DVB-T Hierarchical Modulation: An Opportunity for New Services?

The European DVB-T standard includes a large number of transmission modes able to adapt the COFDM signal to a wide variety of broadcasting services. Among others, the hierarchical modulation mode allows to broadcast, on the same radio frequency channel two independent transport streams (MPEG-TS) having each a dedicated protection. With this apparently strange & complex modulation mode, it becomes possible to imagine new broadcast services: • to define two distinct coverage areas for a transmitter, • to address both mobile and static receivers, • To simulcast digital programs in standard (SDTV) and high definition (HDTV) formats, combined with the natural advantage to operate several transmitters in an iso frequency network (SFN - Single Frequency Network), the hierarchical modulation highlights the tremendous capacities of the DVB-T system. — After an educational explanation of the COFDM signal, details are given on the way to perform simulcast or mobile services with DVB-T hierarchical modulation. Is the DVB-T hierarchical modulation an opportunity for new digital terrestrial TV services? The author intends to bring his conviction in this paper.

Published

1999-07

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/M001167

ISBN

978-1-61482-948-5