H.T.S.

PURPOSE:

6/24/93

THEORY OF OPERATIONS FLEXTRACKER SATELLITE SIMULATOR SYSTEM

The purpose of the satellite Simulator is to provide controlled and simulated channels for testing satellite receivers.

The satellite simulator system is used at the manufacturer to correlate the various specifications of the IRDs we manufacture.

HTS has several satellite simulators installed throughout the world. These locations include the USA, Netherlands, China and Malaysia. These satellite simulators are used· to test Echosphere and HTS manufactured satellite receivers.

The specifications of the satellite receivers are based on the calibrated configuration of the satellite simulator system. Using this type system aVoids having to rely on unknown live satellite signals. Each channel is set up to provide several different tests. Below are listed some of these tests:

SATELLITE RECEIVER TESTS:

A) VNR- Video Noise Reduction- This test requires the simulator to provide sparkles on the video. The test requires that sparkles are increased and then eliminated or equaled with certain parameters.

This test verifies filter operation. These sparkles are present on all the odd channels. Channel 1 has been selected to test for VNR on Domestic product.

B) SPARKLES- As mentioned before, all the odd channels contain noise. These channels are set at certain C/N ratio's (Carrier to noise) which can determine if the various tuners are operating correctly. Threshold of the tuners can be checked by using lower C/N ratio. For example there are 2 channels at a e/N of 7 for testing the threshold for the Domestic and International receivers.

The test requires the operator to interpret sparkle on the video monitor. The sparkles must be eliminated within certain parameters depending on unit tuner type.

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C) VIDEO LEVEL: A critical measurement which can determine the overall picture quality of the receiver. Video levels are measured on Waveform Monitors to meet certain specifications. The video comes from NTSC or PAL generators located in the satellite simulator.

The NTSC NTC-7generated signal on the even channel 2 is used to determine correct Domestic receiver video levels. This channel is set up at the simulator for 10.75 MHz peak/ 21. 5 MHz peak to peak deviation. This is equal to a level·· of 100· IRE video level on the waveform monitor.

European receiver make use of a different channel and video generator. A PAL gene.rator provides PAL color bars which are used to calibrate the video levels on International receivers.

D) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: Another critical measurement, frequency re.sponse determines the overall video quality throughout the frequency range of the video signal. The use of a 100 IRE multiburst signal is used on domestic product to determine if the receiver is within the specified parameters.

The Video conditioners in the satellite simulator are calibrated to the 100 IRE Multiburst signal. Since the conditioner premphasizes the signal, it

must be calibrated to a reference demphasis network. The satellite receiver also has a demphasis circuit which is checked for performance during the frequency response test.

PAL frequency response measurements are done on a different channel off the simulator. This signal is also calibrates the video conditioner in the simulator through a reference Allen .Avionics PAL demphasis network.

E) AUDIO SUBCARRIERS: These signal can start as audio tones, music or even Laser Disc audio. The audio tones and music must be premphasized before being modulated at subcarrier frequencies. The source of the audio signals are from a compact disc player, Laser disc player and tone/subcarrier generators.

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The music signals are sent through a premphasis network and then onward to the subcarrier generator. The subcarriers are selected and sent at the proper levels to the Video conditioner box.

The satellite receiver must be able to lock onto these subcarrier signals and produce clear and distortion free audio. Tones are used to primary check receiver audio amplitude and separation. The music and laser audio is used for the audio quality check.

The simulator has several channels containing CD music for both NTSC and PAL audio tests. The satellite simulator is also set up to check filter performance on PAL receivers by using tones.

F) PERFORMANCE: The performance of the NTSC or PAL receivers is directly related to the configuration of the satellite simulator. The tester expects a certain level of performance on cert.ain channels when testing the receiver. Some channels contain Color Bar video signals and CD audio or Laser Disc video and Laser audio. The combination of these signals is evaluated by the tester through the range of channels to determine the receivers overall performance.

