philippine cable television association (pcta), inc....

C A B L E L I N EPHILIPPINE CABLE TELEVISION ASSOCIATION (PCTA), INC.

S e p - O c t 2 0 1 5 • V o l . 1 5 I s s u e 5

C A B L E L I N E

Editor-in-chiefWESLEY C. SELDA

Editorial BoardRALPH B. CASIÑO

ATTY. GERIK CAESARE A. PADERANGABONG C. SILLONA

JOSE LUIS E. DABAOMA. ISABELITA SY-HOLLITE

Managing Editor, Advertising Manager

SAM L. LANUZA

Editorial AssistantJENNEFER A. MANGUSSAD

CirculationARLENE C. TANBEN L. SARILLA

ANGELIQUE BAUTISTA

ContributorsHBO

ENGR. FREDERICK D. ESQUILLOENGR. JOSEPH M. ARGUELLES

DARWIN S. AMOLARCASBAA

MCN INTERNATIOAL PTE. LTD.

PublisherPHILIPPINE CABLE TELEVISION ASSOCIATION

(PCTA), INC.Unit 504 Taipan Place Condominium,

F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City63.2.638.8541 • 63.2.638.8544

63.2.638.8541 Fax No.: 63.2.638.8542

[email protected] www.pcta.org.ph

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

To allow us to better serve our members:1. Pleaseupdateyourofficialauthorizedrepresentative,

address,contactnumber/sandemailaddress/eswiththesecretariattofacilitatebettercommunication.AnupdateformhasbeenpostedontheofficialFacebookpageofPCTAandwassentthroughemail.Ifyouhavenotaccomplishedityet,pleaseletusknowbycallingthePCTAofficeatthetelephonenumbers(02)6388542/44orsendSMStomobilenumber+639228457292.

2. InanagreemententeredintobyPCTAwithTV5Monde,France24,AlJazeera,EuronewsandChannelNewsAsia,thesechannelsaregivingfreecarriagetoPCTAMembers.MembersarethereforeencouragedtocarryFTAsignalandadvisethechannelassignmentstofacilitateauthorizationdocumentation,visitthePCTAwebsiteformoreinformation.

3. ThePCTAisofferingassistanceinprocessingMTRCBpermitsandNTCTVROlicenserenewalforaminimalfee.YoumaygetintouchwithLiaisonOfficer,Mr.BenSarillafordetails.

4. Yourcommentsandsuggestionsarehighlyappreciated,youmayreachusthroughthefollowingmedia

Facebook.com/pcta.org.ph

@pcta_newsontwitter

www.pcta.org.ph|[email protected]

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Sep-Oct 2015 • Vol. 15 Issue 5

D I S C L A I M E RThe opinions, views and/or contents expressed in the articles, contributors or paid advertisements of Cable Line are exclusively that of their author or

originator, and do not necessarily reflect the position or stand of the PHILIPPINE CABLE TELEVISION ASSOCIATION, INC.

D I S C L A I M E R

Editor's notE

We often hear the following abbreviations: Coax, RF, FTTH, and IP.

Like most businesses we are bombarded with an alphabet soup of terminologies it’s easy to fall behind, I'm here concentrating on these four. Coaxial Lines and Radio Frequencies, this is our traditional method of content delivery. Fiber and Internet Protocols are the new bad boys. FTTH and IP offer bigger capacity, more stability, more security, and more services.

As always engineering will demand the best of the best available technology in order to deliver the best possible service to our patrons. It is management's job to balance this and provide a stable economy to keep our business saleable and competitive. Shifting over from RF to IP is a big deal, it will take time, money and of course a transition period. In a service business like ours where downtime is a mortal sin; this shift will not and cannot happen overnight. If you are like most operators you have begun to use a Hybrid Coax and Fiber (HFC) network and you are somewhere in between the RF and IP services.

Mr. Sillona's article describes the shifting demands of our patrons; basically our "scheduled" content has a diminished demand. The Internet is quickly eating traditional cable content by delivering content faster, on demand, and on a more personal level. The household budget previously allotted to us is getting reallocated to internet subscriptions.

