radio

station

TV-tower

+ master head-end

head-end

(“üBK”)

Network level 1

(TV studios)

Home

connection

point (HÜP)

Network level 3

(Local distribution network,

approx. 500,000 km of coax cable)

Network

level 4

(In-House

network)

TV-Studio

Hub

(„bBK“)

Coax line network

(A-, B-, C- und

D-Lines)

*

Satellite

1 / metropolitain area or per

several cities

Content is received from satellite

TV signal is formed and distributed to

head-ends

1 / part of city

or per town

Amplifies and

distributes signal

into coax distribution

network (main streets)

1 / home

Approx. 8 million

HÜPs in Germany

End of level 3

network

Start of level 4

inhouse network

Coax distribution

network inside

houses

Approx. 27million

households that

are reachable by

cable networks

*Radio links are currently being replaced by optical fiber connections

Source: Solon

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In a coax cable, frequencies between 5MHz and approx. 1000MHz (=1GHz)

can be transmitted

Currently, in a standard, non-upgraded network, TV and radio signals are being broadcasted between 47MHz and 470MHz in

the framework of the PAL standard

The spectrum is organized in „bands“, like „SU“ (special lower band), „SO“ (special upper band) or the hyperband

In order to extend the spectrum beyond the standard limit of 470MHz, the network has to be upgraded:

-

To extend the spectrum until 606MHz, an exchchange of street amplifiers has to be performed

-

To extend the spectrum until 862MHz, some of passive splitters and buried taps have to be exchanged

To enable interactivity (e.g. high speed internet, telephony), amplifiers modules for two-way transmission of signals have to

be added, i.e. street amplifiers cabinets have to be modified

302

606 Hyperband

f [MHz]

862

470 Band IV

A

D

A/D

D

Hyperband

Band V

D

FM

Bd III

SU

SO

300

5

10

80

65 Radio

174

230

108

65 A

A

30

47

111 Bd I

A

Down stream

Up stream

A

D

Analog channels (PAL)

Digital channels (QAM)

(Upgraded part: data / Digital TV)

Currently used spectrum (in non-upgraded networks)

Only if network upgraded

Netw ork monitoring/management

D

A

302

606 Hyperband

f [MHz]

862

470 Band IV

A

D

A/D

D

Hyperband

Band V

D

FM

Bd III

SU

SO

300

5

10

80

65 Radio

174

230

108

65 A

A

30

47

111 Bd I

A

Down stream

Up stream

A

D

Analog channels (PAL)

Digital channels (QAM)

(Upgraded part: data / Digital TV)

Currently used spectrum (in non-upgraded networks)

Only if network upgraded

Netw ork monitoring/management

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Seite 3

Frequency spectrum and channel allocation

Every TV channel is

7MHz and 8MHz

wide, respectively*.

An analogue TV

channel transmits

one PAL program.

A digital TV channel

transmits 8-12

digital programs

(„streams“)

Frequency spectrum of CATV signal

Channel allocation of CATV signal (Example: Munich)

Band Kanal Frequ. [MHz] A / D Beispiel Kanalbelegung München 11/2004

Band I-II 47- 68 Band I-II

K02 47 - 54 Analog (PAL) NEUN LIVE K03 54 - 61 Analog (PAL) TV 5 (franz.) K04 61 - 68 Analog (PAL) TRT-Intern. (türk.)

UKW 88 - 108 UKW UKW Radiokanäle

SU / USB 111- 174 Unteres Sonderband

S02 111 - 118 Digital T V Kabel Digital Program of Kabel Deutschland

S03 118 - 125 Digital T V Kabel Digital Program of Kabel Deutschland S04 125 - 132 Analog (PAL) ORF 2 - Salzburg

S05 132 - 139 Analog (PAL) TELE 5

S06 139 - 146 Analog (PAL) AFK Ferns. München / AG Behinderte / cityinfo tv S07 146 - 153 Analog (PAL) TV München

S08 153 - 160 Analog (PAL) RTL 2

S09 160 - 167 Analog (PAL) Home Shopping Europe S10 167 - 174 Analog (PAL) Bayern Journal / RTL

Band III 174 - 230 Band III

K05 174 - 181 Analog (PAL) ARD (BR)

K06 181 - 188 Analog (PAL) Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen K07 188 - 195 Analog (PAL) ProSieben

K08 195 - 202 Analog (PAL) Bayern Journal / SAT.1 K09 202 - 209 Analog (PAL) KABEL 1

K10 209 - 216 Analog (PAL) Kinderkanal / MTV2 -T he Pop Channel K11 216 - 223 Analog (PAL) DSF (dt. Sportfernsehen) K12 223 - 230 Analog (PAL) n-tv

SO / OSB 230- 300 Oberes Sonderband

S11 230 - 237 Analog (PAL) MTV CENT RAL S12 237 - 244 Analog (PAL) VOX

S13 244 - 251 Analog (PAL) Bay. Fernsehen - Altbayern+Schwaben S14 251 - 258 Analog (PAL) EUROSPORT / VIVA PLUS S15 258 - 265 Analog (PAL) VIVA

S16 265 - 272 Analog (PAL) 3sat S17 272 - 279 Analog (PAL) WDR FERNSEHEN S18 279 - 286 Analog (PAL) Super RTL S19 286 - 293 Analog (PAL) Phoenix S20 293 - 300 Analog (PAL) euronews

