Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)
2008-Q1	The roll-out of DTT in France — not just SD ... but HD and mobile TV services as well
	Aurélien Louis and Matthieu Roger (491 kB)
	Despite the rather late launch of DTT services in France compared to some neighbouring countries, they are already being adopted widely by the viewers, thanks to a long tradition of terrestrial television reception. By increasing the number of services and the transmission quality, the digital television landscape is maintaining its rapid evolutionary pace. This article gives a brief description of the current DTT situation in France and of its soon-to-come evolution: HDTV and mobile TV launches. In the longer term, terrestrial broadcasting networks will develop further, as a result of a national scheme to re-allocate the frequencies freed up by the digital switchover process.
311	DVB-SH — mobile digital TV in S-Band Philip Kelley and Christian Rigal (373 KB)
	DVB-SH is the name of a mobile broadcast standard designed to deliver video, audio and data services to small handheld devices such as mobile telephones, and to vehicle-mounted devices. The key feature of DVB-SH is the fact that it is a hybrid satellite/terrestrial system that will allow the use of a satellite to achieve coverage of large regions or even a whole country. In areas where direct reception of the satellite signal is impaired, and for indoor reception, terrestrial repeaters are used to improve service availability. It is planned to use frequencies below 3 GHz, typically S-Band frequencies around 2.2 GHz adjacent to the 3G terrestrial frequencies. DVB began work on the DVB-SH specification in 2006. The system and waveform specifications have recently been released in the form of DVB Bluebooks, and sent to ETSI for publication as formal standards.
309	Laboratory evaluation of DVB-S2 state-of-the-art equipment A. Bertella, V. Mignone, B. Sacco and M. Tabone (594 KB)
	This article describes the results of laboratory tests carried out by RAI-CRIT in June 2006 on DVB-S2 state-of-the-art equipment. AWGN (Additive White Gaussian Noise) performance, non-linear-channel and phase-noise degradation were measured, and the results show that the equipment is in line with the simulation results reported in the DVB-S2 standard. Single-carrier and multi-carrier configurations were implemented and compared to the equivalent DVB-S configurations. The results show that DVB-S2 can offer excellent gains over DVB-S – in terms of not only capacity and/or performance, but also flexibility.
308	GE06 — overview of the second session (RRC-06) and the main features for broadcasters Terry O’Leary, Elena Puigrefagut and Walid Sami (1.364 MB)
	The Geneva 2006 frequency plan (GE06) is set to replace the Stockholm plan of 1961 (ST61) – providing for T-DAB and DVB-T digital services in the VHF and UHF broadcasing bands (Bands III and IV/V) throughout the European Broadcasting Area and beyond. The EBU contributed actively and efficiently to the success of the planning process, by developing the calculation software that was used by the ITU at RRC-06. This article describes the planning process and its outcome which should ensure that spectrum is available for digital terrestrial broadcasting over the next few decades, covering a large area including 118 countries.
306	Mobile TV — results from the DVB-H trial in Oxford Simon Mason (300 KB)
	This article explores the results of the mobile TV trials in which Arqiva has been involved – in particular, the Oxford DVB-H trial. It also discusses the technology choices faced by potential service providers in the UK and elsewhere in mainland Europe, given the constraints of spectrum availability.
305	An economic analysis of DAB & DVB-H Daniel Skiöld (514 KB)
	Cost comparisons between DAB and DVB-H have sometimes been inconsistent in the past. Some have claimed that DAB networks are cheaper per multiplex, while others have claimed that DVB-H will be cheaper per radio or TV channel. The underlying and hidden assumption is that the networks will be filled with content. These kinds of comparisons leave much for speculation – as one can claim that both DAB and DVB-H can be cheaper, depending on if you calculate the costs per multiplex or per channel. To know the costs of these technologies, we need to know the market size. And clearly, we need a common measurement system, to enable fair comparisons.
305	Broadcasting to Handhelds — an overview of systems and services Chris Weck and Edgar Wilson (246 KB)
	This article stems from a study carried out by EBU Project Group B/BTH (Broadcasting to Handhelds) which has been examining the several system technology options. The group has also considered some service aspects, including business models and programme offers. The results suggest that the first task for a broadcaster is to develop a clear understanding of the various roles in the “BTH value chain” that he might wish to play – from content production to the consumer. He must then develop the necessary synergies with partners in the future BTH world. This may subsequently have a direct influence on the choice of technical system, rather than making a selection on the basis of technical performance only. There will also be further fundamental considerations to take into account, such as spectrum availability.