The good news is we are capable of shifting over and delivering the internet to our patrons. As the demand shifts we can shift right along with them. How you do it and how fast you move is of course up to you. The PCTA stands ready to assist; there are a whole lot of engineering solutions available to us today in moving services from RF to IP.

The PCTA continues to provide technical seminars to keep our engineering teams updated. Our directors continue to attend regulatory events that matter to our business. (Please check out the Memorandum circular only available online)

Wesley

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by Atty. Gerik Caesare A. Paderanga

PCTA: CABLE OR PAY-TV ASSOCIATION?

This year is a defining moment for PCTA. For the first time

since its creation in 1987, the Board has created an amendments and reform committee to address the

vagueness and the insufficiency of our association’s articles and bylaws. During the regular board meetings, several questions were asked and discussed, but the more important ones are: Who are entitled to vote as members of PCTA, is it one vote per member or one vote per franchise/provisional authority (PA) registered? Are there rules for automated elections? Should an internal accountant be added as a corporate officer? Who are eligible bank signatories authorized to withdraw funds from the association’s accounts? Who should be the members of PCTA? Should it be exclusive to cable operators only or should we include all other DTH operators? Or, should we include all Pay-TV [i.e., Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) operators]? Of all these questions, I want to zero in on one because it is the most pressing.

This is the issue pertaining to membership. The issue has hounded the association for years and it is time to close it. To resolve this, it is important to stress that the primary purpose for which the PCTA was formed is to promote the cable television industry1 and not any other. By the nature of our technology as cable operators, we do not have the same interests with DTH or IPTV operators. DTH operators, by their direct-broadcast satellite (DBS) technology, operate anywhere nationally and can offset their losses in one area for more profitable areas. Meanwhile, IPTV can either be delivered wirelessly (i.e., 3G/4G/5G),

View from the Chair

through telephone lines via digital subscriber line (DSL) or broadband through fiber-optic cables (FOC). On the other hand, as cable operators our coverage is limited by the reach of our Hybrid Fiber-Coax (HFC) infrastructure. But, this limitation also comes with technological advantages. Unlike DTH, where signal quality is compromised due to bad weather conditions, and IPTV’s growth is hindered by the high cost of even slow internet speeds, signal delivery to our subscribers by virtue of our HFC cables is much more reliable, more convenient and less expensive; hence, more efficient. Clearly, each technology is different with their respective advantages and disadvantages. However, and this is the crux of the matter, our distinct technologies compete for the same subscribers – we are fighting for the same pesos that our subscribers are willing to spend. And since the requirements and rudiments of each technology differs from the others, each one – cable, DTH or IPTV – has its own set of interests to protect. In fact in the United States, SMATV (Satellite Master Antenna Television System), MMDS (Multiple Distribution System) and DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) systems are not eligible for membership2 to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA).3 The biggest DTH companies in the US like DirectTV and DISH Network are not eligible for NCTA membership. Evidently, the clashing interests of the operators of the divergent technologies could not be any starker.

In the history of our business as cable operators, never before have we encountered stifling competition as tough as those we face today.4 Not only do we have to compete among our fellow cable operators in our respective areas, we also have to compete with at least three Direct-to-Home (DTH) players (i.e., Cignal, G-Sat, Dream, and very soon SKY DTH) operating nationally and fairly soon, IPTV players. While we already face the herculean task of competing

(continued on page 5)

1 The PCTA articles of incorporation provide that the first purpose is “To promote cable television industry as partner of the government in national growth and to inform the public of the role of cable television system as an important communication source; to promote the general welfare and best interest of the association in general and its members in particular; to promote and foster more effective cooperation among cable television system operators for the purpose of raising the standard of the industry; and to do any act and all acts and things which are necessary and proper to accomplish the objectives mentioned.”

