Chapter Monthly Virtual Training
August 19, 2020 @ 12 noon
Presenter:  Dr. James Forrest Toelle, Columbus Consolidated Government

Training Summary: 

In the past, the Columbus Consolidated Government (CCG) enjoyed the distribution of free to low cost cable television channels. Over time local cable TV providers implemented a change-over to digital television. With the move to digital content and digital television, local providers began scrambling or encrypting their signals. Consequentially, a cable TV channel “descrambler” box is required in each viewing location to unscramble or unencrypt the signal. These boxes come with a monthly fee, so cable television is no longer available for “free” or of little cost to city.

Simpler and more cost-efficient ways to descramble cable signals exist. For example, there are solutions which can centralize the descrambling of cable TV and streaming to the city network as opposed to descrambling it in each office. This would allow a single instance of each cable TV channel to be shared by multiple offices in the city simultaneously.  The objective of this proposal was to allow the Columbus Consolidated Government (CCG) develop options defining specifications, provide pricing with options and managing the overall procurement and implementation process for a cable television solution.

Forrest will share his experience in implementing this solution and lessons learned.