LAS VEGAS
(click thumbnail)Victor Tawil, senior vice president of MSTVAt NAB2007 this week, Victor Tawil, senior vice president of the Association of Maximum Service Television (MSTV) will receive the 2007 NAB Engineering Achievement Award.
The award, to be presented at the NAB Technology Luncheon sponsored by Samsung on Wednesday, April 18, recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions in the broadcast engineering profession.
Prior to joining MSTV in 1987, Tawil worked for 14 years at the FCC in the Office of Science and Technology where he specialized in spectrum management, tropospheric propagation, and system engineering. He holds graduate degrees in electrical engineering and bio med from the University of Rochester and has expertise in RF spectrum management, broadcasting, satellite, wireless, and other new telecommunications services.
Founded 51 years ago, MSTV is a technical trade association comprised of commercial and public television stations, dedicated to preserving and enhancing the technical quality of television broadcast signals.
MSTV played a pivotal role in the introduction of DTV in the United States, testing of the Grand Alliance system, and the development of the DTV Table of Allotments. Today, MSTV is focused on new challenges, such as the possible introduction of unlicensed devices that will use the white spaces in the broadcast TV band.
In the following interview TV Technology talks with Victor about the challenges that lie ahead for broadcasters during the final two years of the DTV transition, and what MSTV will focus on once the transition is completed.
TV TECHNOLOGY: What are your goals for MSTV?
TAWIL: I was hired by MSTV 20 years ago to help implement a new advanced television service in the United States My goal is to finish this job. Those 20 years were full of challenges, accomplishments, and yes disappointments, but we accomplished a lot. Also, digital technology offers many opportunities for broadcasters and consumers, and I hope to help cement those new opportunities for our industry.
TV TECHNOLOGY: Why is the issue of unlicensed devices, using the white spaces in the broadcast spectrum such a pressing problem, and what are the ramifications for the TV industry if it is not resolved properly?
TAWIL: The white spaces issue is the most pressing interference issue our industry is facing since its inception. The best way to prevent interference in the TV band is not to introduce them in the TV band. However, if they are introduced, we have to make sure they do not cause interference with the incumbent users in these bands.
As to the ramifications, they are serious. Remember, interference from these devices is caused to television receivers, not broadcast transmitters. OTA viewers are the ones that will be affected.
The interference issue is not only a pretransition issue. In fact, the interference is even more problematic after the transition, since, unlike analog, where interference to an analog picture means a gradual degradation in the quality of the picture and sound, interference in the digital world means a total loss of the picture and sound.
The most serious interference case is, if the commission allows operation of personal portable devices in the TV bands. Proliferation of these "any place, anywhere" UDs poses a real interference risk to television and wireless mic reception.
TV TECHNOLOGY: What is MSTV advocating be done to solve the UD problem?
TAWIL: Allowing use of the white spaces for rural broadband service is the most practical, equitable, and sound public policy decision. This is because spectrum is readily available in rural areas and the need for broadband services is the greatest. It is the least disruptive solution for primary users of that band.
Specifically, we are proposing that the FCC only allow fixed broadband devices in the TV band--and by that we mean base stations and point-to-multipoint systems which would be used in a specific location, and so we would always know where they are operating. Next, we have to make sure these devices are properly installed, so they don't cause interference to TV reception.
It would also be beneficial to make sure these devices are licensed. You could license it to an operator, such as a wireless network provider, that would know where his customers are and their range of reception. So, if interference occurred, we could track down the source of the problem.
TV TECHNOLOGY: At a time when 75 percent of the U.S. population receives television via cable or satellite services (and increasingly, the Internet), why is it important for this nation to continue to provide OTA television?
TAWIL: We believe that OTA TV is the most effective way to entertain, educate and inform the public. It's also important because it's ubiquitous, local, and free. The only thing you have to do is to buy a TV set and turn it on. OTA television doesn't require signing up for a cable or satellite service. It is always there and guess what? It is "wireless."
And DTV will offer more programming choices free to the consumers.
OTA TV also provides the most direct and effective means of informing the public during national security and severe weather emergencies.
Even if the power goes out, there are TVs that can operate with batteries, and once we complete the transition, you'll see a lot of battery-operated DTV sets with smaller, flatter screens. So our job is to reacquaint the public with OTA television, and the latest ATSC technologies that potentially enable mobile transmission.
TV TECHNOLOGY: What challenges do we still face as an industry to ensure that all segments of the U.S. population can receive DTV economically over-the-air? What solutions are being implemented to guarantee free TV for all?
TAWIL: When we finally shut down analog stations on Feb. 17, 2009, we have to make sure that every OTA viewer has a digital-to-analog converter to enable their analog television sets to receive the digital signal.
The government's voucher program, to help off-set the cost of the converter, is a step in the right direction.
With the NAB, we co-funded development of a prototype D/A converter box and that effort was completed last year. Our goal was to develop a prototype that would be easy to install and use. The prototype we demonstrated could serve as a guide for manufacturers to build to.
We are pleased that the NTIA [National Telecommunications and Information Association] recently adopted most of the technical attributes, performance specs, and functionality of this prototype for their converter box program. The NTIA, which is a division of the U.S. Commerce Department, is in charge of running the subsidy program for the OTA converter boxes.
TV TECHNOLOGY: What are the biggest challenges that broadcasters still face with respect to having a smooth shut-off of analog stations on Feb. 17, 2009?
TAWIL: One of the biggest challenges that broadcasters face is educating the public about the DTV transition. Also, it's imperative that we as an industry be able to complete the buildout and conversion of our facilities to operate in only digital. That's quite a challenging job, especially for stations that are changing channels, or vacating channels 52 to 69. For stations that need to move to a lower channel in the TV band, that's going to require installing a new transmitting facility under time constraints.
TV TECHNOLOGY: Can you tell us about MSTV's Fall Conference and how it will be different this year? How do you keep the conference fresh and relevant?
TAWIL: As we move towards the Feb. 17, 2009 shut-off date, the most critical issue we have is to inform, coordinate, and exchange information between our members about the difficulties they'll be facing to complete that transition. Communication is the key to ensuring a successful transition, communication between broadcasters and the public, regulators, equipment suppliers, and our legislators. So, for our next two annual conferences, we intend to educate our members about any pressing issues that they will need to look at expeditiously to complete the transition.
Beyond that, it is our intention to look at emerging technologies that lie ahead. One such area is new mobile technologies within the existing TV channel. Two mobile systems are currently under development: one by Samsung and Rohde & Swartz, and the other by Harris and Zenith/LG. The industry should be complimented for the extraordinary efforts they have made during this transition especially considering the scope of the work involved.