2 https://www.ncta.com/who-we-are/membership 3 The NCTA is the principal trade association for the US cable television industry, representing more than 90% of the US cable market, more than 200 cable program

networks, and equipment suppliers and providers of other services to the cable industry; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cable_%26_Telecommunications_Association

4 http://www.manilatimes.net/pay-tv-market-slow-to-grow-faces-tough-competition/197793/

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by Maribel Sy-Hollite

M a d a y a w MindanaoMindanao Cable Operators are blessed to have been flooded with various activities such as seminars, workshops & Roadshows last August 2015 offered by our partners in the industry.

Last 21 August 2015, Creative Programs, Inc. (CPI) held its Roadshow at Eden Natural Park & Resort, Toril Davao City. The event was successful with 110 delegates from 40 cable systems all over Visayas and Mindanao. It was a day full of adventure & nature trekking. The highlight of the event was their guest speakers that share some industry learnings about Indi Films from Producer & Director, Arnel Mandoquio who was born and based in Davao City. On the other hand, Ms. Salve Duplito, Resident & Financial Adviser of ANC, talked about Financial Management that will help assess long term investment for the cable systems. The activity ended with an exciting fellowship night with lots of food, drinks, games & raffle prizes.

CABLEBOSS also held its Cable Service Marketing Workshop (CSMW) last 27 August 2015 at Limketkai Luxe Hotel in Cagayan De Oro City with the theme: Accelerate Success. The event was jampacked with 100 delegates from 48 cable operators in Mindanao. The event was conducted by Marketing Guru Mr. Jaime “JB” Borromeo.

Last but not the least with the fast pace of technology in our industry PCTA Technical Seminar In Cagayan de Oro was held last August 20 to 21, 2015 themed as “The Improved & Upgraded TV Technical Seminar “ headed by PCTA Technical Committee Chair Engr. Joseph M. Arguelles (esd) – together with Mr. Wesley Selda, Mr. Ralph B. Casiño and Atty. Gerik Caesare Paderanga. Endorsed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Institutes of Electronics Engineer of the Philippines (IECEP), the seminar successfully served its purpose to provide our technical personnel a knowledge on the evolving technology of the cable television industry in the Philippines.

A many thanks to our suppliers, channel providers & partners in this industry for sharing more knowledge & technology in their expertise.

GANDANG BUHAY! God Bless everyone.

Maribel Sy-Hollite

PICS

M i n d a n a o M a t t e r s

(from page 4)

with media giants like ABS-CBN/SKY Cable and G-SAT5/Solar Entertainment Group,6 telecommunications conglomerates are now joining the fray and we just have to take it on the chin but remain steadfast. To be sure, Cignal DTH is owned and controlled by the powerful PLDT-SMART group. More to the point, PLDT directly competes with us by aggressively selling their PLDT HOME FIBR “Triple-Play” Internet-IPTV-Telephony services.7 This is a real cause for apprehension because telecommunications companies like PLDT-SMART and Globe Telecom are multi-billion corporations that have vast financial resources, and at the same time enjoying the monopoly of internet bandwidth in our country.8 The very recent passage of the Philippine Competition Law or the “anti-monopoly”

law of the Philippines serves as a beacon of light.9 However, enforcement of the said law remains to be seen.

Dear PCTA members, I highlight this issue because in the coming months the Board will be submitting proposed amendments to the articles of incorporation and the bylaws for your ratification. Indeed, I am honored and privileged to be elected as a director of the Board much more your Chairman. I may not be bestowed this privilege next year. I want to seize this opportunity now to bring this to your attention. As fiduciary of the corporation and with the interests of all PCTA members in mind, I therefore urge you—there has never been a better time to unite as cable operators and protect our collective interest. When these amendments are presented for your ratification, know where you stand.

5 G-SAT has released its lowest price package of P99/month; http://www.gsat.asia/ 6 http://www.philstar.com/business/481273/local-group-puts-satellite-tv-firm7 http://pldthome.com/fibr/vas/triple-play-with-cignal8 http://www.philstar.com/business/2015/03/09/1431460/cartels-monopolies-forever9 http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/07/20/anti-monopoly-law-signed-today/

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Here are the common answers:

I do but during the daily news only.

