ABSTRACT
The broadcasting stations in Nigeria often encounter sudden failures, which results in loss of signal that causes the station to experience down-time. Causes of the failures could be traced to the issues that range from erratic power supply to degradation in the studio equipment. Each failure and its consequent down-time influences the reliability of the station. In our environment (Nigeria) reliability does not only depend on the established parameters, instead it includes parameters such as lack of superior equipment and equipment maintainability. This is the more reason why the definition of reliability for a sensitive system such as the television station in our context is very important. In this work, the Jos television broadcasting station (NTA Jos) was examined in order to developed a reliability model with which the station’s broadcasting studio’s reliability can be defined, at any point, with high precision. The TV broadcasting studio configuration was therefore determined and modeled analytically. The model was simulated and the simulation results analyzed. Analysis resultshow that failure and restoration rate is expected to influence reliability significantly. Within the period of reliability assessment, analysis of the model shows that Jos Broadcasting studiois expected to experiences an average equipment failure rate of 0.0001687units per hour with negligible restoration rate that resulted to mean reliability of 0.33%.It was established also, that the level of equipment redundancy influences reliability to a significant extent. The modified model with added redundancy as opposed to that representing the studio, showed a reliability disparity of 1.04% indicating a 382 hours gain on down-time.
CHAPTERONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Pleasure and convenience had improved ever since technology advanced into reproducing in our homes the exact video, audio and motion pictures displayed several kilometers away. The variation and intensity of signal’s continuous succession is simultaneously reproduced in our home over space and time[1]. We will never be able to enjoy the prospect of an efficient broadcasting system if the concept of the reliability of equipment is not adequately considered.
Generally, the subject of reliability has become the fire upon which the flame of security, confidence and trust is developed round the clock. Engineers began to investigate further into the subject of reliability in the 1950’s taking precedent from the failure of the first American rocket and commercial Jet aircraft: the British de Havilland comet.Life testing was part of this engineering interest. And Landmark contributions were made in this direction [2]. Nevertheless,reliability theory began to be treated as a separate subjectin 1961 [3, 4]. Complex structures have been modeled accurately due to the benefit of physical reliability from the increasing computing power of reliability science [5, 6,
7];so that great strides at designing and developing spacecraft such as the space shuttle was successful. These achievements resulted from the emphasis on risk management through the instrumentality of maintainability, reliability, system safety and software assurance [8]
Today, lives are suspended in oblivion under the influence of hospital anesthetic, so that heartbeats and blood pressure could be monitored with high precision equipment, poor reliability of such equipment is death sentence. Human being and properties are often conveyed to different destination on a very high altitude and velocity using commercial aircraft or through Terrestrial vehicle, all these will never be possible if the associated subsystems of the vehicle system were not reliable[9].
Military and civilian aircrafts are directed by airport communication towers for safe landing. Missiles navigate through long distances to specific pre-determined geographical points by computer control system [10].In most of these cases unreliable subsystem equipment is a deadly trap looking for opportunity to destroy.
In our broadcasting station trust and satisfaction is gradually fading away. The question, “why does the TV signal often fail?” is a very popular question, a bone of contention in the broadcast world and specifically for TV users.These failures could be connected to the reliability of the equipment involved in the broadcast and their configuration.[11]
This is the more reason why this research presents the answer to this frustrating interruption of signal flow often encountered in the broadcasting station. This thesisdeveloped a reliability model from the studio equipment using series and parallel reliability configuration. The resultant analytical modelwas compared with anothermodel analyzed from the reconstructionof the same configuration. The modified model is a series system with parallel subsystem configuration. The outcome of employing the methodological strategy developed in the course of this workdisplayed the vulnerability of the studio to sudden failure.The reliability curves plotted emphasizes theimportance of the application of redundancy in other to reduce the frustrating interruptions of signal flow.
