The Golf Channel is adding to its digital transmission swing, using Scientific-Atlanta Inc.’s PowerVu encoding system to deliver program feeds to North America.
The Golf Channel installed the PowerVu encoding system in its Orlando, Fla. headquarters. Three parallel PowerVu systems deliver the content to each of the three continents, and all are managed by a single network center.
Up to now, the Golf Channel has used PowerVu equipment to field its digital content to Asia and Europe, and now it is adding North America, according to Mark Coleman, the senior vice president of network operations and new technology.
“Because the PowerVu system can deliver signals for use in both NTSC and DVB headends, it was a great, streamlined solution for both our domestic and international delivery of programming,” he noted.
A fiber connection is used to transmit the digital signal from the headquarters to Europe. For the Asian programming, the signal is transmitted via fiber to Napa, Calif., where it is uplinked over a PanAmSat bird for distribution to various Asia Pacific markets.
For North America, the digital signal will be simulcast with the analog programming. S-A’s side carrier feature will funnel the digital and analog feed to bounce through the same satellite transponder, allowing the Golf Channel to save on transponder capacity and efficiently deliver the two feeds to its affiliates.