Developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) with Alenia Spazio as prime contractor, SkyPlex is used by Content Providers, companies and Internet Service Providers. Today, 12 SkyPlex units orbit aboard the Eutelsat satellites: Hotbird 4 (one unit), Eurobird 2 (3 units), Hotbird 6 (8 units). The latest SKYPLEX will have five units and an 'enhanced' SKYPLEX unit that is both lighter and smaller.
The SkyPlex payload is designed for onboard digital multiplexing. Because SkyPlex allows broadcasters to uplink services directly, the multiplexing facility provides much more flexibility and lower operating costs. SkyPlex can receive video, audio and data uplink signals from several different geographic locations and multiplex them into a single DVB downlink signal. This ability has direct application to single digital TV programme broadcasting, digital radio broadcasting, interactive multimedia services and Internet connectivity.
The SkyPlex payload also offers a 'wide area coverage' for broadcasters with instant access to a very large installed base of DVB receivers. Regional, local and thematic broadcasters can therefore benefit from easy and direct satellite access into millions of homes.
A simple 90 cm, 2 watt antenna is enough to "board" the satellite. Users have their own receiving/transmitting antenna, as small as current ones for satellite television, mounted on the roof of homes.
SkyPlexNet
Used by Service Providers, Corporate Companies, Universities, Multimedia Content Providers, Broadcasters and Telecom Operators, SkyPlexNet permits autonomous access to the satellite. SkyplexNet is fully operational in several organizations to implement the following services:
With the uplink antenna size at 0.9m, SkyPlex substantially reduces the broadcaster's investment in uplinking. With a direct link to satellite, investment in set-up time, terrestrial feeder links and centralised uplink stations drops significantly.
| The key-feature of the Enhanced SkyPlex Unit is the on-board Turbo Decoder. This advanced coding scheme allows a reduction of the transmitted power by about 5.8 dB without changing information rate or bandwidth of the channel. | 
click for larger image |
Used by Service Providers, Corporate Companies, Universities, Multimedia Content Providers, Broadcasters and Telecom Operators, SkyPlexNet permits autonomous access to the satellite. SkyplexNet is fully operational in several organizations to implement the following services:
- Company Web TV
- Company training and information
- Tele-education courses
- Distance University
- Training and information for the Public Administrations
- Intranets
The Service Provider will become more independent and will now be able to manage its own customer base, create and offer programme schedules with video streaming, Web-based video products, IP-multicast and provide interactive services through a terrestrial return path. Users of the Service Centre need only a PC with a DVB card and a parabola, while corporate users can be connected by a LAN router.
To read more about SkyPlex just click on the links on the right of this page.