302	The UK TV Anytime test bed Allen Mornington-West (284 KB)
	Formed in 1999, the TV-Anytime Forum is developing open specifications for interoperable and integrated systems that will allow consumer electronics manufacturers, content creators, telecommunications companies, broadcasters and other service providers to most effectively utilize high-volume digital storage (PVRs) in consumer devices. The TV-Anytime Phase 1 specification was published as an ETSI Technical Specification in October 2003. In the UK, the Digital TV Group set up a test bed in 2004 to prove that TV Anytime is workable within the constraints of the UK DTT platform (DVB-T). If it could be shown to provide a commercial advantage on this platform, then it should also work as the core for almost any other delivery system (e.g. DVB-S, Broadband TV and Mobile TV). This article gives an overview of the TV Anytime system, in the context of the UK test bed.
302	The challenge of QoS for digital television services Denis Abraham, Dominique Méry et al. (253 KB)
	Quality of Service (QoS) in digital television broadcasting has been the subject of many studies during the last decade. This has led to the establishment of various standards and recommendations by organisations such as ETSI and the ITU. More than twenty relevant parameters and associated measurement methods have been specified by ETSI for DVB but their interpretation, usage and exploitation are often considered “difficult” – in that they require a high level of expertise. This article describes how three “synthetic” parameters (SAE, SDE and SIE) have been developed to make assessment of QoS considerably easier. They could represent the keystone of QoS in digital TV services.
302	RRC-06 — technical basis and planning configurations for T-DAB and DVB-T Roland Brugger and Kerstin Mayer (738 KB)
	One fundamental part of the RRC planning process is to carry out a compatibility analysis. To facilitate this procedure, a reduction in the large number of possible transmitter configurations, down to just a few reference planning configurations, is useful. For compatibility calculations, SFNs may be represented by generic reference networks, whereas single transmitters are described by their “real” characteristics. This article describes various planning configurations and reference networks for T-DAB and DVB-T, while keeping an eye on DVB-H requirements as well.
300	RRC-04/06 — an overview of the first Session (RRC-04) Elena Puigrefagut and Terry O’Leary (787 KB)
	The ITU Regional Radio Conference, RRC-04/06, was convened to update the Stockholm 1961 and Geneva 1989 VHF/UHF television broadcasting Plans for the European and African Broadcasting Areas, respectively. It takes account of the spectrum needs for digital radio and television terrestrial services in the European and African Broadcasting Areas, and also in neighbouring areas. The first Session, RRC-04, was completed in May 2004 and this article provides an overview of the progress made in establishing the planning criteria and parameters for the later second Session, RRC-06, to be held in 2006.
300	DVB-S2 — ready for lift off Alberto Morello and Vittoria Mignone (359 KB)
	DVB-S2 is the second-generation specification for satellite broadcasting – developed by the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) Project in 2003. It benefits from more recent developments in channel coding (LDPC codes) combined with a variety of modulation formats (QPSK, 8PSK, 16APSK and 32APSK). When used for interactive applications, such as Internet navigation, it may implement Adaptive Coding & Modulation (ACM), thus optimizing the transmission parameters for each individual user, dependant on path conditions. Backwards-compatible modes are available, allowing existing DVB-S set-top-boxes to continue working during any transitional period. This article, based on a presentation given at IBC-2004, gives a variety of examples of DVB-S2 – focusing on television applications including broadcasting, contribution TV links and DSNG, and DTT signal distribution to transmitters – which illustrate the advantages of the new system over DVB-S and, indeed, DVB-DSNG.
300	Switchover — the German approach Oliver Werner, Alfred Riedel and Stefan Wirts (479 KB)
	The analogue-to-digital transition in the delivery of TV programmes to the home is a major challenge. Many requirements have to be met. Germany provides an interesting case study as the approaches taken for satellite, terrestrial and cable delivery differ significantly. In this article, after a brief review of TV coverage in Germany, the analogue-to-digital transition is detailed for the three distribution platforms – including issues on picture quality, HDTV and interactive programming based on MHP.
