PBS Satellite Service

PBS Satellite Service (also known as the PBS National Program Service; formerly known as PBS Schedule X in Eastern Time, with the West Coast delay signal designated PBS-XP) are feeds relayed from PBS by satellite. The service was launched in September 1978.[1] The service provides a mixed variety of programming selected from PBS's regular network services. In the X/XP years a satellite feed was multicast by some PBS member stations on an over-the-air DTV sub-channel along with their regular programming, or during overnight hours on their main channel to provide a second opportunity for viewers to watch or record primetime programming. PBS currently utilizes two transponders on the AMC-21 satellite. Transponder 24 is a MCPC (multiple channel per carrier) which currently has seven channels uplinked from the PBS NOC (Network Operations Center) in Alexandria, VA.[2] Transponder 23 utilizes four SCPC (Single channel per carrier) feeds which are shared amongst different affiliates across the country at various times.[2]

As of 2020, the PBS satellite feeds can be received unscrambled using a free-to-air satellite receiver set to these coordinates:

Currently, select stations broadcast the feed, usually overnight, like KGTF (PBS Guam, broadcasts most of the channel as a localised feed). The channel is also available over satellite providers like DirecTV (Channel 389). PBS stations provide all of their channels free to TV providers who do not receive local channels.

Slowly, PBS has begun to phase out a few of their satellite feeds. In 2016, PBS discontinued their 'Schedule SD01' Ku band feed on AMC-21. On March 4, 2019, PBS's C-Band feed on SES 3 (103°W) was discontinued.[5] In 2019, PBS discontinued their NRT (non-real-time) file-based transponder on AMC-21. On November 13, 2019, PBS discontinued their 'Schedule SD07' Ku band feed on AMC-21, which was uplinked from SCETV in Columbia, South Carolina. PBS is currently transitioning to a fiber based network, known as sIX, and is expected to begin "Stage 2" of deployment of sIX by the end of 2020.[6] The original end date for the PBS Satellite Service was slated for 2016, but was later pushed to 2018, then pushed again to the beginning of 2021. According to KNME (New Mexico PBS), "99% of Public Television Stations have successfully implemented sIX functionality".[7] PBS, however, has expressed that they will continue to lease transponder space for live and near-live programs, such as the PBS NewsHour; PBS will also continue to lease transponder space in the event their sIX system suddenly fails or experiences an outage.[8] As of January 2021, all of PBS's feeds are still active and are expected to remain active through at least the middle of 2021.

History

Starting in the early 1970s, PBS had been distributing programs via telephone lines from AT&T.[9] According to PBS, the use of telephone lines to deliver programming was "incapable of producing high-fidelity sound," so they started to look for an alternate method of distributing via satellite.[10] At the time, which was during the mid-1970s, PBS utilized what was knows as DATE (Digital Audio for TElevision) to transmit stereo audio; however, according to PBS, it was never widely adopted due to "high cost".[11] In September 1978, PBS made programming available via satellite for the first time.[1] PBS utilized four transponders on the Westar 1 satellite to deliver programing. In April 1988, PBS began encoding programs with VideoCipher II, which not only allowed for stereo audio (something PBS had been trying to accomplish,) but also enables multi-channel audio for services such as Descriptive Video Service or for a Secondary Audio Program.[12] The feeds for PBS were usually broadcast in a "fixed key" mode (usually 0000,) which allowed anyone with a VideoCipher II receiver to be able to receive these feeds.[13] PBS would encrypt the feeds anytime they aired what they referred to as "private communications," which include teleconferences and previews of programs that they haven't yet received broadcast rights for.[11] In 1994, with the launch of the Ku-Band feeds, PBS began encoding their feeds with DigiCipher I; PBS later switched to DigiCipher II in 1996.[14] PBS made the switch to DVB-S MPEG-2 starting in 2006. In 2012, PBS began encoding their feeds in the DVB-S2 MPEG-4 codec. This is the current codec PBS uses for their feeds, with the exception of SD05 and SD06, which are still using the DVB-S MPEG-2 codec.

From 1978 until 1994, PBS distributed its content via C-Band (first on Westar 1 from 1978-1982, Westar II from 1982-January 3rd, 1991, Spacenet 1 from January 3rd, 1991-July 18th, 1992, and Spacenet IV from July 18th, 1992-February 5th, 1994); on February 5th, 1994, which the launch of Telstar 401, PBS switched its primary feeds to Ku band. With the failure of Telstar 401 on January 11th, 1997, PBS temporarily moved their feeds to Telstar 402R.[15] Later, PBS moved their feeds to AMC-3 (GE-3) at 87°W, where they resided until 2008, when the feeds moved to AMC-21 at 125°W, where they currently reside.[16]

Channels

The channels currently available via Ku-Band satellite are as follows (Lyngsat):

  • Schedule HD05[note 2] (Shared feed; SCPC)
  • Schedule SD05[note 1] (Shared feed; SCPC)
  • Schedule SD06[note 1] (Shared feed; SCPC)


Discontinued Feeds:


  1. In Standard-Definition.
  2. In High-Definition.

PBS's satellite feeds utilize the national PBS logo.