• Only for live sports telecasts.

• I rarely watch TV nowadays.

• I don’t watch TV anymore.

• Everything is online.

• Yes, because I have a Smart TV.

For a cable operator, these are very discouraging replies. I remember that during my days with program distributors, cable operators compete according to the number of channels they provide their customers. It is true back then that the more channels you have, the happier your customers will be.

The above replies are excerpts from a survey recently conducted by a cable operator. According to the survey, most of the subscribers are demanding the cable operator to create a lower tier plan with fewer channels. The subscribers also pointed out that savings from the reduction of their cable subscription can help them upgrade their current broadband subscription. Good news is, at least they are not yet dropping their cable subscription.

DO YOU STILL WATCH

Content is King they said, and there are too many content providers out there. Currently, from all local channel distributors and the free to air channels, there can be more than 150 channels available for carriage in a Cable TV Service. But do you notice what the content and channel owners are doing. Most of the contents are being digitized and channels transcoded so that it can be available on streaming platforms. Whether thru video on demand, linear channel streaming, downloads, Youtube or clips found on social media, etc., is how most people consume contents and obtain information.

Before, the stagnant and/or worst, the decline in revenues on cable business is mostly blamed to pilferage. Now, we can name a few from overbuilding, competition with DTH operators, Terrestrial Network Digitalization and most especially the changing behavior of our customers are obvious reasons why we need to revisit our business strategies.

• Do we need more channels?

• Do we need to digitize our platform to avoid pilferage?

• Do we need to create multiple tier subscription packages?

• Do we need to offer HD channels?

• Do we need to offer Broadband Internet Service?

Instead of answering these questions, many cable operators resorted in selling their businesses as remedy to the predicted dilemma of the near future. There are many sound solution in our upcoming battles, we just need the right perception and realization that we need another business model that will be adaptive and relevant to the needs of our customers.

For comments and suggestions about this article email PCTA at [email protected]

TV?by Mr. Bong SIllona

(from page 7)

among local internet and data service providers. He encouraged all ISPs, Cable TV/Cable Broadband Providers and even the telcos to support and continue the support by directly peering with PHOpenIX. As a side note, just recently, PLDT and DOST/ASTI signed a memorandum of agreement. In the agreement, PLDT will set a local peering with PHOpenIX (here’s the catch), only for the Government networks, e-services and not for consumer traffic. This means that local data traffic toward government websites can now travel faster through

domestic connection rather than being routed through offshore international cables.Lastly, the research group urges the government to invest more in telecommunications infrastructure while encouraging more competition among Internet Service Providers, which Cable TV/Broadband Providers can play a big role.

Please give your comments or feedback in the PCTA Forum (Please create your profile by clicking the login button at www.pcta.org.ph)

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by Engr. Joseph M. Arguelles

An Update on the Senate Hearing on Slow and Expensive Internet


An Update on the Senate Hearing on Slow and Expensive InternetBy: Engr. Joseph M. Arguelles

Sen. Bam Aquino, chair of Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship held last August 18, 2015 a hearing

on the impact of slow and expensive Internet connection in the country.

In attendance were notable representatives from NTC, DOST, DTI, NEDA, PLDT, Smart, Globe, Democracy.net.ph (a civil society group), FICTAP and yours truly representing Philippine Cable Television Association (PCTA).

An independent research showed that the Philippines’ overall Internet speed was the third to lowest among its Asian neighbors, even behind Vietnam. Their study also revealed that the actual internet speed versus its advertised speed continually deteriorates from 2011 to 2014.

The major telcos’ actual internet speed were a lot less than what it had been advertising, thus being accused of ‘false advertising’. With the urge from Sen. Bam Aquino, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) published NTC Memorandum Circular 07-08-2015 which basically states, among others, that;

Section B.1The subscribers/consumers/users shall be properly informed of the broadband/internet connection service being offered to them through, among others, flyers, brochures, advertisements, etc. The information shall always be updated.

Section B.2Internet Service Providers (ISPs) shall specify the average downstream and upstream data rates per area.

