Design and construction of a low cost solar TV transmitter

Abstract

In Zimbabwe television (ZTV) transmission coverage is approximately 55% nationwide and

is mainly confined to urban areas. The dissertation overviews activities of the author’s design

of a solar tv transmitter prototype which will act as gap filler in remote areas where there is

no television coverage. Due to recent progress in the field of Wireless Sensor Networks

(WSN) in industry particularly for control and data processing, the same goal can be achieved

in television broadcasting by harnessing this idea. Since WSN technology brings several

advantages over traditional wired systems, including self-organization, rapid deployment,

flexibility, and low power consumption this prompted the author to design the prototype. The

prototype is going to be a completely self -contained outdoor unit with a battery backup

which is recharged by a solar power unit. This will provide a complete solution to the

Transmedia’s dilemma of the coverage increase of ZTV1 signals in a cost effective manner to

most people who are information starved. The prototype is going to broadcast two channels

so as to increase viewer’s choice. It can also be installed in colleges, rural community, or

shopping malls where you can broadcast tutorial videos, entertainment and advertisements

respectively. The design is going to implement digitilisation and analogue system so as to

reduce cost and abide by International Telecommunication Union (ITU) digitalization

deadline of June 15 2015.

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