HITS

HITS( Headend in the Sky) is a satellite based delivery platform for delivering multi channel television signals to cable operators across the country.

 With HITS country wide implementation of CAS(Conditional Access System) becomes instantaneous and cost effective. This benefits both the broadcasters and customers by ensuring addressability.

At the same time, the HITS platform delivers a huge number of pay television channels. This provides the HITS end consumer the largest possible choice of pay channels. Since the HITS signals are delivered by a satellite, over a large "footprint" area, they offer even the most far flung rural HITS end customer an identical choice to that offered in large metro cities with elaborate Headends.

Operation-

Since a HITS platform carries a large number of channels, it is necessary to digitally compress these channels before transmission through satellite. Digital compression allows upto 10 channels (or even more) to be compressed on a single satellite transponder using advanced compression techniques such as statistical multiplexing , used along with MPEG-2 compression.

At the centralised HITS uplinking facility, signals of various pay channels are received and decoded using professional grade IRDs, each with the appropriate Conditional Access Module (CAM) necessary to receive each broadcast. These signals leave the IRDs as a digital compressed but unencrypted digital data stream. Analog transmissions if any that are received as separate video and audio signals (either from an FTA analog channel or a VCR playout) need to be compressed into an MPEG-2 digital stream. Each digitally compressed channel is now encrypted using a common encryption system (e.g. Conax for SitiSatellite) for the entire HITS platform. Approximately 10 of these encrypted, digital channel streams are multiplexed i.e. put together into

a single data stream and uplinked to a single satellite transponder.  The satellite transponder handles these signals as it would any other digital television broadcast. The C or KU band signal is simply bounced back to earth over the transponders footprint. The digital signals are received by a cable Headend or even a Last Mile Operator, as they would any other digital TV signal.

Transmission- Each LNB output, containing upto 10 digital pay channels is fed into a "Transmodulator". A Transmodulator receives QPSK signal from LNB (Low Noise Block Converter). These signals are in the range of 950 MHz to 2150 MHz. The transmodulators down converts this frequency to cable TV frequency( 48MHz to 860 MHz) while simultaneously changing the modulation from QPSK to QAM. The Transmodulator provides a digitally encrypted data stream for upto 10 pay channels. If a total of 50 pay channels are to be received, a set of 5 transmodulators would have to be installed at the Headend.

The output of the Transmodulators is a digital CATV RF signal. The output of all Transmodulators is then mixed with the analog free to air channel bouquet generated locally. Low cost CATV splitters or tapoffs can be used for mixing the digital and analog signals. The only precaution necessary is that the digital signals should be mixed at a level that is 10 dB below the analog signals.

Reception-Each HITS consumer will require a digital Set Top Box. These digital set top boxes will be provided by the HITS operator to the LMO. Each HITS box is embedded with its own, unique serial number and can be authorised to decrypt each specific pay channel that the consumer subscribes to. The digital Set Top Box is a DVB-C box i.e. a DVB box capable of receiving CATV transmissions over the frequency band of 48 MHz to 862 MHz. The STB is identical to what is provided by WWIL/ SitiCable for its ground distributed digital CAS.

Advantages of a HITS license-

HITS, as compared to other forms of digital broadcasting, is a more cost-effective

method of achieving digitization since it doesn’t require heavy investment from the cable

operator, who merely has to equip homes with set-top boxes and become a franchisee.

There are certain distinct advantages a HITS licensee has, namely:

1.       The licensed HITS operator is allowed to directly contract with various broadcasters

for buying their content.

2.       He can also put all the broadcasting content at one place (hub/teleport) and then uplink it, using his own encryption, to a satellite hired by him.

3.       The HITS operator can provide infrastructure facilities as well.

4.       The licensed operator can also provide simulcrypting/multicrypting of channels aggregated by different MSOs( Multi System Operators) with different encryption systems to one or more MSOs who wish to uplink these channels to a HITS satellite and then downlink them for transmission to the consumers.

      

HITS and DTH- A Comparision

HITS offers direct competition to the DTH operators. Unlike DTH, there will be sharing of revenue between the broadcasters, HITS operator and the various cable operators under the HITS system. The reception of signal is also expected to be better in HITS as compared to DTH transmission. Further, DTH operates only in Ku-Band, which is vulnerable to rain and causes deterioration of signal, whereas HITS is allowed to operate in both C-Band and Ku-Band. One can expect the DTH operators to change their business model to suit the new emerging broadcasting setup. The healthy competition amongst DTH and HITS operators will provide an impetus to digitization, narrow the digital gap between rural and urban areas and reduce prices of transmission of broadcasting signals and set-top boxes. In a bid to facilitate rapid digitalisation of Indian cable TV networks, the Union Cabinet has decided to grant HITS licenses without a recurring annual license fee. In contrast the DTH license requires each DTH platform to pay a recurring license fee of 10% of the annual revenue of the DTH platform. This includes 10% of not only the subscription fee but the selling price/hire charges of the STBs + Dish antenna also.