Power Protection For Broadcast: The Power Behind DTV Conversion

Power Protection For Broadcast
The power behind DTV conversion

Application Note
The Challenge Guarantee maximum uptime as station managers design and implement a Digital TV system that meets FCC deadline The Solution A power protection and management solution to eliminate powerrelated risks to system availability Why Powerware? Proven technology used for the most business-, life- and missioncritical applications for 40 years; expertise in maximizing uptime at broadcast facilities throughout the world; technology specifically designed to protect transmitters. Key Business Benefits Cost savings due to efficient system operation Improved customer relationships resulting from zero downtime Ability to tailor a solution to a specific facilitys needs Ability to design a power system that enables you to pay as you go without penalty As you prepare for the approaching FCCmandated deadline for DTV conversion, there are many factors that can have an impact on whether the transition is smooth and effective. In designing your conversion plans, you must not only determine the need for translators, digital production equipment and the size and power of the digital transmitters, but you must also ensure the uninterrupted operation of these systems.
The risks of power

The needs and expectations of the public audience are growing, and the ever-increasing demand for information, coupled with a rising viewer reliance on TV, make service interruptions especially unacceptable. Anything that poses a risk to any of your critical applications must be dealt with proactively, with a system designed to prevent any risks to uptime. An integral part of any business continuity plan is power protection and management. The station today is more sensitive to power disturbances like surges, sags, noise, outages as the equipment migrates to PCbased digital devices. These power disturbances can cause damage to transmitters and production equipment, loss of digital data and video feeds, and ultimately, going off the air. This can result in losing viewers to competing stations and a negative viewer perception of service reliability. If your power fails, the transmission shuts down and television screens go blank. It only takes minutes of downtime to have a significant impact on the effective operation of your broadcast facility. Downtime can quickly escalate into a financial crisis due to lost ad revenue, idle employees and frustrated viewers. The right power solution depends on a variety of details, including transmitter size and power, transmission consolidation, and whether the upgrade includes master control, digital encoders and decoders, and what level of protection each part requires. You consider several issues when selecting a power solution, including asingle
point-of-failure that establishes the potential for system downtime by creating one place in the system that, if it fails, brings the entire power system down and causes a loss of the critical load. There can be multiple points-of-failure in a poorly designed system; the optimal solution is a well thought-out system that has no single point upon which the entire system relies. The key points to remember about a single point-offailure are: Redundancy of both modules and key components is critical to protecting against a single point-of-failure bringing a system down Many redundant UPS systems introduce a new system-level single point-of-failure, such as communication wiring and common controls for load sharing and selective tripping, which can defeat the purpose of having a redundant system in the first place (This means that if the communications or common controls are com promised in any way, the entire system goes down, dropping the critical load) The most reliable system is a redundant one in which there is no system-level single point of failure, and in which the UPS modules have redundancy of key components, such as fans and power supplies (It is imperative to closely
examine any redundant design for any shared functions that can be the Achilles heal of the system) Efficiency is a factor in the overall cost of ownership of a UPS and ancillary equipment, and it is always a balancing act between reliability and efficiency (It is a good rule of thumb to look for a double-conversion online UPS with an efficiency of 91-94% Upgradeability is another factor in both costsavings and convenience, as many station managers plan for station growth and want to be able to add power capability as their needs change - many transformers have an upgrade path and the UPS should be able to mirror that growth without risking the initial investment The right power management solution must be able to handle all of these events without any interruption of transmitter and production facility operation.
The DTV challenge

With the conversion to DTV, you are facing a much more complex challenge than just selecting a transmitter and sending out a signal. You are responsible for managing assets, signals, and systems that converge with telecommunication and computing technologies, protocols, and standards. Myriad systems, both legacy analog applications and new digital ones, must integrate into a cohesive solution that delivers: Reliable transmission to prevent blank screens Encoding and decoding for the smooth transmission of audio and video signals throughout the facility Networking for real-time delivery of broadcast-quality content over private or public networks Monitoring/testing to ensure integrity of signal Centralization of multi-channel enterprises to realize economies of scale and to leverage resources Integration of analog and legacy systems Management of all broadcast facilities and networks for failure prevention During the changeover both legacy and digital systems must be managed.
A typical broadcast production facility will require between 100 and 500 kVA of power. Depending on the setup of the facility, you can opt for either a centralized UPS for a single point-of-control, or distributed UPSs protecting each piece of equipment. There are benefits and drawbacks to each option. If you opt for the centralized solution, your UPS must be the most reliable design available, including redundant components within the unit. To further ensure system availability, you should consider redundant UPS modules to guarantee protection in the event that one of the UPS goes offline. Using a distributed solution means you have more units to manage and monitor, so it is imperative that you have an intelligent power management software program to ensure that your critical equipment is always protected.
Eliminating risks from power anomalies

The best way to successfully mitigate the damaging effects of power anomalies is with the right UPS, plus any ancillary power train products. UPSs come in a wide variety of designs and topologies. How do you know which is right for your needs? Given the critical nature of a broadcast application, and the need for maximum transmission uptime, the following are some fundamental features to look for when designing the power infrastructure of your DTV conversion: Double conversion online design to ensure perfect power for sensitive digital equipment Redundant UPS systems that do not introduce a system-level single point-of-failure High power density (high kVA per square foot) to save on premium facility space Additional power train equipment, including generators, static transfer switches, TVSS, and power distribution, that integrate with your UPS and are managed from a single interface Efficient UPS operation for cost savings Remote management and monitoring capability
Powering the broadcast facility

