DTV Reception Research Articles

Compact Ultra-Wide-Band HI Monopole Antenna Loaded with C-Shaped Parasitic Elements for DVB-T and LTE Applications

In this study, a compact ultra-wide band microstrip antenna loaded with C-shaped parasitic elements, for Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial (DVB-T) and LTE 450 / 700 signal reception, is presented. The proposed antenna is named “HI Monopole”, and its geometry has been designed to be simple and intuitive, lightweight, compact, possessing a low fabrication cost as well as an easy installation process inside electronic gadgets. The HI Monopole operates with ultra-wide bandwidth characteristics for operation within Digital Video Broadcasting – Terrestrial (DVB-T) standard, 470–890 MHz, that has been accomplished by: inserting an indent in its ground plane, adjusting the dimension of the feeding line, and adding two C-shaped parasite elements onto the region posterior to the antenna’s main irradiating element. It was verified through electromagnetic measuring that this device is capable of covering the 429-1022 MHz range, thus having 593 MHz of bandwidth. The superior and inferior cutoff frequencies have been chosen as the values in –10 dB of the device’s return loss. Therefore, the proposed antenna can be utilized in DTV and LTE signal reception through broadcasting in any country, independently of its adopted standard.

Channel Characteristics for Fixed and Portable DTV Reception in a Single Frequency Network

This paper presents the propagation channel characteristics of a digital TV single-frequency network (SFN) obtained by carrying out field measurements using two synchronized transmitters. The measurements are performed at 31 reception points using both a directive reception antenna, which is typical of fixed reception scenarios, and an omnidirectional antenna, which is used to receive mobile signals. The characteristic parameters of the channel are obtained, including the average delay, the root mean square (RMS) delay spread, and the Rician K-factor, which are important for the design of SFN systems. An empirical expression is obtained for the prediction of the RMS delay spread as a function of the K factor and the distances to the transmission antennas.

Broadband Quasi-Yagi Antenna with a Ring-type Balun for Indoor DTV Reception

Broadband Quasi-Yagi Antenna with a Ring-type Balun for Indoor DTV Reception

3-Element Quasi-Yagi Antenna with a Modified Balun for DTV Reception

3-Element Quasi-Yagi Antenna with a Modified Balun for DTV Reception

Comparative Study of Printed Dipole Antenna with Step-Shaped Feed Gap for DTV Applications

This paper presents the comparative study of printed dipole antenna with step-shaped feed gap for DTV applications. By proper adjusting the length of arm strips, the additional resonant mode is excited close to the fundamental resonant mode which can form wide operating band. With the equal length of the strip arms of dipole antennas but different step-shaped feed gap (single, double and triple step-shaped feed gap), the single and double step-shaped feed gap can cover the 470-806 MHz band for DTV reception. The dipole antenna with triple step-shaped feed gap can cover the 470-862 MHz band. The simulated and measured results such as return loss, VSWR, radiation pattern and gain for proposed antenna are investigated.

향상된 지상파 DTV 채널 프로파일 측정기술

ATSC terrestrial DTV system can support high data rates for HDTV(High Definition Television) service, but it suffers from significant performance degradation caused by multipath fading. Thus, it is necessary to analyze multipath fading effects in order to enhance the DTV reception performance. Generally, DTV channel profile can be obtained by auto-correlation between reference pseudo random signal and received DTV signal. However, in the ATSC terrestrial DTV system, the estimation performance of DTV channel profile may be decreased due to the VSB modulation features. In this paper, improved DTV channel profile measurement technique is analyzed and proposed.

Empirical Evaluation of the Impact of Wind Turbines on DVB-T Reception Quality

This paper describes the results of two extensive measurement campaigns for evaluating the potential impact of scattered signals from wind turbines on terrestrial DTV reception quality in the UHF band. A detailed description of the different propagation channels encountered is provided. Furthermore, empirical threshold carrier-to-noise requirements for Quasi Error Free reception in the DVB-T system in the area of influence of a wind farm are presented, and the situations where a significant degradation can be found are identified and characterized.