1.2 Aim of the Study
The aim of this study is to develop a reliability model from the reliability configuration of an operational broadcast station (Jos NTA TV station) such that; the reliability, failure rate and restoration rate of Jos TV broadcast station can be determined at any point with high precision; also to be able to determine the reliability of other broadcasting studios using the same methodology.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
The inconveniences of sudden failure from television broadcasting stations increases significantly due to so many contributory factors, ranging from human errors on the equipment to extreme operating condition. These are in various forms: Electronic parameters, such as voltage, current and frequency, Environmental parameters, such as temperature, humidity and vibration, Mechanical adjustments, such as dial settings and clearances, Faulty inputs, such as gas, and water. [12]
The effect of erratic electricity supply is also a major limitation, in most cases, alternative sources of power supply is made available. The alternative source too, is a problem owing to the cost of operation and maintenance. No matter how technical the problem resulting to failure in the system becomes, the effect obviously retard the efficiency of the associated reliability configuration of the broadcasting studio.This failures results to abrupt interruption of broadcasting signal even in occasions where it can be very costly.
If for instance,two or three states are linked together to air views for matters under reviewduring network programs.It is very discouraging for one of the stations to break the flow because of the failure of its equipment. Another example can be seen from the inability of a station to announce time sensitive information due to failure of its equipment.Such limitation could increase the loss of life and property during inter-ethnic crises, riot or natural disaster.
In this research work, the studio configuration was modeled analytically to determine the rate per precision at which equipment failure can be predicted. The failure mode of the configuration was detected from the reliability configuration analysis.The solution proffered was the optimization of the configuration against failure by usinghighly reliable equipment and the application of redundancy where necessary.
1.4Objectivesof the Study
The results and method of evaluation obtained from this research work will help Engineers, Technicians and operators of broadcast stations to:
I. Guide resource allocationprocess in assigning resourcesto sections of the broadcast systems bearing in mind that some sections may require high equipment reliability than others.
II. Permit complete overhauling of a set of old equipment when appropriate redundancy is applied, for the implementation of better technology at the TV station.
III. Implement the associated redundancy scheme which also prolongs the lifespan of the equipment and protects their efficiency.
IV. Reduce the stress associated with maintenance and control while meeting the demand of reliability.
V. Make available better condition for evaluation, recording of failure and restoration rate of broadcast equipment and providing better opportunity for market search and purchase recommendations.
VI. Above all, to develop a reliability model through which the reliability of Jos Tv station can be determined and also the reliability of other broadcast stations can be achieved using the same methodology.
1.5Scope/Limitation of the study.
I. Technological advancements have conditioned equipment to well arrange irreparable segmentation of micro-electronic elements and slots made up of microprocessors and
electronic component in the form of integrated circuits. The conspicuously visible discrete kind of component system is fast fading away. A digital transmitter for instance, may comprise of slots for system stages incorporated as panels that can be removed and replaced in event of fault. Smaller parts of the digital transmitter as well as parts of other equipment are constructed in similar packaging.Therefore this study may not be able to disclose in details the reliability of all slots representing the stagesof the composites equipment because of the complexities that may be associated with it. This is the main reason why the study consideredfor instance the transmitter as a single subsystem in the entire system of the broadcast station.
II. This research did not identify the quality or capacity of the broadcast signal for improvement, but analyses and qualify the reliability of configurations as basis for evaluation and sustaining of broadcast signal satisfactorily.
Every electronic gadget utilized in the signal processes at the station is composed of component such as transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors and others either in the form of integrated circuits (IC) or at discrete component level (element level). This research therefore does not consider reliability at element level.
1.6 Methodology of the study
The research methodology proceeded with the presentation of the configuration for plateau state broadcast studio. The studio equipments were classified according to series and parallel reliability format, based on how they affect the failure of the entire system. A reliability configuration was constructed, analytically modeled and simulated. In order to enable the adequate comparison, the reliability configuration was reconstructed, having active redundancy for all its subsystem and analyzed in similar manner. The offshoot of the analysis of the studio was an expression for the reliability of the broadcast station, with emphasis on the importance of subsystem redundancy.
1.7 Organization of the work.
This research work is arranged in such a way as to give the reader a view of the methodology that can be employed in order to fully explain, analyze and provide adequate recommendation for broadcast station reliability configuration. Chapter one introduces the work. Chapter two is divided into two parts. The first part presents TV broadcast station physical architecture. It describesthe operationsand reliability ofTV broadcast stations. The second part presents published work on system reliability and other related literature. Chapter three is made up of the methodological strategy employed to achieve
reliable results, such as the reliability configuration construction and its analytical modeling. Chapter four presents the results from the analysisand simulation. It uses the equipment’s average running hours and number of failures to display the reliability of the station under review. Chapter five presents the summary, conclusion and recommendations for further work in the area.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
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