Section C.1The Commission shall conduct the monitoring and measurement.

Section C.7For Cable Broadband, the measurement shall be done at the LAN port of the cable modem.

Section C.14The Commission shall prescribe the official measurement and monitoring tool to be used. The official measurement and monitoring tool shall be downloadable and available to the public.

Attached herewith is the official copy of NTC Memo Circular 07-08-2015.

NTC officials said they will conduct a pilot test of the Internet connection speed in September, and will officially start Internet speed testing in October.

Mr. Bani Lara, who was once a resource speaker in PCTA convention, also presented in the committee hearing that local peering with DOST-ASTI’s PhOpenIX will greatly improve the country’s overall Internet performance. PhOpenIX is the only Exchange in the Philippine Internet industry operated by a neutral institution that allows the exchanges of Internet traffic in a free-market environment

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What’s New?

DELEGATESNew Tracks! In previous conventions we had the management and technical tracks this year we will add the operations tracks!! for HR, Finance, Marketing and other disciplines. These Skills are just as important in today’s business environment so we will create a track to help us develop our people! space will be limited so we will require online registration!Technical Seminars for Managers There is often a disconnect between the business side and the technical side so the Technical committee is preparing an overview for common problems caused by this disconnect helping managers understand technical constraints better!

Industry Roundtables The convention theme is Shift and one of the main causes for shifting in our industry is technology, we have invited top executives of early adopters to speak candidly about their experiences and share any lessons learned to help those who haven’t invested in new technology to help them in their decision making!!Yes, ROUNDTABLES! In the afternoons, the technical committee and special guests from our early adopters will schedule casual conversations about particular technology and strategies around this to give both managers and technical staff a better handle on this new technology with feedback from actual users aside from the vendors! nothing helps a purchase decision better than user feedback

Tuesday Fun Day! Tuesday isn’t just arrival day! we will arrange fun and games for early birds Tuesday afternoon!PCTA Appreciation Night! It’s not new, but we are continuing and hopefully cementing as a tradition the PCTA appreciation night. It’s only right that we highlight longstanding members and show appreciation to sponsors and exhibitors on stage!!!

Back2theFuture Shifts were not described better than in the classic trilogy by Robert Zemeckis Back 2 the Future starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, so at the Fellowship Night at the Manila Ballroom in the Marriott come in your best retro or futuristic outfit! You might win a prize!!!

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On the Spotlight:Mr. Darwin S. AmolarManager, Banal na Krus Kooperatiba sa Pagpapaunlad (BANKKOOP CATV SERVICES)by: Sam L. Lanuza

Banal na Krus Kooperatiba sa Pagpapaunlad is a multi-purpose cooperative which offers lending and CATV services to its members and the community. They started their operation in July 1995 in Quezon, Quezon located in the Southern Alabat Island with merely 15,000 people. Their main objective is to provide quality entertainment and information in their community

Currently, they are the only CATV system in their municipality, offering 22 channels for a monthly subscription fee of Php200. Their cooperative is consist of seven board of directors and seven employees.

Like any other businesses, they experience threat in the form of natural calamities as well as other services that

MOVERS & SHAKERS

BANAL NA KRUS KOOPERATIBA SA PAGPAPAUNLAD(BANKKOOP CATV SERVICE)

offer lower subscription fee. To cope up, they improve and upgrade their services to deliver exceptional services to their members and the community.

BANKKOOP CATV SERVICES is a new member of PCTA (2015). They signed up for the association to be well informed about the newest technology and technical knowledge of their system.

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The PCTA Technical Committee went to Cagayan de Oro City for its technical seminar last August 20-21, 2015 at Seda Centrio. The seminar was also opened for non-member and/or non-industry practicing PECE, ECE, and ECTs for 12 CPD/CPE credit units.