Hyperband 302 - 446 Hyperband

S21 302 - 310 Digital (*) BR-alpha

S22 310 - 318 Digital (*) NDR Nordmagazin S23 318 - 326 Digital (*) CNN Intern. (engl.) S24 326 - 334 Digital (*) N24 S25 334 - 342 Digital (*) NBC (engl.) / arte

S26 342 - 350 Digital Kabel Digital Program of Kabel Deutschland S27 350 - 358 Digital Premiere 1 S28 358 - 366 Digital Premiere 2 S29 366 - 374 Digital Premiere 3 S30 374 - 382 Digital Premiere 4 S31 382 - 390 Digital Premiere 5 S32 390 - 398 Digital ZDF.v ision

S33 398 - 406 Digital International (Nutzung durch NE3) S34 406 - 414 Digital ARD digital

S35 414 - 422 Digital (*) HOT / QVC S36 422 - 430 Digital ARD digital

S37 430 - 438 Digital International (Nutzung durch NE3) S38 438 - 446 Digital Kabel Digital Program of Kabel Deutschland S39 446 - 454 Digital frei

S40 454 - 462 Digital frei

S41 462 - 470 Digital Kabel Digital Program of Kabel Deutschland

f [MHz]

302 H

y

p

e

rb

an

d

470 A

D

H

y

p

e

rb

an

d

F

M

B

d

III

S

U

S

O

300

80

65 R

a

d

io

174

230

108

6

5 A

A

111

47 _B

d

I

A

D

A

* Currentl y used for tr ans mission of analogue channels

Analogue

Digital

Band Kanal Frequ. [MHz] A / D Beispiel Kanalbelegung München 11/2004

S05 132 - 139 Analog (PAL) TELE 5

S08 153 - 160 Analog (PAL) RTL 2

Band III 174 - 230 Band III

S40 454 - 462 Digital frei

f [MHz]

302 H

y

p

e

rb

an

d

470 A

D

H

y

p

e

rb

an

d

F

M

B

d

III

S

U

S

O

300

80

65 R

a

d

io

174

230

108

6

5 A

A

111

47 _B

d

I

A

D

A

Analogue

Digital

S05 132 - 139 Analog (PAL) TELE 5

S08 153 - 160 Analog (PAL) RTL 2

Band III 174 - 230 Band III

S40 454 - 462 Digital frei

f [MHz]

302 H

y

p

e

rb

an

d

470 A

D

H

y

p

e

rb

an

d

F

M

B

d

III

S

U

S

O

300

80

65 R

a

d

io

174

230

108

6

5 A

A

111

47 _B

d

I

A

D

A

Analogue

Digital

* 7 MHz: 47-300MHz; 8MHz: above 300MHz

Source: KDG, Solon

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The master head-end at the Munich TV tower

The master head-end on the TV Tower,

155m above ground:

Satellite antennas receiving the

signals

Cables from antennas to the

equipment of the master head-end

The master head-end: processing the

signals and “packaging” them

Cable to amplifier node

Amplifier node

Amplification of signals,

Cables to hubs, leaving the head-end

Cable to DIAMANT system in the

tower (leaving to other, more distant

hubs)

The head-end in the basement of the TV

tower

Verstärker Satellit Verteiler station („bBK“) Koaxialkabelnetz (A-, B-, C-und D -Linien)

NE 2

NE 1

NE 3

NE 4

Coax line

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Seite 5

Satellite antennas receive the TV signals

Demodulation into

TV-channels

Forming the final* signal by

multiplexing the channels

Location: master head-end (TV tower)

NE 2

NE 1

NE 3

NE 4

Amplifiying and

transmitting to the

head-end

Signals

(„SAT-ZF“)

* Except some local TV channels that are added later (at local head-end)

Source: Solon

(7)

The head-end (“üBK”) serves an entire city

Outgoing cables to hubs

(coax cables and optical fibre

lines)

Incoming coax-cable

(from master head-end at

roof/platform of TV tower)

NE 2

NE 1

NE 3

NE 4

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Seite 7

The hub serves parts of a city

Satellit

NE 2

NE 1

NE 3

NE 4

Outgoing cables,

following down

the streets

Incoming cables

from head-end

Source: Solon

(9)

Cables leaving the hub to follow down the streets

Hub

Cables inside hub facility

Duct entry on pavement

Duct with cables

Satellit

NE 2

(10)

Seite 9

An amplifier street cabinet:

The signal in coax cables has to be amplified approx. every 300m

Incoming signal

Outgoing signal

… with amplifier modules

Inside a cabinet: metal box ….

Satellit

NE 2

NE 1

NE 3

NE 4

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A typical in-house (NE4) network serving 12 appartments

NE4

NE3

Amplifier

Splitter

Number and type of modules depends

on characteristics of in-house network

Equipment of different suppliers is

being used

Cables to appartments

(in-house wiring, here: star topology)

Home

connection

point (“HÜP”)

NE4 in-house network

Satellit

NE 2

NE 1

NE 3

NE 4

1

2

3

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Seite 11

Annotations

This information intends to provide an overview of the structure of a typical

German BK network and its elements

Some of the complex infrastructure and network technology is illustrated in

a simplified way

Pictures in this document are examples for typical configurations

The document is based on various data sources. The pictures show typical

network elements of a German level 3 network

During recent months, networks have partly been optimized with respect to

the structure of the network level 2. The general structure shown in this

document however still remains unchanged

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Contact

Solon Management Consulting GmbH & Co. KG

Residenzstraße 10

80333 Munich

Germany

Tel. +49 - 89 - 2103 88 - 0

Fax. +49 - 89 - 2103 88 - 44

Mail: [email protected]

Dr. Philipp Geiger