New Method to Determine the Range of DVB-H Networks and the Influence of MPE-FEC Rate and Modulation Scheme

Abstract

DVB-H networks allow high data rate broadcast access for hand-held terminals. A new method to determine the range of good reception quality of such a DVB-H network will be investigated in this paper. To this end, a new subjective criterion is proposed, based on the viewing experience of the users. This criterion is related to the percentage of valid reception. A comparison with existing criteria, based on measured signal strengths, is also made. The ranges are determined for mobile reception inside a car. The influence of the MPE-FEC rate and the modulation scheme on the range is also investigated, enabling wireless telecom operators to select optimal settings for future networks.

SFN gain in broadcast networks

“…The constellation used for the tests is 16-QAM 1/2 with an MPE-FEC (Multi-Protocol Encapsulation-Forward Error Correction) rate of 7/8, corresponding with a useful bit rate of 9.68 Mbps. This constellation is preferred because of its satisfactory behavior regarding both bit rate and coverage area [14]- [16]. The used guard interval is 1/8 and the FFT mode is 4K.…”