….for German public-service television and radio broadcaster Saarländischer Rundfunk. It centered on the replacement of the microwave system used to feed the DSNG antenna mounted on the truck roof.
“We are seeing growing demand for this type of service as television networks expand their outside broadcast activity from locations such as concert-theatres and sports-stadiums,” said Hiltron‘s Managing Director, Michael Schiestl. “As a result, we have extended the range of repair and maintenance services we offer to DSNG vehicle operators. This now encompasses every element of the satellite uplink and downlink chain from the SDI interface right through to the antenna control system, the satellite locator, the dish itself and of course the head-end equipment at the opposite end of the link. Our Backnang headquarters has a large engineering maintenance bay designed for exactly this type of work, including a 5 metre high entrance doorway and an even higher internal ceiling.”
Established in 1957 and part of the ARD consortium since 1959, Saarländischer Rundfunk produces content for six television channels: SR Fernsehen (in collaboration with Südwestrundfunk), ARD-SR, Phoenix (collaborative with ARD and ZDF), KI.KA (Children’s Channel), arte (a Franco-German cultural network) and the 3sat joint venture between ARD, ZDF, ORF (Austria) and SRG (Switzerland). Saarländischer Rundfunk’s terrestrial television transmitters are located on the Göttelborner Höhe, in the Moselle river valley and in the Blies valley. Hiltron’s primary role is the provision of turnkey systems including design, manufacturing, supply, installation, commissioning, training and support. The company offers complete solutions for fixed and mobile microwave broadcast links; DVB MPEG DSNG systems; L-band and IF Band fibre-optic systems; DVB-T encoding and multiplexing headends; ATM/SDH/PDH/IP transport networks; DVB-S/S2 satellite uplinks for TV, radio and data transmission; VSAT systems, TVRO systems for cable headends or terrestrial retransmission; and IPTV headend antenna systems.
In its manufacturing role, Hiltron designs and produces redundancy-system controllers; fibre-optic and waveguide switches; remote monitoring and control systems including SNMP; motorised antennas; satellite antenna de-ice controllers; L-band splitters and L-band matrices. Hiltron operates from modern purpose-built headquarters at Backnang near Stuttgart. On-site facilities include a large technical operations area with high access doors and ceiling capable of accommodating satellite-link vehicles complete with antennas. Hiltron GmbH is part of the Dan Technologies group. Hiltron company information here.