The conversion to DTV presents an opportunity to analyze not only the power needs at the transmitter, but the power requirements throughout the production facility as well. Over the years, the digitization of broadcast equipment has changed the way in which power is utilized, often meaning that pristine, nonstop power is essential. There are many pieces of equipment that must be operating for a broadcast to proceed in an uninterrupted manner, including: Master control switcher Microwave transmitter gear Video cameras Microphones Distribution amplifiers Editors Servers
The Powerware solution for broadcast facilities

Powerwares solutions for broadcast facilities address the fundamental issues of constant uptime, low cost of ownership and growth without penalty. By offering a consistent level of quality and reliability across power ranges, Powerware delivers: Solutions sized to meet the needs of any transmission site, studio or other critical operations Optional heavy-duty static switch operation specifically designed to eliminate risks from crowbar events and other transmitter-specific power problems, mitigating the need to over size the UPS Ability to upgrade the UPS to support additional equipment and/or a larger transmitter Local, remote and network monitoring capability Redundancy with Powerware Hot Sync, our patented technology which eliminates a system-level single point-of-failure Redundant components within the UPS modules to reduce potential for module failure World-class, around-the-clock service by Powerware service personnel with the broadest coverage available in the industry 40 years experience in maximizing uptime for critical systems, from 300 VA to >1000 kVA Powerware offers a wide range of power solutions for a variety of critical applications, including the industrial, healthcare, IT, government, and pharmaceutical industries.
Crowbar event
Crowbar events happen inside of the inductive output tubes (IOTs) housed in the transmitter. These sensitive, fragile tubes are very expensive, often costing up to $25,000 each. They draw excessive current for operation, which can create a short inside the tube. To protect the tube from being damaged, they have a crowbar circuit to discharge the current in the form a short. The transmitters crowbar circuit immediately switches off AC power to that amplifiers high voltage DC power supply when it is fired. At the same time, it places a short circuit (2000 3000 A) on the DC supply to instantly discharge the high voltage filter capacitors. Typically, there will be crowbar firings during transmitter checkout and initial operation right after installation, and when the IOT is failing at the end of its life cycle. It has been reported that some IOTs have triggered repetitive crowbar firings until the IOT has settled in on new installations. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the duty cycle of a crowbar event, which is approximately three seconds between the time the crowbar fires and the amplifier cabinets logic circuit resets and turns the HV supply on again. IOTs require 480 V, three phase input, and typically require about 100 kVA of power per tube. A UPS protecting IOTs must be able to switch to bypass fast enough to avoid the 3000 A short, and then to bring itself back online once the slow-blow fuses between the UPS and the IOT have dissipated the short.
Heavy-Duty Static Switch Powerware has developed a heavy-duty static switch specifically to handle the crowbar events that frequently occur in digital broadcast transmitters. This protects the UPS from being damaged by the high-voltage short, enabling it to continually operate, regardless of IOT crowbar firings. The Powerware heavy-duty static switch is available as an option with the Powerware 9315 family of UPS, from 50 4000kVA.
Protecting the transmitter

WPBF-TV Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Success Story
WPBF-TV Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Vertical Market: Broadcasting Application: Transmitter protection Challenge: Protecting IOT transmitter against power fluctuations Solution: Powerware 9315 solution (500kVA) UPS to provide nonstop, clean power and maximum uptime Benefits: Longer transmitter tube life because of consistent voltage across all three phases Challenge Clifford Thomas, Director of Technical Operations for WPBF-TV, an ABC affiliate operated by Hearst-Argyle Television in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, needed to add an IOT transmitter in 1998, but with the FCC-mandated conversion to DTV looming, he needed to plan for future capacity as well. Because the transmitters were in a remote location, they were subject to power fluctuations, and Thomas needed a solution that could provide consistent power, plus tolerate crowbar events. As one of the first facilities to install a UPS for an IOT transmitter, Thomas faced many unknowns, particularly the effect of a crowbar event on a UPS. He chose a Powerware 9315 solution (500 kVA) UPS to provide nonstop, clean power and maximum uptime. He then worked with Powerware to develop a way for the UPS to handle crowbar events without putting the UPS, and transmitter operation, at risk. Solution It became obvious that the UPS needed to be able to quickly sense a crowbar event and instantly switch the unit to bypass. Accomplishing that was as simple as changing bypass relays and software operating parameters so that the UPS would go to bypass more quickly until the crowbar event had passed. The Powerware 9315 was installed in 1998 and currently supports four transmitters, including a digital transmitter that was installed in 2001. The unit has been working successfully, mitigating crowbar events and ensuring there are no blank screens due to power problems.
Benefits Having the UPS contributes to a longer transmitter tube life because of consistent voltage across all three phases. It is also perfect for short outages, saving the generator for the event of an extended outage. In broadcasting, we need to be sure that we have power all the time, regardless of power fluctuations and inevitable crowbar events, said Thomas. Powerwares quick response to our specific needs has helped eliminate power as a threat to our operations. The proof is in the way the UPS has performed for the past five years.
Powerware
WORLDWIDE HEADQUARTERS 8609 Six Forks Road Raleigh, NC 27615 U.S.A. Toll Free: 1.800.356.5794 or 919.872.3020 www.powerware.com CANADA Ontario: 416.798.0112 COR04AN
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Power Protection For Broadcast

The power behind DTV conversion

The risks of power

The DTV challenge

Eliminating risks from power anomalies

Powering the broadcast facility

The Powerware solution for broadcast facilities

Protecting the transmitter

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