ASTRA Platform Services
Encyclopedia
ASTRA Platform Services GmbH (APS) is a sister company of SES Astra
, both are subsidiaries of SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg
. From its headquarters in Unterföhring
near Munich, Germany, APS operates a broadcasting centre, providing a wide range of services, including content management, playout
, encryption
, multiplexing
, satellite uplinks
and other digital TV media broadcast services for the broadcast industry.
APS distributes about 290 TV channels (including 37 in HD
), 42 radio channels, and 59 data services.
In December 2004, a requirement for regulatory approval from the German Federal Cartels Office (Bundeskartellamt
) meant that the deal was changed to 100% of DPC, to give SES sole ownership. DPC was later renamed to ASTRA Platform Services GmbH (APS).
, Tele 5
, 9Live
, and DMAX
, and most German HDTV channels, including those from Discovery, and Anixe.
APS's content management encompasses digitization of tape-based content, format conversion of video files, quality control, tape storage (now being superseded by digital storage), and a growing digital archive service with integrated digital asset management systems. APS uses the DIVArchive digital archiving system from Front Porch Digital with (as of mid 2009), over 1 PB capacity storing tens of thousands of hours of content. New material is added at the rate of about 1000-2000 hours per month. Although APS still provides videotape storage, this has reduced by more than half since digital archiving was introduced.
APS undertakes the preparation and playout of content from tape or digital files according to the customer's supplied schedule. APS provides customers with visual quality control, the incorporation of on-screen branding and graphics (in 2D or 3D), EPG data and expandable services that range from automatic small channel start-up systems to high-end systems with full-time monitoring and support.
Where needed, interactive services can also be provided to broadcasters, including HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV). APS also designs and develops broadcasters’ web pages. APS has developed the Blucom interactive TV-service that combines broadcasting and mobile technologies to offer services such as programme announcements, weather, lottery and sports results, and further programme information. Bluecom enables interaction such as voting, downloads, chats, and advertising. It also gives mobile phones the ability to stream live TV broadcasts. Blucom synchronizes TV content with the additional information in real-time. Content is sent to a set-top box via satellite, then to a mobile phone via Bluetooth, or directly to the mobile phone via UMTS/GPRS. The return channel operates from the viewer’s mobile via SMS
or UMTS/GPRS.
For pay-TV broadcasts, APS provides channel encryption for subscription and pay-per-view protection with Conax
, Cryptoworks
, Irdeto
, Nagravision
, and NDS
conditional access
systems using DVB simulcrypt operation for broadcasts using multiple conditional access systems in parallel, this being a common practice in "free-to-air"(FTA) satellite TV broadcast markets such as Germany. APS also provides Microsoft or Flash digital rights management for Internet streamed channels.
Although the majority of APS broadcasting traffic is digital television channels in SD or HD uplinked to the SES Astra satellites, APS can also distribute programming to mobiles as on-demand content, and as live or on-demand video over the Internet using Windows Media Player, Quicktime or Flash.
In April 2011, APS opened a new playout centre at its headquarters in Unterföhring to handle expansion of the company, and its client list. The new network operations centre is in a purpose-built new building with the latest technologies including air conditioning based on groundwater cooling, fully redundant power distribution system, and LED screens and LED room lighting in the master control room to minimise heat generation. The old premises are being retained as back-up facilities and the new centre is expected to cope with growth for the next five years.
SES Astra
Astra is the name for the geostationary communication satellites, both individually and as a group, which are owned and operated by SES S.A., a global satellite operator based in Betzdorf, in eastern Luxembourg. The name is sometimes also used to describe the channels broadcasting from these...
, both are subsidiaries of SES based in Betzdorf, Luxembourg
Betzdorf, Luxembourg
Betzdorf is a commune and village in eastern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Grevenmacher, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher. The commune's administrative centre is Berg....
. From its headquarters in Unterföhring
Unterföhring
Unterföhring is a municipality in the Upper Bavarian district Munich.-History:Before the establishment of Munich around 1158, an important crossing existed over the River Isar, the Föhringer Bridge. Unterföhring was mentioned in documents for the first time in 1180 as an independent place...
near Munich, Germany, APS operates a broadcasting centre, providing a wide range of services, including content management, playout
Playout
In broadcasting, playout is a term for the transmission of radio or TV channels from the broadcaster into broadcast networks that delivers the content to the audience...
, encryption
Encryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...
, multiplexing
Multiplexing
The multiplexed signal is transmitted over a communication channel, which may be a physical transmission medium. The multiplexing divides the capacity of the low-level communication channel into several higher-level logical channels, one for each message signal or data stream to be transferred...
, satellite uplinks
Uplink
A telecommunications link is generally one of several types of information transmission paths such as those provided by communication satellites to connect two points on earth.-Uplink:...
and other digital TV media broadcast services for the broadcast industry.
APS distributes about 290 TV channels (including 37 in HD
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
), 42 radio channels, and 59 data services.
History
APS was founded in 1996 by Kirch, a German media company. The German Pay TV provider, Premiere (now (Sky Deutschland) was part of the Kirch group. APS provided and continues to provide Premiere (Sky Deutschland), as well as other private and public German broadcasters, playout, multiplexing, encryption satellite uplinks and other media broadcast services. In June 2004, SES Astra announced that it had bought the controlling interest in APS, at the time called DPC (Digital Playout Centre GmbH), from Premiere with the intention of launching an "open" pay-TV platform for Germany using Premiere-compatible digital set top boxes.In December 2004, a requirement for regulatory approval from the German Federal Cartels Office (Bundeskartellamt
Bundeskartellamt
The Federal Cartel Office is Germany's national competition regulator. It was first established in 1958 and comes under the authority of the Federal Ministry of the Economy and Technology. Its headquarters are in the former West German capital, Bonn and its President is Andreas Mundt, who has a...