Interference to DTV reception from FM radio signals

Interference to DTV reception from signals in the 88-108 MHz FM broadcast band has been observed since the end of analog TV broadcasting in June, 2009. This interference is generated in the front-end (tuner) of the affected receiver. This paper describes the non-linear mechanisms in the receiver by which FMI to DTV reception takes place. The author has tested 15 models of NTIA approved DTV down-converters measuring the increase in DTV received signal power required as a function of the power of local off-air FM signals in his laboratory. He has also tested "amplified indoor antennas" and found their performance was seriously impaired by FMI. This work was carried out as unsponsored research.

디지털 TV 실내 수신을 위한 포물선 엣지 형태의 평면 모노폴 안테나

본 논문은 디지털 TV 실내 수신을 위한 포물선 엣지 형태의 평면 모노폴 안테나를 제안한다. 평면 모노폴과 그라운드의 엣지를 포물선 구조로 하여 광대역 특성을 갖도록 한다. 모노폴과 그라운드 엣지의 곡률을 변화시키면서 자기 상보(self-complementary) 구조에 가깝도록 설계한다. 안테나는 모노폴과 그라운드가 동일 평면상에 존재하며, coplanar waveguide 급전을 사용한다. 유전 상수가 4.4인 FR4 유전체 기판을 사용하였고, 크기는 <TEX>$200\;mm{\times}40\;mm{\times}1.6\;mm$</TEX>이다. 470~806 MHz의 디지털 TV 수신 전 대역에서 10 dB 이상의 반사 손실을 얻을 수 있었다. E 평면의 최대 이득은 600 MHz일 때 1.86 dBi, H평면의 최대 이득은 600 MHz일 때 3.86 dBi였다. In this paper, a parabolic edge planar monopole antenna for indoor DTV reception is presented. The antenna has broadband property with the planar monopole and ground of parabolic edges. It is designed close to self-complementary structure as changing curvature of edges of monopole and ground. Monopole and ground conductors of the antenna are on the same plane, and excited through CPW feeding. It is fabricated on an FR4 dielectric substrate of <TEX>$\varepsilon_r=4.4$</TEX>, and the dimension is <TEX>$40\;mm{\times}200\;mm{\times}1.6\;mm$</TEX>. Return loss is larger than 10 dB in 470~806 MHz. Maximum gain is 1.86 dBi on E-plane at 810 MHz and 3.86 dBi on H-plane at 600 MHz.

Evaluating the Use of Cross-Polarization Discrimination in Mitigating Interference from Unlicensed Devices onto DTV

This paper presents the results of the tests performed by the Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC) for determining cross-polarization discrimination of some consumer-grade UHF TV antennas that are available on the market. The test conditions were selected to resemble the situation when a UD (Unlicensed Device) transmitting antenna is operational in the vicinity of a TV receiving antenna. The results of this experiment will be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of cross-polarization discrimination when it is used as a way of mitigating the interference effects from UD radiation onto DTV reception.

Interference to DTV Reception due to Non-Linearity of Receiver Front-Ends

Terrestrial television broadcasting has always been an interference limited service. In 2009, the FCC plans to end analog TV transmissions by full power TV stations in the USA and to reduce the broadcast TV spectrum and to allow sharing of the remaining TV broadcast spectrum by unlicensed devices. DTV signals will use first adjacent channels in the same community and there will be no UHF taboos to protect against interference which results from receiver non-linearity, especially that due to multiple signals on certain channels which results in 3rd order intermodulation products which fall in the channel to which the receiver is tuned. This paper will explain the problems caused and suggest means to improve receiver performance .

