H-16QAM-IP 16 Cable QAM RF Tuners to IPTV Gateway

The Thor Broadcast H-16QAM-IP is a professional 16 RF tuner QAM to IPTV gateway designed to receive up to 16 cable TV QAM RF channels from a coaxial CATV distribution system and convert the selected TV programs into IPTV streams for distribution over a local Ethernet network.

This unit is ideal when a facility already has clear QAM cable TV channels available on coax and wants to convert those RF channels into UDP/RTP multicast or unicast IPTV streams. Instead of using individual cable tuners or set-top boxes at every TV location, the H-16QAM-IP receives the QAM RF channels at the headend, tunes the selected carriers, extracts the TV programs, and outputs them as IPTV streams through the Ethernet DATA port.

Important Model Clarification

The H-16QAM-IP is the correct model for clear cable QAM RF input. This is different from the H-16ATSC-IP, which is used for off-air ATSC antenna signals, and different from the H-16DVBS-IP, which is used for satellite DVB-S/S2 RF signals. These models are hardware dependent, so the correct version must be selected based on the RF input format.

• H-16QAM-IP - 16 cable QAM RF tuners to IPTV
• H-16ATSC-IP - 16 off-air ATSC 8VSB RF tuners to IPTV
• H-16DVBS-IP - 16 satellite DVB-S / DVB-S2 RF tuners to IPTV

How the H-16QAM-IP Works

The system starts with a CATV coax RF feed. This can come from a cable TV headend, clear QAM source, RF combiner, RF splitter, or internal coax distribution system. The RF feed is connected to the 16 F-type RF tuner inputs on the rear panel of the H-16QAM-IP.

Each RF input feeds one internal tuner. Each tuner can be set to receive a specific QAM carrier. After the tuner locks to the selected QAM RF channel, the gateway scans the transport stream and detects the available TV programs. The selected programs can then be converted into IPTV streams.

The IPTV output is normally sent through the DATA1 Ethernet port. DATA1 is connected to a Gigabit Ethernet switch, which distributes the IPTV streams to IPTV set-top boxes, IP decoders, middleware systems, or compatible IP video players. The DATA2 port can be used as a secondary IP output or backup depending on the configuration. The NMS port is used for network management and web-based setup. The USB port is for local service or firmware/configuration functions, not for IPTV output.

Typical Signal Flow

1. Clear QAM cable RF enters from a CATV headend, coax network, or RF combiner.
2. The RF signal is connected to the 16 rear F-type RF tuner inputs.
3. The H-16QAM-IP tunes the selected QAM RF channels.
4. The unit detects the available TV programs inside each QAM transport stream.
5. Selected programs are converted to UDP/RTP IPTV streams.
6. The IPTV streams output through the DATA1 Ethernet port.
7. A Gigabit Ethernet switch distributes the streams to IPTV set-top boxes, decoders, or IPTV players.

RF Input and Loop Output Explanation

The rear F-type connectors are the QAM RF inputs. These inputs are used for coax feeds carrying clear QAM cable TV channels. The RF input can come from a splitter, combiner, amplifier, modulator bank, or existing CATV distribution system.

Depending on the rear-panel configuration, the unit may also provide RF loop outputs. A loop output passes the same incoming QAM RF signal through to another RF device, such as a monitoring receiver, TV tuner, second gateway, or additional headend equipment.

Important: the RF loop output is not an IPTV output. It is still a coax RF signal. The IPTV output comes from the Ethernet DATA port. The RF input and loop output are only for RF signal routing.

Front Panel Connections

Why Use QAM to IPTV?

The H-16QAM-IP is used when a facility wants to move TV distribution from traditional coax RF into an IPTV network. Many hotels, schools, hospitals, gyms, campuses, and enterprise buildings already have QAM channels available from an RF headend. This gateway allows those same channels to be converted into IP streams and distributed over Ethernet.

With multicast IPTV, one channel stream can be delivered to many displays without needing a separate tuner at every TV location. This makes the system easier to manage, easier to expand, and better suited for modern IPTV distribution.

Common Applications

• Clear QAM cable TV to IPTV conversion
• CATV headend to multicast IPTV distribution
• Hotels, resorts, schools, universities, and hospitals
• Gyms, sports bars, stadiums, churches, and commercial buildings
• Converting existing coax RF channels into IP streams
• Centralized IPTV headend systems
• Monitoring or redistributing QAM RF channels over LAN

Key Features

• 16 cable QAM RF tuner inputs
• Designed for clear QAM CATV RF input
• Supports QAM Annex A and Annex B
• Also supports selectable DVB-T, DVB-T2, and ISDB-T formats on the QAM hardware version
• Converts RF TV programs into IPTV streams
• UDP/RTP multicast or unicast output
• SPTS and MPTS output options
• Main IPTV output through DATA1 Ethernet port
• Web-based NMS configuration and management
• 2 ASI inputs and 2 ASI outputs
• Professional 1RU rackmount headend design

Simple Explanation

The H-16QAM-IP takes clear cable TV QAM channels from coax and converts them into IPTV streams. The QAM RF signal enters through the 16 rear RF tuner inputs. Each tuner receives a selected QAM channel, finds the available programs, and converts them into IP streams. Those IPTV streams leave the unit through the DATA1 Ethernet port and are distributed through a Gigabit Ethernet switch to IPTV set-top boxes, decoders, middleware, or compatible IP video players.