) meant that the deal was changed to 100% of DPC, to give SES sole ownership. DPC was later renamed to ASTRA Platform Services GmbH (APS).
Services
The main services provided to broadcasters by APS are Content Management, Playout, Encryption, Distribution and Interactive services. APS customers include Sky Deutschland and ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, Top TV in South Africa, channels such as Home Shopping Europe, DSFDeutsches Sportfernsehen
SPORT1 is a privately owned commercial German television channel. Until April 11, 2010, it was called DSF . It was founded on January 1, 1993 out of the television channel Tele 5 which had become the successor of the music video channel musicbox on January 11, 1988...
, Tele 5
Tele 5
Tele 5 is a commercial television channel in Germany. The channel is largely known for showing classic American films and series, Japanese Anime and Shows.Tele 5 broadcasts from the Astra 1H, 1M, and 3A satellites and is uplinked by ASTRA Platform Services....
, 9Live
9Live
9Live was a commercial German participation TV channel launched on September 1, 2001 and lasted until August 9, 2011. It originated from a channel called tm3. Most of its programming is lottery and quiz games, in which the viewer can participate over the phone...
, and DMAX
DMAX (TV channel)
DMAX is a men's lifestyle channel operated by Discovery Networks Deutschland free-to-air in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Though the channel is widely available throughout the rest of Europe...
, and most German HDTV channels, including those from Discovery, and Anixe.
APS's content management encompasses digitization of tape-based content, format conversion of video files, quality control, tape storage (now being superseded by digital storage), and a growing digital archive service with integrated digital asset management systems. APS uses the DIVArchive digital archiving system from Front Porch Digital with (as of mid 2009), over 1 PB capacity storing tens of thousands of hours of content. New material is added at the rate of about 1000-2000 hours per month. Although APS still provides videotape storage, this has reduced by more than half since digital archiving was introduced.
APS undertakes the preparation and playout of content from tape or digital files according to the customer's supplied schedule. APS provides customers with visual quality control, the incorporation of on-screen branding and graphics (in 2D or 3D), EPG data and expandable services that range from automatic small channel start-up systems to high-end systems with full-time monitoring and support.
Where needed, interactive services can also be provided to broadcasters, including HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV). APS also designs and develops broadcasters’ web pages. APS has developed the Blucom interactive TV-service that combines broadcasting and mobile technologies to offer services such as programme announcements, weather, lottery and sports results, and further programme information. Bluecom enables interaction such as voting, downloads, chats, and advertising. It also gives mobile phones the ability to stream live TV broadcasts. Blucom synchronizes TV content with the additional information in real-time. Content is sent to a set-top box via satellite, then to a mobile phone via Bluetooth, or directly to the mobile phone via UMTS/GPRS. The return channel operates from the viewer’s mobile via SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
or UMTS/GPRS.
For pay-TV broadcasts, APS provides channel encryption for subscription and pay-per-view protection with Conax
Conax
Conax is a global technology company that provides conditional access solutions for digital television. Based in Oslo, Norway, Conax has subsidiaries in the USA, India and Germany and sales & support offices in Russia, Singapore, China, South Korea, Brazil, and Canada.- Overview :Between 1986 and...
, Cryptoworks
Cryptoworks
Cryptoworks is a DVB conditional access system, developed by Philips CryptoTec but now belonging to Irdeto.Cryptoworks is used by Digiturk, the BFBS satellite service, UPC Direct, ITV Partner the ORF, JSTV, and other pay TV or free-to-view systems; mainly in Europe...
, Irdeto
Irdeto
Irdeto B.V. is a global software security and media technology company with dual headquarters in Hoofddorp, Netherlands and Beijing, China. It is a subsidiary of multinational media group Naspers...
, Nagravision
Nagravision
Nagravision is a company of the Kudelski Group that develops conditional access systems for cable and satellite television. The name is also used for their main products, the Nagravision encryption systems.-Digital systems:...
, and NDS
NDS Group
NDS Group Plc. is a developer of pay TV technology. NDS was established in 1988 as an Israeli start up company. It was acquired by News Corporation in 1992. The company is currently headquartered in Staines, United Kingdom...
conditional access
Conditional access
Conditional Access is the protection of content by requiring certain criteria to be met before granting access to this content...
systems using DVB simulcrypt operation for broadcasts using multiple conditional access systems in parallel, this being a common practice in "free-to-air"(FTA) satellite TV broadcast markets such as Germany. APS also provides Microsoft or Flash digital rights management for Internet streamed channels.
Although the majority of APS broadcasting traffic is digital television channels in SD or HD uplinked to the SES Astra satellites, APS can also distribute programming to mobiles as on-demand content, and as live or on-demand video over the Internet using Windows Media Player, Quicktime or Flash.
In April 2011, APS opened a new playout centre at its headquarters in Unterföhring to handle expansion of the company, and its client list. The new network operations centre is in a purpose-built new building with the latest technologies including air conditioning based on groundwater cooling, fully redundant power distribution system, and LED screens and LED room lighting in the master control room to minimise heat generation. The old premises are being retained as back-up facilities and the new centre is expected to cope with growth for the next five years.