HBO Historical Question

[ikki]

When did HBO switch to digital modulation? Was in the late 80's, early 90's, or...?

Back before the digital switch over where they using FM for the video delivery, and if any one knows it how wide was the video pass band? 6 Mhz or 27 Mhz?

 

[FaT Air]

Can't remember when it dropped VCII and went totally digital.
In the analog satellite system the actual video bandwidth around 6+ Mhz. The video was added to another RF signal , 'dithered', ( a sinewave of 30 or 70 Mhz IIRR) to occupy the whole transponder.

Bandwidth
A measure of spectrum (frequency) use or capacity. For instance, a voice transmission
by telephone requires a bandwidth of about 3000 cycles per second (3KHz).
A TV channel occupies a bandwidth of 6 million cycles per second (6 MHz)
in terrestrial Systems. In satellite based systems a larger bandwidth of 17.5 to 72 MHz
is used to spread or "dither" the television signal in order to prevent interference.

credit: http://www.x2nsat.com/glossary
Exactly 'how' that reduced interference is beyond me.

 

[Lobo70]

When did HBO switch to digital modulation? Was in the late 80's, early 90's, or...?

I have that HBO-West transitioned to digital on Dec-13, 2007, and HBO-East abandoned VCII on Feb-06-2008

 

[FaT Air]

I remember reading BITD, with the exodus of channels from VCII to digicipher (DCII), a 'newsletter' stating that all the 'major players' delivering DTH services (HBO, Sho, Disc, etc) had 'committed' to be available (at least) until 2025 via DCII. I don't think that really happened.
Well in a 'way', they still are available, but only through a 'third party' (Dish, Direct, or cable.

 

[bobvick]

HBO began testing Digicipher I in 1993-94. They were DCII by 1996-97 because 4DTV came out in '97, I remember the date I got my 920, July 22, 1997. HBO and Showtime were some of the few digital (DCII) feeds up then. HBO/Cinemax was on G1R, Showtime and TMC were on G9 and C3.

 

[truckracer]

i remember being one of the few people who could tune in HBO / Max on G1 with a 7.5' dish. i could get 68-72 signal quality. They recommended a 10' dish. subscriprion was very cheap back then.