299	What's the difference between DVB-H and DAB — in the mobile environment Andreas Sieber and Chris Weck (379 KB)
	The European digital terrestrial broadcast systems – DVB and DAB – have recently come into focus as a means of delivering streaming content to mobile, portable and even handheld receivers. But what are the pros and cons of using these broadcast systems in conjunction with cellular networks? This article explains it all.
299	Modelling impulsive interference in DVB-T — statistical analysis, test waveforms and receiver performance José Lago-Fernández and John Salter (546 KB)
	Until now, gated Gaussian noise has been widely recognized as the only calibrated tool available to measure impulsive interference performance in a DVB-T system. Recently, a working group within the Digital Television Group, led by BBC R&D, carried out a series of theoretical and practical studies to devise a representative set of test waveforms for impulsive interference. The result of this work was the proposal of a group of new “gated-squared” Gaussian noise tests, together with some recommendations for test methods and measurement equipment. Arising from this work came the realization that the impulsive noise performance of a DVB-T receiver equipped with no specific counter-measures can be determined from the effective duration of the burst of noise.
298	DVB-T — C/N values for portable single and diversity reception Raul Schramm (795 KB)
	It has been shown that the minimum C/N values for good-quality portable DVB-T reception in a static Rayleigh channel – as given in the ETSI DVB-T standard – are too low. With this in mind, the IRT carried out extensive laboratory measurements on DVB-T reception (both single and diversity) at 610 MHz – using a number of different modulation schemes and code rates. Resulting from these measurements, a new set of C/N values for portable urban reception is proposed.
298	DVB-T — a fresh look at single and diversity receivers for mobile and portable reception Yannick Lévy (1030 KB)
	With the emerging threat from broadband television (xDSL-TV), broadcasters must use DVB-T for what it is really good at – portability and mobility. This article shows how diversity reception can significantly improve DVB-T reception on the move and on portable TV receivers.
296	DTT comparison of 64-QAM with 16-QAM — co-channel interference from PAL, echoes and impulsive interference John Salter and José Lago-Fernández (739 KB)
	This article collates the results of comparing the performance of the two DVB-T modes currently in use in the UK – namely, 64-QAM rate 2/3 and 16-QAM rate 3/4, both using 2K carriers with a 7ms guard interval. Three different sources of impairment were measured: (i) co-channel interference from an analogue PAL signal, (ii) multipath propagation resulting in one echo inside or outside the guard interval and (iii) impulsive interference. The results are presented in a novel manner as “noise bucket” plots. These plots are used to quantify the improvement in performance that can be achieved with 16-QAM rate 3/4 over 64-QAM rate 2/3.
295	OFDM receivers — impact on coverage of inter-symbol interference and window positioning Roland Brugger and David Hemingway (904 KB)
	This article offers a general overview of the possible strategies for FFT window synchronization in OFDM receivers. These strategies are equally applicable to the T-DAB and DVB-T broadcasting systems.
295	Field evaluations in Taiwan of the DVB-T COFDM and ATSC 8-VSB digital TV systems Chi-Fang Huang, The Nan Chang and Chau-Yun Hsu (1106 KB)
	This article presents the results of field evaluations carried out in Taiwan on the two principal digital TV broadcasting systems in use today – ATSC 8-VSB (developed in North America) and DVB-T COFDM (developed in Europe). The evaluations were carried out in February and March 2001 in the Northern area and the Taipei metropolis of Taiwan. Based on the subsequent report (which forms the basis for this article), the Taiwan telecommunications authority agreed to deregulate DTV broadcasting and adopt the DVB-T transmission standard. DVB-T is now being used by the five terrestrial television broadcasters in Taiwan.
294	Hierarchical modulation — the transmission of two independent DVB-T multiplexes on a single TV frequency Alexander Schertz and Chris Weck (933 KB)
	Hierarchical modulation – a variant of the digital terrestrial television standard, DVB-T – has received relatively little attention to date in the planning processes. It enables the transmission of two independent DVB-T multiplexes on a single TV frequency channel, with different transmission qualities (high priority and low priority). The high-priority multiplex can be used, in particular, for portable indoor and mobile reception. On the basis of specific examples, this article shows that hierarchical modulation can be a worthwhile alternative to non-hierarchical modulation.
288	The echo performance of DVB-T receivers Ranulph Poole (283 KB)
	This article introduces a model to describe the way in which a single echo gives rise to an equivalent noise floor (ENF) in a DVB-T system. Once the ENF is known, it is possible to calculate the equivalent noise degradation (END) of the system. The article also shows that the model can readily be extended to include multiple echoes. Agreement between the predictions of the model and practical measurements is shown to be good.
