Propagation studies of HDTV using DVB-T2 in Singapore

Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) was formulated in 1993 with a memorandum of understanding signed between consortiums of more than 270 organisations. Since then DVB took a majority of the markets with currently Digital Video Broadcasting -2nd Generation Terrestrial (DVB-T2) as the latest standard offering various new features. The new Forward Error Correction (FEC) features included using Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) and Bose-Chaudhuri Hocquengham (BCH) as the error correction technique making it more resilience and robust as compared to convolution and Reed Solomon (RS) in the earlier generation, DVB-T. In addition, DVB-T2 is more efficient and helps to overcome the spectrum scarcity issues. Singapore’s television (TV) station, Mediacorp, has started migration to DVB-T2 since December 2013. Although currently DVB-T and analog TV are still allow to broadcast, progressively, Singapore is expected to fully operates on DVB-T2 only within the next few years when the switch over is completed. DVB-T2’s outdoor coverage was available since December 2013. Mediacorp is in the midst of rolling out indoor coverage to the residential area which is expected to complete by end of 2016. However, it is noted that the indoor coverage roadmap does not address the educational institutes, commercial or industrial building. Hence, the intent of this project is to investigate on how the outdoor signal penetration into in-building compound of building and especially building with irregular structure walls layout. Then understand if such layout will contributes to significant loss to the signal strength. The case study for this project is the latest unique building in NTU called the Learning Hub (The Hive). The Hive was selected due to the unique characteristic of internal greenery and the non-traditional inverted building shape. The PROMAX TV EXPLORER HD+ is used in the project to measure DVB-T2 parameters like the signal strength, Carrier-to-Noise Ratio (CNR) and the Bit Error Rate (BER). Firstly, measurement was done at the outdoor area with Line Of Sight (LOS) to the transmitter. This is to create a baseline reference for comparison with the in-building measurement. Then within the in-building measurement, all the test points were repeated in every storey. The conclusion of the measurement shows that DVB-T2 reception within this unique building is still largely depending on the distance of the test point to the transmitter and its surrounding. In places like the lift lobbies and staircase where the LOS to the transmitter was blocked by multiple walls partition, the signal strength degraded to below the acceptable range. Thus, it is concluded that for these areas, signal enhancing or repeating solutions need to be sought for in order to provide decent DVBT2 coverage within the building.Master of Science (Communications Engineering