MUMBAI: Despite any proactive support or even a road map towards digitalisation, large Indian cable TV networks have taken their initiative and commenced their migration to digital CATV.

And therefore, the focus this year at Scat, the 18th edition of the television technology tradeshow, will rest on the transition to digital.

Scat will kick off on 7 October and will run till 9 October at the World Trade Centre in Mumbai.

Satellite and Cable TV magazine editor executive publisher Dinyar Contractor says that 100 companies have taken up 85 stalls. Last year, there were 10,000 visitors and Contractor expects a similar number this year.

Says Contractor, "Digitisation not only provides a very effective tool to counter competitive threats from DTH, but provides a significantly higher channel capacity at a lower cost than DTH.

"Digital hardware prices have fallen rapidly in the past one year. Therefore, even cable operators in class B and C cities are taking the initiative to move towards a digital environment. To enable even smaller networks to migrate to digital, exhibitors at Scat 2009 will be offering attractive solutions and prices. They will offer packages tailored to the fragmented Indian market."

Digital hardware prices, Contractor notes, have fallen rapidly in the past one year. Therefore, even cable operators in class B and C cities are taking the initiative to move towards a digital environment. "To enable even smaller networks to migrate to digital, exhibitors at Scat 2009 will be offering attractive solutions and prices. They will offer packages tailored to the fragmented Indian market," he says.

Contractor adds that digital cable TV Headends will be demonstrated. "There is also a move taking place towards high definition television. Therefore, digital satellite receivers that facilitate this technology will be on display. Also technologies that facilitate Hits will be showcased."

The company says that two months prior to the show, prime locations in Halls A, B and C were sold out. Channel Master will have on display its "Digital Headend In A Box." As the name suggests, this provides a complete digital headend in a single 1U chassis. The price per channel will provide a fillip to digitisation.

Rudraksha Technology will have on offer several solutions for large head-ends. Surbhi Broadband will be offering its turn-key Build Operate and Maintain solution for digital Headends. This provides CATV networks the benefit of Surbhi‘s several man-years of experience, guarantying a smoothly functioning digital headend from day one of the install.

Triax will launch its Fibre Optic LNB, enabling long distance, noise and degradation free long distance links between the LNB and headend.

Trinity Technologies will offer its solution to provide High resolution graphics from a local headend, which will equal the quality of those used by Satellite channels, but at a fraction of the cost.

Other companies will also offer attractively priced software solutions, developed specially to meet the needs of Indian Cable TV networks.

Encryption Systems : India already has more than 400 approved satellite TV channels and 150 new channels awaiting their downlink licenses. This has opened up a huge market for digital encryption system. "At Scat 2009, practically every major international digital encryption system provider has taken a stall.

"These include Viaccess, NDS, Conax and Latens. Potential users have the advantage of comparing products and features from every major encryption system vendor, to arrive at what best suits their needs and price point," adds Contractor.

A Strong Chinese Presence: This year, there are more than 10 Chinese companies participating at Scat 2009. They offer the widest possible product range including cables, optical fibre equipment, Hybrid ICs, digital Headends, digital STBs, as well as MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 satellite receivers. All these products will meet the most demanding international specifications yet offered to Indian distributors at extremely attractive prices.

The Chinese companies are present at the show to meet Indian importers and distributors rather than retail customers. They hope to establish stable long term working associations with companies in India for not only sales but also service support.

German pubcaster Deutsche Welle TV (DW TV) will be present at the Tradeshow with its team from Germany promoting their new C-Band feed from the Asiasat-3S satellite. Earlier this year the channel launched its new Asia feed in English, thus being able to increase its reach in the sub-continent. The channel now projects itself as a lifestyle and current affairs channel.

Contractor maintains that the economic downturn has had little impact in terms of participants for the show. Only a couple of companies from the US are not coming.