Scheduling

Throughout much of their history on satellite, PBS utilized four transponders corresponding to a different "Schedule," namely 'Schedule A,' 'Schedule B,' 'Schedule C,' and 'Schedule D'. Starting around 1988, PBS would begin displaying a on-screen schedule on their feeds; this was in response to confusion and concerns from home dish users concerning schedule availability.[17] PBS would later drop this practice starting around 1996. In 1997, PBS would rename their feeds with the prefix "50-" (Schedule 501, 502, etc.).

In 2008, with the transition to HD, PBS launched feeds HD01-HD04, along with feeds SD01-SD07 (SD01, SD03, and SD07 are now defunct). The 'Schedule 501-504,' 511, 512, and 513 feeds were discontinued on February 11, 2009. In June 2013, PBS launched their HD05 feed.[18]

Overview

The PBS Satellite Service is freely and nationally available from the designated Ku broadcast satellites using free-to-air satellite dishes as small as 30 inches, though a bigger dish (at least 1 meter) is needed to receive the SCPC feeds. The five 'Schedule' feeds (HD03, HD04, HD05, SD05, SD06) broadcast different programs at various times throughout the day, with weekends and late night hours usually having no feeds. Some program feeds are only temporary and are usually not consistent. PBS will usually feed programs a few days to as long as a few weeks in advance. The SD05 and SD06 feeds are rarely utilized, usually showing a test pattern for the whole day.

When no program is being fed, the channels will broadcast a slate displaying the name (e.g. Schedule HD03) and the time & date (both Eastern and Pacific time are shown).

HD03 is uplinked from the PBS NOC 24/7 and uplinks programs from PBS as well as APT. This feed mostly includes soft feeds, pre-feeds, and until January 2020, promo reels. HD04 is uplinked from various sites as well as the PBS NOC and includes programs from the National Educational Telecommunications Association, or NETA. This feed is the feed used solely for affiliate uplinks, with the exception of a few programs on HD05, usually from KNME. HD05, like HD04, is occasionally uplinked from various sites and the PBS NOC. Pledge feeds are usually uplinked on this feed as well during pledge season. This feed is usually referred to as a "specialty" feed due to the feeding of pledge programs on this feed. PBS content is less likely to air on HD04 due to the amount of other programs fed by different uplinks, though PBS programming is more likely to air on HD05 than HD04.

Various Videos of the Service

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTvdHsI3VzY (PBS-X, 1994; PBS ident with a schedule of programs and a looped message reading, "On this transponder, you'll find programs from the PBS National Program Service and programs from other Public TV distributors as well.")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phF2IsbBt84 (Schedule B, May 10, 1990; electronic programming guide showing a schedule for part of the current day's programs)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0peKirF1SI (PBS-X, 1995; 5-second indent saying, "You're watching PBS. Viewer supported public television.")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwiCfrngm-Q (HD01, 2018; PBS Promos before Mr. Rogers Neighborhood)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF2DCyBd18c (2001; PBS Kids promos before PBS Newshour)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZWZe9M9x08 (2001; During 9/11 PBS Kids promos before Zoom)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K6YiPSEsvU (2001; During 9/11 Newshour credits before PBS Kids)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps9w_Q8POfo (Schedule HD03, July 06, 2016; Test Pattern and slate before Charlie Rose; this is the current layout.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE1mmx8US8A (Schedule SD01, July 01, 2016)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S80WKV67sY (Schedule B, March 17, 1992; EPG showing the day's programs)

See also

PBS HD Channel

  1. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stampPDF/getPDF.jsp?tp=&arnumber=8964629&ref=
  2. http://bento.cdn.pbs.org/hostedbento-prod/filer_public/PBS_About/Producing/Red%20Book/tos%202013%20pt3%20satellite%20uplinks%2010_18_13.pdf
  3. "Lyngsat - AMC 21 at 124.9°W". Lyngsat.com. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  4. "Lyngsat - SES 2 at 87.0°W". Lyngsat.com. Retrieved 2018-12-08.
  5. https://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/its-official-pbs-sunset-march-4th-2019.380902/
  6. https://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/pbs-opens-request-for-information-process-for-public-televisions-interconnection-system/
  7. https://www.newmexicopbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TV5-2096-A-LCS-Report-2019-final.pdf
  8. https://www.cpb.org/files/reports/CPB_Interconnection-Cognizant_Assessment_Report.pdf
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/1976/06/19/archives/pbs-will-extend-satellite-tv-use-signs-contract-with-western-union.html
  10. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=NCZ6HuhTAcoC&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA150
  11. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=-588b96vr3gC&pg=GBS.PA90
  12. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=-588b96vr3gC&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA89
  13. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=XQQd_RJEPgQC&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA14
  14. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7268328
  15. https://current.org/wp-content/uploads/archive-site/tech/tech701s.html
  16. https://web.archive.org/web/20081217041653/http://www.lyngsat.com/amc21.html
  17. https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=NCZ6HuhTAcoC&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA157
  18. http://pbs.bento.storage.s3.amazonaws.com/hostedbento-prod/filer_public/TechCon2014/TC14%20Presentations/VECCHI_OPENING%20CEREMONIES_V21.pdf
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