The opening ceremony was graced by Atty. Gerik Caesare A. Paderanga, Chairman of the Board and he welcomed the presence of Engr. Elpidio M. Paras, Engr. Romeo L. Zerrudo, Engr. Romeo M. Miguel of NTC Region X, and the participants. He emphasized the importance of learning as the CATV industry keeps on evolving. Engr. Romeo M. Miguel, in behalf of Dir. Teodoro D. Buenavista Jr., delivered some inspirational message. Then Engr. Fernando C. Morales introduced the Technical and Industry Development (TID) Committee members who were present to discuss their assigned topic/s. TID Chair Engr. Joseph M. Arguelles, on the other hand, discussed the seminar guidelines.

A total of 62 attendees participated the activity representing 18 companies and 2 IECEP Chapters: Camiguin Island Cable TV Corp., DEARBC Cable Network, Eastcoast Cable TV Network, Gemstar Cable TV, Green Valley Cablevision, Inc., IECEP-CDO Chapter, IECEP-Caraga Chapter, Misamis CATV Network, Inc., Nabunturan Cable TV Network, Orient Cable & Telecommunications, Inc., Panabo Satellite Cable Television, Inc., Panguil Bay Media Ventures, Inc., Parasat Cable TV, Inc., Sibuguey Valley CATV Cooperative, SIGEMPCO Cable Television, Skyline Community Network, Inc., Southern Cablevision, Inc., Unique Cable Network, Inc., Valencia Cable TV Network, Inc., and Z-Energy CATV Network, Inc.

The seminar proper started at exactly 9:00 am on a joint session with the following topics:

• “Cable TV System” by Engr. Fernando Morales • “OSHA” by Engr. Ricky Cruz

FIRST LEG OF THE UPGRADED PCTA TECHNICAL SEMINAR HELD IN CDO!

by Engr. Pere Esquillo

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• “Customer Servicing and Work Order Management” by Mr. Wesley Selda

After lunch, breakout sessions for Level 1 (Cable TV Fundamentals) and Level 2 (Emerging Technologies and Applications) commenced.

For Level 1, the topics were:

• “HFC Network Design” by Engr. Frederick Esquillo (New topic) • “OSP Construction” by Engr. Frederick Esquillo • “Fiber Optics Technology” by Engr. Ricky Cruz

For Level 2, the topics were:

• “Digital Cable TV System” by Engr. Ronaldo Tuzon • “IP for Cable Technician” by Engr. Jesse Glenn Thiam

The simultaneous technical seminars for Level 1 and Level 2 continued the next day. Topics per level were as follows:

Level 1

• “Drop Installation” by Mr. Wesley Selda • “Local Area Networking” by Engr. Jesse Glenn Thiam • “Broadband Services” by Engr. Joseph Arguelles (New topic)

Level 2

• “Cable Wifi” by Engr. Joseph Arguelles (New topic) • “OTT/TV Everywhere/VOD” by Engr. Joseph Arguelles (New topic) • “CDN” by Engr. Joseph Arguelles (New topic) • “IPTV” by Engr. Joseph Arguelles (New topic) • “FTTH” by Engr. Ronaldo Tuzon (New topic) • “IOT/IOE” by Engr. Frederick D. Esquillo (New topic)

The seminar was concluded by a final exam to verify and validate their learnings on the topics which were presented. The top passers for each level were then cited and awarded.


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TECHNICAL SEMINAR IN CDO, August 20-21, 2015

BROAD BAND SERVICES by Engr. Joseph M. Arguelles On going discussion on FTTH by Engr. Ronaldo TuzonOn going discussion on FTTH by Engr. Jesse Glenn Thiamon LOCAL AREA Networking

FIBER OPTICS TECHNOLOGY by Engr. Ricky Cruz

Congratulations to all the participants especially to those who topped the exam.

Level 1/Cable TV Fundamentals

1. Romulo M. Malbas Jr. (Z-Energy CATV Network, Inc.) 2. Ryan C. Amado (Z-Energy CATV Network, Inc.) 3. John Carlo L. Jaictin (Z-Energy CATV Network, Inc.) Willie A. Cainoy (Z-Energy CATV Network, Inc.)