On International receivers higher frequency channels are used to confirm the tuner performance. Channel 22 (1800 MHz) and Channel 17 (1700 MHz) are used.

FUNCTIONALITY:

The simulator is broken down into three parts:

1) signal Generation

2) Modulation

3) Processing and output

SIGNAL GENERATION:

Signal generation for video is pattern generators or laser disc video. Signal generation for audio is tones or music.

Below are listed the signal generation sources for video with audio on the satellite simulator.

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FLEXTRACKER SIMULATOR VIDEO AND AUDIO SOURGES

VIDEO SOURGES

AUDIO SOURCES

1) NTSC COLOR BARS
2) NTSC NTC-7
3) NTSC LASER DISC
4) NTSC MULT I BURST 100 IRE
5) PAL D2MAC
6) PAL COLOR BARS
7) PAL LASER DISC NTSC CD AUDIO L & R

400 Hz & 1 KHz TONES

NTSC LASER AUDIO L & R

DISC

NO AUDIO

D2MAC

400 Hz & 1 KHz TONES

LASER DISC AUDIO L & R

8) PAL MULTIBURST

PAL CD AUDIO L & R

VIDEO FUNCTION:

The video .6ignal is sent from the NTSC, DMAC or PAL video generator through a patch panel directly to the Westek conditioner on the video loop connection. The video signal is terminated at the video loop connection by the 75 ohm termination switch.

Each Westek conditioner carries one type of video signal. The conditioner has many responsibilities when processing the video. First the conditioner must be set up to process either a PAL or NTSC video signal. This is done by a switch in the front of the conditioner.

Next the signal is premphasized. This switch is also in front of the conditioner and must always be in the on position. The premphasis of the video signal is important because higher frequency signals, which are very close together , can be lost during transmission during uplinking to the satellite and back down to earth.

The process of premphasizing the video signal is required for proper frequency response at the satellite receiver. The satellite receiver demphasizes this signal as a end results producing a flat respon~e video signal. so, in perspective the video signal going through the conditioner acts similar to what needs to occur before the satellite uplinking process.

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Another role of the conditioner is inverting the video or noinverting the video. KU signals and representative PAL signals often require inverting the video. This inversion occurs at the video conditioner and is seen at the receiver un-noticed. The satellite receiver defaults to the inverted signal due to the internal programming.

For example when e.xiting the main test menu on a 8700 International receiver, the software defaults to configure itself around the simulator channel setup, including inverted channels.

A final stage in the path of video in the conditioner is the EOS signal or Engery Dispersal Signal. This signal, which is derived from the sync off the video in the form of a triangle wave , is reinserted onto the video output out of the conditioner.

The EDS signal causes the video to fluctuate due to the triangle shape of the Two field signal. This is done to prevent interference to cellular transmissions. Because of the variation of the video signal, the cellular transmission can not be interfered with.

The constant shifting the video signal prevents this common interference . As a end result, the baseband filter in the satellite receiver returns this triangular shaped and sometimes jittering baseband video to it's original ~tate.

The audio subcarriers are mixed with the vide.o signal and then sent out on the video output of the conditioner. This signal is then sent through the patch panel and upward to the video source input of the satellite simulator. This is just one of 8 sources that the satellite simulator can be set up to.

AUDIO SOURCE AND MODULATION:

The origin of the audio signal can come form a variety of devices such as the CD player. This signal must be controlled by a reference test disc since the amplitude of the music is in a always changing state. A reference SONY test disc is used to calibrate the output of the left and right sides of the CD player. Attenuation is used to maintain a 1 Vpp signal on both sides.

The calibrated 1 KHz signal at 1 Vpp is sent directly to a custom made. premphasis box. This box will accept both left and right audio signals. As wi ththe video the higher frequencies of any audio signal can be lost during transmission.

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To prevent this the audio signals are premphasized. The premphasis box is swept using signals ranging from 100 Hz at a dB to 25 KHz ( the audible range of hearing). This is important in that any clipping of the sine wave is compensated for through the premphasis box adju.stments through the frequency ranges for both left and right audio signals.