287	DVB-T — network structures and costs for full coverage Gerd. Petke and Jürgen Frank (641 KB)
	Due to the high penetration of cable and satellite TV services in Germany, the take-up of terrestrial TV is currently less than 10% (at least for the main receiver in each home), and with a slowing tendency. Therefore, in order to reverse this trend, viewers of future DVB-T services will have to be offered new incentives such as portable indoor reception, without the need for a classical roof-top antenna. In the present study, the extent to which full area coverage could be achieved – for portable indoor reception – was investigated in the Schleswig-Holstein region. During the transition period, the level of the effective radiated transmitter power will have to be reduced in accordance with the Chester agreement. It is shown that, after conversion of the existing transmitter network in Schleswig-Holstein, a DVB-T coverage probability of 70% could be reached. Higher coverage probabilities, for portable indoor reception, can only be realized in a cost-effective way by the use of single-frequency networks. However, this implies a revision of the Stockholm Agreement 1961.
286	Teletext — in digital television W. Brückner (195 KB)
	Teletext is about 25 years old and is currently being brought into the digital broadcasting environment by the DVB project. This article looks at some of the key issues involved in offering teletext and subtitling to DVB viewers.
285	Ideas on migration from analogue to DVB-T — in the European Broadcasting Area N. Laflin and E. Puigrefagut (744 KB)
	Terrestrial digital television (DVB-T) is now being launched in a growing number of European countries. However, this is only a start in what will be – for some years to come – a mixed analogue and digital environment, where the basis for planning is from an “analogue world”. This article provides some ideas on how migration from analogue to terrestrial digital TV may be achieved. It is hoped that new ideas will be stimulated and developed as a result.
283	DVB — with return channel via satellite V. Paxal (149 KB)
	For interactive purposes, the provision of a return channel via satellite is an attractive option. The DVB project has now drawn up the specification of such a return channel which is briefly outlined here.
282	DSNG — auxilliary co-ordination channels A. Morello, V. Mignone and W. Cascianelli (443 KB)
	In July 1997, the Technical Module of the DVB Project set up an ad hoc group on DSNG under the chairmanship of RAI, with the tasks (i) to define the specification for modulation/channel coding for DSNG and other contribution applications by satellite, (ii) to define the specification for the auxiliary co-ordination channels and (iii) to co-operate with other DVB groups in defining the user guidelines for source coding, Service Information (SI) and scrambling for Conditional Access (CA). The specification for the auxiliary co-ordination channels was finalized by the group in Autumn 1998 and approved within DVB and ETSI in Spring 1999. It consists of a specification for a set of two-way (i.e. full-duplex) satellite communication circuits to allow for SNG technical and/or programme co-ordination between the DSNG terminal, the broadcaster, the DSNG operator (when required) and the satellite operator – particularly useful in areas where access to the public switched or cellular telephone networks is difficult or impossible. The specified system is based on Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum and QPSK modulation, convolutionally coded with rate 1/2, and allows for voice, data and fax transmissions.
281	DVB-T transmissions — interference with adjacent-channel PAL services R. Poole (259 KB)
	In the UK, many of the new digital television (DVB-T) services are broadcast in adjacent channels to existing PAL services. There have been reports of PAL reception suffering as a result, possibly because the maximum DVB-T sideband levels have been incorrectly specified. This article describes how to calculate the PAL picture impairment arising from the presence of DVB-T sidebands. It also compares the calculated predictions with experimental data. The conclusion is that the sideband specification is correct: critical viewers would just notice worst-case interference. However, it is possible to misinterpret the specification. An allowance must be made for the difference in effective radiated powers between the DVB-T and PAL transmissions. An example is given of how a mistake could be made.
278	A milestone in the history of the DVB Project P. Marshall (247 KB)
	DTT services began in the UK on 15 November 1998, with six multiplexes offering a mix of free-to-air, primary and premium channels. Four of these multiplexes should reach 90% of the UK population by the end of 1999 while the remaining two will reach around 70% of UK households, because of restrictions. This article explains the fundamental differences between UK DTT and previous DVB implementations, and argues in favour of open standards and “horizontal” DTT platforms as the model for the future.