Level 2/Emerging Technologies and Applications

1. Ritchie L. Bete (Parasat Cable TV, Inc.) 2. Pocholo R. Trinidad (Parasat Cable TV, Inc.) 3. Germanico P. Cañete (Parasat Cable TV, Inc.)

(from page 13)

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SCREEN RED Now Re-Branded as RED BY HBO

HBO Asia’s rst Asian movie channel, SCREEN RED, will be re -branded as RED BY HBO from 1 October 2015. The refreshed channel will have a vibrant new look, marrying traditional motifs from the region with contemporary themes to better reflect the channel’s younger, more diverse and dynamic viewer prole. RED BY HBO will also have greater emphasis on local story telling from South East Asia, in addition to those from Japan, Korean and Greater China previously featured on Screen RED. With the new tagline of ‘Asian stories you love’, the refreshed RED BY HBO channel will continue to showcase internationally acclaimed, award-winning and popular movies and series from the region as well as HBO Asia Originals such as Serangoon Road, Grace and Halfworlds. Launched in 2010 by HBO Asia and Mei Ah, the rebranded channel will continue to carry Mei Ah’s slate of movies, including nine new theatrical releases that will premiere first on Asian television on RED by HBO. They include the award-winning detective crime drama Port Of Call (踏血尋梅) starring Aaron Kwok (郭富城) and the recently released horror movie Knock Knock! Who’s There? (有客到) starring Kate Tsui (徐子). “RED BY HBO is the destination for non -stop Asian movie entertainment powered by one of the world’s most prestigious movie channels – HBO,” said Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia. “RED BY HBO will have internationally acclaimed titles, award -winners and all-time-favourite Asian movies and series to better cater to our diverse audiences across the region.” Available in high definition, programmes on RED BY HBO are presented in original language with English and local language subtitles*. RED BY HBO is currently available in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. With the refresh, some Asian movie titles to look out for in October on RED BY HBO include: Sign up for RED by HBO today! Contact Cable BOSS: TL: +632 633 7361 DL: +632 633 6249 email: [email protected]. One Great Source All Great Networks

Korea Singapore Philippines Vietnam Malaysia

Red by HBO is a service mark of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission. ©2015 HBO Asia. All rights reserved.










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A. Multimeter or Volt-Ohm Meter (VOM)

o A device used to measure voltage, current & resistance in an electrical circuit.

Types of Multimeter/VOM

o Digital Multimeter

a. All digital meters contain a battery to power the display so they use virtually no power from the circuit under test.

b. Their DC voltage ranges have a very high resistance (usually called input impedance) of 1 MΩ or more.

c. Typical ranges

• DC Voltage: 200mV, 2000mV, 20V, 200V, 600V.

• AC Voltage: 200V, 600V.

• DC Current: 200µA, 2000µA, 20mA, 200mA, 10A*.

*The 10A range is usually unfused and connected via a special socket.

• AC Current: None. (You are unlikely to need to measure this).

• Resistance: 200 , 2000 , 20k , 200k , 2000k , Diode Test.

o Analogue Multimeter

a. Analogue meters take a little power from the circuit under test to operate their pointer.

b. They must have a high sensitivity of at least 20k /V or they may upset the circuit under test and give an incorrect reading.

c. Batteries inside the meter provide power for the resistance ranges.

BASIC OPERATION and USE of TEST INSTRUMENTS

d. Typical ranges:

• DC Voltage: 0.5V, 2.5V, 10V, 50V, 250V, 1000V.

• AC Voltage: 10V, 50V, 250V, 1000V.

• DC Current: 50µA, 2.5mA, 25mA, 250mA.

A high current range is often missing from this type of meter.

• AC Current: None. (You are unlikely to need to measure this).

• Resistance: 20 , 200 , 2k , 20k , 200k .

These resistance values are in the middle of the scale for each range.

o Measuring voltage and current with a multimeter1. Select a range with a maximum greater

than you expect the reading to be. 2. Connect the meter, making sure the leads

are the correct way round. Digital meters can be safely connected in reverse, but an analogue meter may be damaged.

3. If the reading goes off the scale: immediately disconnect and select a higher range.

o Precautions in using multimeters• Always disconnect the multimeter before

adjusting the range switch.