Wideband monopole antenna for DTV/GSM operation in the mobile phone

AbstractA wideband monopole antenna comprising a narrow radiating strip of length 120 mm and a simple internal matching portion for mobile phone application is presented. The monopole antenna can generate a wide operating band to cover the DTV reception in the UHF frequency band (470–862 MHz) and mobile communication in the GSM850/900 bands (824–894 MHz/890–960 MHz). The radiating strip is also promising to be retracted to be concealed inside the casing of the mobile phone when not in use. Details of the proposed antenna are described in the study. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 801–806, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23194

Digital Signal Disturbed by Impulsive Noise

This paper presents and comments on test results and measurement procedures carried out mainly in the laboratory to investigate the degree of immunity of DTV reception in the presence of impulse noise. The objective of these tests was to compare the resilience to this type of noise provided by the DTV standards: ATSC, DVB-T and ISDB-T. The field test in the city of Sa/spl tilde/o Paulo, Brazil, showed a high and unforeseen rate of places presenting considerable degradation caused by impulsive noise. Previous studies do not reflect the reality of the impulse noise found in the Brazilian environment. Under these circumstances, a need arises for simulating interference conditions caused by ignition motors, hairdryers, blenders, etc, in the laboratory. Our laboratory tests utilized an impulse noise generator that was constructed especially to emulate ignition noise, but which was shown to be equally satisfactory in emulating other kinds of impulse noise. This paper also describes the operating principles and specifications of the impulse noise generator.

An adaptive carrier synchronization technique for robust 8-VSB DTV reception

In this paper, an adaptive digital frequency phase locked loop (FPLL) algorithm is proposed to improve the carrier recovery performance of 8-VSB receiver. The proposed carrier synchronization technique not only provides a robust 8-VSB DTV reception in fixed and indoor environments, but also makes it possible to watch the HDTV in portable environment. This is because the proposed technique dramatically reduces tracking jitter and acquisition time and enlarges acquisition range by adopting a sign detector, pilot extract filter bank, adaptive lock detector, mode selector, and loop filter bank to the conventional FPLL algorithm.

Height Gain Measurements for DTV Reception in Singapore

Very few height-gain measurements have been made especially in built-up areas. Measurements made in Singapore confirm that the height-gain is different in different locations and depends on the local clutter, ground reflection and the radiation pattern of the transmitting antenna. In high rise HDB (Housing Development Board) estates, height loss is observed instead of gain.

The Performance of Antenna Amplifiers Used for Terrestrial DTV Reception

Measurements were made on currently available commercial antenna-mounted amplifiers to ascertain their effects on DTV reception. Data regarding amplifier gain and noise figure is presented, followed by data illustrating the effects of intermodulation within the tested amplifiers as shown by the change in the D/U interference ratio of a control DTV receiver, and ending with observations regarding amplifier environmental sensitivity. Also presented are the inconsistencies between the performance of commercially available amplifiers, advertised to the public for use with television, and the performance claims made by the manufacturers of such amplifiers.

DTV Reception Quality Field Tests for Portable Outdoor Reception in a Single Frequency Network

This paper presents a field measurement campaign developed to study the influence of the special features of a Single Frequency Network (SFN) reception in the C/N thresholds applicable to portable DTV reception. The measurements presented here were performed inside coverage areas of the nationwide SFN which broadcasts DTV (COFDM 8 K mode) services in Spain. The aim of this paper is to present some network planning reference values for portable reception in urban environments where both multipath and multiple transmitter reception have to be taken into account to ensure a good quality of service.

Evaluation of antenna and receiver mismatch effects on DTV reception

Since 1999 Fox Broadcasting has been making laboratory measurements of DTV receiving apparatus, both antennas and DTV receivers. While Fox was making empirical measurements, others were investigating the effects of various electrical characteristics analytically, most notably Bendov et al.(see ibid., vol.47, no.3, p.207-217, 2001). It is the purpose of this paper to share the results of Fox's measurements of receiving antennas and discuss their effect on DTV reception.

Equalization techniques based on fast RLS algorithms to improve mobile reception performance of 8-VSB receivers

This paper presents fast and robust equalization techniques to improve ATSC DTV reception for fixed, portable, pedestrian, and mobile receivers. There are many strong and dynamic echoes affecting portable, pedestrian, and mobile reception. The conventional decision feedback equalizer using least mean square algorithm is stable and shows good performance in handling the static multipath channel. The equalizer however has difficulty in handling strong echoes and shows poor performance in tracking high Doppler frequencies. To combat strong and dynamic echoes, a fast converging equalizer using a fast transversal decision feedback algorithm combined with the least mean square method is proposed and investigated.