KSPS Satellite Feeds & KSPS Program File Server

(Please send adjustments to this so it can be updated for better accuracy.)

CMTV has two options for providing programs to be sent from KSPS to Comcast for broadcast.
Live satellite feeds direct to Comcast and KSPS file server scheduled programs sent to Comcast.

All the steps in these various processes are straight forward once they have been set up. KSPS provides the needed information to do the initial set up.

Live satellite feeds sent directly to Comcast
Live satellite feeds can sent directly from KSPS to Comcast for broadcast. This is the simplest way for KSPS to send programs to Comcast for CMTV. There is no muss and fuss with bringing the satellite signal in, putting it on the KSPS program files server, scheduling each program with ProTrack and then sending the program to Comcast from the files server when ProTrack requests the program be played.

Live satellite feeds, when possible are preferred by KSPS. This is essentially a one step process. KSPS file server programming has more steps with lots of pesky details that need to be taken care of. Once programs are set up on the KSPS file server and ProTrack scheduling is in place the process is usually more or less automatic - once it is set up and tested.

Democracy Now is to be broadcast this way - from the live satellite feed sent directly to Comcast.

Democracy Now can also be recorded to from the satellite receiver at KSPS to the KSPS program file server and then broadcast at a later time on CMTV as scheduled by ProTrack. See below for how all this is done.


KSPS program file server scheduled programs sent to Comcast
The KSPS program file server can be viewed as a very large, many terrabytes, hard drive computer system that can broadcast programs to one or more broadcast channels. KSPS has well over ten? channels that it broadcasts to each day 24/7. If the KSPS program file server goes down - all the channels will no long be airing the scheduled programs.

The KSPS program file server process for broadcasting programs has multiple steps.
There are steps to get the program of the Satellite and saved on a program file on the KSPS program file server.
CMTV is delivering programs to KSPS on hard drive each week which requires some steps.
Then there are then steps to schedule a program on the file server to be broadcast on CMTV's Comcast channel 14.

Getting programs from the satellite receiver to KSPS program file server.
The satellite receiver is programmed by the ProTrack scheduling system at CMTV's office to record the program as it is received from the satellite. Once the program is on the KSPS file server it is can then be later broadcast as various times. The ProTrack programming scheduling software is used to set each program's broadcast times.

There are various details needed to schedule receiving a satellite feed. KSPS provides all these details - satellite id, characteristics ... Plus KSPS will provide the times satellite feeds are available for CMTV. Apparently there are only so many feeds that KSPS can accommodate at any one time.

Once each satellite feed has been set up on ProTrack for recording a program and this is tested to make sure it is working then it is straight forward to do this for other programs and regularly scheduled programs should work like clock work and be put on the file server for CMTV to schedule for broadcast whenever CMTV wants.

Getting programs from the hard drive to KSPS program file server.
Each week usually Thursday, CMTV drives up to KSPS to deliver a hard drive with the programs to be broadcast the next week. On Friday, after KSPS has transferred the files to the KSPS program file server the hard drive is picked up by CMTV and driven back to CMTV. When a high speed internet connection is established between KSPS and CMTV the programs can be FTPed via the internet from CMTV to KSPS with out the 2 drives each week...

KSPS's program file server uses a proprietary file type so regular video program files can not be used. A special file conversion needs to be done. With the conversion software set up, each file is converted into the required 'SeaChange?' format. It takes a few minutes at most to convert each program file. The application to do this is not in expensive.

When KSPS creates programs for broadcast they have the same issue - the need to convert from regular video program file type to the 'SeaChange' format. They have an application that does the conversion of each file for them. There are multiple applications that make this conversion. These applications vary considerably in cost and probably in quality of broadcast file produced and other considerations. Once regular files are set up for conversion it is a straight forward process that takes a few minutes to do for each program. The programs files can be processed in batches so it is very straight forward to do - once it is set up and tested.

Perhaps KSPS does this conversion for other stations? KWSU?  It might be worth seeing if KSPS will convert the CMTV regular program files if there continues to be issues of broadcast quality - if these issues are due to conversion issues. Certainly it would be useful to make a test file for KSPS to convert and air to see if there are any significant quality differences.

KSPS has fine tuned their program file conversion process for their particular broadcast equipment. Using KSPS's conversion may help CMTV's broadcast quality considerably.

On the other hand if CMTV's conversion is producing at least as good broadcast quality files as KSPS, CMTV could provide this conversion service for other channels if KSPS is not making their conversion process available.

Getting programs from the KSPS program file server to Comcast for broadcast
Once programs are on the KSPS program file server they are scheduled using the ProTrack internet application.

Aside from direct satellite feed from KSPS to Comcast, Protrack accessing the KSPS program server is the only way to get programs aired on Comcast via KSPS.

ProTrack is straight forward to program - program ID, play date, play time ... ProTrack is obnoxiously awkward to use - certainly uses ancient data entry design. When it is updated to current state of the art data entry - allowing spreadsheet entry etc it will be much more agil.

None the less most anyone with basic data entry computer skills with some idea of what scheduling is about can do adequate data entry within a week or so. Someone that is more fully trained on ProTrack and knows scheduling probably could do much more with this tool.

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All these processes are straight forward to do. A hitch in anyone can make it so those steps follow the hitch do not work. The resolution of the hitch only involves the one point all the rest of the process, once working and tested remains just fine waiting patiently for the hitch to be worked out.

It is essentially a mechanical process - not much of an art at all - especially once it is working and tested.