• Always check the setting of the range switch before you connect to a circuit.

• Never leave a multimeter set to a current range (except when actually taking a reading).

by Engr. Pere Esquillo

Strictly Technical

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The greatest risk of damage is on the current ranges because the meter has a low resistance.

o Reading analog scales

Analogue Multimeter Scales These can appear daunting at first but remember

that you only need to read one scale at a time! The top scale is used when measuring resistance.

Sample readings on the scales shown: DC 10V range: 4.4V (read 0-10 scale directly) DC 50V range: 22V (read 0-50 scale directly) DC 25mA range: 11mA (read 0-250 and divide by 10) AC 10V range: 4.45V (use the red scale, reading 0-10)

o Measuring resistance with an ANALOGUE multimeter

The resistance scale on an analogue meter is normally at the top. It is an unusual scale because it reads backwards and not linear (evenly spaced). This is unfortunate, but it is due to the way the meter works.

1. Set the meter to a suitable resistance range. Choose a range so that the resistance you expect will be near the middle of the scale. For example: with the scale shown above and an expected resistance of about 50k choose the × 1k range.

2. Hold the meter probes together and adjust the control on the front of the meter which is usually labelled “0 ADJ” until the pointer reads zero (on the RIGHT remember!). If you can’t adjust it to read zero, the battery inside the meter needs replacing.

3. Put the probes across the component. Avoid touching more than one contact at a time or your resistance will upset the reading!

o Reading analogue resistance scalesFor resistance use the upper scale, noting that it reads backwards and is not linear (evenly spaced).

Check the setting of the range switch so that you know by how much to multiply the reading.

Sample readings on the scales shown: × 10 range: 260 × 1k range: 26k

B. Signal Level Meter (SLM)• A device that detects, measures and

monitors power or the intensity of a signal.

• It is often referred to as Field Strength Meter (FSM).

• It is used for both installation of new equipment in a network as well as for fault finding and routine maintenance.

• Signal measurements may be in dBm, dBmV or dBµV (1 dBmV = 60 dBµV)

o Typical Signal Level Meter Keypads• Function Buttons–They are used to access

the functions represented by the icons displayed on the display.

• Power ON/OFF–Turns the instrument on and off

• Arrow Buttons–The UP and DOWN buttons can be used to move the marker or change the values.

• 2nd Button –The keypad is put into a second function after pressing the 2nd button, and some keys perform as alphanumerical keys.

• LEVEL – Enter the level measure mode

• SCAN –Channel spectrum scanning

• SPECT –Enter frequency spectrum

• TILT–Toggles between tilt and level list mode

• LIMIT–Limit test for all active channels

• AUTO–Automated test according to the commands

• SET–Enter the fast setup and full setup mode


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MEASURING SIGNAL LEVELSo SLM’s Typical Features:

Single channel display- displays the picture and sound carriers of a selected channel in bar graph mode. It displays the audio/video ratio.

Frequency spectrum display- displays all the channels carried by system.

System tilt display- displays several selected channels and also the system tilt (the difference between the highest channel and the lowest channel, in dB).

Single Channel

Full Scan

Tilt Mode

o At the Tap

Measure the tap level. Signal level readings will depend upon system design. Typical level is 14 dBmV @ 750Mhz.

Record reading for future reference.

o At the Subscriber’s Ground Block

Measure signal level before connecting to the subscriber’s ground block. The cable loss at 750Mhz for 100 feet of RG6 coax cable is approximately 6 dB. Example, if the tap level is 14 dBmV at 750Mhz, the level at the ground block is approximately 5 dBmV for 150 ft. RG-6 cable.

Example:

Tap level= 14 dBmV

Cable loss= 6 dB/100 ft.

Cable loss (150 ft. RG6)= 6 dB x 1.5

= 9 dB

Level @ Ground block= Tap level – Cable loss(150 ft.)

= 14 dBmV – 9 dB

= 5 dBmV

Record reading for future reference.

(from page 17)

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