DVB-T2: The 2nd Generation

Technical Overview
Key performance features of DVB-T2:
J At least 30 % higher transmission capacity and improved
SFN performance as compared to DVB-T
J Service-specific transmission robustness
J Program transmission for mobile and stationary receivers
J Extensive re-use of DVB-T infrastructure
J Reduction of peak-to-average power ratio and therfore of
operating costs at the transmitter end

The roll-out of digital TV in line with the DVB-T standard in

Europe began at the end of the 1990s. Today, DVB-T is the
most widespread standard for terrestrial digital TV
worldwide. DVB-T2 has evolved from this standard and
incorporates state-of-the-art technologies.
The aim is to transmit HDTV programs reliably and efficiently
to stationary and portable receivers via terrestrial TV channels.

T2 signaling structure

Physical layer pipes (PLPs)

P2

Data symbols

HDTV2

SDTV1

HDTV1

Configurable Dynamic Extension CRC

Time

SUB_SLICES_PER_FRAME
NUM_PLP
NUM_AUX
AUX_CINFIG_RFU
for i=0..NUM_RF-1 {
RF_IDX
FREQUENCY
}
IF S2==xxx1 {
FEF_TYPE
FEF_LENGTH
FEF_INTERVAL
}
for I=0..NUM_PLP1 {
PLP_ID
PLP_TYPE
PLP_PAYLOAD_TYPE
FF_FLAG
FIRST_RF_IDX
FIRST_FRAME_IDX
PLP_GROUP_ID
PLP_COD
PLP_MOD
PLP_ROTATION
PLP_FEC_TYPE
PLP_NUM_BLOCKS_MAX
FRAME_INTERVAL
TIME_IL_LENGTH
TIME_IL_TYPE
IN_BAND_FLAG
RESERVED_1
}

In addition, the constellation can be rotated

relative to the I/Q
coordinate system
(rotated constellation).

Radio1

P1 signaling L1 pre-signaling L1 post-signaling

TYPE
BWT_EXT
S1
S2
L1_REPETITION_FLAG
GUARD_INTERVAL
PAPR
L1_MOD
L1_COD
L1_FEC_TYPE
L1_POST_SIZE
L1_POST_INFO_SIZE
PILOT_PATTERN
TX_ID_AVAILABILITY
CELL_ID
NETWORK_ID
T2_SYSTEM_ID
NUM_T2_FRAMES
NUM_DATA_SYMBOLS
REGEN_FLAG
L1_POST_EXSTENSION
NUM_RF
CURRENT_RF_IDX
RESERVED
CRC_32

DVB-T2 uses QPSK,

16QAM, 64QAM and
also 256QAM.

The PLPs are provided with

user-specific error protection depending on the data
rate and the desired transmission security. DVB-T2
allows up to 256 PLPs.

T2 frame
P1

16QAM constellation after rotation

The data streams of the

services to be transmitted
are individually assigned to
logical channels (PLPs).

Data rate

A T2 frame begins with a P1 symbol and one or more

P2 symbols. These symbols contain the signaling
information.

Enhancements provided by DVB-T2:

J OFDM modulation with additional IFFT modes
J Efficient error protection by means of LDPC coding
J Transfer and integration of the DVB-S2 baseband
frame concept
J Q-delayed rotated constellations
J MISO transmission
J Reduction of crest factor

DVB-T2 spectrum

DVB-T2 block diagram

Mode adaptation + stream adaptation
PLP n

Null
packet
deletion

ISSY

PLP 0

BB
header
insertion

CRC8

Scheduler

In-band
sig.

T2-MI

BB
scramb.

If a large number of OFDM carriers are used, the spectrum falls sharply towards the band edge. This effect is
utilized by DVB-T2 with the 8k-extended, 16k-extended
and 32k-extended IFFT modes.

BICM
T2 gateway

RESERVED_2

LDPC/
BCH

T2-MI
(ASI/IP)

Bit
interl.

Demux

Const.
rotation

Mapper

Cell
interl.

Time
interl.

Source: ETSI EN 302 755

Frame builder + OFDM generation

for i=0..NUM_AUX-1 {
AUX_RFU
}

Frame
builder

Freq.
interl.

Pilot
pattern

MISO

IFFT

PAPR

Guard
insert.

P1
insert.

to TX

T2 frame structure
The P1 and P2 symbols and the parallel PLPs are
combined into a T2 frame in the frame builder.
Pilot pattern

Guard interval insertion

12

24

36

PP2 (SISO)
0

12

24

36

PP3 (SISO)
0

12

24

36

PP4 (SISO)
0

12

24

36

PP5 (SISO)
0
12

24

36

PP6 (SISO)
0
12

24

36

PP7 (SISO)
0
12

24

36

PP8 (SISO)
0
12

24

36

The higher IFFT modes (16k and 32k) are equivalent to

longer OFDM symbols. This considerably decreases the
overhead with DVB-T2 as compared to DVB-T if the
absolute guard interval length is the same.

L1 post
L1 post
Common
PLPs
Data PLPs,
type 1
Data PLPs,
type 2
Auxiliary
streams
Dummy
cells
Frame closing symbol

Edge pilot

Scattered pilot

8K, guard 1/32

Data cell T = Time (OFDM symbols)

Selection of Rohde & Schwarz solutions for DVB-T2

SFU broadcast test system

All-in-one-solution for broadcast and mobile TV

Rohde & Schwarz TV transmitters

Full range of DVB-T2-ready transmitters

DVB-T2 supports eight

different pilot patterns for
the scattered pilots.

32K, guard 1/128

Time

Rohde & Schwarz offers transmitter and test & measurement solutions for DVB-T2 and is therefore a qualified
partner for all network operators and electronic
equipment manufacturers.

Glossary:
ASI = Asynchronous Serial Interface; BB = Base Band; BICM = Bit-Interleaved-Coded-Modulation; CRC8 = Cycling
Redundancy Check; DVB-T2 = Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial; IFFT = Inverse Fast Fourrier Transformation; IP = Internet
Protocol; ISSY = Input Stream Synchronizer; LDPC = Low-Density-Parity-Check-Codes; BCH = Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem
Code; MISO = Multiple Input Single Output; OFDM = Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex; PAPR = Peak-to-Average
Power Ratio; PLP = Physical Layer Pipe; QAM = Quadrature Amplitude Modulation; QPSK = Quadrature Phase Shift Keying;
SFN = Single Frequency Network; T2-MI = T2 Modulator Interface

PD 5214.1866.82 V 01.01 (sv)

PP1 (SISO)
0

Key

Data

Data

Data

Data

P2

P2

P1

Cell index

Time

www.rohde-schwarz.com/technology/dvb-t2

DVBT-T2_po_en_5214-1866-82_v0101.indd 1

06.04.2009 17:21:00