This year's ANGA tradeshow in Cologne was a great success with over 16,500 visitors and 420 exhibitors. One of the highlights of the show could be seen at the booth operated jointly by ANGA and DVB. This was the live demonstration of the first DVB-C2 consumer receiver prototype based on an integrated DVB-C2 demodulator chip developed by Sony. The demonstration mode deployed was 4096 QAM with an overall capacity of 80 Mbit/s - equivalent to a spectral efficiency of 10 bits/Hertz! The transmitted stream consisted of 4 HD video channels encoded with an overall aggregated data rate of 36 Mbit/s, which used just 50% of the available capacity. For the modulation, a commercially available DVB-C2 modulator from DekTec was employed. 

 

Having integrated demodulator chips available is an important step towards providing affordable set-top boxes and integrated Digital TVs. This successful DVB-C2 demonstration, enabled by the excellent support of Sony and Kabel Deutschland, proves that the necessary equipment chain will be in place. All the relevant elements for a DVB-C2 transmission - modulator, test and measurement equipment and the first samples of the DVB-C2 integrated demodulator are indeed available.

 

DVB Member Televes, which is a global firm specialising in the distribution of TV signals throughout building infrastructures, is set to deploy the first project in Spain for delivering 3DTV services over DVB-C2.  Televes leads the DERFO 3DTV project, supported by several universities, the Gradiant Technological Center and Continental Networks. The DERFO 3DTV project is an ambitious endeavour to distribute 3DTV over fibre optic and coaxial networks using the latest cable transmission scheme DVB-C2. DVB-C2 was selected for its high bandwidth efficiency, which is necessary for the delivery 3DTV services.  

 

The DERFO 3DTV project aims to implement the suitable infrastructure to distribute the latest multimedia and interactive applications. It is utilizing fibre optics as the paradigm of the high-capacity/high-efficiency network while also taking into account the massively deployed coaxial infrastructures. In addition the project explores the possibility of using wavelength multiplexing technologies to enlarge the capacity of distribution networks. Read full story...

 

As part of this year's Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union's Digital Broadcasting Symposium in Kuala Lumpur, an important 4-day DVB-T2 field trial took place to showcase the technology and its superior capabilities. The field measurements and results of the field trial were subsequently presented later in the week at the Symposium Conference.

 

The field trial was conducted by ABU, DVB, Rohde & Schwarz and Radio Television Malaysia with the support of Media Broadcast, TeamCast and S & T in Kuala Lumpur from 4-7 March 2011. Attended by over 120 participants representing 16 countries from the region, the event aimed to provide firsthand information on DVB-T2 and the expertise in setting up, as well as operating such transmissions in their own countries.

 

The four-day event was comprised of a two-day workshop followed by a two-day field measurement exercise in and around the city of Kuala Lumpur. The workshop featured DVB-T2 technology, its implementation, advanced features and benefits as compared with the first generation DVB-T. Read full story...

DVB-T2 is the world's most advanced digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) system offering higher efficiency, robustness and flexibility. It introduces the latest modulation and coding techniques to enable highly efficient use of valuable terrestrial spectrum for the delivery of audio, video and data services to fixed, portable and mobile devices. These new techniques make DVB-T2 50% more efficient than any other DTT system in the world.

 

Since the first DVB-T2 services were launched in December 2009 in the UK, 2010 and early 2011 have seen services launched in Italy, Sweden and Finland. The total number of countries that have declared their intention to deploy the state-of-the-art second-generation DTT system now stands at a remarkable 28. The total number of countries that have declared their intention to deploy or already have services on-air using DVB terrestrial standards now stands at a staggering 136.

 

DVB DTT data is available to download from the DVB website.

 

At this year's BroadcastAsia, the DVB will be highlighting the robustness and flexibility of DVB-T2. A single DVB-T2 multiplex in an 8 MHz channel containing three Physical Layer Pipes (PLP) will be deployed for three different services: 3D and HD quality for rooftop antenna reception, SD quality for indoor antenna reception and mobile reception. The HD and SD programmes will be received in parallel on 4 television screens through commercially available DVB-T2 IDTVs as well as DVB-T2 set-top boxes. A DVB-T2 USB receiver will also receive the DVB-T2 services and then transmit them via WiFi to a mobile phone device.

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DekTec C2Xpress

DekTec's C2Xpress is DVB-C2 signal generator covering the complete DVB-C2 specification. The generator is completely configurable, supports multi-data slice and multiple PLP and allows the generation of signals with dynamically varying data slices, modulation and code rate.  The DVB-C2 signals are generated using the company's multi-standard VHF/UHF modulators. Options are available for offline generation of I/Q sample files, intermediate test point data and for channel simulation.  Typical applications include DVB-C2 receiver development, testing and demonstrations.

 

The company also offers a general purpose DVB-C2 demodulator/analyser in its product portfolio, supporting multi-data slice and multiple PLP reception: C2Xpert.  It displays the signalling information and outputs a demodulated Transport Stream on UDP. The number of LDPC iterations, transfer-function and impulse response and the constellation diagram are shown in graphs. C2Xpert can be used as general purpose DVB-C2 receiver and analyser for DVB-C2 product development and demonstrations.    www.dektec.com 

 

S3 Group has launched the StormTest Development Center HV04 model supporting automated testing offour STBs in parallel which complements the already released

S3 Group StormTest Development Center HV04

HV01andHV16 for testing one and sixteen boxes respectively. The system can be used to automate testing of DVB-S/S2, DVB C/C2, DVB-T and IPTV devices. Recent product software updates have made it even easier to author and maintain test scripts as well as to support larger enterprise wide network deployments.  www.s3group.com 

 

 

 

Rohde & Schwarz has a DVB-C2 modulation option for its R&S SFU Broadcast Test System. It supports all modes of the DVB-C2 standard, including constellations

R&S SFU Broadcast Test System

up to 4096QAM. It is a high end TV signal generator with integrated simulators for fading, adjacent channel interferers and impulsive noise. With the new DVB-C2 option, the unit is a powerful tool for development and test of DVB-C2 receivers.  www.rohde-schwarz.com

 

 

 

 

 

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