Case Studies

HDTV Autoswitch for Mobile Satellite System

Developed electronics and embedded software to produce automatic retasking for a mobile satellite antenna system.

Description

Problem

Product manufacturer sells mobile satellite systems for boats and campers which support DirecTV using a single satellite disk mounted on the boat or camper. All normal programming (ie; non HDTV channels) are acquired from a single satellite. However, High Definition channels are available on one of two other satellites. BCA's customer requested the electronics and firmware design of a device that would sense the channel that a user had selected and retask the antenna system as necessary to acquire a new satellite.

Solution

BCA developed the electronics and firmware for a small low cost device based on an ARM7 processor, USB interface, two serial ports, and flash memory to perform the required functions. The device firmware monitors the channel selection on the USB interface of the DirecTV receiver and compares the new channel with the present one. If the new channel is on a different satellite, it sends the appropriate commands to the mobile antenna system to effect the change.

Bay Computer was also responsible for developing a test fixture to verify the new device when it came off the production line.

Client KVH Industries, Inc.

Year Completed 2007