The maximum output signal of 2 Vpp at 20 KHz is then sent to the input of the 2 leader generators. The leader generators are adjusted to a constant signal for modulation at 90 KHz for both left and right signals. This signal is then internally modulated at a selected subcarrier frequency. for this example 6.8 MHz for left and 6.2 MHz will be selected. This modulated subcarriers contains all of the audio sine wave intelligence which rides on the 6.8MHz carrier.

The gain setting is the last phase the subcarrier is sent through. This is normally set up during subcarrier calibration. The subcarrier output of the leader generator is sent thorough a splitter ( to be used on PAL) and sent through the patch panel providing a SCl and SC2 input at the conditioner.

The Westek cond it ioner accepts both suhcarr ier inputs and sends them through separate gain controllable circuits at which they are then mixed with the video signal after.

The gain circuit can become a valuable adjustment if the leader generator gain adj.ustments do not work , or if there is not fine tuning capability on the leader subcarrier adjustment. Again, this is done during Frequency and level calibrations and should be taken into consideration.

The end result of the conditioner is the video output which contains both the video and audio information. As mentioned before, this signal is sent through the patch panel and onward to the satellite simulator video source input.

PROCESSING AND OUTPUT:

The simulator processes the mixed a.udio and video signals sources onto the selected 16 channels. The two outputs of the simulator provides 12 odd channels and 4 even channel.

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The microprocessor in the satellite simulator can be programmed to accept one of 8 sources for any of the 16 modulator cards. The configuration of the flextronics simulator has been documented and the simulator has been programmed. The features of the satellite simulator are listed below:

1) security entry codes: Code is required for any changes to the simulator. This is important if other non-related personnel happen to touch the satellite simulator. 5325 is the normal code used to access the processor controls.

2) Controls: Once into the microprocessor, you are allowed to select any frequency from 900 to 2 GHz to set up a modulator card. The microprocessor has been programmed with many Video source options which should match the actual video signals available.

The microprocessor requires frequency information, video source information, including the name of the signal, and finally accepts it to the selected modulator card if all the information is correct.

The system then can be updated to IIlockl! on to the request. Since this is a frequency synthesized system there is little room for drifting or error when the frequency locks.

3) Adjustments: When the modulator card and video source have been selected, the adjustments can be done. These adjustments are Carrier to noise - LEVEL and video levelDEVIATION. We do not ever want to try to adjust the FLATNESS pot on the modulator card. This adjustment has been made at the factory under strict quality controls.

4) TUNER REFERENCE: It's like having a satellite receiver built into the simulator. The Tuner module, under RX in the program mode, can be set-up to display the output of the programmed modulator card. This is done by accessing the tuner module and punching in the frequency.

The 480 MHz output of the tuner module is used to calibrate the C/N to a power meter and Deviation to a spectrum analyzer. The various other functions of the tuner module allow the user to select the odd or even bus output of the simulator at 480 MHz or even switch to PAL or NTSC formats on the video output.

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5) NOISE CARD: As we already know, noise is only on the odd channels, but where did it come from? It's introduced to the odd channels by the noise card. This noise most closely matches the noise as if the transmission was taking place from the uplink to the downlink and off the LNB on the satellite dish. It is a very important part of testing the satellite receivers.

6) TI CARDS: During an installation of satellite dish there could be some interference from Macom C-band transmission towers. We provide TI filters in some of our IRD/s. In order to test these filters, the satellite simulator is set-up with CW carriers which are located at 10 MHz before and after the set channel. This most closely simulates the interference of terrestrial interference.

7) OUTPUT: The satellite simulator provides two outputs at 900 - 2 GHz. These outputs are the odd bus and even bus. The output. of the satellite simulator is then sent through a distribution network to the test benches. Finally the satellite receiver tuner is attached to both outputs of the s imula tor to test the sate 11 i te receivers.