Single Frequency Network (SFN) demonstrations, expansion of Phoenix Model Market collaboration headline over-the-air TV leader’s news and activities around the show floor

CINCINNATI, April 4, 2019 — GatesAir, a global leader in wireless, over-the-air content delivery solutions for TV and radio broadcasters, comes to the 2019 NAB Show in Las Vegas next week with fresh momentum behind its ATSC 3.0 innovations for NextGen television – specifically in the area of Single Frequency Network (SFN) architectures.

GatesAir last year announced its participation in the Phoenix Model Market project, a collaborative trial led by the Pearl TV consortium. The project involves one dozen Phoenix, Arizona area broadcasters, with technology supplied by GatesAir and other key industry supplies to support testing. GatesAir last year supplied a low-power Maxiva™ UAXTE air-cooled transmitter for the initial phase, which used a single transmitter for over-the-air tests.

Pearl TV today announced that the test bed will expand to multiple transmission sites, establishing a true SFN architecture. GatesAir will supply a Maxiva ULXTE-10, 6.6 kW liquid-cooled transmitter for this second phase to help broadcasters evaluate the benefits of SFN transmissions in a NextGen ATSC 3.0 system.

Single Frequency Networks use two or more transmitters within the same market to improve signal coverage and fill in challenging coverage gaps. SFN architectures are key to moving beyond the principal of signal coverage to the signal capable of providing service, and successful in-home and on-the-go service is paramount to NextGen TV’s success. GatesAir supports many of the largest SFN deployments worldwide, including digital TV networks in Brazil (ISDB-Tb) and Asia (DVB-T2); as well as MaxxCasting SFN systems for FM radio in the United States.

ATSC 3.0 Activities and New LPTV Models

GatesAir will also participate in key ATSC 3.0 demonstrations around the NAB show floor, including a North Hall SFN demonstration sponsored by the NAB Science and Technology department. GatesAir will provide one of four transmitters powering live, on-air broadcasts for the network. Visitors to the GatesAir booth (N3303) can see the operational Maxiva UAXTE along with the live, real-time ATSC 3.0 broadcast. An active demonstration at Booth N2512 as part of ATSC’s “Ride the Road to ATSC 3.0” campaign will also allow attendees toexperience the North Hall SFN demonstration, and explore the many opportunities that the ATSC 3.0 standard and NextGen TV offer to local broadcasters.

GatesAir will additionally introduce a new range of ATSC 3.0-ready, low-power Maxiva ULXTE transmitters at NAB. Covering LPTV requirements from 10 W to 2 kW, the new compact transmitter designs have been developed to serve global customers with limited real estate and high operating expenses, as well as low-power U.S. broadcasters moving to new channel assignments in future repack phases.These new models will be demonstrated alongside GatesAir’s broader range of high-efficiency ULXTE and UAXTE transmitters covering all power levels.

About GatesAir   

GatesAir, Inc., a portfolio company of The Gores Group, provides complete solutions for over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, leveraging wireless spectrum to maximize performance for multichannel, mission-critical services. Powering over-the-air networks worldwide with unparalleled reliability for nearly 100 years, GatesAir’s turnkey solutions enable broadcasters to create, transport and transmit radio and TV content.  With customers in more than 185 countries, the company leads the industry in innovation and design breakthroughs, improving efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership with all products designed and assembled in the USA. Visit www.gatesair.com for more information, Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gatesair, and follow us on Twitter at @GatesAir.

About The Gores Group

The Gores Group, founded in 1987 by Alec Gores, is a global investment firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses which can benefit from the firm’s operating experience and flexible capital base. The firm combines the operational expertise and detailed due diligence capabilities of a strategic buyer with the seasoned M&A team of a traditional financial buyer. Over its 30-year history, The Gores Group has become a leading investor having demonstrated a reliable track record of creating value in its portfolio companies alongside management. Headquartered in Los Angeles, The Gores Group maintains offices in Boulder, CO, and London. For more information, please visit http://www.gores.com.