solution for the transmission of text-based-ticker-
information.
SES shareholders approve 1996 accounts
The shareholders of Societe Europeenne des Satellites
(SES) at their Annual General Meeting approved the 1996
accounts. Reflecting a strong demand for transponder
capacity by its customers, SES sales revenues reached LF
14,062m in 1996, an increase of 37% over the previous year.
This substantial growth is due to the additional revenues
realised from the commencement of operations of ASTRA 1E and
1F during the year.
Total expenditures increased by 29%, mostly as a result
of increases in depreciation, satellite insurance and
interest charges. Taxes and franchise fees amounted to LF
2,065m, making the company one of the important contributors
to the Luxembourg state's revenues.
The solid growth in revenues has allowed the company to
improve its financial performance. For the year 1996,
profits reached LF 4,796m compared to LF 2,878m in the
previous year and LF 3,991m in 1994.
This performance enables the company to carry out
investments for additional satellites and ground equipment,
amounting to LF 13,297m in 1996.
Digital Video Broadcasting Project
At a recent meeting of the steering Board of the world-
wide Digital Video Broadcasting Project, DVB announced they
will incorporate High Definition Television as a future
application of digital video broadcasting. This summer a DVB
specification will be available which describes how to use
DVB standards to broadcast HDTV services in "50-Hz"
countries as well as in "60-Hz" countries.
Until now the DVB Project has focused on Standard
Definition (SDTV ) to Enhanced Definition (EDTV) image
quality levels, in response to the existing commercial
priorities identified by its members. Now, the DVB
Project's decision is to widen the range of recommended
image-quality levels to include HDTV.
The `Main Profile at High Level' (MPHL) option of the
MPEG-2 compression toolbox has been selected for this
purpose. Thus, a range of HDTV picture formats may be
selected by the broadcaster, including those now finding
favour in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
and Digital Audio-Visual Council (DAVIC).
In response to rising demand from many parts of the
world where DVB is being broadcast today, DVB- HDTV was
defined for both 50- and 60-Hz countries. This will enable
broadcasters to use the DVB standards to broadcast HDTV
images and sound, in any country.
Integral Systems To Provide Shinawatra
Integral Systems Inc has signed a contract with
Shinawatra Satellite Public Co Ltd in Thailand to provide a
backup satellite control facility for the Thaicom 2 and 3
satellites. The system features a control centre based on
Integral's EPOCH 2000 product line for satellite command and
control and in the future the system will be able to be
upgraded to support the other satellites in the Thaicom
fleet. Once the system has been installed it will provide
all monitoring and control functions for the satellites and
the ground equipment.
Groupe AB Reports Fire at AB Sat Facility
Groupe AB Sat premises were partially damaged by a fire
which broke out this week Transmission from the AB Sat
digital DTH service was temporarily halted.
AB Sat's digital transmission equipment and tape
storage facility were undamaged by the fire, although the
satellite uplink facility sustained minor damage and will
have to be repaired.
All personnel were safely evacuated from the building.
Four employees were hospitalised for smoke inhalation and
have since been released.
COM DEV announcement
COM DEV International Ltd.'s has signed two
contracts worth a total of $5.5 million with Matra Marconi
Space UK Ltd. (MMS). Under the contracts COM DEV will
provide input and output switch assemblies, multiplexers and
ancillary equipment for the INTELSAT K-TV satellite and the
ASTRA 2B satellite.
MMS was contracted by INTELSAT of Washington, D.C., to
build the INTELSAT K-TV satellite, a high-powered, Ku-band
spacecraft which will be stationed for use in the Asia-
Pacific region. MMS is building the ASTRA 2B digital
broadcast satellite for the Societe Europeene des Satellites
(SES).
The INTELSAT K-TV satellite is designed to meet the
growing demand for direct-to-home video and multimedia
applications and is capable of carrying up to 210 channels
via digital compression. The spacecraft is to be delivered
in late 1998.
The typical commercial communications satellite
contains 150-200 microwave switches, which are critical to
the performance of a satellite. They provide low-loss
routing of communications traffic and redirect signals to a
backup system if the primary system fails. The satellite's
input multiplexers takes the received broadband signal from
the ground and separates it for enhancement and eventual
return to ground stations.
Upcoming Launches
" Check our web site for current listings of 1997
launches.
" Click on "Launch Info".
Next Delta Launch Next Ariane Launch
THOR 2A -- May 9, 1997 PAS-6 --May 13, 1997
New files and documents at our WebStand
1 DVB News International Vol. 2 No 3
1 PBS April programming schedule
1 PBS Weekly Previews
1 A&E April Prime Time schedule
In Brief
" TCI Satellite Entertainment, one of the partners in
PRIMESTAR, announced that it received more than 34,000 calls
last weekend from customers inquiring about the "Big
Switch", with over 40 percent upgrading to new packages or
adding new services.
" The launch of a US communications satellite Faisat-2V,
which was originally planned to be launched on a Russian
booster rocket on April 17, has been postponed for three
months.
" Rantec Microwave & Electronics Inc. will provide relay
antennas for the Iridium system.
" Primestar announced that its planned service expansion
successfully occurred upgrading Primestar's 1.8 million
customers from 95 channels to 150.
" Bloomberg Television officially launched an Italian
version of its satellite news channel. The channel, which
began broadcasting in January and will increase to 24-hour
coverage next month, was developed in collaboration with
leading Italian wire service Ansa, and is distributed as
part of the digital bouquet of national pay cable operator
Telepiu.
" Knowledge TV, formally MEU, will be carried by the
French digital satellite television service TPS beginning
next month.
" DIRECTV, Inc. has named Larry Hunter senior vice
president, Business Affairs and General Counsel, for its
DIRECTV satellite television entertainment service. Hunter,
who was senior vice president and general counsel at DIRECTV
International Inc., will have responsibility for legal
affairs for DIRECTV and reports to President Eddy
Hartenstein. Hunter succeeds Steve Cox, who has transferred
to the recently formed Strategic Initiatives organisation of
DIRECTV.
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MAY NOT be republished or redistributed without the prior
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Satellite Journal Weekly--a news journal for
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