277	New DVB standard for DSNG — and contribution satellite links A. Morello and V. Mignone > (390 KB)
	In July 1997, the Technical Module of the DVB Project set up an Ad-hoc Group on Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) under the chairmanship of the RAI. Its tasks were: (i) to define the specification of the modulation/channel coding for DSNG and other contribution applications by satellite, (ii) to define the specification for the auxiliary co-ordination channels and (iii) to co-operate with other DVB groups in order to define the user guidelines for source coding, Service Information (SI) and scrambling for Conditional Access (CA). A flexible DVB-DSNG system has now been defined and is described here. Mainly based on the DVB system for satellite broadcasting (DVB-S), it offers a range of different picture-quality levels at various bit-rates by using the MPEG-2 MP@ML and 422P@ML algorithms. The specification for the auxiliary co-ordination channels was finalized by the group in Autumn 1998 and the approval procedure is still in progress within DVB and ETSI. It is not described in this article for reasons of conciseness.
270	Coverage aspects of digital terrestrial television broadcasting C. Weck (580 KB)
	The specification for digital terrestrial television, DVB-T, offers a wide range of potential applications: single transmitter and single-frequency networks, prohibited channel operation, portable reception, hierarchical transmission, etc. The network operator can select technical parameters such as the number of OFDM carriers, the length of guard interval, the degree of error protection and the modulation method. The last two parameters in particular allow the operator to reach a compromise between the number or programmes carried and their transmission reliability. This raises the question of which results, with regard to coverage, need to be achieved in each case. The main applications have been studied at the IRT using Monte Carlo simulations of regular network situations. The results are documented here in the form of predictions for the coverage probabilities. The reasons for the choice of parameters for the terrestrial specification are dealt with specifically. Ways to restrict the basically very wide choice of system state (modes) can also be derived from these simulations.
266	Satellites, science and success — The DVB story D. Wood (74 KB)
	The European DVB Project is seen as something of a model for the development of new systems in many parts of the world. In this article, the author describes the lessons learned in the 1980s which led to the foundation of the DVB Project in 1993, and the successes it has since achieved.
266	MPEG video — A simple introduction S.R. Ely (89 KB)
	The core element of all DVB systems is the MPEG-2 vision coding standard, which is based upon a flexible toolkit of techniques for bit-rate reduction. The MPEG-2 specification only defines the bit-stream syntax and decoding process. The coding process is not specified, which means that compatible improvements in the picture quality will continue to be possible. In this article, the author provides a simple introduction to the technicalities of the MPEG-2 video coding standard.
266	The DVB satellite, cable and SMATV systems — Why the technical choices were made J. Seseña (105 KB)
	The author describes the DVB systems that have been defined for the digital distribution of television, sound and data services via satellite, cable and SMATV networks. Reasons are given for why the technical choices were made and the author briefly discusses future trends in digital broadcasting, especially the move towards interactive broadcasting.
266	Digital terrestrial television — The 8k system L. Grete Möller (84 KB)
	While this issue of the Review was being prepared, the DVB Steering Board agreed on the specification for terrestrial broadcasting of digital television signals (DVB-T). It is based on COFDM with two variants – one is known as the "8k system" and the other as the "2k system". In this article, the author outlines the developments which led up to the DVB-T specification being agreed, and describes how an 8k system works.
266	A functional model of a conditional access system for use with digital television broadcasts EBU Project Group B/CA (76 KB)
	EBU Project Group B/CA has developed a functional model of a conditional access system for use with digital television broadcasts. It should be of benefit to EBU Members who intend to introduce encrypted digital broadcasts; by using this reference model, Members will be able to evaluate the different conditional access systems that are available. The model is not intended as a specification for a particular system. Rather, it provides a framework for defining the terms and operating principles of conditional access systems and it illustrates some of the conflicts and trade-offs that occur when designing such systems.
260	On the eve of the revolution — Digital television broadcasting in April 1994 D. Wood (54 KB)
	In a relatively short time, the Digital Video Broadcasting Project has grown into one of Europe's fastest-moving and most ambitious projects in the media environment. Starting with a handful of specialists, DVB now involves over 130 companies and organizations in a joint effort aimed at establishing a coordinated set of standards for the digital transmission of television programmes by satellite, by cable and in terrestrial channels. A new page has been opened in the history of broadcasting, and the DVB Project is a key element in the process.

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