The final coverage and associated performance of a single frequency networks (SFNs) is a joint result of the properties of all transmitters in the SFN. Due to the large number of parameters involved in the process, finding the right configuration is quite complex. The purpose of this paper is to find optimal SFN network configurations for second generation digital terrestrial broadcast system (DVB-T2). Offering more options of system parameters than its predecessor DVB-T, DVB-T2 allows large SFN networks. However, self-interference in SFNs gives rise to restrictions on the maximum intertransmitter distance and the network size. In order to make optimum use of the spectrum, the same frequency can be reused over different geographical areas-beyond the reuse distance to avoid co-channel interference. In this paper, a methodology based on theoretical network models is proposed. A number of network architectures and network reference models are considered here for different reception modes in order to study the effects of key planning factors on the maximum SFN size and minimum reuse distance. The results show that maximum bitrate, network size, and reuse distance are closely related. In addition, it has been found that the guard interval is not the only limiting parameter and that its impact strongly depends on the rest of DVB-T2 mode parameters as well as on the network characteristics (equivalent radiated power, effective height, and intertransmitter distance). Assuming that the carrier to noise ratio requirements are in the vicinity of 20 dB and bitrates over 30 Mb/s, it has been found that the network can be as large as 360 × 360 km (delivering 39.2 Mb/s) or even 720 × 720 km (delivering 37.5 Mb/s). The reuse distance will also have a complex dependency on the DVB-T2 mode and especially the network parameters, ranging from below 100 to 300 km.Index Terms-Maximum size, reuse distance, second generation digital terrestrial broadcast system (DVB-T2), single frequency network (SFN), low-power-low-tower (LPLT), high-power-high-tower (HPHT).
This paper presents a comparison between two planning approaches to DVB-T2 Single Frequency Networks (SFN). The first technique is regarded as theoretical and it is based on theoretical hexagonal lattices, where terrain impact is disregarded, the transmitting power and equivalent height are constant parameters over the entire service area. The second one is based on the use of commercial network planning tools that include all the terrain, population, network infrastructure databases as well as propagation related parameters. The paper highlights the motivation for each one of the planning procedures and presents a comparison between them using the planning example of a wide service area in the south of Germany. In general, the hexagon model is able to describe some broad network characteristics but fails to describe the coverage situation in detail, leading to too optimistic results. The differences are associated mainly to effective height and terrain impact on propagation calculations. Keywords-DVB-T2, single frequency network, network planning, hexagon model, frequency management.I.
This paper analyzes a methodology to evaluate the efficiency of different network configurations and associated planning parameters for delivering DVB-T2 services to fixed and portable receivers, based on theoretical SFN networks. The impact of some of the parameters and calculation algorithms on the final coverage percentage values for different SFN network architectures has been studied from simulations. The results have shown that the synchronization strategy and the signal combination method have a relevant impact on the final coverage percents within the service area both for portable and fixed reception.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.