Transponder Database

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COMPUSAT SUPPORT INFORMATION

Adding, Changing, and Deleting Channels

This information page shows you how to add new or modify existing channels in the transponder database, including these sections:

•	How channel information is stored and accessed.
•	How to add or modify channel information.
•	Changing channel tuning information.
•	Adding a new channel to the database.
•	Deleting custom tuning data for a channel.

How Channel information is stored and accessed

It's helpful to understand how CompuSat manages and uses database information for tuning channels.

•	CompuSat maintains two satellite databases: the factory database, and the custom database.
•	Image Communications, LLC provides factory database files as part of our maintenance service for CompuSat.
•	The custom database stores any changes that you make in the satellite database.
•	Whenever CompuSat needs to retrieve satellite information, it first looks for that information in the custom database, and uses the information it finds for a specific satellite/transponder pair. If the custom database doesn't contain information for the satellite/transponder, then CompuSat uses the information in the factory database.
•	Any channel additions or modifications that you make are stored in the custom database, so when you load a new factory database, these changes are retained.

Why add or Modify Channels?

Here are a few reasons for addding or modifying channels:

•	You are downlinking a special, one-time-use transponder that is not in the database, and you want to add it yourself.
•	You have some specific channels that are used between your station and your live trucks.
•	You have found an error or information that needs updating in the factory database, and don't want to wait for the next database update.

How to Add or Modify Channels

You use the Transponder Tuning Data screen to add or modify channels in your database.

NOTE: You must have operator permission Satellite Database to launch the Transponder Tuning Data Window.

To access this screen:

Click Transponder Tuning Data in the CompuSat Database menu.

Transponder Tuning data

CompuSat displays the screen:

Transponder tuning data

The example screen above shows the settings for transponder 08 Srvc 2 on the Galaxy 26 C-band satellite.

Changing Channel Tuning Information

You can change values in the Transponder Tuning Data screen and then click the OK button to store those changes in your custom database. The Customizing the Transponder Tuning Data section below describes the different tuning controls you can change.

The message line near the bottom of the screen tells you whether the channel has been customized and stored in your custom database:

If customizations have been stored for the channel, CompuSat lets you know by showing you the following message:

If there are no customizations stored for the channel, CompuSat shows you the following message instead:

Adding a New Channel to the Satellite Database

You can add a new channel in your custom database as follows:

1.	Display the Transponder Tuning Data screen.
2.	Select the satellite/transponder to which you want to add a channel, and click Split Transponder in the menu at the top of the Transponder Tuning Data screen.
	Note that splitting a transponder makes a copy of the selected transponder and gives it a new channel label. So selecting an existing channel on a transponder and splitting it means that you only have to edit your specific modifications for the new channel. It doesn't really matter which channel on the transponder you initially select, since you'll be changing its name anyway.
3.	CompuSat displays the Split Transponder Label screen.
4.	Click the channel label you want to use for the new channel.
5.	If you want to customize the channel's name, you can click Rename Transponder in the menu at the top of the Transponder Tuning Data screen.
6.	Make any tuning data modifications you want for the new channel. The next section, Customizing the Transponder Tuning Data describes the different tuning controls you can change.
7.	Click OK to save the new channel.

Customizing the Transponder Tuning Data

The Transponder Tuning Data screen provides a number of controls that you can use to define satellite channel.

Control Name	Notes	Description
Satellite		Displays the name of the satellite the transponder you are editing is part of.
Transponder		Displays the transponder and label of the channel you are editing.
Name		Displayed to the right of the transponder and label.
Input Type		Normally set to RF Input. ASI streams can be programmed on some satellite receivers.
Uplink Frequency		The uplink frequency used for this channel
Downlink Frequency		The downlink frequency used for this channel
Horizontal/Vertical Down		The downlink polarization (horizontal or vertical). The opposite polarization is used for uplinks.
IF Bandwidth		The IF bandwidth for this channel
Video Level	Analog Only	The video level for this channel
Services		Defines the service types for the channel. Digital channels should have Digital checked and Analog unchecked.
Invert Video Switch	Analog Only	Defines the video inversion setting for this transponder. Leave this unset normally.
Video Pre-emphasis	Analog Only	Defines the pre-emphasis for the channel. Use 525 for all U.S. transmission and 625 for European transmissions
Switch 1		The auxiliary 1 switch setting for this channel. This can be used in custom applications.
Switch 2		The auxiliary 2 switch setting for this channel. This can be used in custom applications.
FEC	Digital Only	The forward error correction (FEC) factor for this channel.
Modulation	Digital Only	The modulation type for this channel
Service Number	Digital Only	The service number for this channel. DO not set for SCPC channels.
Data Rate	Digital Only	The data rate for this channel
Symbol Rate	Digital Only	The symbol rate for this channel
Virtual Chan	Digital Only	The virtual channel for this channel. Do not set this except as part of the virtual channel satellite.
Audio Frequency	Analog Only	The audio frequency of the indicated audio channel
Audio Level	Analog Only	The audio level of the indicated audio channel
Audio Bandwidth	Analog Only	The audio bandwidth of the indicated audio channel
Audio De emphasis	Analog Only	The audio de-emphasis of the indicated audio channel

Deleting Custom Tuning Data for a Channel

You can delete the custom tuning data for a channel as follows:

1.	Display the Transponder Tuning Data screen.
2.	Select the satellite/transponder/channel you want to delete.
3.	Verify that you have customized the channel in your database. If the channel has been customized, you'll see a message similar to the following in the status line of the Transponder Tuning Data screen:
4.	Click Delete Custom Settings in the menu at the top of the screen.
5.	Click OK in the confirmation screen that CompuSat displays .

Any questions? Call Image Communications, LLC @941-322-2534

Image Communications, LLC